Tag: saddle

Vibration Testing Saddles From Brooks, SQLab & Specialized – Which is Best?

The saddle is one of the most important bike components in terms of vertical compliance. In fact, Cervelo rates the saddle as the second most important component on a road bike after your rear tire.

It’s time to find out what the comfort differences are between three of the best gravel saddles currently available.

Let’s start with the Brooks C17 Carved saddle.

Brooks C17 Carved Saddle

This has been my primary saddle for a while now. I’ve done more than 2000 km on it, so I know its strengths and weaknesses quite well.

Brooks saddles are known to be some of the most comfortable available. But Brooks saddles are also known to need time to ‘wear in’ (well, the leather ones). I didn’t want to go through this process, so that’s why I ended up testing their C17 model.

The Brooks C17 Cambium All-weather saddle is made from vulcanized natural rubber, and according to Brooks, it is ready to ride from the first minute. Yet my experience was different and I needed some time to adapt to its unique shape.

Part of the magic behind this saddle is not the shape but the unique construction. The Brooks C17 has a flexible shell that you sit on (similarly to the new 3D-printed saddles) so your sit bones can flex the saddle while you ride. This flex has a very nice damping effect as well.

Now, there are rivets that protrude from the rear of the saddle. If you sit wrongly on them (like I initially did) they will create discomfort. But if you overcome these initial challenges, this saddle truly starts to shine.

I find the shape of Brooks C17 Carved very comfortable. And the longer you ride, the better it feels! Luckily, my vibration measurements support these subjective feelings. But before we go for the data let’s talk about another two contenders…

SQlab 612 Ergowave Active Saddle

The SQlab 612 Ergowave saddle takes a different approach.

When you are riding, your pelvis is rotating from one side to the other, and this makes your sit bones constantly dig into the surface of the saddle. The more flat and hard the surface of the saddle, the more it will bother you, especially on longer rides.

Brooks uses a unique flexible shell to solve this issue, but it’s quite a curved saddle shape. If you want a flatter saddle instead, then I believe the SQlab 612 is the best solution you can get right now.

SQlab put an elastomer under the rear of the saddle, which combined with the flex of the saddle, allows for free movement from one side to the other (up to seven degrees just like your pelvis is tilting). This construction will likely reduce the discomfort that you can normally feel on a flat saddle. It also works as a vibration-damping solution, especially when you put in the softest of the three available elastomers.

The saddle feels great from the moment you sit on it, there is no adaptation time needed. It also encourages you to pedal hard, while Brooks is more like a touring saddle for relaxing riding.

The SQlab 612 feels very good mostly thanks to the raised rear and lowered nose so you feel much less pressure on the sensitive areas (the center dip also helps in that matter). But there is also a difference in how those saddles feel after a few hours of riding, at least for me.

While Brooks gets better every hour you spend on the saddle, the SQlab starts to bother you slightly. I believe there is a perfect explanation of this and it has to do with the unique construction of the saddle itself. The construction allows for a side-to-side movement, but the middle of the saddle is not damping as much vibration.

This is why I believe the SQlab 612 saddle is perfect for road usage, but for longer trips on rough gravel roads, the Brooks C17 is the better choice.

Don’t get me wrong, this is by far the most comfortable flat saddle I have ridden. And you will see what I mean when we start talking about the data from the vibration measurements.

But before we go there, let’s talk about the third contender.

Specialized Power Comp Saddle

The Specialized Power Comp saddle is an example of a short saddle. It looks weird but it feels quite good once you sit on it.

For me, a short saddle has the advantage of lowering the probability of sitting wrongly on it (it may sound funny but the longer the saddle the more wrong positions you can achieve on it). You simply need to sit at the center of it to feel comfortable, and that is it.

Some cyclists like to change their position on the saddle while riding, so a short saddle like this will not work for them. But this was not a problem for me.

The Specialized Power Comp is a firm saddle but the well-designed shape results in very little pressure on sensitive areas.

Similarly to the SQlab saddle, it feels good the moment you sit on it. I did a couple of longer rides on it and did not feel any big discomfort. But at the same time, I did not feel that this saddle is doing much to dampen the vibrations coming from bigger hits. And the data shows it.

Vibration Test Results

I fitted these three saddles along with a bonus saddle to my benchmark bike to conduct these tests. The bike is a Jamis Renegade using an Ergon Allroad Pro carbon seatpost and supple Soma Cazadero 700C x 42mm tires (30 psi).

