# I need a comfortable bicycle seat. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 23, 2004, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-comfortable-bicycle-seat/256602 "2004-07-23T23:34:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-comfortable-bicycle-seat/256602/1 "2004-07-23T23:34:43Z")
Actually, I _want_ a comfortable bike seat. Comfortable like those “tractor seats” on the old Harleys. I don’t care about style or looks, and I sure ain’t no Lance Armstrong (Go Lance, go). I love to ride and I just want to be able to cruise around all day and not rupture my hemorrhoids (yay spellcheck). Ok, I can wear a Kotex for the hemorrhoids, but I don’t want my ass to ache. I’m on my second seat, and still haven’t found what I’m looking for. Please help. Links would be nice. Serious replies only. 😉 Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2004, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-comfortable-bicycle-seat/256602/2 "2004-07-24T00:50:28Z")
Sorry no reccomendations here, but in my experience simply riding a lot is a good solution for a sore arse. I used to ride a lot, and never suffered the slightest pain in my bum. Then I stopped riding. And when I took it up again years later even the most high-tech gel seat would cause pain afterwards. Heck, bike seats used to be rock-hard plastic, yet people still managed to ride them. ---
**Author:** ![Beauty\_Personified](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Beauty\_Personified](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beauty_Personified)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2004, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-comfortable-bicycle-seat/256602/3 "2004-07-24T02:02:18Z")
Not too long ago there was a lot of talk about new “alternative” bicycle seats, particularly in relation to the health of the reproductive tools of men. I know one company here in New Brunswick - [Spongy Wonder](http://www.spongywonder.com/) - who came out with a seat that’s basically two separated cushions in which a person rests only their buttocks. I believe some Olympic bicyclists have started to use products like these. I really don’t understand the shape of traditional bicycle seats. I don’t usually use _my_ “bicycle pump” to support my entire body. 😉 Anyhoo… ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2004, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-comfortable-bicycle-seat/256602/4 "2004-07-24T05:05:39Z")
Would you consider a recumbent bike? You can get one for around $500 these days: [http://www.chucksbikes.com/store/indexcb014b.htm](http://www.chucksbikes.com/store/indexcb014b.htm) [http://www.cyclegenius.com/cgx30.htm](http://www.cyclegenius.com/cgx30.htm) [http://www.hostelshoppe.com/cgi-bin/readitem.pl?Bike=984433731](http://www.hostelshoppe.com/cgi-bin/readitem.pl?Bike=984433731) ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2004, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-comfortable-bicycle-seat/256602/5 "2004-07-24T20:45:13Z")
> [@Beauty Personified](#): > > Not too long ago there was a lot of talk about new “alternative” bicycle seats, particularly in relation to the health of the reproductive tools of men. I know one company here in New Brunswick - [Spongy Wonder](http://www.spongywonder.com/) - who came out with a seat that’s basically two separated cushions in which a person rests only their buttocks. I believe some Olympic bicyclists have started to use products like these. I really don’t understand the shape of traditional bicycle seats. I don’t usually use _my_ “bicycle pump” to support my entire body. 😉 > > Anyhoo… Thanks for the link. That looks, and sounds, like what I’m seeking. I’ll check around and then maybe order one. I’m going to see if I can find one in some local bike shop. Yay **Lance Armstrong**! Make it six. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2004, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-comfortable-bicycle-seat/256602/6 "2004-07-25T15:34:01Z")
Finding the right seat is a tough thing. You don’t want it too soft, it will make for much excess sweatage, and other problems. You don’t want to too hard, either. Mostly you will build up a comfort level from the miles you bike. Beware of noseless saddles like the ‘spongy wonder’. The nose of the bike saddles is actually rather important for control of the bike if you are doing anything more than very casusal biking. Likewise, beware of saddles with holes in the center alleging to prtoect you from the ‘dire threats to bicycling men’. The increase the pressure on your butt cheeks in unhappy ways, and they are a product designed to service a non-existant syndrome invented by a quack. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2004, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-comfortable-bicycle-seat/256602/7 "2004-07-25T19:50:28Z")
- - - With all respect to the previous posters, there are no “comfortable” upright bicycle seats anywhere. “Comfortable” meaning, “somewhere you might want to sit, just for no reason”. It has to do with the way that conventional bicycles are designed, and it doesn’t matter if you spend $150 on one or $1500–they are all uncomfortable for the exact, same reasons. Get a recumbent, you will never miss your old bicycle. Cycle Genius and Sun sell some starting at around $450. ~ ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2004, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-comfortable-bicycle-seat/256602/8 "2004-07-25T22:39:17Z")
I dunno, **Doug**. Recumbant bikes are pretty popular around here, but all those guys seem quite serious, with their bike suits, special shoes, helmet rear-view mirrors and all. Also, I just want to ride around for fun and errands. Those things are _long_, and don’t seem to handle car traffic or 90\* street corners very well. I don’t think you could easily pick one up and carry it on BART. Maybe a bike shop’ll let me try one out. I do appreciate the suggestion, though. We’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2004, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-comfortable-bicycle-seat/256602/9 "2004-07-25T22:45:55Z")
- - - Well you have hit upon the major drawback to recumbents; that they are physically longer than a regular bicycle. Another would be that they are somewhat heavier, but that is usually not a problem during riding. There are a couple companies making folding recumbents, but they do cost $$$$. ~ ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2004, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-comfortable-bicycle-seat/256602/10 "2004-07-25T23:28:22Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > Recumbant bikes are pretty popular around here, but all those guys seem quite serious, with their bike suits, special shoes, helmet rear-view mirrors and all. That’s probably because recumbents typically cost $400+, so not too many casual riders buy them. That doesn’t mean you can’t ride them around the neighborhood in casual clothes. In fact they requre less specialized gear than road bikes. Since there is no weight on your hands, padded gloves are unnecessary. The seats are padded, so you don’t need padded pants. You don’t really need special shoes if you choose a recumbent with a low pedal position (like [this](http://www.easyracers.com/ez_sport_limited.htm), and _not_ like [this](http://www.bacchettabikes.com/strada1.html)). Helmets are a good idea on any bike - no more and no less important on a recumbent. You do need a mirror, but you can keep one attached to the bike. In some recumbent circles it’s become fashionable to ride in Hawaiian shirts. I usually wear T-shirt and shorts for a short ride. I do wear Lycra pants on long rides because shorts can chafe your legs after 50+ miles. I wear cycling sandals with clipless cleats because my bikes all have high pedal positions. > [@](#): > > Also, I just want to ride around for fun and errands. Those things are _long_, and don’t seem to handle car traffic or 90\* street corners very well. I don’t think you could easily pick one up and carry it on BART. I’ve been riding recumbents for 4 years, in both rural and urban environments. I’ve never had any problems with turning radius or car traffic. Some models are quite short - the first link I provided above, for example. They are heavy compared to a high-end road bike, but not very different from a $100 department store bike.