If there’s one thing about riding a bike for a long time, it’s that even small discomforts can build up to ruin an enjoyable ride. This is why it’s crucial to ensure that the gear you use is maximally rated for your comfort – especially what you’re sitting on. In this article, we’ll look at the best bike saddles around so you can make sure your next ride is comfortable the whole way through.
There are a few different things to keep in mind when purchasing a bike saddle. The first depends on the type of biking you do; there are saddles for bike commuting, road cycling, and mountain biking, which affect the shape and size of the saddle. There are also saddles rated more for performance or cushioning, depending on which traits the rider wants to emphasize more.
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In the following 15 bike saddles, all of these traits are discussed along with their pros and cons so you can make the most informed decision when getting outside to do some cycling!
Our Top Picks for Saddles:
Image | Brand | Best Features | Price |
 | SELLE ROYAL RESPIRO ATHLETIC SADDLE |
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 | Fizik Argo Tempo R5 Saddle |
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 | SPECIALIZED ROMIN EVO COMP GEL SADDLE |
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 | RUBY PRO SADDLE (WOMEN'S) |
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 | Power Expert Saddle With MIMIC - Women's |
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 | Diva Gel Superflow Saddle - Women's |
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 | Sitero Saddle |
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 | ARIONE R3 OPEN SADDLE |
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 | FABRIC S PRO TEAM SADDLE |
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 | PRO STEALTH CARBON RAIL SADDLE |
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 | ARGO VENTO R1 SADDLE |
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 | Selle Italia SLR Boost TM Superflow - for Men and Women |
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 | CADEX BOOST SADDLE |
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 | Antares Versus Evo 00 Adaptive Saddle - Men's |
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 | SPECIALIZED S-WORKS POWER MIRROR SADDLE |
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SELLE ROYAL RESPIRO ATHLETIC SADDLE
The Selle Royal Respiro may not be the lightest saddle available on the market, but it is by no means a heavy saddle either. What it adds in a few extra grams of weight over the lighter varieties (360 grams), it makes up for in considerable comfort.
It may not also be the sleekest thing in the world, with a length of 277mm and a width of 163mm, but overall at the most affordable saddle on this list, it’s worth it for people who don’t want to break the bank.
Best Feature:
- Weight: 360 grams, not lightest.
- Size: 277mm length, 163mm width.
- Comfort: Offers considerable comfort.
- Affordable: Budget-friendly, quality assured.
Pros
Cons
Fizik Argo Tempo R5 Saddle
The Fizik Argo Tempo R5 Saddle is another saddle that keeps comfort in mind. By keeping the posture of the rider in a more upright position that minimizes the need for constant shifting, the rider experiences greater weight distribution, stability, and long-term comfort.
It’s a saddle that’s made for versatility, and riders in all kinds of settings can appreciate the advantages this brings in today’s world of multi-purpose bikes.
Best Feature:
- Fizik Argo Tempo R5: Comfort-focused.
- Upright posture reduces shifting needs.
- Enhanced weight distribution, stability, comfort.
- Versatile for multi-purpose bike riders.
Pros
Cons
SPECIALIZED ROMIN EVO COMP GEL SADDLE
The Specialized Romin Evo Gel Saddle is one of balance; it is a performance saddle coming in at 273 grams, which is sizably less weighty than the Selle Royal, but this doesn’t sacrifice its comfort capabilities.
The seat material is a combination of plush gel and slightly firmer foam, which allows both ample support and cushioning and its Geometry is designed specifically to prevent numbness from occurring in the legs by optimizing blood flow. If you’ve had a problem with this in the past, this option would be a good choice to try for you.
Best Feature:
- Specialized Romin Evo Gel: Balanced performance.
- Weighs 273 grams, lighter than Selle Royal.
- Comfortable with plush gel and firm foam.
- Optimized geometry prevents leg numbness.
Pros
Cons
RUBY PRO SADDLE (WOMEN’S)
This Ruby Pro saddle is designed for women to provide a sturdy, supportive saddle that is also pliant enough to provide a highly comfortable experience. With its carbon-reinforced design, it maintains a low weight while also providing plenty of durability. With this material comes a higher price point, but it could be well worth it to optimize lightweight comfort.