You can see my vibration measurement procedure & outdoor test courses HERE.

The most comfortable saddle in terms of reducing vibrations is Brooks C17. It’s able to attenuate up to 11.5% more vibrations than the Specialized Power saddle on the bumpy forest trail, and there were 6.6% fewer vibrations on the fast gravel road.

Yes, the SQlab 612 (with the softest elastomer) measures the same as the Brooks C17 in terms of measured vibrations. But when I was on a longer gravel trip I still felt slightly less comfortable on the SQlab saddle.

The Specialized Power Comp was significantly less comfortable than both of those saddles in terms of vibrations. But the biggest surprise for me was when I put a very cheap Accent Furious saddle on my benchmark bike – I found that it offers vibration-damping properties similar to the SQlab saddle (middle elastomer).

The explanation is likely simple – Accent Furious saddle is very thick, so the foam is doing a lot of damping work. But at the same time, the thick layer of foam also makes this saddle much less comfortable on longer trips. At least for me.

The Best Saddle For Gravel Riding

I had a long internal debate about this because I really liked the feel of an SQlab 612 Ergowave Active saddle. It just feels right from the moment you sit on it, and with the softest elastomer, it offers a huge amount of comfort (at least for a firm and flat saddle).

But in the end, I came back to my Brooks C17 Carved. Yes, it looks outdated compared to the SQlab saddle, especially when the rubber starts to come off. But the feel, especially on longer gravel trips, is unmatched.

So there you have it: try the Brooks C17 Carved saddle first, and if you don’t like it after a few longer rides, go for the SQlab one. You’ll have a very hard time looking for a better alternative.

You can support the CyclingAbout Comfort Lab by purchasing a Brooks C17 Carved saddle on Amazon. Simply click HERE to make your purchase, and a small commission will come our way.

May 29, 2023
Saddle Comfort for Cyclists: The Best Bicycle Touring Seats

Is your saddle comfortable?

Over the years, I’ve experimented with, sold and met people with all kinds of different saddles. Unfortunately, there is no ‘go-to’ saddle because we all have different riding positions, different levels of flexibility and variations in our sit bone widths.

All of these factors rule out a wonder-saddle that we can just pull off the shelf and fit on our bikes. Instead, we have to know a bit about seats and how comfort works, and after that, we can narrow our options right down to just a few.

I’ve compiled a list below of 30 saddles that have worked for many riders. But first, let’s learn about discomfort, body positioning and saddle characteristics so you can optimize the saddle shape and style for your needs.

This article was originally published Sep 2015 but has been updated in May 2019.

Why Do We Get Saddle Discomfort?

Selle Anatomica Saddle. Image: Urbanvelo.org

Arteries and Nerves of the Pubic Rami

Saddle pain is mostly linked to nerve and artery compression, but can also come in the form of saddle sores. Discomfort is recognised through acute pain, numbness and tingling. If you experience any of these, you’re likely putting excessive pressure on sensitive nerves and arteries running along your pubic rami. Pressure here reduces blood flow, stymieing oxygen delivery to tissues and in turn, may lead to broader medical issues. In general, women are more susceptible to direct perineal pressure given their wider subpubic angle which exposes more of their pubic rami.

Saddle discomfort can be eliminated with a more suitable body position, and/or more appropriate saddle for your needs.

Saddle Sores

These skin irritations are mostly due to the continuous pressure and friction between your skin and bicycle seat, but can also be attributed to hair follicle infections and chaffing. You can eliminate saddle sores through a good riding position, a suitable saddle, chamois cream and a good pair of cycling shorts.

I go into much more detail on how to prevent and treat saddle sores HERE.

Bike Fit

Have you had your bike fitted by a professional?

One of the biggest factors in saddle comfort is bike fit and positioning. First, you’ll need to make sure you have the correct saddle height and position in relation to your pedals. If you’re up too high or too far back, the chances are that your optimal saddle won’t be working the way it should.

You’ll next need to check how your bike fit is dictating your pelvic positioning by going for a ride. Unless you’re riding in a performance position, you’ll want to be sitting towards the rear of your saddle. That’s the widest, flattest part of the seat, and the best place to support your weight. If you find yourself sitting on the front of your saddle constantly, that’s often a sign that something is wrong with your positioning. This may be based on your bike setup or even your flexibility.

Lower Back Flexibility

People with flexible lower backs tend to be able to rotate their pelvis up, and use their sit bones more effectively. If you’re less flexible, you’ll rotate your pelvis forward and experience pressure on your nerves and arteries. If this is the case, a bike fitter will raise your handlebar height and give you a saddle which can take pressure off your pubic rami.

