The best bike saddles

No two people are built the same, and no one saddle will work for every person, so choosing the best road bike saddle for you will be a personalised approach that likely involved measurement, and potentially a little trial and error. 

There are numerous saddle types, including those with central cut-outs, saddles with a flat profile and some that are curved. Some saddles are short, while others are long, and most come in a choice of widths. 

A well-fitting saddle will put your weight on your sit-bones (or ischial tuberosities to give them their proper name) without pressurising soft tissue areas such as genitals or perineum. A badly fitting saddle will likely make itself known with discomfort at the contact point, but they can even be the cause of pains elsewhere, such as the lower back or knees. 

Better-specced road bike saddles often come with a host of carbon fibre, and the padding is limited to the right areas in order to save weight. However, while 50 grams might be exciting on paper, nothing trumps comfort when choosing the best saddle for you, so be sure to choose something that fits. 

There are thousands of saddles on the market, which can make finding the right one for you a difficult and everlasting process, but thankfully Cyclingnews is here to help.

Scroll down for our pick of the best road bike saddles, however, if you're unsure what to look for, we've got you covered on that too. 

What to look for in a saddle?

Choosing the right saddle based on specifications alone might seem like a difficult task, but while the proof is very much in the sitting, the following advice will help you on your way to comfort. 

Luckily, many brands offer a guarantee that allows you to try a saddle, then return it, should it fail to comply. 

1. How to choose the correct width saddle

Finding the best road bike saddle that fits starts with making sure the seat is supporting your body weight with your sit bones (ischial tuberosities and pubic rami) and not the surrounding soft tissues. This means finding a saddle that is the correct width and shape.

Most bike shops will have a memory foam pad which you can sit on to measure the width of your sit bones. If your local shop doesn't have one of these tools, the same process can be done at home with a piece of corrugated cardboard.

Simply pop the cardboard (corrugated side up) onto a chair, and sit on it (ideally whilst wearing non-bulky clothing) ensuring your weight is put directly through your sit bones. Once they have pressed down on the cardboard, find and mark the centre of each indentation and measure the distance between each.  Once you have this measurement (in millimetres), it gives you a rough starting point of what size saddle you are going to need. 

However, several factors including your flexibility, how aggressive your position on the bike is, and your pedalling style will also play a significant role in the shape you choose. 

2. How to choose the right shape saddle

As a rule of thumb, riders who tend to stay in a more upright position - or are less flexible - tend to prefer flat (front to back) saddles. A flat saddle also makes for a more consistent feel when sliding forward or back on the saddle. 

On the other hand, waved or curved saddles are usually preferred by riders who are more flexible or ride in a long and low, aggressive position. Riders who don't move around much on the saddle also usually prefer a wavy or curved profile as it keeps them locked in place.

Many inflexible riders have also found favour with short-nose or stub-nose saddles, as they enable a more forward position without causing discomfort. While shorter in length, the nose tends to be a little wider and therefore also offers comfort when 'on the rivet'.  

Many brands are offering gender-specific saddles and have been putting more resources into developing saddles to suit different anatomies. Having said that, we know plenty of women who prefer a men's or 'unisex' saddle, and even a couple of men whose saddle of choice is a women's specific model.

3. Cutout

Many of the best road bike saddles feature cutouts or pressure relief channels that run the length of the saddle. The idea here is to eliminate soft tissue pressure by removing the material that would push on the wrong part of your undercarriage.

For some, the cutout is the golden ticket; however, others may find the edge of the channel digs into or pinches sensitive areas. 

Unfortunately, there are no hard-and-fast rules on this one but bear in mind that both exist, so if you're having trouble with one, the other might be the answer. 

4. Padding

When it comes to padding, less is usually more. Highly padded saddles can cause more soft tissue pressure than their lightly padded counterparts because your sit bones sing into the padding and then some of the support is shouldered by your perineum. On the other end of the spectrum, saddles with no padding at all like the Prologo C.ONE Nack Carbon Saddle are usually overkill unless you ride exclusively on smooth tarmac.

5. Other considerations

Saddles come in a range of prices because of the variety of materials used for the shell, cover, and rails.

Carbon shells will usually be lighter, may offer some vibration absorption and will often be more expensive, and pretty stiff. Saddles with plastic or nylon shells will often be a bit more forgiving and cost less too.

Rail material will also play a role in the design of your prospective saddle but also the price. Carbon rails are the lightest, but they may not work with your seat post clamp because of their oval shape. Titanium rails are a tad lighter and more expensive than those with steel, but steel rails are the most durable.

Most saddles on the market will have a cover made with synthetic leather, and some have reinforced areas or even grippy patches to keep you from sliding around.

Finally, if you get a new saddle, make sure to check your saddle height. Different models can add or subtract a few millimetres from your overall saddle height (from the bottom bracket), which can introduce a whole new set of issues.

It's worth mentioning again that we are speaking in broad terms here, and what works for you will depend entirely on you and your anatomy.