Why are bike saddles so uncomfortable?
For most of us, accepting a certain amount of saddle discomfort is just part of riding. So we grin and bear it, ride after ride, pushing ourselves hard, our pelvic sit bones and soft tissues becoming conditioned to it. Although by “conditioned,” that does not mean we actually experience an increase in actual comfort. We adapt to it from our “time in the saddle.”
Now, the die-hards and serious riders will all suck it up and keep riding, just like I did for many, many years. The most passionate among us will likely say that it doesn’t really bother them, or that it is what it is, so stop complaining! But, who isn’t open to a more comfortable saddle?
Surveying several hundred bicyclists, riders shared the varying number of days per week they ride, how many miles they do per ride, and how saddle discomfort influences their riding schedule. For some, they can tolerate four or more rides per week, others it’s two or less.
Hundreds of those surveyed admitted having to cut back from their road cycling, spin classes, or hitting their favorite mountain biking trails as often as they’d like to because of the major saddle discomfort and/or numbness issues they experience with every ride. Even for those that say they don’t really have issues with bike saddles may buy a new one every year or so.
After all, this riding discomfort and post-ride pain can occur with all bike saddle types: road, mountain, gravel, spin, and even those bulky, wide and thickly padded electric bike saddles. The fact that most riders are seeking more comfort says quite a lot — especially when we’re still uncomfortable even with the added layer of padding in our bulky bike shorts!
Zeta saddles were created to change that!
Zeta Saddles unique designs with our patented Reactive Padding™, allows for a much softer contact pressure layer plus support layers with advanced viscoelastic properties for greater shock absorption. This proprietary formula of elastomers dampens the body’s contact force with the saddle, dispersing ground reaction forces, vibrations and bumps from impacting you.
“Compression set,” which all foams and soft gels are extremely vulnerable to, are the reason the majority, if not all, bike saddles are not very comfortable. Especially, the longer and more frequent you ride. Compression set occurs when your sit-bones press out the air, sinking down and bottoming-out against the hard saddle base which feels harder as time passes.
Foam and gels are not very dynamic or functional after the initial compression. Foams also take a very long time to recover after compression, taking up to 30 mins or more to return to pre-compressed state. The padding which no longer functions much as far as softness or shock absorption results in increased boney and soft tissue contact pressure and discomfort.
Zeta Saddles are offered in three different comfort levels to appeal to everyone’s individual wants and needs. The MODUS is our lightest high-performance saddle. The OPTIMA is also for high performance, with some extra comfort added for those who prefer it. The ULTIMA is our widest, padded version so far, which offers yet even more comfort for more upright riders.
MODUS and OPTIMA come in both carbon fiber with carbon rails, and standard versions with titanium rails. The ULTIMA model for spin, ebike, or commuters comes in standard only.
All testing was completed with and without padded bike shorts to create the greatest possible ride-time comfort and eliminate post ride pain and discomfort, even without the padded shorts.
Personal preferences, bike type, riding style, intensity and chosen riding surface, all feed into which Zeta Saddles model is right for you. Make post-ride soreness a thing of the past. Ride ZETA!