Most Comfortable Mountain Bike Seat

Most Comfortable Mountain Bike Seat

Wondering if you should spend your hard-earned money on the most comfortable mountain bike seat?

Well, here is what you should know:

The saddle is a key contact point between you and the bike and partially supports your weight in addition to providing lateral control.

Thus, a bad seat spells doom and often makes riding painful and stressing.

Okay?

Let’s now learn more about comfortable mtb saddles…

Find my most recommended mountain bike saddles below.

In a Rush? Here are Our Top Picks

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Ergon SMC4 Comp Saddle, Black, Small/Medium
Rating
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Image
Ergon SMC4 Comp Saddle, Black, Small/Medium
Rating
-

What’s the Most Comfortable Mountain Bike Seat?

The most comfortable mountain bike seat is anatomically supportive, has ideal padding, fits your bottom just right, and is super shock absorbent.

Its design should distribute pressure from your nether regions and the back to across the surface and should remove sit bone pain instantly.

All comfy bike seats for mountain bikes thus protect all your sensitive spots against excruciating pain, soreness, chaffing, and all discomfort meaning you can pedal longer and achieve your goals.

Why Do You Need a Comfy Bike Seats for Mountain Bikes

A comfortable mtb saddle comes packed full of goodness…

  • You Will Avoid Chaffing

A comfortable mountain bike seat eliminates pressure points and moisture, the two main causes of chaffing.

The comfy mountain bike seat is also mushy and offers smoother support for your behind with fewer opportunities for rubbing and friction.

  • You’ll Say Goodbye To Back Pain

According to research, as many as 68% of cycling enthusiasts encounter debilitating back pain at some point.

However, although there are other preventative factors such as ensuring the correct mountain bike’s frame height, a good mountain bike seat is of supreme importance.

These most comfortable mountain bike saddles ensure you sit at a proper height and ride at a suitable angle.

  • You’ll Chase Saddles Sores

Saddle sores are one of the most uncomfortable by-products of poor riding behaviour which is occasioned by, among other things, bad saddles.

Finding a quality mountain bike seat that suits you will guarantee a cozy ride by providing an improved riding position and eventually, pressure relief.

For this reason, finding the most comfortable bike seat is a crucial step in chasing saddle sores.

  • You’ll Certainly Pedal For Longer

If you’re gearing up for an upcoming endurance event, it’s advisable to install the best mountain bike seat.

It feels easier and can add a significant performance boost to your efforts. Obviously, before thinking about the best mtb saddle for long rides, your frame should be the correct size to complete the all-important comfort=endurance equation

What are Different Shapes and Types of Mountain Bike Seats Available

Gone are the days when there were very few bike seat choices…today’s bike saddles come in all shapes and sizes.

1. Oversized Mountain Bike Saddles

These are extremely wide and are built with tough materials. They target those of us who are on the heavy side and want to cycle for miles and miles without experiencing pain in the bottoms.

A popular choice is the Bikeroo’s Oversized Bike Saddle which measures 10.2″ x 10.2″ in addition to comfortably supporting a bigger backside.

2. Gel Mountain Bike Saddles

Ergon SMC4 Gel Saddle
  • Lightweight and top of the line SMC4 models aimed at touring riders and mountain...
  • 9mm relief channel offers maximum pressure relief for the perineal area
  • large sitting area of the saddle effectively reduces pressure points,...
  • Weight 280g

Gel cushioning molds well to your behind to provide relieve pressure to your sit bones and coupled with a streamlined shape, enable you to ride in varied positions.

These mountain-tailored saddles also come with a durable cover and are a huge favorite among recreational riders.

And while there are a number of options for gel cushioned saddles for mountain trails, I find the Ergon SMC4 Gel Saddle quite remarkable because it’s supportive topography. If you’re looking for a bike seat for fat guys, this is it.

3. Mountain Bike Saddles For Men

Planet Bike Men's Anatomic Relief Saddle
  • TOP REVIEWED BIKE SEAT DESIGNED FOR COMFORT: The anatomic relief saddle is built...
  • ANATOMIC RELIEF DESIGN: The full length center recess provides ideal anatomic...
  • LYCRA COVER DESIGNED FOR REPEATED RIDING: Plush lycra designed cover with...
  • SIMPLE TO MOUNT ON ATB, MOUNTAIN, HYBRID, EXERCISE AND PELOTON BIKES: The solid...
  • ELECTRIC BIKE READY: Perfect bike seat for your electric bicycle to keep you...

To alleviate too much pressure and discomfort on a mountain bike, a man’s seat is usually designed narrow and long.

