Mountain bike seats come in many shapes and sizes – both in a bid to provide somewhere comfortable for you to park your backside, and also to aid pedalling efficiency and bike control. Having options is a good thing, too, because more so than for any other component, every rider will have their preferences. Since we don’t all have the same-width sit bones or ways of moving on the bike, no one saddle will suit all.
Profiles, widths, padding materials/layouts, rail materials and pressure-relieving cut-outs or channels vary between brands and models. Some perches have design features targeting climbing or descending performance, or are intended to provide extra body or rear tyre clearance. Weight and cost need to be taken into account, too, and for some riders, eco credentials will be important.
Mountain bike saddle design has had to adapt to the near-universal use of dropper seatposts, which means riders no longer sit in a set position and instead frequently adjust seat height to suit the terrain. This means perches need to work at different positions and angles – each of which can position your weight over different saddle zones – and perform no matter what type of trail you’re riding. Every rider wants their seat to stay out of the way when descending, so many newer designs are stubbier, to offer better clearance.
Mountain bike riding is dynamic, and sees you using the seat to help steer the bike and muscle up steep grades, so comfort demands are different to those on a road bike, where riders are mostly static. Basically, you don’t want to fall off the back up
