Best Bicycle Seat in 2023 - Bicycle Seat Reviews and Ratings

Many people that purchase bicycles don’t realize that if they love the bike but not the seat, there’s something that can be done about that. Comfort is a major goal of bicycle riders. No one wants to try and tackle a long ride with a seat that causes pain, chafing or other uncomfortable issues. We looked at 20 of the most popular bicycle seats available and considered them for comfort, style, design, ease of installation, durability, materials used in construction, and attachment strength. The three bicycle seats that are featured below topped the charts in all of the categories that we considered. If you’re in the market for a new bicycle seat, take a look at these choices.

Bicycle Seat Reviews

If you find that your bicycle seat causes you to not want to ride your bike. We’ve created this buyer’s guide and reviews to help you choose the right bicycle seat for your needs. With the information you will learn here, you will know what to look for when you start taking a look at all the different types and styles of bicycle seats that are on the market.

Another name for a bicycle seat is a saddle. Not many people know this, so if you see the term bicycle saddle you will know what part of the bike they are referring to. Keep reading below to learn all about the different features and aspects of a bicycle seat so you can make the right decision for your bike.

1. Sunlite

Best Overall Bicycle Seat

Sunlite Cloud-9 Bicycle Suspension Cruiser Saddle, Cruiser Gel, Tri-color Black

5/5 Product Rating

If you have a cruiser and love to take long, relaxing bicycle rides, the last thing you want to deal with is a seat that you can’t stand to sit on for longer than a few minutes.

The Sunlite Cloud-9 Bicycle Suspension Cruiser Saddle is designed to provide the rider with unlimited comfort during their rides.

Features include a suspension that is constructed from chrome coil springs that make bumps less intrusive and uncomfortable, foam padding made from dual-density gel that makes sitting on the seat much more enjoyable, and much more.

It installs easily on any regular bicycle post and does not take any special skills. There is a slight indentation in the center of the seat to increase perineum protection. The Sunlite Cloud-9 seat measures 10.5 inches wide x 10.5 inches long.

You will love how this changes the feel and comfortability of your bicycle rides. No more uncomfortable and painful soreness when a ride is over. You will enjoy getting on your bicycle again and will wish you had gotten this new seat much sooner.

– Jonathan Maxwell

2. Planet Bike

Best Overall Bicycle Seat – Runner Up

Sale

Planet Bike A.R.S. Classic Black Bike Seat for Men, for Mountain Bike, Hybrid, Electric, and Stationary Exercise Bike Men’s, Anatomic Relief for Added…

4.8/5 Product Rating

Regardless of the type of bicycle riding you do, the Planet Bike Anatomic Relief Bicycle Saddle is the answer to much more comfortable rides that won’t result in painful problems afterwards.

The gel pads in the tailbone area of the seat gets rid of the pressure that can be caused by the hard lines of a regular bicycle seat puts on the area.

This seat will get rid of numbness, pain, chafing and other issues that can be associated with riding a bicycle with a seat that is not designed for the body.

The hole down the center of the seat increases ventilation and reduces pressure on the perineum area. There is plenty of padding that is super soft and has a base that is very flexible. Even if you plan on riding for hours the bumps in the terrain won’t get you down…or sore with this anatomically minded bicycle seat. It is not excessively light, but rates 5 stars when it comes to saving your rear end.

This seat is a definite customer favorite and is used by mountain bikers, freestylers, road rides, weekend riders and more. It doesn’t matter if you only ride once in awhile or you ride long distances on a regular basis, you want to be comfortable and not be in pain throughout your ride.

This bicycle seat will accomplish that. It comes with a lifetime warranty that has some limitations but you can find out from the company what those are so you will be aware.

– Jonathan Maxwell

3. Schwinn

Best Budget Bicycle Seat

Schwinn Comfort Bike Seat, Quilted, Wide Saddle, Black

4.7/5 Product Rating

Here’s another great bicycle seat for a cruiser that will make taking pleasure rides much more enjoyable. Every rider that rides for enjoyment will appreciate the comfort this seat provides.

The foam padding that is super soft will allow riders to be on the bike longer without discomfort and pain. The springs this seat is constructed with absorbs the shock that riding over rough terrain causes. The cover of this comfortable seat is water-resistant.

It can replace any existing seat on a cruiser and is replaced with minimal hassle. If you love taking bike rides but hate the discomfort hard, too-small seats can cause, replace your bicycle seat with this Schwinn Quilted Wide Cruiser.

– Jonathan Maxwell

Summary of Our Top Picks
Uncomfortable bicycle seats are not uncommon. Many bikes have standard, hard formed seats that are very painful, especially during long rides. The top rated bicycle seats that are featured above take care of uncomfortable seats and replaces them with seats that offer comfort that will make your regular bicycle riding enjoyable and pain free.

