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2/8/10
First of all - it's a saddle, not a seat.
When I first started talking about riding with Cycling for Change, a friend suggested that I get the biggest, softest saddle available. As it turns out, that's not the best suggestion.
It's important to chose a saddle that fits your ischial tuberosities (sit bones) and not your bum. Although a wide and fluffy saddle might work well for Elmira Gulch (from The Wizard of Oz) - it would soon lead to "hot spot" - leg chafing and a genuinely uncomfortable ride. And, when sitting on a thickly padded saddle, your sit bones compress the padding, causing it to well up in the crotch and create pressure right where you don't need it. In fact, it's a good idea to get the narrowest saddle that is practical and still gives full support to the sit bones. A rider should be supported by the sit bones instead of the soft tissue of their bum.
Another consideration is the perineum (the area between the sit bones). There are nerves and arteries in this area that are responsible for regulating everything from waste to sexual function. Agitation or bruising of this area can lead to numbness, incontinence, bloody urine, and extreme crankiness of the rider. A way to address this personal problem is with a raised, padded area that distributes weight evenly across the sit bones and a cut out or softened groove where the perineum comes in contact with the saddle.
There are other considerations - Is the saddle too high, is the nose too high or too low, is the saddle too far forward or too far back? There are differently shaped saddles - the newest is the noseless saddle. There's no narrow nose than can press into the crotch. These tend to be less stable and may even be dangerous.
So, as a summary I decided that I needed:
- A firm saddle
- One that is wide enough to support the sit bones, but narrow enough to allow free movement of the thighs
- Made from a material that will last 5,000 miles in all weather conditions.
So, I chose the Terry Liberator saddle (below)
It features a sculpted shape and cut out to provide support for the sit bones while relieving pressure on soft tissue and a leather, gel padding and steel rails.
Now - all it has to do is last 5,000 miles.
- John Mocella
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