Best Feature:
- Ruby Pro: Sturdy and supportive saddle.
- Pliant for highly comfortable experience.
- Carbon-reinforced, lightweight, and durable.
- Higher price for optimized lightweight comfort.
Pros
Cons
Power Expert Saddle With MIMIC – Women’s
The Power Expert Woman’s Saddle is a five-layer foam saddle with a titanium rail frame. Foam does not provide the level of cushion that gel designs do, but it can provide more support, and in the long run it can be more durable.
The titanium rails also ensure it is a lightweight saddle, coming in at only 200 grams, without sacrificing durability. With a length of 240mm and varying widths of 143mm, 155mm, and 168mm, you can make sure to get this saddle in the size that fits right for you.
Best Feature:
- Power Expert Woman’s Saddle: Foam and Titanium.
- Foam offers support and durability.
- Lightweight at 200 grams, titanium rails.
- Size options for personalized fit.
Pros
Cons
Diva Gel Superflow Saddle – Women’s
The Diva Get Superflow Saddle is a woman’s saddle designed to be sleek enough for racing while still maintaining the plush comfort gained through its gel cushion material.
It has titanium rails and an anatomic cutout to reduce weight, which is either 275 grams or 285 grams depending on the size. This is still heavier than the Power Expert Saddle, but the real favorable comparison is the plentiful cushioning, which conforms to your body over time to increase comfort even further.
Best Feature:
- Diva Gel Superflow: Sleek and comfortable.
- Gel cushion for plush comfort.
- Titanium rails, anatomic cutout, reduced weight.
- Conforms to body, increasing long-term comfort.
Pros
Cons
Sitero Saddle
The Sitero Saddle is a saddle with a snug nose to allow for optimal power transfer from the legs to the pedals, and a large cutout to allow for constant cooling during a long ride. It’s about average weight at 287 grams and comes in multiple sizes to pick the one that fits for you.
Best Feature:
- Sitero Saddle: Snug nose, optimal power transfer.
- Large cutout for constant cooling.
- Average weight at 287 grams.
- Multiple sizes available for personalized fit.
Pros
Cons
ARIONE R3 OPEN SADDLE
At only 230 grams, this seat is lightweight and efficient. It is designed for maximum power transfer. Its shape is designed to give your legs a full range of motion. However, with only a synthetic layer of padding, it is less comfortable long term.
Best Feature:
- Lightweight and efficient at 230 grams.
- Maximizes power transfer during cycling.
- Shape allows full leg range of motion.
- Synthetic padding, less long-term comfort.
Pros
Cons
FABRIC S PRO TEAM SADDLE
This is another short nose saddle that can be used for more aggressive and aerodynamic riding positions. However, this also doesn’t stop it from being wide at the rear to provide additional stability.
Best Feature:
- Short nose saddle for aggressive riding.
- Suitable for aerodynamic positions.
- Wide rear for added stability.
Pros
Cons
PRO STEALTH CARBON RAIL SADDLE
The pro stealth carbon rail saddle maximizes both durability and efficiency within a saddle. Using lightweight carbon rails and EVA foam padding, it cuts off many grams without much sacrifice. However, this also makes it one of the pricier options on this list.
Best Feature:
- Pro Stealth Carbon Rail: Durable and efficient.
- Lightweight carbon rails, EVA foam padding.
- Grams reduced without significant compromise.
- Higher price compared to other options.
Pros
Cons
ARGO VENTO R1 SADDLE
The Argo Vento R1 Saddle is another Saddle with few downsides. It is made for performance, has high comfort and support foam, and has multiple sizes to ensure it fits. However, it also is set to a specific aggressive riding position, which not everyone would find ideal.
Best Feature:
- Argo Vento R1: Performance-focused saddle.
- High comfort and support foam.
- Multiple sizes for personalized fit.
- Aggressive riding position may not suit everyone.
