Your saddle is a very important contact point with your bike. It should provide the support & comfort you need to ride for as long as you like. Saddles come in a lot of different shapes and width is often discussed as important. Let’s learn why.
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What Influences Width?
Saddles come in a huge variety of shapes and designs. So the width of saddles is also hugely variable. If they are all trying to do the same job why are they so different? There are several things that will influence the width of a saddle.
Gender – There is a physical difference between the widths of men and womens pelvic structure. The majority of women are normally wider (this is not true for all women). You may need a womens saddle that has a wider width than a mens saddle.
Your Body Position – The interest in doing different types of riding has lead to different types of bikes being made. These different bikes put riders in different body positions. Different positions causes a slight variation on the part of the pelvis that makes contact with a saddle. Hence we have different saddle shapes to get the best outcome for the body position you are in when on your bike.
The more upright your body position on the bike the wider the saddle needs to be to support your pelvis. The more forward bent you are the narrower your saddle needs to be to support your pelvis.
Time on the Bike – As you spend longer on the bike the type of saddle that you need tends to change. The longer on the bike, the more important that your saddle also supports an efficient pedaling technique. A saddle that won’t cause any rubbing with repetitive and more intense pedaling. Therefore there are also differences between recreation and endurance saddle shapes. In terms of width, saddles need to provide the right support without interfering with repetitive pedaling.
Saddles are designed in a variety of shapes and widths depending on gender, the type of riding and time on the bike.
How to Get the Correct Saddle Width
The width of a saddle is measured in millimetres across the widest point of the rear of the saddle. From outside edge to outside edge. The saddles we sell range in width from 140mm to 205mm.
The average distance between female sit bones is 130-135mm or 13 to 13.5cm (range is 112mm to 148mm). For men who are usually narrower the average is 118-123mm (range 100mm to 136mm).
Your saddle will need to be wider than this measurement to provide a good flat contact surface under your sit bones.
From our experience if you are a heavy rider you may find that you need to add a little more to your saddle width or when size options are available choose the widest width. Please note that the width of your sit bones will not change with an increase in weight but most heavy riders feel increased comfort with more support for the increased amount of soft tissue they have.
If you purchase a saddle to suit the position you ride in you should get the right saddle width match if you think your pelvic width matches to the average. See calculations below…
For Women:
- upright riding/straight back should add 45-55mm to womens average sit bone width of 130/135mm = 175 to 185mm+
- slight bend should add 40mm to womens average sit bone width of 130/135mm = 170 – 175mm
- slight to mid forward bend add 25-35mm to womens average sit bone width of 130/135mm = 155 – 170mm
- mid to aggressive forward bend add 10-20mm to womens average sit bone width of 130/135mm = 140 – 155mm
For Men:
- upright riding/straight back should add 52-57mm to mens average sit bone width of 118/123mm = 170 to 175mm+
- slight bend should add 47mm to mens average sit bone width of 118/123mm = 165 – 170mm
- slight to mid forward bend add 32-42mm to mens average sit bone width of 118/123mm = 150 – 165mm
- mid to aggressive forward bend add 17-27mm to mens average sit bone width of 118/123mm = 135 – 150mm
Relationship of Womens Body Position on Bike to Saddle Width:
Upright/straight back rider. Saddle width is 175-185mm+
Relaxed slight bend rider. Saddle width is 170-175mm+
Slight to mid forward bend. Saddle width is 155-170mm
Mid to aggressive forward bend. Saddle width is 140-155mm
Measuring Your Sit Bone Width
You can measure between your sit bones for a more accurate understanding of your width. if you think your pelvis may not be “average” this is a good idea.
Take a piece of cardboard that has a corrugated layer in it that can be squashed when you sit on it. Place the cardboard on a hard seat and sit down onto it – sit tall with a straight back and shoulders back and relaxed. Mark the mid point of the indentation made by your bones, then measure between these two points. As we did above add to your measurement depending on your riding position.
This gives you a guideline or place to start from. This kind of cardboard measuring has better outcomes for people who ride in a more upright position. How a saddle feels can not be conveyed or taken into consideration with measurements. You also are not static on a saddle but dynamic – you move when you pedal. And finally, every body has a history of use and injury. This can play a big part in how you feel when you sit on a bike saddle.
When the Width is Not Right.
Having the correct width so that your sit bones can take the majority of your weight is crucial for your comfort. There are signs and clues your body will be giving you if this is not the case.
Constantly moving about on your saddle. This is caused by a need to find support. Your boney structures need feedback, they need an area or base directly underneath them.
Discomfort or chaffing. If these types of issues are not improving or reducing your saddle width may be to blame. Lack of correct support may mean other areas of your body not designed to weight bear are being compressed or coming into contact with your saddle when they shouldn’t be.
We have written a series of stories to help with saddle issues. Take a look at the list to see if you need to read one;
Sit Bone Aches & Pains. Tail Bone Discomfort. Soft Tissue Compression. Chaffing & Saddle Sores
Is it time to get a saddle with a different width?
You should now know what the width of your current saddle is. Take a tape measure or ruler and go and measure across the widest point at the rear of your current bike saddle. You should have an idea of what your ideal should be… Do these two measurements match up? If not it is surely telling you that trying a different width saddle is worth a go, especially if you need to have more comfort when you sit on your bike seat.
We have a great range of saddles . For different types of riding and different times on the bike. Have a look at our Saddles and get a saddle that matches you as a rider.
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