| If you have cycled for more than a few years and if | | | | then goes to the nearest bike shop or searched the |
| you live in an area where you cannot cycle all year | | | | Internet for a new saddle. The purchase is made and |
| long you may find that the saddle on your bike is not | | | | after a few dozen miles the new saddle feels better, |
| as comfortable in the spring as you remember it being | | | | so they stick with it and retire the old one. This |
| in the fall before you put it away for the winter. That | | | | scenario may continue each year, not because there |
| goes even if you ride a stationery bike in winter. | | | | is anything wrong with the old saddle but because the |
| Saddles on stationary bicycles tend to be larger and | | | | rider needs to get accustomed to riding again. In most |
| more heavily padded than those on a traditional bicycle. | | | | cases gradually getting back in to riding by doing short |
| Also most people don't ride stationary bikes as long as | | | | rides at first then adding miles each time you ride is the |
| they do traditional bicycles, there are no bumps, gravel | | | | best way to find out whether you really neat a new |
| or potholes to hit on a stationary bike, so a saddle that | | | | saddle or whether you just need to get more used to |
| is acceptable on a stationary bike will not likely be as | | | | riding. |
| comfortable on a traditional bicycle. | | | | If after trying for a while you still feel a new saddle is |
| Notice that so far I have always called it a saddle, not | | | | what you need then here are some things to think |
| a seat and believe it or not there is reason for this. | | | | about. |
| When I was growing up and before I started actually | | | | The width of the saddle is crucial to your comfort. |
| transforming from a person that enjoyed cycling to an | | | | Your sit bones or ischial tuberosities are designed to |
| actual cyclist I used the term seat and saddle | | | | bear your body's weight when seated. If the weight is |
| interchangeably. After reading several articles on the | | | | carried between the sit bones instead of on them you |
| subject, most recently by the late Sheldon Brown I | | | | will be uncomfortable. If the saddle is too narrow the |
| have come to appreciate the difference between a | | | | soft tissues will bear the body weight. If the saddle is |
| seat and a saddle. | | | | too wide you may notice chafing on the inner thigh |
| Sheldon explained it like this: a seat is something you sit | | | | especially when it gets warmer outside and you |
| on and is designed to bear your entire weight, much | | | | perspire more. |
| like a chair would do. Recumbent bikes use seats | | | | The material that the saddle is made of makes some |
| upright traditional bikes have saddles. Saddles are | | | | difference in comfort. Personally I prefer the leather |
| designed to carry some of the weight of the rider but | | | | saddle for my bicycle, but it doesn't really have to be |
| not all. The legs as well as the arms and hands carry | | | | fine Italian Leather, just regular stretched, vinyl is too |
| some of the weight of the rider also. So you see the | | | | slippery, and Lycra is not as durable as either leather |
| bicycle saddle is found on traditional upright bicycles. | | | | or vinyl. Heavily padded seats are comfortable for |
| Bicycle seats are found on recumbent bikes. | | | | short rides but tend to get uncomfortable quickly as |
| At this point I do not have or ride a recumbent so this | | | | the rides get longer. |
| article will be mostly about the traditional upright 2 | | | | Many times the cause of pain is not the saddle itself |
| wheel bicycle. It also does not really cover saddles for | | | | but the adjustment of the saddle and whether or not |
| BMX bicycles, since BMX riders spend most of their | | | | the bike fits the rider. Before tossing out a perfectly |
| actual riding time out of the saddle the saddle is more | | | | good saddle and laying out a 100.00 or more on a new |
| of an ornament for them except when they are in | | | | fancy saddle make sure that your bike actually fits you |
| staging waiting for the race. | | | | and that the bike is adjusted properly. |
| The average recreational cyclist will ride their bicycle | | | | You may need help with the fitting of the bike or |
| until it gets cold outside then put it up for the winter and | | | | adjusting the saddle correctly. Any good bicycle shop |
| bring it back out to ride when the weather gets | | | | should be able to help with this. You can also do a |
| warmer in the spring. The cyclist gets in a few miles | | | | Google search for bicycle fitting and find many |
| on his/her bike from last year and the saddle is no | | | | variations of fitting a rider to a bicycle. |
| longer as comfortable as it felt in the fall. The cyclist | | | | |