Bicycle Saddle
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

A bicycle saddle, sometimes called a
bicycle seat A bicycle seat, unlike a bicycle saddle, is designed to support the rider's buttocks and back, usually in a semi-reclined position. Arthur Garford is credited with inventing the padded bicycle seat in 1892, and they are now usually found on recumbe ...
, is one of five contact points on an
upright bicycle Body relative directions (also known as egocentric coordinates) are geometrical orientations relative to a body such as a human person's body or a road sign. The most common ones are: left and right; forward and backward; up and down. They fo ...
, the others being the two pedals and the two handles on the handlebars. (A bicycle seat in the specific sense also supports the back.) The bicycle saddle has been known as such since the
bicycle A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike, push-bike or cycle, is a human-powered transport, human-powered or motorized bicycle, motor-assisted, bicycle pedal, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, with two bicycle wheel, wheels attached to a ...
evolved from the
draisine A draisine () is a light auxiliary rail vehicle, driven by service personnel, equipped to transport crew and material necessary for the maintenance of railway infrastructure. The eponymous term is derived from the German inventor Baron Karl D ...
, a forerunner of the bicycle. It performs a similar role as a horse's
saddle A saddle is a supportive structure for a rider of an animal, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is equestrian. However, specialized saddles have been created for oxen, camels and other animals. It is not know ...
, not bearing all the weight of the rider as the other contact points also take some of the load. A bicycle saddle is commonly attached to the
seatpost A bicycle seatpost, seatpin, saddlepole, saddle pillar, or saddle pin is a tube that extends upwards from the bicycle frame to the saddle. The amount that it extends out of the frame can usually be adjusted, and there is usually a mark that indic ...
and the height of the saddle can usually be adjusted by the seatpost telescoping in and out of the seat tube.


Components

Typical saddles are composed of a few identifiable components.


Shell

The shell creates the shape of the saddle. The nose of the saddle is the forward most part. It is usually rounded. The shell can be made from several materials. Most modern saddles have a hard shell made from a moulded piece of plastic, such as
nylon Nylon is a family of synthetic polymers characterised by amide linkages, typically connecting aliphatic or Polyamide#Classification, semi-aromatic groups. Nylons are generally brownish in color and can possess a soft texture, with some varieti ...
.
Carbon fiber Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (American English), carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers ( Commonwealth English), carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics, carbon-fiber reinforced-thermoplastic (CFRP, CRP, CFRTP), also known as carbon fiber, carbon comp ...
may also be used.
Leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning (leather), tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffal ...
saddles do not have a hard shell. Instead a moulded piece of thick leather is stretched, like a taut
hammock A hammock, from Spanish , borrowed from Taíno language, Taíno and Arawak language, Arawak , is a sling made of fabric, rope, or netting, suspended between two or more points, used for swing (seat), swinging, sleeping, or Human relaxation, res ...
, between the front and rear ends of the rails. Traditional leather saddles such as those made by Brooks have been used for many years. Such a saddle is generally more comfortable after a break-in period during which it conforms to the shape of the rider, so long as the basic shape is right to start with.


Cover

Most saddles use some form of padding on top of the hard shell (often closed cell foam, gel, or gel-foam) followed by an outer cover consisting of
spandex Spandex, Lycra, or elastane is a synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity. It is a polyether- polyurea copolymer that was invented in 1958 by chemist Joseph Shivers at DuPont. Name The name ''spandex'', which is an anagram of t ...
,
vinyl Vinyl may refer to: Chemistry * Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer * Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation * Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry * Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl ...
,
artificial leather Artificial leather, also called synthetic leather, is a material intended to substitute for leather in upholstery, clothing, footwear, and other uses where a leather-like finish is desired but the actual material is cost prohibitive or unsuitab ...
, or
leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning (leather), tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffal ...
. Saddles designed for hard use e.g.
mountain bike A mountain bike (MTB) or mountain bicycle is a bicycle designed for off-road cycling (''mountain biking''). Mountain bikes share some similarities with other bicycles, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in r ...
or
BMX BMX, an abbreviation for bicycle motocross or bike motocross, is a cycle sport performed on BMX bikes, either in competitive BMX racing or freestyle BMX, or else in general street or off-road recreation. History BMX began during the ea ...
style riding, may have additional cover reinforcements such as
Kevlar Kevlar (para-aramid) is a strong, heat-resistant synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed by Stephanie Kwolek at DuPont in 1965, the high-strength material was first used commercially in the early 1970s as ...
sewn to the cover to withstand abrasion on those areas most prone to abrasion.


