Does your bicycle seat cause pain, making you not want to ride as often, or as long as you’d like? There are several reasons why, and correcting them can make cycling more enjoyable, and you can get rid of irritation, chafing, back pain, knee pain, and pain in your nether regions. Here are some things to consider in your quest to find comfort in the saddle:
Is your seat the right height? At the bottom of your pedal stroke there should only be a slight bend at the knee. Your leg should bend at about a 160-degree angle. If your seat is too high and your leg is stretched out straight, it will cause you to rock side-to-side on the saddle, eventually causing lower back pain. A seat too low, resulting in a substantial knee-bend, can lead to knee pain.
The fix: Raise or lower your seat so you have a slight bend at the knee forming a 160-degree angle at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Most seatpost (the post your seat is attached to that extends into the frame) have a bolt or a lever that you can loosen and adjust your seat’s height. Just remember to tighten the bolt very securely after moving your seat to the preferred height. Once you get it to the right height, draw a line or wrap a piece of tape around where the seat post meets the frame so you will always know where your height line is. (sitting on your seat while leaning against a wall is helpful for making this adjustment)
Does your seat have the right tilt? If the nose of your seat is tilted low you will tend to slide forward on the seat and find yourself constantly pushing your butt back up the seat to the right position, putting extra strain on your arms and legs to keep you in the right spot (your seat’s sweet-spot). If the nose is tilted up, you might experience pain and chafing in your “nether regions”. This irritation and chafing can make you sore for days, and you won’t want to get on the bike.
The fix: Take a yardstick and balance it on your seat from nose to back, now you can see if it’s tilted. The yardstick should be parallel to the ground. Most seats have a system underneath that allows you to adjust the tilt, usually by loosening one bolt that locks the seat in position. Loosen this bolt a little at a time until you can move the seat to the right tilt position, then tighten it securely.
Is your fore/aft position correct? Is your seat too far forward or too far back causing your reach to the handlebars to put you in an uncomfortable riding position? There should be a slight bend at your elbows when holding on to your handlegrips, your arms should not be straight. This slight bend acts as a shock absorber for your arm and shoulder muscles, lessening the strain on your upper body, allowing you to use that energy to power the bike.
The fix: Usually, the same bolt underneath your seat allows you to adjust your fore/aft position. Loosen it a little at a time until you can slide the seat. It usually sits on two rails that allow for a few inches (cm) of adjustment. Remember to tighten this bolt securely after you have the right spot. Periodically check your seat bolts to make sure they haven’t loosened. Remember your seat is carrying almost all of your weight, over time things loosen up. I’ve had a seat bolt snap on me, and I realized I had not checked that bolt in several years.
What’s in your Bicycle Shorts? It’s a good idea to ride with bicycle shorts that have a “chamois” or some type of seamless padding in the sitting area to soften the ride and to protect from chafing, cutting, and irritation.
The fix: Don’t wear underwear with your bicycling shorts due to the binding and seams that cause cutting, chafing and irritation. Instead apply some “Butt Butter”, or Aquaphor #ad, or A & D Ointment #ad to your crotch area before putting on your bicycle shorts. This puts a nice slippery barrier between your skin and your bicycle shorts. And, at the same time helps to enrich and nourish the skin down there, preventing all types of problems. One problem that men tend to have, by riding without the right shorts, is that the movement and rubbing can lead to cysts on testicles and other problems. There is bicycling specific underwear, with the same type of padding, and you can wear regular shorts/pants over them. You will be so happy you made these changes, and you will want to ride more.
Last but not least; find the right seat that fits your butt. Bicycle saddles come in a variety of lengths and widths. What’s important is where your “sit-bones” (the rounded bones at the bottom of the pelvis) make contact with the saddle. If the saddle is too narrow it feels like you’re sitting on a wedge, and your sit-bones are missing the sweet-spots on the saddle. If the seat is too wide, it can rub against your inner thighs causing chafing and discomfort.
The fix: Use your current seat as a guide to see if you want to try something a little wider or narrower. Do you have wide hips? Is your frame size large? You might choose a wider and longer seat. Look at the sizes the different seats come in by looking at the specifications to see the length and width options. A few saddles that I’ve used and found to be comfortable enough to allow me to ride long distances and ride back-to-back days, with little or no discomfort, are Brooks leather saddles and Terry saddles. Terry started out by making saddles comfortable for women with great success. Today I use a Terry Saddle for men #ad with a cutout in the nose. When I first got it, it was comfortable but not quite wide enough. I added a Schwinn Bicycle Seat Cover #ad and that made it wide enough for me to be really comfortable for the long haul. Finding your seat is a journey, but not a difficult one if you know what you’re looking for. Finding a bicycle shop, like REI, that will let you return equipment up to a year is a great option for trying out a seat.
Tweaking your riding technique can make big differences. There is no reason to stay in the seated position all the time. Standing on the pedals when going uphill gives you more power and takes your butt off the seat for a while. Standing while coasting downhill also helps. Even on a flat road it’s good to stand up and pedal out of the saddle for a while. You can shift to a harder gear and pedal standing up, you will take off like you never have before, all while giving you butt a break. When I really want to catch someone, I shift to a much harder gear, then stand up and pedal using the power of my body weight over the pedals. Happy riding!
Products I have used and recommend, and the female versions. The links below will take you to the product on Amazon:
This was my first high-end saddle, there is a break-in period Brooks saddle B17 #ad, Several years later I got this one, a little wider with springs underneath. Brooks Saddle B72 Touring #ad. I rode this combination to Washington DC, 588 miles (946 km), Terry Saddle for men #ad, and a Schwinn Bicycle Seat Cover #ad,Terry Saddle for Women #ad. My favorite long distance shorts; Pearl Izumi Century Bicycle Shorts #ad, Pearl Izumi Women’s Bicycle Shorts #ad. I use this stuff every ride Aquaphor #ad, or A & D Ointment #ad. I recently bought a pair of these, I like the pockets. Bikewa Men’s Cycling Shorts with Zipper Pockets #ad, Bikewa Women’s Shorts with Zipper Pocket #ad. I got this a few months ago, it makes for a softer ride. SR Suntour Suspension Seatpost #ad. I wear these when I have another layer on top. Baleaf Men’s Padded Underwear #ad, Baleaf Women’s Padded Underwear #ad.
For more items you can link directly to Amazon see: