We all want a comfortable cycling experience. Cycling is fun and passionate, but sometimes it can be a painful experience because of the bike seat.

Weve all had that case where after a few miles on the bike, we feel uncomfortable with our seat, and we end up asking, Why are bike seats so hard? After studying the question, I bring you some answers here, but its not that simple.

saddle sores can not only ruin your day and your ride but also ruin your health.

This has already happened to me, and I felt the pain of getting a saddle sore.

So let me give my top tips to prevent you from getting a sore ass.

Solutions to make a bike seat more comfortable

Your entire cycling experience can be ruined as soon as your seat becomes uncomfortable or you start to feel irritation in your inner thighs. If you enjoy cycling, its a little depressing.

Usually, people who ride around town on a bike encounter this problem because they are in a vertical position where almost all the weight is put on the saddle, which creates this unpleasant feeling.

Choose the right saddle for your activity.

There are saddles for road bikes, MTB, Fat bikes, etc. The type of cycling is different from one to the other. So your choice will depend on cycling requirements which include different positions you sit in when riding on those different types of bikes.

How a saddle fits correctly?

We, cyclists, sit on Schial Tuberosities sitting backs, and we need to know our measurement between those two sit bones. You can do so by going to a bike shop, sitting on a gel pad, and measuring between your two sit bones.

You need to know these two measurements to get the perfect saddle. If you go too big, it might be uncomfortable when you start peddling, and if you go too thin well, you might be sitting on your soft tissue, and trust me, thats painful.

Adjust your seat: Saddle height and position

Another way you can prevent yourself from getting a saw undercarriage is getting the right saddle height, as I mentioned before. If it sounds too high, your pelvis will rotate on top, and youll find it uncomfortable, and theyll give you a sore undercarriage.

Try to find the perfect saddle height, meaning your weight is distributed through the pedals, the saddle, and handlebars.

Saddle height

Most knee pain in cyclists is due to the saddle not being adjusted to the correct height for their needs. While too low a saddle height can compromise your ability to pedal, too high a saddle height can create many other problems.

By measuring your inside seam and subtracting ten centimeters, you get the measurement you need to help you determine the height of your saddle. You can also get help from your local bike shop if you think you cant do it alone.

Sitting position

We cyclists tend to slide forwards on the bike saddle. This can be dangerous for our health because sitting in front of a bicycle seat puts pressure on the perineum.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, sitting on the nose of the saddle exerts pressure on the perineum, compresses the crucial nerves, restricts the blood flow by 66%, and can result in feelings of uneasiness and pain.

So next time you go on a ride, try to find the best saddle configuration that will allow you to sit correctly.

On the other hand, if you are sitting too backward, you must stretch to reach the handlebars. This can cause back, neck, and shoulder pain and even saddle sores on your inner thighs.

Saddle angle

The saddle angle is an essential criterion due to its profound effect on the rotation of the pelvis.

If you have pain in the lower areas, it is probably because the angle of your saddle is not well configured, creating pressure and an unpleasant experience. And this is regardless of Whether your saddle is hard or soft,

Check if your saddle is at the right angle, and Tilt the nose of your saddle down just 1 degree to relieve the pressure you feel.

If you want to have a better idea of the saddle tilt configuration, the best way is :

• by fixing your bike to a turbo trainer where its nice in a stationary position
• ride it as you would on the road in a position that youre comfortable
• and have a play around with the tilt nose down or nose up and find what fits you best

This is, of course, a personal preference.

Cycling shorts

So you found your perfect saddle. A pair of cycling shorts is the next essential equipment to help you stay comfortable on your bike.

Choose a nice snug-fitting short that is not too tight not to cut off any blood flow, and not too loose because you dont want your shorts flapping in the wind but something that is going to keep your chamois in the right position when youre pedaling your bike. This part is over your shorts and designed to stay close to your skin.

Finding a chamois that fits you is imperative, but many are out there. So how do you know what fits? The best thing to do is go out and try a load of different and see what works for you.

Use a Cover

You need to invest in a seat cover to alleviate this unpleasant feeling. This way, you will always have a good quality saddle, and if necessary, you can change the saddle cover, which costs considerably less.

Better weight distribution

It is essential to know that bicycle seats are not designed to support your entire weight but only part of it.

A professional cyclist leans forward and does not put all his weight on the saddle but on the elbow.

Mountain bikers dont complain either because they put their weight on the pedals, spend a lot of their bike ride jumping and cornering, and so on.

Learn how to spread your weight over the bones in your seat,

Make sure your bike fits you correctly.

You may also have a leg length difference, and your pelvis is shifting to make the shorter leg reach the pedal. If you get saddle sores, always on the side, you may have one leg shorter (maybe 1cm) than the other left.

If this is the case, check with your doctor about what solution can be found. He may suggest building your shoe up to the required height by a piece of plastic or metal between the sole of the biking shoe and the cleat spikes that fasten into your pedals.

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Other considerations to Avoid Saddle Sores When Cycling

Chamois cream

Saddle sores can occur from pressure in the wrong areas or from the wrong saddle, but they can also occur from chafing.

So to prevent this, you can use some chamois cream. The good thing about chamois cream is it prevents any friction build-up. Now you can apply this to your chamois or your skin.

Stand up

Its worth mentioning: the best thing to do if youve been biking for a while is to stand up out of the saddle for a few moments. This will give you a bit of relief and hopefully will give your bum the rest it needs before you can sit back in the saddle.

Why are bicycle seats so hard?

Hard bike seats are made this way because they last longer. If you tried the seats with excessive padding, you must have found that they wear out faster.

Thats why manufacturers use a hard design that allows the seat to withstand the test of time.

So for those who lack padding, a hard bike saddle is the best solution to make you feel comfortable, as it also creates less friction on your inner thighs during long rides.

Are bike seats universal?

No, Saddles are made in different designs, and men or women can use the same saddle.

There are some marketing strategies to create new products, pointing out that women need wider saddles than men because their hips are further apart. But good manufacturers can create suitable comfortable saddles with the correct design and sizes for all types of cyclists (wide or narrow sit bones).

Bicycle seats are shaped the way they are. As a cyclist, efficiently pedaling requires using the leg muscles in unison, so if you try to use a big fat saddle, it will get in the way and prevent you from pedaling the way you want, leading to further discomfort.

Why shouldn’t you buy a saddle that isn’t hard?

First, dont buy a bike seat that isnt hard. It will be a medium-term loan because it will wear out quickly.

Seats with excessive padding are usually only comfortable for short periods. Expert cyclists and bike shop professionals always recommend using a hard bike seat that is correctly adjusted to your size and measurements.

If you are not planning to ride in the city and want to improve comfort, buy a cover that will do the job. If you ride a longer race or mountain bike, keep your seat hard and learn how to distribute your weight well. Otherwise, friction on your thighs will make you feel more uncomfortable.

One final point: if youre planning to buy a new saddle, trying many saddles in the bike shop just by sitting on them will not help. You will know if the saddle is comfortable only after riding for at least 15 mins.