Comfortable Seat
07-28-15 | 08:18 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Illinois
Bikes: 2015 Trek 7.4 FX
Comfortable Seat
I just bought a new Trek 7.4 FX bike for recreational use and was wondering if anyone has any suggestions on a comfortable, but good bike seat. I am a male. Any specific brand or model? I would like for it to be comfortable for longer rides if at all possible.
Is it true that the softer, more gel feeling seats are actually not as comfortable or soft?
thank you in advance for any suggestions/advice!!
Is it true that the softer, more gel feeling seats are actually not as comfortable or soft?
thank you in advance for any suggestions/advice!!
07-29-15 | 06:08 AM
#2
Seņior Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 13,748
Likes: 10
From: Michigan
Bikes: Windsor Fens, Giant Seek 0 (2014, Alfine 8 + discs)
What you need to do is to find a saddle that has wide bits in the back that fit the spacing of your sit bones. The saddle needs to support your weight by those two points, that's how your body is designed.
Also the saddle needs to be positioned correctly for your body. Saddles are adjustable on three axes; height, forward and backward on the rail, and tilt angle. By messing these up you can take the best saddle for you and make it miserable. It's possible the saddle you have now would be fantastic if it were adjusted correctly.
The worst is if it's angled forward or slid back too far and makes you slide forward so that your perineum is pressing on the horn. This will lead to lack of blood flow and can be very unpleasant and over long term damaging. Again, this is almost always caused simply by bad adjustment.
As for padding, it makes saddles feel nice for people who ride for 10 minutes at a time. But long term what it does is to let your sit bones sink into the saddle which allows other parts of your bottom to press into the saddle, which is not desirable.
Also the saddle needs to be positioned correctly for your body. Saddles are adjustable on three axes; height, forward and backward on the rail, and tilt angle. By messing these up you can take the best saddle for you and make it miserable. It's possible the saddle you have now would be fantastic if it were adjusted correctly.
The worst is if it's angled forward or slid back too far and makes you slide forward so that your perineum is pressing on the horn. This will lead to lack of blood flow and can be very unpleasant and over long term damaging. Again, this is almost always caused simply by bad adjustment.
As for padding, it makes saddles feel nice for people who ride for 10 minutes at a time. But long term what it does is to let your sit bones sink into the saddle which allows other parts of your bottom to press into the saddle, which is not desirable.
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07-29-15 | 06:25 AM
#3
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 218
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From: Spring Hill - Florida
07-29-15 | 06:53 AM
#4
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 4,681
Likes: 253
From: Minnesota
Bikes: N+1=5
What's going to happen now in this thread is that everyone is going to chime in with the saddle they like. Since their hinder is different than yours, that's completely useless information.
Go to a decent bike store starting with where you bought the bike and work with them to try different saddles. All good bike shops have a try before you buy plan or are very patient in helping you find the right saddle through experimentation. I say "all" because having a program or plan like this is definitional to what a "good" bike shop is.
J.
Go to a decent bike store starting with where you bought the bike and work with them to try different saddles. All good bike shops have a try before you buy plan or are very patient in helping you find the right saddle through experimentation. I say "all" because having a program or plan like this is definitional to what a "good" bike shop is.
J.
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