Pros
Cons
Selle Italia SLR Boost TM Superflow – for Men and Women
This sleek option provides a lot of comfort, durability, and support, and maintains a stature as a lightweight seat. Selle Italia is known to produce high-quality seats, and this is no exception.
Best Feature:
- Sleek option with comfort, durability, and support.
- Lightweight yet provides ample comfort.
- Selle Italia delivers high-quality seats.
- A reliable choice for riders.
Pros
Cons
CADEX BOOST SADDLE
The ultra-light Cadex Boost comes in at a minute 138 grams, which is the lightest saddle yet. Despite this tiny size, using optimal materials and patented technology, the seat provides the benefits of power transfer and Aerodynamic value.
Best Feature:
- Cadex Boost: Ultra-light at 138 grams.
- Optimal materials and patented technology.
- Maximizes power transfer and aerodynamic performance.
- Lightest saddle with significant benefits.
Pros
Cons
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Antares Versus Evo 00 Adaptive Saddle – Men’s
This seat has essentially all the features you would want out of a bike saddle. It uses 3D-printed pieces to create lightweight meshes that still offer plentiful support. It excels at pressure relief and wind cooling to prevent the seat from getting too hot and chafing. It is a sleek and effective option if within your budget
Best Feature:
- All-inclusive seat with desired features.
- Lightweight 3D printed meshes provide support.
- Excellent pressure relief and wind cooling.
- Sleek and effective, budget permitting.
Pros
Cons
SPECIALIZED S-WORKS POWER MIRROR SADDLE
This seat tops out as the most expensive and premium saddle on the list, but can be well worth it for its scope of top tier features. It has carbon rails, and liquid polymer padding designed to perfectly fit your body to maximize comfort and support.
Best Feature:
- Premium and pricey, but worth it.
- Carbon rails and liquid polymer padding.
- Customized fit for maximum comfort.
- Top-tier features for discerning riders.
Pros
Cons
Everything You Need to Know About Bike Saddles
Any cyclist – whether you’re a newcomer wanting to get more experience or a veteran biker who’s got years under their belt – can find selecting a new saddle to be a daunting task. With many different types, shapes, and materials, it can be hard to sort through what the most important features are, and what are the most relevant to you.
In this part of the article, we’ll be discussing all the major distinguishing characteristics of bike saddles so you can make an informed decision.
What type of riding do you do?
Many bike seats are made to be cross-category to provide utility in a wide array of situations, but loosely there are four categories of bike seats. This includes the following:
Road Biking: Made for people who are racing on roads or simply looking for an intense road biking experience, road biking saddles are typically long and narrow with less emphasis on padding so you can get optimal power transfer from your legs while peddling.
Mountain Biking: With treacherous terrain and constantly changing obstacles, mountain biking is a wholly different form of cycling than on the road. These seats tend to have a high amount of padding for your seat bones to account for the constant shifting in the seat that happens as you weave over rocks and roots and whatever else mountain paths have in store.
Commuting Biking: Commuting biking is a less intense form of using a bike, where the primary purpose is to use the bike to go from one place to another, whether that be on busy urban streets or through easier back roads. These seats are made to be wide and comfortable with less emphasis on the sleek streamlining of competitive bike seats. They also may sport a short nose instead of a long one.
Bike Touring: Bike touring is similar to commuting biking, but is on a much larger scale where the distance traveled is increased significantly. In this sense, these saddles tend to be a cross between the comfort of the commuter bike and the ruggedness of mountain biking, which results in a seat that has a fairly long, narrow nose.
What type of cushioning do you prefer?
Two factors that determine cushioning within a bike seat – the geometry of the seat, and the material used to make it.
There are two main shape types – performance saddles, for competitive and efficient biking, and cushioning saddles, for recreation and comfort. Performance saddles typically have minimal padding to allow for maximum power transfer and little chafing over long times.
Cushioning saddles are wider and more plush and are often backed up by a spring to absorb bumps in the road or path. They also often have a short nose.
Saddle shape types also include the center cutout of a seat. By eliminating the center material of the saddle, your perineum is better protected, which consists of the various nerves and arteries between your seat bones.
