new bike seat

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nickblackburn080882
nickblackburn080882 Posts: 11
in Fitness and Exercise
im looking for a new seat for my mtb but im struggling to decide on one suitable as i dont think my bum was designed for biking has anyone had any experience with larger seats

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  • HisPathDaily
    HisPathDaily Posts: 672 Member
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    I have never found a bike seat that was comfortable! lol ... I want one of these:
    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CEzsb0vOUcU/TbFpYDdgURI/AAAAAAAAAIk/bB395ryRMSI/s1600/profunn-funny-pictures-ugly-bycicle-seat.jpg
  • Sagelit
    Sagelit Posts: 78
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    I have a larger seat and it's pretty comfortable. I started with a smaller one and it really hurt the next day :/
  • MichelleFirestone
    MichelleFirestone Posts: 212 Member
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    the one that came with my bike, hurt horrible. I didn't want to go. we bought a larger one, just from walmart, and it was so comfortable. and we love riding bike now.
  • hkrosez
    hkrosez Posts: 53
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    Yeah, I have never found a bike seat comfortable too. Once you get up to speed a bit, if you can, lift your butt off your seat while you are going uphill. This will help you get more leverage, as well as help your bum tone up a bit. :)
  • brianholdt
    brianholdt Posts: 1
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    Don't just run out and buy the largest squishiest seat you can find. Think about a La-Z-Boy recliner... very comfy to sit for an hour, but sleep in one overnight and you'll be in tremendous pain. Bike seats are the same way. You need good support more than just a squishy gel. Definitely look for pressure relieving cut-outs or zones to maintain proper blood flow to the manly bits, and think about padded shorts as a complement to a nice supportive seat. Any good bike shop should be willing to let you test drive the saddles as well to get a feel for what might be best. Unfortunately, a lot of it is just your body getting used to pressure on the sit bones... that takes time, but will get better as you get more saddle time in.
  • peteb79
    peteb79 Posts: 386
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    When I got my bike, I got a Schwinn pillow top seat.. and I thought I hated it because of the nose.. so I bought Schwinn No Pressure Bicycle Seat, that does not have a nose... after trying that one out I realized I didn't like it either.. eventually I found out I could adjust the seat, not only the height.. but the angle and even move it backwards and forwards.. so I put the Schwinn pillow top back on and after adjusting it a few times, I got it to the perfect spot and it makes a world of difference!.. I never realized how adjustable the seats were and the only reason it was uncomfortable was due to the position..
  • rmsrws
    rmsrws Posts: 639 Member
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    Remember BIGGER is not always better, unless it's refering to where I work, which part of our company name is the owners last name of Bigger. Anyways If you go to big it will interfere with your pedaling. I have found there are about 3 different sizes to choose from. I wished there was a way to test drive a seat like you can a car.....LOL.
  • warriorprincessdi
    warriorprincessdi Posts: 617 Member
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    I found my bike seat was small and hard awful the first couple times out on my new mountain bike... but after a week, I'm used to it and my bum never hurts anymore. :) Juts give it a bit of time for your backside to adjust to the seat? could just be like mine, it wasn't used to sitting on something not-chair-like.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Big and cushy is not always the best option, as Brian said above. Get a well designed saddle from an actual bike shop, not something from Target or your local sporting goods store.

    WTB V-series saddles are very popular (I use them on both my mtn bikes). Some biking shorts with padding is also a big help. After that, you just need to ride more to get your body used to being on a bike.

    If you plan on riding a lot, take your bike to a reputable bike shop and have them make sure you're reasonably well fitted to/positioned on the bike. A decent shop should be able to do that in about 5 minutes for free... you don't need to pay for the hour-long bike fit process that some shops offer.

    Also, if you're riding on trails or bumpy roads, get in the habit of standing up a bit to take the pressure off your sit bones as you go over the bumps. Relax back down on the saddle during the smooth sections.
  • rocketpants
    rocketpants Posts: 419 Member
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    +1 on not getting a huge gel seat. They feel great for short rides. After 3-4 hours in the saddle they will chaffe you like a mother, and they don't provide good support.

    The butt pain will subside after you get used to a firmer seat. I would recommend some padded shorts for rides longer than an hour. You don't have to wear the spandex version, you can get normal shorts with some padding in them.
  • nickblackburn080882
    nickblackburn080882 Posts: 11
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    thnks for all the info guys ive got a new seat on the way and am currently building myself up on the exercise bike doing 20k a day so hopefully the rear wont be as sore on the first few rides (hopefully)

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