Body Position and Riding Style

What pressure zone are you?

Your body position on a bike has a big impact on how you use your saddle. Bicycle saddles are often designed to minimise pressure, resulting in all kinds of different padding types, profiles, curvatures and widths.

The Bontrager diagrams below are fantastic for mapping pressure zones in different riding positions. A good way to determine what position you ride in is to get a friend to take a photo of you while you’re riding along.

In general:
– Comfort/upright body positions require saddles with more padding, more width and a flatter top to support your sit bones.
– Performance body positions require saddles that are lightly padded, curved and narrower to support your pubic rami.

Sit Bone Width

Bontrager Inform Sit Bone Tool. Image: BikeRumor.com

Everybody has a natural variation in sit bone width. In my experience, you want to measure your sit bone width and add about 20mm to get a suitable saddle width. If your saddle is too wide for your pelvis you’ll experience excessive rubbing. If it’s too narrow you’ll find your sit bones are not cradled well.

In general, the more upright your position is, the wider the saddle you should use. You’ll find saddle widths ranging from about 125 to 180mm. You can measure your sit bones by heading into a bike shop and using a sit bone sizing tool. These are available from Trek, Specialized, WTB and more.

Saddle Firmness

Miles Smith is currently doing over 400km per day, for 365 days on this saddle!

When you’re travelling by bike, you’ll find yourself sometimes doing long days. A general rule is that the further you ride, the firmer you’ll prefer your saddle. Miles Smith is currently attempting the year record (400km every day!) using a plastic saddle with minimal give (it’s simply the right shape). Doing just 80km on a soft gel saddle, you’ll find your sit bones moving about, resulting in undesired chaffing.

Saddle Shape

Bicycle saddles have a ‘nose’ for both balance and bike control; the benefits of the nose are often most noticeable when descending. Some brands forgo a saddle nose in order to reduce pubic rami pressure, but the reason they aren’t widespread is due to the importance of bike control when riding a bike!

Women’s Specific Saddles

Women have different downstairs regions. We know that. But how different are women’s saddles?

Women’s saddles are often wider than male offerings, but interestingly the difference between male and female pelves isn’t actually that significant. If you compared bell curves of pelvic widths for males and females, you’d find a huge overlap. The major differences found in anatomy are almost all soft tissue related.

Cutouts to the saddle nose are generally more important for women who employ a performance position on their bike. This is due to the subpubic angles of their pelves which are wider in women, making soft tissue compression more of a risk.

If your bike offers an upright/comfort position, you’ll experience less soft tissue pressure and don’t need to limit yourself to just women’s specific saddles.

Cycling Without Padded Cycling Shorts

Padded cycling shorts are not mandatory, and can certainly be left at home if you set up your touring bike accordingly. You’ll need to employ an upright/comfort body position, putting more of your weight on your sit bones and less on your pubic rami. Couple this with a slightly wider saddle with a bit of ‘give’, and chamois-free riding may be possible!

The more performance-oriented your position, the more likely you’ll need a set of padded shorts to help you out.

The Best Bicycle Touring Saddles and Seats

Here’s where I’d start for a universally comfortable saddle:
Best Performance Mens – WTB Rocket V – $53 on Amazon
Best Comfort Mens – Brooks B17 – $76 on Amazon // Serfas RX – $56 on Amazon
Best Performance Womens – Selle Italia Lady Gel Flow – $116 on Amazon
Best Comfort Womens – Brooks B17 Imperial S – $106 on Amazon // Serfas RX – $56 on Amazon

If you think these saddles may not suit you, I’ve met a lot of people who’ve had success with the following:

Performance Men (Posture 1, 2 or 3)
Bontrager Montrose – Popular MTB saddle
Brooks Cambium C17 Carved – Firm saddle that flexes with your sit bones – $83 on Amazon
Charge Spoon – Popular MTB saddle – $32 on Amazon
Fizik Aliante – Popular upright road saddle – $99 on Amazon
Prologo Zero II – Popular road saddle – $89 on Amazon
SDG Belair – Popular MTB saddle – $35 on Amazon
Selle Italia Gel Flow Man – Popular upright road saddle – $108 on Amazon
SMP Pro – Mark Beaumont’s favourite saddle for his around the world records – $239 on Amazon
Specialized Phenom – Often good for both men and women
Tioga Spyder – Miles Smith’s year record saddle – $84 on Amazon
Velo Race 3D FC / Senso Sport IIO – This is my personal touring/bikepacking saddle of choice
WTB Rocket V – Popular MTB saddle, more padded than the Silverado – $53 on Amazon
WTB Silverado – My personal MTB saddle of choice – $35 on Amazon

