7/01/2021 4 guidelines to choosing the right saddle for your road bike
A good road bike seat can be the difference between a bad cycling experience and an excellent one. Each part of a bike has specific characteristics, which respond to needs for comfort, speed and strength.

Depending on the modality you ride, you will need a particular saddle. The saddle on a road bike has the thinnest profile, and is specially designed to give you good movement and prevent pain.

They are usually thinner and harder than those of mountain bikes and are usually made of carbon. Nowadays there is even a type of anti-prostatic saddle, which relieves the pressure on this delicate area.

You can also get different types of saddles at bike rental, you will have to try them until you find the one that fits you the best.

To avoid injuries and more serious problems, the best thing to do is to choose a road bike saddle that is best suited to you. This way, you will guarantee the enjoyment of each of your outings and routes, during competitions, training sessions and rides.

A bicycle seat is not just an accessory, it is an indispensable device for your comfort and your health. It should not only be comfortable or beautiful and attractive, but it should also be able to adapt to the shape of your body and respond appropriately and correctly to the movements you usually make on the bike.

There are saddles for men and women, for the different modalities (MTB, route, triathlon), as well as special designs according to the posture you usually adopt on the bike and the time you spend on it.

In this way, you are sure to get the best road bike saddle for you, and even when renting a bike, so that you don't suffer.

4 guidelines for choosing a saddle

The main thing is that the measurements and their form are adapted to your anatomy. Remember that it's the bike that has to adapt to your body, not you to the bike.

1. Width
No two people in the world are alike, hence the wide variety of saddles on the market. First, the sex will define the shape: women need a wider saddle, for example.

Thus, men and women put their weight on the ischiums, two bony appendages whose distance from each other varies according to the sex.

The distance between the ischiums must be measured, and for this purpose use a corrugated cardboard and sit on it on a stool; the height must be low enough to bend the knees when sitting (the height that is less than that of the toilet).

With the jersey on, sit long enough for your ischium to be marked on the card, and once they are marked measure the distance between them, from the centre to each of the marks. At that distance add 20 mm, and the result will be the ideal width of the saddle.

2. Shape and length of the saddle
The length may not be as important as the width, however, depending on the type of cycling you do, you'll want to move forward or backward, i.e. have more or less movement to allow you to correct your posture or accommodate yourself better.

There are basically two forms of saddle, T-shaped and pear-shaped. The T-shaped saddle is much narrower at the nose, especially at the transition to the front. The pear-shaped one has a more staggered transition.

If you prefer a fixed position, the T-shaped saddle will be better for you, but if you prefer freedom of movement, the pear-shaped saddle will be suitable.

3. Convex, concave or flat
In a concave saddle the centre is very pronounced; the convex offers more support on the ischium, and the flat, less. The cyclist's taste depends on this.

4. Prostatic saddle
The prostatic saddle has a hollow strip in the central part, which eliminates the pressure on the prostate (thus avoiding the sensation of numbness in the perinea area).

If you have any problems with your prostate, it is recommended that you use this type of saddle, as the prostate will not absorb the impacts of the terrain, thus improving your time on the bike.

These tips are useful whether you are buying a seat for your own bike or using the bike rental service.

4 guidelines to choosing the right saddle for your road bike - Papagayo Bike

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