Rails

The rails of a saddle are the connection point to the rest of the bike. They run along the underside of the saddle from the nose to the rear. Most saddles have two parallel rails that the
seatpost A bicycle seatpost, seatpin, saddlepole, saddle pillar, or saddle pin is a tube that extends upwards from the bicycle frame to the saddle. The amount that it extends out of the frame can usually be adjusted, and there is usually a mark that indic ...
clamps to, but designs vary from one to four rails. Rails provide fore and aft adjustment of the saddle, usually about 2-3 cm (an inch) or so. They can be made of solid or hollow
steel Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon that demonstrates improved mechanical properties compared to the pure form of iron. Due to steel's high Young's modulus, elastic modulus, Yield (engineering), yield strength, Fracture, fracture strength a ...
,
titanium Titanium is a chemical element; it has symbol Ti and atomic number 22. Found in nature only as an oxide, it can be reduced to produce a lustrous transition metal with a silver color, low density, and high strength, resistant to corrosion in ...
,
aluminum Aluminium (or aluminum in North American English) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Al and atomic number 13. It has a density lower than that of other common metals, about one-third that of steel. Aluminium has ...
,
manganese Manganese is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Mn and atomic number 25. It is a hard, brittle, silvery metal, often found in minerals in combination with iron. Manganese was first isolated in the 1770s. It is a transition m ...
, or
carbon fiber Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (American English), carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers ( Commonwealth English), carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics, carbon-fiber reinforced-thermoplastic (CFRP, CRP, CFRTP), also known as carbon fiber, carbon comp ...
, typically trading off cost, weight, strength, and flexibility. A recent innovation, used with carbon shells and rails, is for the rails to be integrated into the shell for their entire length. Rail configurations include: * 2-rail "standard" round 7 mm diameter * 2-rail oversize (typically for mountain bikes and BMX) ** Round 8 mm diameter ** Round 9 mm diameter (common) * 2-rail carbon fiber (newer) ** 7 mm round ** 7 mm × 9 mm oval ** 7 mm × 10 mm oval ** 8.5 mm round ** 9.6 mm round * Single-rail I-beam (newer) * 4-rail (e.g. wider Brooks leather saddles) * Proprietary systems


Saddle clamp

The part that connects the rails to the seatpost is known as the "saddle clamp". It may be built into the top of the seatpost, or the seatpost may be essentially a pipe that provides a cylinder at the top (often ) for a separate clamp to attach. The upper attachment point must be compatible with the rail configuration (though the two-rail 7 mm round configuration is very common), and the lower attachment point must match the diameter of the seatpost if not built in. The shape of some unusual saddles also makes them physically incompatible with certain seatpost, clamps, or frames, due to bumping into other parts or blocking adjustment or attachment bolts. The most common type of sold-separate clamp has a single horizontal bolt-with-nut which goes behind the top of the seatpost. Tightening this bolt brings together four pieces of metal (two on each side) which have round slots to grab and hold standard-size rails. The inner rail grabbing pieces have interlocking grooves on the other side that interface into disc shapes on the outer sides of the central post-grabbing piece. Continued tightening of the bolt causes the central piece to close very slightly around the top of the post. To adjust the saddle's position, loosening the bolt allows the rails to slide forward and backward and to tilt up and down around the axis of the bolt. There are two common types of built-in saddle clamps for standard rails, both associated with
genericized trademark A generic trademark, also known as a genericized trademark or proprietary eponym, is a trademark or brand name that, because of its popularity or significance, has become the generic term for, or synonymous with, a general class of products or ...
s: * "Campagnolo" seatposts (older) use two vertical bolts to hold the two rail-grabbing pieces together. Loosening one bolt allows forward-and-back adjustment of the saddle; loosening one and tightening the other adjusts up/down tilt. In some cases, there is a separate bolt that controls tilt around a dedicated pivot. Because these systems do not rely on grooves, the tilt adjustment is continuous rather than stepped, and these are known as microadjust seatposts. * "Laprade" seatposts (newer) use a single vertical bolt (typically an Allen bolt) which when tightened pushes two rail-grabbing pieces together. The lower surface of the lower rail-grabbing piece is convex and grooved, matching a concave groove on the top of the seatpost. The curve allows the up/down angle of the saddle to be adjusted when the bolt is loosened, and loosening also allows the rails to slide forward and back. Depending on the saddle angle, the vertical bolt is not perpendicular to the angle of the rails, but the grooves prevent the interface from slipping and adopting a completely horizontal angle. This angular adjustment mechanism is known as pivotal and is common on
BMX BMX, an abbreviation for bicycle motocross or bike motocross, is a cycle sport performed on BMX bikes, either in competitive BMX racing or freestyle BMX, or else in general street or off-road recreation. History BMX began during the ea ...
bikes. Because the grooves are finer than the grooved discs in the sold-separately saddle clamp, sometimes Laprade-style posts are also marketed as "microadjustable" even though the adjustment is not continuous as with the Campagnolo style. I-beam rails are long and allow a wide fore-aft adjustment range. I-beam saddle clamps use two clamping bolts for grab pieces holding the single rail. Other historical saddle clamp variations included the Ideale saddle/Zeus post combination, which used a special seatpost designed to forgo the need for a clamp in order maximize weight savings.