Upright/Comfort Men (Posture 4 or 5)
Brooks B17 – The most common bicycle touring saddle for men – $76 on Amazon
Brooks Flyer – A sprung B17 for a little extra comfort – $105 on Amazon
Rivet Cycle Works – Leather saddle available in three widths
Selle Anatomica X2 – Another widely popular leather touring saddle – $159 on Amazon
Selle Italia FLX Gel – This Italian saddle manufacturers upright riding option – $27 on Amazon
Serfas RX – Very good value and widely comfortable – $56 on Amazon

Performance Women (Posture 1, 2 or 3)
Bontrager Ajna – Popular road saddle with minimal padding
Selle Italia Lady Gel Flow – A little extra padding, but still designed for performance positions – $116 on Amazon
Specialized Ruby – Highly popular road saddle with minimal padding

Upright/Comfort Women (Posture 4 or 5)
Brooks Imperial B17S – A common leather touring saddle for women – $106 on Amazon
Rivet Cycle Works – Leather saddle available in three widths
Selle Anatomica X2 – Another widely popular leather touring saddle – $159 on Amazon
Selle Italia FLX Gel – This Italian saddle manufacturers upright riding option – $36 on Amazon
Serfas RX – Very soft saddle with a long cutout – $56 on Amazon
Terry Liberator / Butterfly – Soft saddles with cutouts – $72 on Amazon
WTB Deva – Padded saddle that’s good for men and women – $49 on Amazon

Saddle Summary

You should now be armed with enough knowledge to make an informed decision on which type of saddle will suit you best.

Remember that body position, sit bone width and your lower back flexibility will hugely dictate optimal saddle shapes. For upright body positions, you’ll need to employ a saddle that’s a bit wider with more padding. Firmer saddles are often better for distance riding in sportier positions when coupled with padded shorts. Before you start making saddle changes, make sure to optimise your saddle height and bike fit.

If you’ve got a saddle that you love and think people should know about it, drop a comment below.

Head HERE For My Article On How To Prevent And Treat Saddle Sores

May 18, 2019
Saddle Comfort For Cyclists: How To Treat and Prevent Saddle Sores

Given how much time us cyclists spend sitting and spinning in the one place, it’s almost inevitable that we experience discomfort in the form of saddle sores. These skin irritations occur due to the continuous pressure and friction between your skin and bicycle seat, but can also be attributed to hair follicle infections and chaffing.

The good news is that you can reduce your chance of getting saddle sores by optimising your riding position, using a suitable saddle, using padded shorts and lathering up some anti-friction cream. I also recommend increasing your riding distances slowly because your skin will become less sensitive over time, and your legs will get stronger, supporting more of your body weight while you pedal.

Let’s first focus on how we can prevent saddle sores, then we’ll discuss how to treat them.

Step One: Riding Position

Your position on the bike has a profound effect on whether you get saddle sores or not.

The first step to getting your position right is to make sure you have the correct saddle height and position in relation to your pedals. You should be able to ride without rocking your hips on the seat. If you’re up too high or too far back, the chances are that your optimal saddle can’t work the way it should. Head to a reputable bike shop for help with saddle height and fore/aft.

Unless you’re riding in a performance position, you’ll want to be sitting towards the rear of your saddle. That’s the widest, flattest part of the seat, and the best place to support your weight. If you find yourself sitting on the front of your saddle constantly, that’s often a sign that something is wrong with your positioning. This may be based on your bike setup or even your flexibility.

People with flexible lower backs tend to be able to rotate their pelvis up, and use their sit bones more effectively. If you’re less flexible, you’ll rotate your pelvis forward and experience additional pressure. If this is the case, you’ll need to raise your handlebar height to compensate.

Using Bontrager’s pressure mapping to understand how rider position affects saddle shape.

Step Two: Bike Seats

Once you’ve got your body position dialled in, you’ll need to find a saddle that works for you. Bicycle saddles are designed to minimise pressure, resulting in all kinds of different padding types, profiles, curvatures and widths. It should go without saying: the less pressure, the less chance of saddle sores.

The Bontrager diagram above is a useful tool to see how different riding positions affect saddle shape. A good way to determine your riding position is to get a friend to take a photo of you from the side as you ride past.

