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Bike Saddle Cushion: A User's Guide
by So Komfy
October 04, 2016
We clear up a few of the misunderstood elements of a bike saddle cushion.
Myth: A bike saddle cushion, also known as a bike seat cover or gel bike seat cover is little more than extra cushioning between you and your saddle.
Reality: Assuming you use a medium/high density open-cell foam bike seat cushion like the Komfy Bike Seat Cover, which not only supports your sit bones, but also relieves soft tissue pressure and other discomfort when on your indoor cycling bike (spin bike), mountain bike or road bike.
Myth: The thicker and squishier the bike saddle cushion the more comfortable.
Reality: Your ideal bike seat cover depends on what you will be doing. If you are doing a casual ride around the park, a inexpensive gel seat cover may do the trick. If you need a higher performing bike saddle cushion to protect your underside against bumps on a trail or the constant up and down of an indoor cycling class, you need to look for a multi-thickness and multi-density bike seat cover with a long comfort channel to provide the protection and shock absorption where it counts.
Myth: Gel bike seat covers help support your weight.
Reality: Gel bike seat covers do not provide the ability to "push back" against weight to prevent the gel from "bottoming out" (resistance to compression). Gel bike seat cover are just simply too soft, fluid and lump over time which is why no high-end bike saddles or cycling pads (chamois) use gel.
What To Look For In Quality Bike Saddle Cushion:
Anatomic: Shaped according to the rider's anatomy, rather than flat.
Antibacterial: Bike seat cushions made with materials that prevent the spread of bacteria, fungi, and some viruses.
4-way Stretch: The material covering used in the bike saddle cushion moves in all directions to help prevent bunching and binding.
Moisture Wicking: Uses technical synthetic fabrics to speed moisture transfer away from the body to keep your dry.
Multi-density: The foam in the bike saddle cushion is denser in certain places, usually under the sit bones and softer in other places (like the front of the seat).
Multi-thickness: Bike seat covers made with variable amounts of padding - thicker under the sit bones and slimmer in the sensitive perineal region.
Pedal On!
Team Komfy
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