Physical Saddle Characteristics

We started our study by identifying the physical characteristics of a saddle and examining how those characteristics affect comfort. We focused on four key characteristics:

• Shell Compliance

  The saddle shell is the base, or underside, of the saddle. Shells are commonly constructed using plastic, carbon, or a combination of both, the material often selected by weight and pricing goals. Different types of plastic have different densities, just as carbon fiber materials can have a wide range of stiffness characteristics. Regardless of the material used for the base, shell compliance--the rate of deflection of the base material in response to a given load--is a critical component of overall saddle comfort.

• Foam Compliance

  The amount and the density of a saddle's foam padding helps determine overall saddle compliance, and as such, is also a critical component for overall saddle comfort.

• Surface Shape

  Surface shape refers to the how a saddle transitions from tail to nose--an important consideration so that the saddle's shape does not impede the natural leg motion of pedaling.

• Curvature

  The amount of crown, or curvature, that a saddle exhibits has a direct relationship to the amount of support a saddle gives to the pelvic bones.

Rider Anthropometrics

Next we looked at Rider Anthropometrics, that is, the measurement of the human body structure that contacts the saddle. After measuring our test subjects' ischial tuberosities (sit bones), we compared those measurements with a national database and grouped our test subjects according to where they fell along the spectrum of sit bone width. We then used pressure mapping to correlate pressure points with human anatomy. One interesting result of this pressure mapping was the realization that the highest points of pressure do not correspond to the sit bone structure; cyclists do not sit on their sit bones.

Cycling Kinematics

Finally we put it all together by exploring Cycling Kinematics, using motion capture cameras and pressure mapping to examine the human body in the cycling motion in real time, recording the forces and movement on the saddle. While our test riders were being pressure mapped and captured on film, we modified two of the key saddle characteristics above: shell compliance and curvature. We found that these two characteristics made the largest impact on saddle comfort.

Peak Pressure

Pressure mapping riders while cycling allowed us to observe contact points upon the saddle and differences in pressure between the tops and drops hand positions on the handlebar. Peaks are indicated in red.

Our Discoveries

All of the test data collected by our study allowed us to take the first truly scientific approach to designing a comfortable saddle. Here are some of the conclusions from our study:

• We learned that riders really don't sit on their ischial tuberosities (sit bones) when riding a bike.
• We learned that saddle cut-outs actually increase the pressure on soft tissue instead of relieving it.
• We learned that one size does not fit all, and therefore InForm saddles are available in three different widths, each size with its own unique curvature.
• We learned that riders shift position on their saddle depending on how hard they are going and where they hold the bars, and we need to design for that.
• We learned that there is an optimal placement and density of padding.
• We learned that saddles designed to support your skeletal structure feel different than saddles that don't, and we learned that the difference feels better.

InForm Saddles:

• InForm RL
• InForm R

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