Suspension

A saddle may contain one or more suspension components to improve rider comfort by absorbing or deadening vibration and shock transmitted by the frame and seatpost. Saddles may incorporate gel, gel-foam, and/or multiple-density foam padding or lining to cushion impacts from the roadway, while integrated saddle rails may be designed with added length in order to flex vertically, providing limited shock and bump absorption. Another method encountered on recreational, comfort, or 'cruiser' saddles is to attach a pair of steel coil springs to the rear terminus of the saddle rails, affixed at their other end to the rear of the saddle. Some newer suspension designs replace the twin coil springs with four or more
elastomer An elastomer is a polymer with viscoelasticity (i.e. both viscosity and elasticity) and with weak intermolecular forces, generally low Young's modulus (E) and high failure strain compared with other materials. The term, a portmanteau of ''ela ...
donut-type springs. By using interchangeable elastomers with variable densities the suspension saddle can be tuned to the rider's weight and riding style. Yet another method of suspension utilizes a web-spring platform made of eight or more coil springs mounted horizontally beneath the saddle shell. These springs are connected to each other at the approximate center of the saddle, with the ends connected radially to the perimeter of the saddle frame, forming a spider's web. A shock transmitted to the seat is partially absorbed by this web-spring platform. In an effort to cut cost and weight, some suspension saddles utilize a skeletonized, flexible nylon frame in lieu of the steel web-spring. Saddles may incorporate two or more of these suspension designs in an effort to provide additional comfort and shock absorption, as they have since cycling first became popular in the 1880s.


Adjustment

The position of the saddle should be adjusted relative to the
bottom bracket The bottom bracket on a bicycle connects the crankset (chainset) to the bicycle and allows the crankset to rotate freely. It contains a spindle to which the crankset attaches, and the bearings that allow the spindle and crankset to rotate. The ...
, not to the ground or handlebars. For example, if the reach to the handlebars is too far, it is better to get a shorter
stem Stem or STEM most commonly refers to: * Plant stem, a structural axis of a vascular plant * Stem group * Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics Stem or STEM can also refer to: Language and writing * Word stem, part of a word respon ...
than to move the saddle forward of its ideal location. More accurately, saddle height should be adjusted relative to the position of the pedals as fitting different pedals or different length cranks would also mean the saddle needs to be re-adjusted. In practice, the distance from the top of the saddle to the center of the bottom bracket is used as the saddle height, e.g., setting up a new bicycle using measurements from another, as this is easier to measure. Other methods and calculations are used for determining seat height, such as LeMond's formula. Some saddles now provide an even greater level of adjustment by making the front and rear width adjustable to properly fit a cyclist's anatomy. An adjustable saddle is made b
BiSaddle


Height

The saddle height should be set so that when pedaling, the legs have a slight bend even when the pedals are at their furthest distance. This means that if the saddle height is properly adjusted, on bikes with traditional geometry, the rider cannot place both feet flat on the ground when seated on the saddle. If they can, their saddle is too low, unless the bike is a
recumbent bicycle A recumbent bicycle is a bicycle that places the rider in a laid-back reclining position, and often called a Human-powered_land_vehicle, human-powered vehicle or HPV, especially if it has an aerodynamic fairing. Recumbents are available in a w ...
, crank-forward,
BMX BMX, an abbreviation for bicycle motocross or bike motocross, is a cycle sport performed on BMX bikes, either in competitive BMX racing or freestyle BMX, or else in general street or off-road recreation. History BMX began during the ea ...
or other form of special bicycle.