This geometry also promotes proper posture when we come to the bicycle’s handlebars.

A good example is the fast moving Planet Bike Men’s Anatomic Relief Saddle, which comes with a specially tailored narrower nose.

In general, these seats could help eliminate all biking problems associated with men including erectile dysfunction.

4. Mountain Bike Saddles For Women

Selle Italia Diva Women's Bicycle Saddle
394 Reviews
Selle Italia Diva Women's Bicycle Saddle
  • High-end, women's-specific road racing saddle features streamlined profile and...
  • Cover is made of attractive, breathable full-grain leather; silicone gel with...
  • Elastomer suspension shock absorber system takes lumps and bumps out of your...
  • 265-gram weight and seven-millimeter Vanox tube rail; measures 152 by 270...
  • Includes limited two-year manufacturer's warranty

For ladies, considering the wider bottoms, the saddles have more width but are shorter. This in turn minimizes force on the problematic pressure points that usually causes painful ischial tuberosities (sit bones).

As you can see from the beautiful Selle Italia Diva Women’s Bicycle Saddle, the shape is customized to also permit better circulation to the female genitals.

5. Unisex Mountain Bikes

Unisex seats balances the best of both men’s mtb bike saddles and women saddles and are commonly used in hire bikes and riders who prefer shorter distances.

Perhaps you can check out the Bikeroo’s Unisex MTB Saddle to better understand this hybrid design.

What to Look Out for When Selecting an MTB Saddle

Many brands are competing for your attention in this space including the innovative wtb saddles but what features make up the best mtb saddle?

Here we go…

  • A Right fit and Shape

The best mountain bike saddle will fit your bottoms perfectly. Because mountain bikes are designed for challenging trails, most riders are at home with saddles with an adaptive shape.

Additionally, you can easily slide behind narrower saddles for a better ride when tackling sudden technical descents.

A shape that adapts to your anatomy also helps by refining contact. Most high-end mtb saddles incorporate either a complete hole or at least a groove through the entire bike saddle to help alleviate pressure in your nether regions.

  • Ideal Padding

The softest mattress isn’t always the most comfortable. Right? For saddles, this same principle applies.

Avoid extravagant padding because it increases the pressure between the sit bones (“ischial tuberosities”) and will be less comfortable especially for longer riders.

It’s really a trial and error thing here since again if you go too bare, the extra pressure may result into soreness.

Also be aware of marketing language. For example, some salesmen purport that gel saddles are a cure-all yet we know that gel pads compact faster than foam padding in longer distances.

  • Any Suspension?

Much saddle-related discomfort arises from the impact faced by mountain bicycle’s wheels on bumps and other road irregularities.

There are other ways of reducing this with one being to go for a mountain bike saddle with some integrated “suspension”.

You should check if your saddle has some elastomer where the saddle’s metal rails are joining the seat.

A bushing of some sort or just some fine soft plastic can also suffice. Still, integrated saddle rails could be elongated so as to flex vertically to deliver some shock absorption.

Other saddles utilize a web-spring suspension platform with multiple coil springs mounted beneath the saddle’s shell horizontally to help absorb shock.

Is There a Difference Between Women’s Mountain Bike Saddle and Men’s Mountain Bike Saddle?

In general, women have wider sit bones so the best ladies mountain bike saddle is somewhat wider to reflect the wider pelvis and somewhat shorter than the most comfortable bike saddle for men

The later was traditionally to make seating easier (and somewhat comfortable) for women wearing skirts.

Well, while not every female rider will require a ‘female’ saddle design, most find more pleasure in a ladies mtb saddle.

A man’s saddle is usually comfortable when long and narrow. However, if you’re a casual rider who mostly engages in short rides, a unisex padded mountain bike seat would do just fine.

Interestingly, taller women fit on men’s mountain bike seats comfortably while shorter men seem to prefer women’s bike saddles as they tend to have a riding posture very similar to ladies.

Components of an Mtb Saddle

The contemporary mtb bike saddle may have five major parts:

  1. The Rails (Frame):

The rails connect the mountain bike saddle to your bike on the underside and can be made of steel, pure titanium, carbon fiber, and more.

Be prepared to cough up more if you prefer pure titanium.

2. The Shell (Base)

The cover is attached to the rails at several points and could be made of mainly molded plastic or leather though a few use carbon fiber.

Leather is rated the most comfortable because of conforming to your unique anatomy but it’s expensive and can soak.

3. The Padding

The padding can be gel-foam or cell- foam, or a mix of fabric, gel, and lycra.

As I had mentioned, you need neither too thick nor too soft padding to avoid problems.

