The Complete Handbook of Bicycle Saddle Pads & Seat Covers

Chapter 1: Understanding Bicycle Saddle Pads & Seat Covers

A bicycle saddle pad or seat cover is a layer of material placed between the rider and the saddle. That sentence is simple, but the reality is not. The product category includes thin lycra covers designed to protect a leather saddle from rain, thick gel pads meant to soften a hard plastic saddle on a rental bike, foam inserts that clip under a saddle cover, and full sheepskin wraps that bolt on with straps. Each of these is a different solution to a different problem. The first mistake most buyers make is treating them all as the same product. This chapter will define what these products actually are, how they function mechanically and physiologically, and why selecting the right one matters more than just buying the thickest pad available.

What the products actually are

A saddle pad is generally a cushioned layer that is either placed on top of the saddle and held in place by an elastic or drawstring cover, or slipped over the entire saddle like a glove. The pad itself is the cushioning material: typically open-cell polyurethane foam, closed-cell foam, a silicone or polyurethane gel, or a combination of layers. A seat cover, by contrast, is usually a protective or comfort layer that may or may not include significant cushioning. A waterproof nylon cover with no padding is a seat cover. A thin spandex cover for a leather touring saddle is a seat cover. The terms are used