Tilt

The saddle should be nearly level, although the height of the handlebars and style of cycling will cause this to vary. In professional bicycle racing, UCI rules require that the saddle be within 3° of level.


Fore and aft

Conventional wisdom dictates that the saddle should be positioned so that when the crankarms are horizontal and the feet are on the pedals the head of fibula of the forward leg is approximately above the pedal spindle in a vertical line. However, several authors argue that there is no anatomical basis for this. Furthermore, the relative position of saddle and
bottom bracket The bottom bracket on a bicycle connects the crankset (chainset) to the bicycle and allows the crankset to rotate freely. It contains a spindle to which the crankset attaches, and the bearings that allow the spindle and crankset to rotate. The ...
varies between
road racing Road racing is a North American term to describe motorsport racing held on a paved road surface. The races can be held on a race track, closed circuit—generally, a purpose-built racing facility—or on a street circuit that uses temporarily c ...
, track and triathlon bicycles. The range of adjustment differs for each saddle, and the comparison of saddles for increased ranges of adjustment can be confusing owing to their different shapes. In comparing them, it is the range of adjustment of their ''comfort points'' that need considered, and because the matter is largely subjective, giving it proper attention is difficult to do. The range of fore-aft adjustment for double-rail saddles rarely exceeds 2-3 cm (an inch) or so, but advertisers claim that I-beam saddle designs can give up to 200% more adjustment range than some of these. When the fore-aft adjustment range of the saddle needs ''further'' extension than the clamp affords, it may be possible to add a ''saddle adjuster''. One such adjuster mounts on the existing saddle clamp and allows up to 40 mm of ''increase'' or ''decrease'' in the fore-aft position of the saddle. Another method for ''increasing'' the fore-aft adjustment is the swept-back seatpost, where the seatpost has a curve in it over the or so before the saddle. Because of the gentle sweep of the tube, the top part of the seatpost cannot fit within the seat tube, so this solution is useful only for high seat positions.


Sizes

While small saddles are available for children's bikes, the primary size parameter for adult saddles is width. Performance saddles, such as for
racing In sports, racing is a competition of speed, in which competitors try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time. Typically this involves traversing some distance, but it can be any other task involving speed to reach a specific g ...
, tend to be narrow. Comfort saddles, often found on
hybrid bicycle Hybrid bicycles blend characteristics from more specialized road bikes, touring bikes and mountain bikes. The resulting "hybrid" is a general-purpose bike that can tolerate a wide range of riding conditions and applications. Their stability, co ...
s, tend to be wide.


Variations

Several variations have been developed, either for
aesthetic Aesthetics (also spelled esthetics) is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of beauty and taste, which in a broad sense incorporates the philosophy of art.Slater, B. H.Aesthetics ''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy,'' , acces ...
reasons, or to address issues mentioned in the next section. Cutaway saddles have a hollow on the midline. No-nose or noseless saddles do not have the front nose (also called horn) part of the seat. This is to eliminate the crushing injuries experienced by riders. In standard seats the weight of the rider is often supported at the contact point between the pelvic bone and nose of the seat. The high pressure caused by the small contact area causes crushing injuries in the perineum over the center of the nose, and the muscles and tendons connecting to the interior side of the "sit bones" (
ischial tuberosities The ischial tuberosity (or tuberosity of the ischium, tuber ischiadicum), also known colloquially as the sit bones or sitz bones, or as a pair the sitting bones, is a large posterior bony protuberance on the superior ramus of the ischium. It ...
) at the back of the inner thighs over the sides of the "nose". The "no-nose" seats eliminate the nose, and support the body at the bottom of the "sit bones", spreading the body's weight over a larger contact area causing lower peak pressure areas to avoid the crushing injuries caused by standard seats. No-nose seats require different bracing forces to keep the rider from slipping down. This is often done by keeping the legs or arms under moderate constant tension which can cause additional effort on the part of the rider. While not adopted by competitive cyclists, no-nose saddles have been shown to improve erectile function among cyclists suffering from ED. A 2008 study measured ED and genital numbness among bicycling
police The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ...
officers who used traditional saddles versus the same officers after using no-nose saddles for six months. The number of officers experiencing genital numbness fell from 73% to 12%. Cases of erectile dysfunction also fell significantly. This research won the Bullard Sherwood Award of the
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH, ) is the List of United States federal agencies, United States federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related occ ...
, for intervention research. Women-specific saddles were introduced and widely marketed in the early days of cycling. For instance, the 1898 "Christy Anatomical saddle", developed by Spalding, was designed with a hollow seat for avoiding any friction on the genitalia. Side-saddles like "The Lady Ariel Side-Saddle Ordinary" were also made. One type was designed and marketed in 1992 by women's-equipment designer Georgena Terry. Others are produced by several manufacturers. Differences may include a wider seat area, shorter nose, and center relief. A is a long saddle, usually supported at both ends, popular on
wheelie bike A wheelie bike, also called a dragster, muscle bike, high-riser, spyder bike or banana bike, is a type of stylized children's bicycle designed in the 1960s to resemble a Chopper (motorcycle), chopper motorcycle and characterized by Bicycle ...
s. The rider can choose where they sit on it. It is sometimes used to carry a passenger. File:San marco selle1.jpg, A Selle San Marco saddle for women (cutaway) File:Kontact Bicycle Seat Top.png, Anatomical racing bicycle seat File:EasySeat II Fahrradsattel.jpg, Ergonomical saddle EasySeat II (Hobson) File:NIOSH No Nose Saddle Explained.webm, A video on the health benefits of no-nose saddles


