The 10 Best Bike Seats of 2024, According to a Cycling Coach

The saddle is the most up-close-and-personal bike accessory. And if you're serious about your rides (and comfort), it's worth finding a bike seat that fits your body.

Swapping out your bike's built-in seat with one of your choosing will instantly up the comfort factor. Many seats offer helpful features like added ventilation, an ergonomic design that conforms to your body and cushy padding.

The following saddles pack in these perks — and then some. After you've given our list the once-over, put the expert tips into practice to help you find your best bike seat.

So you don't have to sift through an overwhelming amount of options, we chatted with cycling coaches to better understand what to look for in a bike seat and how to find your ideal option. We chose our top picks based on their recommendations and criteria, including:

• Price
• Comfort and support
• Cycling distance
• Types of workouts and races ridden
• Reviews

Will Henry, founder of Bike Smarts, favors this saddle for its comfort and versatility. It features a saddle cover to keep the seat cool while it sits in the sun. This way, your skin won't sizzle when you remount after a break from riding.

It also has a ventilation channel to improve air circulation, as well as an ergonomic shape to relieve pressure on sensitive areas. Plus, the price tag makes this saddle a more affordable option for upgrading your bike's comfort, he adds.

This option is a great choice for cyclists on a budget and comes in men's- and women's-specific designs to ease pressure in all the right places.

"With a wider platform on the bike, an ergonomic cut-out down the middle and a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, you have nothing to lose from giving this a try if you're having issues with your current saddle," Garret Seacat, CSCS, a USA Cycling-certified coach and founder of Absolute Endurance, says.

When you need a saddle that can go the distance, you can't go wrong with any seat from Specialized's line of Power saddles, Seacat says.

At the lower end of the price spectrum, the Power Comp saddle offers lightweight, supportive padding; a water-resistant cover and a stiff, carbon-reinforced shell for durability. It also features a design that's been tested for optimal blood flow and ideal sit-bone support.

This saddle brand is a popular choice among bike commuters, Seacat says. And this particular saddle is an especially great option.

The seat's natural rubber material (harvested from trees) is comfortable, flexible, durable and shock-absorbent. It's built for an angled riding position, which makes it ideal for longer commutes.

It's also super stylish. "The rivets give a nice styling piece to any bike sitting in a rack outside of work or at the local coffee shop," Seacat says. And if you're tired of black, you can score this saddle in a number of sophisticated shades, including orange and blue.

All in all, this is one of the best road bike seats you could ask for.

Got a race on the calendar? This is the saddle for performance-focused riders. Its shape encourages the aggressive bent-over riding form you need to go fast, Seacat says.

The design also includes a large cut-out, which promote blood flow to sensitive areas for greater comfort on race day, and its carbon base will last you race after race.

If you're looking to splurge, go for this 3D-printed saddle. According to the manufacturer, this high-cost saddle is made with digital ultraviolet-light projection, oxygen-permeable optics and liquid resins.

What does all that mean? "Basically, you're getting a saddle with specific functioning zones providing the exact amount of cushion needed for that area, while giving a seamless look across the entire saddle," Seacat says.

And thanks to the use of carbon for the saddle shell and rails, this seat is both firm and lightweight.

Some riders, especially those with prostate considerations, find a noseless saddle design more comfortable. If that's you, consider this the best bike seat for people with penises.

It features high-density foam gel padding for comfort that lasts for miles, and it's a cinch to adjust the spacing of the seat pads. Then, if you plan to stow your bike for the winter, you can move this saddle to a stationary bike for comfortable indoor rides. (FYI, not all bike saddles work with stationary bikes, so be sure to check before you attempt to install.)

Women tend to gravitate toward this Italian-made saddle, Seacat says. It's designed to be wider in the rear than typical race saddles, which offers optimal support for a woman's sit bones.

The saddle also features a cut-out through the nose and mid-section to relieve pressure on sensitive areas. This provides maximum comfort for your soft tissues. Plus, the price is tough to beat. Consider it the all-around best bike seat for people with vaginas.

This line of German-made saddles is a long-time favorite in the mountain biking scene. Each is designed with ergonomics in mind (hence the name), Seacat says.

The SM Pro Men's saddle is one great option in the line and offers everything you need for a long day on the trails. Namely, light-yet-supportive foam padding designed to absorb the force of every bump, as well as pressure relief cut-outs to keep your soft tissues happy.

"And the front of the saddle is smooth to allow for easier movement forward and back," Seacat says.

LIVESTRONG.com Senior Fitness Editor Jessica Campbell-Salley couldn't ride a bike — any bike — comfortably until she found this seat.

"Almost all seats I tried, even fancy ones, made my inner thighs and sit bones just miserable," she says. "I found this inexpensive, cushy seat at Walmart and haven't looked back."

The memory foam and wide saddle combine to make this one of the most comfortable seats on the market, particularly if you're a casual rider or tend to have sensitive parts while riding. And it's cushy but not too soft, meaning it doesn't collapse on itself and just make things worse.

"I'd been told 'just peddle through the pain, it'll get better,' but surprise, it never got better," Campbell-Salley says. "Don't feel like you have to push through pain. Cycling should be fun, not painful!"

You might be tempted to buy the saddle your cycling buddy swears by, but hang tight. As Seacat notes, no two bodies are the same, which means what works for your friend won't necessarily work for you. Gather as many saddle recommendations as you can, then test them for yourself.

You may change your mind once you've taken your seat for a few rides. Seacat recommends sticking with brands with great return policies, so you don't throw away tons of cash trying to find a saddle that fits.

Ask your local bike shop which brands offer these types of guarantees and go from there, Seacat says. You can also find return policies on online retailer sites. Bontrager, for example, offers a 30-day unconditional guarantee.

Saddles come in many shapes, widths and styles. The ideal option for you will depend on different factors, like the type of ride you prefer (long-distance, casual, race), where you ride (warm weather, urban, trail), your body type and personal preferences.

"Some people may be more prone to getting sweaty while riding and therefore should consider investing in a model with ventilation slots that can suck up any of their excess sweat," Henry says. "Other users like some friction against their legs while riding and would do better with a firmer seat model."