In general:
– Comfort/upright body positions require saddles with more padding, more width and a flatter top to support your sit bones.
– Performance body positions require saddles that are lightly padded, curved and narrower to support your pubic rami.

Head to my detailed article on bike seats for some recommendations and to understand this topic in much more depth.

A Selle Anatomic saddle. Image: Urbanvelo.org

Step Three: Padded Bike Shorts

Padded lycra shorts are synonymous with cycling, and for good reason: they distribute the pressure between your saddle and your skin over a greater area. With reduced localised pressure, you in effect reduce the chance of a saddle sore developing. Padded shorts are especially important for those who ride in ‘performance’ bike positions.

Bike shorts are made with lightweight fabrics that can evaporate sweat, keeping you drier and therefore reducing the chance of chaffing. Higher end (expensive) padded shorts use perforated padding to keep you drier again.

In case nobody has told you yet, you DO NOT wear underwear with padded cycling shorts. The seams on underwear cause rubbing and irritation. Cycling shorts are your underwear. 😉

Don’t want to use bike shorts?
Then your bike will typically need to offer an upright body position, putting more of your weight on your sit bones and less on your pubic rami. Couple this with a slightly wider saddle with a bit of give, and padding-free riding may be possible. That said, the more performance-oriented your position, the more likely you’ll need a set of padded shorts to help you out.

Cycling in Northern Vietnam suited padded cycling shorts because of the hot/wet climate and my ‘performance’ bike position.

Step Four: Chamois, Anti-Friction, Diaper Rash Creams

Call them what you may, these preventative creams are designed to reduce chaffing between your skin and the fabric of your shorts/pants. They are also given antibacterial properties that help with any skin irritations, as well as other properties that reduce the acidity of your sweat.

Anti-friction creams are especially good to use in hot, wet and muddy conditions. This is because damp fabrics with small amounts of grit have much more friction than dry fabrics. Apply the cream directly to the skin location where your body intersects with your saddle, and put your shorts on.

My favourite product for long days in the saddle (or really wet conditions) is Squirt Barrier Balm. It’s super sticky, waterproof and lasts longer than anything else I’ve used. The downside is that it’s sometimes so sticky it’s hard to wipe off your clothes and skin!

For general use, I use Assos Chamois Creme. I’ve also found ‘Bepanthen’ antiseptic cream in chemists all over the world which is suitable for the times when you can’t get the cycling-specific products.

Chamois Cream largely prevents chaffing and saddle sores by reducing friction between your skin and shorts fabric.

How To Treat Saddle Sores

Take your cycling shorts off. As soon as you’ve finished your ride, change out of your cycling clothes and into loose fitting clothes.
Stay dry. You’ll want maximum airflow to your downstairs region to dry out the infected area. Go without underwear at night and you’ll speed up the healing process.
Stay clean. The best thing you can do is keep your saddle sores clean. Wash them with warm soapy water once a day, or wet wipes when you can. It should go without saying that you shouldn’t wear dirty cycling shorts with saddle sores.
Time off. It’s best to take a rest day if you’ve got some saddle sores. Skin irritations really like having a break from the bike seat!
Antibacterial/antiseptic infection creams. There are many creams on the market, but the popular ones are paw paw cream, nappy rash cream and Sudocrem (with zinc oxide). These thin creams can help treat saddle sores overnight if you apply them directly onto the infected area.
Use different gear. If you have to ride, use a different pair of (clean!) cycling shorts or change your saddle. When I’m not travelling, I use different bikes with different seats and different shorts. With a combination of these, my body doesn’t get the chance to be tired of the one seat.

If the saddle sores are really infected… see a doctor. Like any bad infection, you’ll possibly need to think about using prescription antibiotics. This is not a common scenario, but it can happen.

Make sure to take your sweaty cycling clothes off after your ride to allow your skin to dry out.

Summary

Everyone will have a slightly different approach to preventing and treating saddle sores. But arming yourself with the understanding of how they come about is a good start.

There are four steps to preventing saddle sores:
– Make sure your bike is setup for your intended use.
– Make sure your seat is suitably comfortable for the duration of your bike ride.
– Use padded bike shorts to better distribute pressure on the saddle.
– Use anti-friction creams, especially in hot, wet or muddy condition.

If you get a saddle sore, you’ll want to keep the area dry, clean and rested.

Happy cycling!

Head HERE To Read All About The Best Bike Seats

June 8, 2017