Pressure on this area can cause a variety of short and long-term health problems, including things from numb legs to minor nerve damage. However, the degree to which the center material relieves this pressure depends largely on how your seat bones are positioned.
There are a few different materials that the cushioning of bike seats can be made out of, which are shown below.
Foam Cushioning: Foam is a pliable material that does a good job retaining its shape over time. This is typically more favored by road riders because it can provide more firm support than other material types, particularly gel.
Gel: Gel is among the most popular types of seating material along with foam. Whereas foam is firm and maintains its shape, gel molds more to your body when you sit, which therefore provides the plushest comfort. Because of its emphasis on comfort, most casual riders prefer gel.
Leather/Cotton cover: Some saddles provide minimal padding aside from a thin leather or cotton cover, which naturally results in the most uncomfortable seat. However, after frequent use, you will eventually break into it, which means it will match your body shape and weight. However, overall this is not as popular, and most riders will choose some form of cushion.
What are the differences between saddle rail materials?
The saddle rails are the structural part of the saddle that connects it to the frame of the bike. Different materials have different weights, durabilities, and costs, as can be seen below:
Steel: Steel is strong and durable, but it also has quite a large amount of weight. If you are a non-casual rider that cares more about saddle weight, it is probably best to look into other options.
Titanium: Titanium is strong and also weighs considerably less than steel. Of course, this also makes it more expensive than steel.
Alloys: Various alloys are also used which are variously a combination of lighter and/or stronger than steel.
Carbon: Carbon is the most lightweight of the options listed here, and also has significant vibration absorption potential, but is also likely to be the most expensive.
How do I know what size saddle to get?
Getting the right size saddle is one of the most essential things you can do to minimize discomfort on a ride. Having an incorrectly sized saddle can lead to bad posture, soreness, leg numbness, and other side effects even if the saddle is designed for comfort. The most important part of a saddle’s size is its width and how it supports your sit bones (the bones that are in contact with the surface when you sit down).
Having a saddle that isn’t wide enough won’t provide enough support, but having a saddle that’s too wide will result in chafing and rubbing.
Saddle widths are typically listed with product specifications when looking at saddles online. If you are going to purchase a saddle online, it is a good idea to measure the width of your sit bones.
Alternatively, you can test out a variety of different saddle sizes in person at a store to get an idea of what seat widths fit well for you before making a purchase.
How do I know how to make sure the saddle is properly adjusted?
There are a few methods of adjusting the saddle that are important to know to optimize comfort when installing a new one.
Saddle Height: If your saddle is too high, it can cause a lot of wobbling and readjustment on the bike, which can be damaging to the aforementioned perineal area. For most biking, the saddle should be where your leg has a slight bend when on the pedals. However, many mountain bikers prefer a lower position for tough, obstacle-laden trails.
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Saddle Tilt: Typically, the best position for a saddle is parallel to the ground, though there are times in which it is preferable to tilt the saddle more forward for more intense riding. Adjustment can be achieved by loosening the saddle binder bolt and manually moving it to the correct position.
Some other things that can be done to further achieve comfort beyond just the saddle, which can be important to prevent soreness and damage in the area. This includes wearing padded bike shorts, standing up on the pedals roughly every 15 minutes, and standing up a little on bumps to prevent your body from absorbing the entirety of the shock.
Now that you’re equipped with both a knowledge of a wide range of saddles from cheap to expensive, and information on all the technical aspects of a saddle, you should have a good idea of what product you would like to purchase. Whether you are a newcomer to cycling or a veteran looking to update your trusted bike, this guide serves as an information delve into all the aspects of bike saddles.
Conclusion
After reading this article, it should be easy to understand the intricacies of picking out a new saddle. Saddles come in a wide variety of price ranges, and styles to suit whatever budget you have and the qualities that are most important to you. This article started with a list of a variety of different saddles with advantages related to the weight, geometry, material, and padding. You can choose the saddle that will give you the best comfort to keep your ride of any length smooth and enjoyable
