How to Choose a Bike Seat?

However, selecting a new seat might be a difficult undertaking. There are a lot of choices, and comfort is often subjective, so the saddle that works for your friend might not work for you. This article will explain how factors such as bike seat materials, cushioning, design, and size, as well as the type of riding you perform, can influence your bike seat selection. If you're going to a bike shop, ask if you may try out a seat to evaluate how comfortable it is. Even if they don't have the precise one you're looking for, many places will have something similar that you can try. Variate your riding position, bike rapidly and slowly, and hit some bumps while you're out there. Visit most comfortable bike seat for more information.

Consider the Type of Riding You Do:

Bike seats are frequently placed into one of these five categories:

• Recreational cycling:  If you sit upright while pedaling a cruiser, urban or commuter bike and prefer short rides, try a saddle designed for recreational cycling. The saddles are often wide with plush padding and/or springs and sometimes sport a short nose.
• Road cycling:  Are you racing or clocking significant road miles? Road cycling saddles tend to be long and narrow and have minimal padding for the best power transfer while pedaling.
• Commuting via bicycle: Saddles designed for commuting include some padding, but not excessively so, similar to saddles used for road cycling and bike touring. Bike commuters who ride in the rain or shine should think about the cover materials' weather resilience. 
• Bike riding in the mountains: You alternate between standing up on the pedals, perching way back (often simply hovering over or even off your saddle), and crouching down in a tucked position on mountain trails. You'll need a mountain-specific saddle with padding for your sit bones, a robust cover, and a streamlined shape that will facilitate your mobility because of these various positions.
• Touring via bicycle: You'll want a saddle that falls between a road and a mountain saddle for long-distance riding. Bike touring saddles are often cushioned for your sit bones and have a long, thin nose. 

Think about if you want a center cutout or not.

Many bicycle seats are designed to protect your perineum, which is the area between your sit bones where a slew of nerves and arteries pass. These saddles have less or no material in the middle, which relieves strain on the perineum while also allowing for airflow and comfort during extended rides. 

Because everyone's anatomy is different, some riders benefit greatly from a perineal cutout, while others prefer to ride in a saddle with either a little indentation or no accommodation at all. Most men and women benefit from this type of pressure-relieving design, but it is truly a matter of personal opinion.

A split seat, which consists of side-by-side cushions atop a noseless saddle, may be an option for hard-to-fit riders. This style of custom saddle is usually not available at REI.