Issues

Several issues associated with sitting on traditional bicycle saddles have been identified. These are prevalent in occupations with heavy bicycle use, including
police The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ...
. The pressure of the saddle on the perineal area after prolonged bicycling has been found to cause perineal
folliculitis Folliculitis is the infection and inflammation of one or more hair follicles. The condition may occur anywhere on hair-covered skin. The rash may appear as pimples that come to white tips on the face, chest, back, arms, legs, buttocks, or head. A ...
, furuncles,
lymphedema Lymphedema, also known as lymphoedema and lymphatic edema, is a condition of localized edema, swelling caused by a compromised lymphatic system. The lymphatic system functions as a critical portion of the body's immune system and returns inters ...
, and chafing. Some women have had difficulties urinating or sustaining
sexual intercourse Sexual intercourse (also coitus or copulation) is a sexual activity typically involving the insertion of the Erection, erect male Human penis, penis inside the female vagina and followed by Pelvic thrust, thrusting motions for sexual pleasure ...
after prolonged periods on their bike saddle.


Crotch pressure

Though riding an
upright bicycle Body relative directions (also known as egocentric coordinates) are geometrical orientations relative to a body such as a human person's body or a road sign. The most common ones are: left and right; forward and backward; up and down. They fo ...
improves the
cardiovascular system In vertebrates, the circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the body. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, that consists of the heart a ...
and can therefore actually improve the erectile function among men, riding a bicycle for prolonged periods of time with an unhealthy cycling technique can still cause problems for both men and women due to a reduced
blood flow Hemodynamics American and British English spelling differences#ae and oe, or haemodynamics are the Fluid dynamics, dynamics of blood flow. The circulatory system is controlled by homeostasis, homeostatic mechanisms of autoregulation, just as hydrau ...
in the
crotch In humans, the crotch is the bottom of the pelvis (the region of the body where the legs join the torso) and is the part of the body that includes the groin and genitals. Etymology ''Crotch'' is derived from ''crutch''; it was first used in 1 ...
area. Some male riders—survey data published in 2005 indicated around 5%—may ultimately get
erectile dysfunction Erectile dysfunction (ED), also referred to as impotence, is a form of sexual dysfunction in males characterized by the persistent or recurring inability to achieve or maintain a Human penis, penile erection with sufficient rigidity and durat ...
problems if a poor cycling technique is used with prolonged pressure on the
perineum The perineum (: perineums or perinea) in placentalia, placental mammals is the space between the anus and the genitals. The human perineum is between the anus and scrotum in the male or between the anus and vulva in the female. The perineum is ...
. Both men and women may also get reduced sensitivity in the crotch. A sign of these problems can sometimes be a tingling sensation in the area when stepping off the bicycle after a ride, as blood flow surges back into the area again. This issue is more related to the cycling technique than the saddle type, although there are special, more anatomically correct, designs to relieve crotch pressure as well. Examples of such designs include the ''cutaway saddles'' and ''noseless saddles''. Cutaway saddles resemble regular saddles in their design, but with the middle part cut out to reduce pressure on the perineum among men. Noseless saddles are basically two separate saddles next to each other, with one smaller "saddle" per
buttock The buttocks (: buttock) are two rounded portions of the exterior anatomy of most mammals, located on the posterior of the pelvic region. In humans, the buttocks are located between the lower back and the perineum. They are composed of a laye ...
. Such saddles achieve a similar relief of pressure by using a different design. Some useful techniques to reduce crotch pressure while cycling include: * Ensuring the saddle is roughly horizontally aligned, or only slightly nose up. Having overly upwards nose alignment will directly increase the perineum pressure, while a downwards alignment will reduce the sit bone support of the pelvis, again resulting in an increased perineum pressure. * Standing up occasionally, such as on hills and when accelerating. * Adjusting seating position from time to time. For example, sitting closer to the rear when cycling on hills and only sitting on the nose for brief periods. * Sitting up now and then without leaning forward as much.