4. The Outer Cover

The cover can be made of spandex, leather or vinyl.

Saddles may also have additional cover reinforcements like kevlar sewn to your mountain bike’s cover to help it withstand abrasion.

Leather has most of the desired qualities while lycra tends to be slippery and a bit fragile though breathable.

Vinyl is smooth but slippery and not very breathable.

5. Suspension

Any integrated suspension parts such as the aforementioned elastomers or springs help absorb vibrations.

Not all bike saddles have suspension components.

Top Mountain Bike Seat Brands on the Market

I decided to comb the market and see what’s on offer. Here are the mtb saddles that impressed me most..

1. Bikeroo’s Most Comfortable Mountain Bike Saddle for Men

One of the game changers, this Bikeroo’s Mountain Bike Saddle is outstanding for men. It has the longer design as recommended for men’s saddles, ideal soft foam padding, and tops this up with a deeper center cutout.

It’s an ergonomic saddle and will anatomically adapt to your bottoms to help distribute pressure from the back to eliminate pain from the sit bones immediately…

Additionally, the saddle’s construction looks durable and feels comfortable, which is not surprising considering the manufacturer has always delighted riders with durable but affordable bike accessories.

It even comes with installation wrenches and a cover to shield the rain!

2. Bikeroo’s Padded Women Bike Seat

Like the Bikeroo’s anatomically supportive men’s bike saddle, this Bikeroo’s Padded Women Bike Seat is tailored to protect your sensitive zones against agonizing back pain by relieving pressure from all the sensitive points.

It’s wide, has an ergonomic shape, and is further enhanced with a hollow core design, exactly the way high end women’s bike seats are supposed to be to fit women’s unique anatomy.

The extra padded cushion plus the dual suspension makes it quite relaxing and should help make your rides more comfortable even when out with friends for a long adventurous trip to some iconic trails.

It still comes with the mounting tools plus a rain cover and it’s a genuinely wonderful seat and far much better than some of the long-standing women mtb bike seats.

The price is also awesome.

3. Zacro’s Gel Mountain Bike Saddle

Zacro’s Gel Mountain Bike Saddle has gel cushioning and molds nicely to your body to provide one of the plushest comfort.

On top of that, it features dual carbon steel coils/spring suspension which helps it smooth out bumps and road irregularities with ease.

Moving on, the seat is also fairly big and should fitting most riders seeking saddle that will offer  superior comfort on daily casual rides.

Then, as it is the case with saddles for mtb’s at this level, a cutaway has been made in this bike’s saddle to prevent soreness and relief pressure from the perineum areas.

It’s one of the easiest to adjust, seems very sturdy, and is pleasing to the eye.

4. OUTERDO Mountain Breathable Bike Seat

This Outerdo’s saddle seat setting could be the perfect match for your mountain bike.

The saddle has soft, luxurious support characteristics befitting of any high end mountain bike seat, and in this construction, the entire riding experience becomes easy like Sunday.

Whether cruising down the mountains or pedalling in across sweeping landscapes, the saddle’s hollow design offers anatomic relief and superb ventilation relieving pressure on your perineum and delivering extreme comfort.

This is yet another narrow mountain bike seat and can boost your speed while allowing you to perform at your full potential by complementing the other bike features.

Beyond that, it has outstanding shock proofing ability and retains maximum firmness.

5. Vader MTB Saddle Seat

Vader’s MTB saddle seat is another truly stunning bike seat. Made of top-quality silica gel and reinforced with firm seat fabrics, the seat is comfortable and fits your anatomy uniquely.

The narrow profile helps you move your legs without chaffing while the relief cut-out does well to eliminate any hints of discomfort.

As far as competition go, very few saddles can stand toe-to-toe with this bike saddle as far as comfort goes especially because of its innovative shape.

Add the excellent air flow and the quality construction all round and you have another five-star saddle for your mountain rides.

Overall, this saddle means business when we come to longer rides.

Concluding the Most Comfortable Mountain Bike Seat

By relieving pressure from your butt, the most comfortable mountain bike seat helps to upgrade your rides and protects you from numerous ills such as saddle sores, back pains, chaffing, and numbness.

When buying, look out for the ideal fit and shape, padding, plus available suspensions. In addition, you can check features such as the shell, material, and the frame.

Also, because of structural differences, we have seen that the most comfortable seat for men is narrower and longer while for ladies it’s wider and shorter.

Now what remains is for you to pick your favorite and get out there. Good luck!

Image
Ergon SMC4 Comp Saddle, Black, Small/Medium
Rating
-
Image
Ergon SMC4 Comp Saddle, Black, Small/Medium
Rating
-
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