The bicycle seats that we have featured are all constructed with plenty of padding and are easy to install on your bicycle with minimal tools needed. Whether you have a cruiser or something fancier, there is a seat that will work great to keep your rear from being uncomfortable.

Read the buyer’s guide below to learn even more about what things to look for in a good replacement for your existing bicycle seat. This information will take the guess work out of purchasing a seat and will ensure that you make a good decision that you will be happy with.

4. Bell

5. OUTERDO

6. Retrospec

7. Gavin

8. Bikeroo

9. West Biking

10. Yangtzemall

Bicycle Seat Buying Guide

Bicycle Seat Reviews

Types of Riding Styles

Bicycle Seat1 There are several different types of bicycle riding that people do every day. The type of riding you do can make a difference in the type of bicycle seat that will work for your specific needs. We have outlined several of the more common types of bicycle riding below.

Recreational – If you are riding a cruiser and sit straight up while riding, a seat that provides plenty of cushioning will be perfect for you. These seats are usually wide and have springs underneath that will absorb the bouncing and rough terrain. The seats are usually very padded to provide as much comfort as possible. These seats do not have a long nose and will provide plenty of enjoyable rides for you.
Road – If you race or ride while clocking distance and miles, you will want to look for a seat that is geared for those activities. A racing bicycle seat is long and narrow and has very little padding at all. The position the rider is in when racing or riding long distances for mileage is more of a tucked position. Hardly any weight at all is on the seat and you don’t want any extra padding between the legs as well. This will reduce the chance of chafing. If you’re very new to riding on the road and racing look for a seat that is a little softer so you have time to get used to the feel of the seat.
Mountain – When riding on trails, the rider will have to stand up and pedal at times and will be crouched down into a tucked position with your rear barely off the seat. It is important to get a seat that is designed for mountain bike riding. This seat will have padding for underneath your rear. You’ll get a durable, streamlined shape and cover that will help you get the most comfortable ride you can on the trails.
Touring – Touring is when the rider engages in long distance rides that can span for hours and cover several cities or even states. When engaging in this type of riding, you will need to invest in a performance bicycle seat that is designed to provide comfort for long distance riding. If you get an all leather seat, this will usually be between a mountain bike seat and a road bike seat. Touring bicycle seats need to have a lot of cushioning that will prevent rear pain and pressure points.
Woman Specific – Women usually have wider hips and sitting bones and smaller bodies so they will do much better with seats that are designed for a woman’s specific body makeup.

Types of Cushioning

Bicycle Seat2 There are several types of seat cushioning available. We’ve listed the most common types below.

Gel – This type of cushioning molds to your seat and gives the most comfortable ride. A lot of pleasure riders choose this type of cushion because of how comfortable it is to ride on. The drawback top gel is that it can become compressed a lot faster than foam.
Foam – Foam cushioning will provide more of a springy feel to it than other types. This is the type of cushioning riders that engage in road riding like to use. It is a good choice for riders that weigh more than 200 pounds, and that have a lot of self cushioning. The firmer type of foam does not compact down as fast as softer foam does or gel either.
Bicycle Seat Pad – This type of cushion is a pad that can fit over the existing seat to provide the rider with more cushioning. They are comfortable and thick but have a tendency to shift or move which can be very uncomfortable as well.

Improving Bicycle Comfort

Make sure the seat isn’t too high – A seat that is too high can make it to where you have to shift side to side. This motion can irritate the perineal area and cause chafing and pain while you are riding and after too.
Check the angle of the seat – Bicycle seats can be adjusted by using the clamp that holds the seat in place. This clamp is located underneath the seat. Once the screw is unscrewed the seat will move upward and downward.
Adjust the way you ride – The sensitive perineum can be compressed when you spend many hours riding and go through lots of bumpy terrain. There are some things you can do to reduce the chances of this happening.
1. About every 10 minutes while you are riding, stand up on the pedals to take the pressure off of that area.
2. When you are going over bumps, be sure to stand up slightly and take the shock in your legs rather than your rear.
3. If you get a bike that is designed to be used as a mountain bike, it will have a suspension that is designed to handle all of the bumps and rough terrain much better.
4. Many people do better with a recumbent style bike if they have a hard time sitting upright on a regular bike. This takes a lot of the pressure off of that area.

Conclusion

When it comes to choosing the right bicycle seat, there are several things that you can do to make sure that you are getting a good one. With so many different types of riding and so many different types of seats available it can be a real challenge to choose one that will work for your needs, riding style and riding activities.

The information in this buyer’s guide is designed to help buyers narrow down the different choices so there is not so much to sort through. By deciding how you want to use your bike (road, mountain, cruising, etc), you can look at the bicycle seats that support that type of riding and those types of bicycles as well.

With the right information, you can make a good decision and be confident that the decision you’ve made is one that will fit your needs and give you the maximum amount of comfort on your rides.