Detumescence and genital numbness

In 2014, the largest ever study of cyclists found no correlation between cycling and either erectile dysfunction or infertility. In previous studies, bicycle riding had been correlated with genital numbness,
erectile dysfunction Erectile dysfunction (ED), also referred to as impotence, is a form of sexual dysfunction in males characterized by the persistent or recurring inability to achieve or maintain a Human penis, penile erection with sufficient rigidity and durat ...
(ED) and perianal hematoma,Gemery, J., Nangia, A., Mamourian, A., and Reid, S. (2007, January). "Digital three-dimensional modelling of the male pelvis and bicycle seats: impact of rider position and seat design on potential penile hypoxia and erectile dysfunction". ''BJU International'', 99(1), 135–140. and several studies had shown that long-distance cyclists have an increased incidence of ED as compared to the general population.Breda, G., Piazza, N., Bernardi, V., Lunardon, E., and Caruso, A. (September 2005). "Development of a New Geometric Bicycle Saddle for the Maintenance of Genital–Perineal Vascular Perfusion". ''Journal of Sexual Medicine'', 2(5), 605–611."Standard bicycle seat can lead to erectile dysfunction". (2007, June). ''Mayo Clinic Health Letter''. ED and genital numbness were thought to result from compression of the cyclists' perineal region while sitting on their saddles. 50–91% of cyclists experience genital numbness. To alleviate the problem, manufacturers have designed a number of bicycle saddles that purport to allow greater blood flow through the pudendal artery. These saddles vary in shape, width, and padding and have been studied to determine any actual effects on cyclists' health. (However, most current research excludes discussion of female sexual dysfunction and genital numbness.)Dettori, N., and Norvell, D. (2006, January). "Non-Traumatic Bicycle Injuries: A Review of the Literature". ''Sports Medicine'', 36(1), 7–18. The studies have shown that wider saddles tend to increase penile blood flow while cycling, though wider seats also induce chafing and impede a cyclist's full range of leg motion.Huang, V., Munarriz, R., and Goldstein, I. (2005, September). "Bicycle Riding and Erectile Dysfunction: An Increase in Interest (and Concern)". ''Journal of Sexual Medicine'', 2(5), 596–604. A downward-tilted saddle relieves pressure on the perineum and the "sit bones" (
ischial tuberosities The ischial tuberosity (or tuberosity of the ischium, tuber ischiadicum), also known colloquially as the sit bones or sitz bones, or as a pair the sitting bones, is a large posterior bony protuberance on the superior ramus of the ischium. It ...
), thus improving a cyclist's perineal blood flow. Most saddles include padding, generally
foam Foams are two-phase materials science, material systems where a gas is dispersed in a second, non-gaseous material, specifically, in which gas cells are enclosed by a distinct liquid or solid material. Note, this source focuses only on liquid ...
or gel. Gel padding tends to distribute pressure in the perineum and provide higher levels of penile oxygenation than does foam padding. However, width and design have proved to be more important than the amount of saddle padding in determining the intensity of perineal distress the cyclist suffers. In fact, some researchers have postulated that extra padding, foam or gel, can result in an increased prevalence of pain in the sit bones.


See also

*
Bicycle seat A bicycle seat, unlike a bicycle saddle, is designed to support the rider's buttocks and back, usually in a semi-reclined position. Arthur Garford is credited with inventing the padded bicycle seat in 1892, and they are now usually found on recumbe ...
*
Outline of cycling Cycling, also known as bicycling or biking, is the activity of riding bicycles or other Human-powered transport, human-powered vehicles with Wheel, wheels, for transportation, recreation, exercise, sport, and other purposes. People who engage i ...


References


External links


Bicycle Saddles and Reproductive Health


{{Authority control
Saddle A saddle is a supportive structure for a rider of an animal, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is equestrian. However, specialized saddles have been created for oxen, camels and other animals. It is not know ...