8 Reasons: Why do Bike Makers make Bike Seats Uncomfortable?

The problem that brought you and me here is the same: and that is, discomfort and pain in the hips and legs due to riding bikes.

The thing that I do not understand is that there have been years and years of new technology and innovation and yet there is still not a proper bike seat or a saddle that we can be one hundred percent comfortable with.

Perhaps the perfect pain-free bike seat is a myth after all. Or maybe not!

Let’s discover with me 8 reasons why bike makers do not make comfortable bike seats and why can we not find the perfect saddling companion to our biking routine!

Sit bones and Saddle size:


I always tell people that the comfort lies in the correct saddle size. Over time I have learned that the true trick is finding the correct saddle size does not depend on the width or girth of your hips but instead your sit bones.

Yes, that’s true.

The outer hips that we normally think we sit on are nearly as important as our sit bones.

They are called ischial tuberosities and are a part of the entire hip bone.

These are actually the structures that carry the weight of our entire bodies when we are sitting.

The size of these rami depends upon your anatomy and the general size of a whole person.

Just like the noses often people are not the same, in the same way, the sit bones are of different sizes and shapes among all the people.

Finding the right saddle largely depends on the size of your sit bones and the distance between both of them.

There are now companies and brands that are offering to measure the exact distance by some instruments loosely called the ass-o-meter.

They can exactly measure your sit bone size and help you pick up the right saddle for you.


Saddles and seats are different:


Its high time that we understand that bicycle seats and saddles are different.

Seats are used when one cycles for recreational or casual purposes.

Seats are generally broader and more cushioned as compared to the saddles.

Saddles are much narrower and harder.

They have a firm surface and appear to be more uncomfortable when compared to seats but trust me, they are not.

Saddles are built specifically for high-end riders who engage in racing and marathons.

The sleek structure of the saddles prevents chaffing against the thighs and allow for a more comfortable cycling experience.

They help you transfer your weight to the front when leaning forward as done by the high-end cyclists.

So, pick the saddle or the seat according to your cycling needs and you won’t feel uncomfortable.

A good fit goes a long way:


A wise man once said if you have six hours to cut a tree, spend five of them sharpening the saw, and one of them for actually cutting the tree.

This cannot any truer for your cycling experience too.

When you put your mind to cycling, spend the majority of your time and energy into finding the right seat and saddle size.

This will go a long way into your comfortable riding experience.


We pick the wrong saddles with respect to our biking type:


Aero, Casual, Racing, Recreation, all of these cycling types require different saddle types.

For example, in Aero, you tend to shift your weight more to the front right, you lean on almost horizontally, so you need a more sleek and narrow saddle as compared to the casual cycling type where you sit comfortably with full weight on your sit bones.

So, know our cycling type and consult a professional to know which saddle type will best suit your cycling needs.

This will narrow down your search window a little bit and will help you pick up the right and the most comfortable fit.

The world is of women and so saddle:

Where are all my women athletes?

Let me tell you one thing straight when you go out in that cycling world, out your comfort in the front most priority compartment and only choose the saddles that have been made specifically for women.

Yeah, you heard me right! They make saddles and seats that tend to fit the female anatomy accurately.

They are broader from the nose as compared to the narrower saddles for men which are made so to accommodate the male genitalia.

So, don’t settle, pick up only what’s meant for you!

Bike shorts are important:


The importance of costume for an athlete is undeniable.

Girls and boys, whatever your gender is choose your biking costumes with full dedication.

We keep crying over why the seats and saddles are not comfortable when in fact the problem lies in our shorts.

Tight or otherwise ill-fitting shorts can impede blood circulation to certain parts as well as causing irritation to the skin.

All of these factors can make your biking experience a nightmare, and not just the uncomfortable seats!

Trial and error – the key to a happy biking experience:

Just go to your favorite market, brand or company of bike seats and saddles and start experimenting.

There is no rule, and there is no guideline.

What fits, just fits. You have to realize that your only door to a comfortable bike seat opens through experimenting.

Keep trying and finding, and ultimately you will get your perfect match.

There are brands now who let you try on a saddle for a week before you can make a choice.

So, go on for riding and pick up the

mot comfortable saddle/seat for you!

Biking just isn’t compatible to your natural anatomy!


We just need to accept some times that no matter how hard we try or how much effort we put in finding the right saddle and seat, sometimes it just won’t be enough to give us the comfort that we need.

This is just because of the fact that human bodies weren’t made to stay in a cycling position.

And it may feel good and refreshing at first, but like every sport when you keep on pushing yourself, pedaling for hours in a day, some times your body will just give up and beg for some rest in its normal anatomy.

As a cyclist, you have to respect and listen to your body, as its the only temple for an athlete.


What this list of points denotes is that maybe the poor bike seat makers are not doing the worst job in the world after all.

Maybe they are putting in all the efforts to make a variety of saddles and seats that can accommodate all kinds of bikers from all around.

The purpose of versatility is that everybody can pick the right choice.

The job now falls on the rider to invest their time and energy to try multiple seats and find the best choice for them.

Let me know if you have any queries. I will try my best to solve them for you.

I already have experienced the pain of not having a proper and comfortable bike seat. Literally.

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