Why Are Mountain Bike Seats So Uncomfortable?

Why Are Mountain Bike Seats So Uncomfortable
Mountain bike seats may seem like hard, alien devices meant to torture rather than rest your rear. If you’re wondering why mountain bikes have hard seats, there’s actually a great deal of science behind it. I’m going to share my experiences and the science behind those oh-so seemingly uncomfortable hard MTB seats.

  • Mountain bike seats are hard to provide adequate firm support to your ischial tuberosities or sit bones as they are referred.
  • The shifting movements of pedaling require freedom of movement and padding in only the correct place to avoid damage to your soft tissues.
  • As counterintuitive as a hard seat to protect your soft spots may seem, it’s the truth.

Let’s take a ride into the world of seats and talk a bit about how these things work in your favor to increase efficiency, even if they may seem uncomfortable at first. Why Are Mountain Bike Seats So Uncomfortable Why do MTBs have hard seats

Why are bike seats so uncomfortable?

When I got my first bike, I couldn’t understand why the seats were so hard and skinny. They were uncomfortable and were really difficult to sit on for a long time. I kept thinking, why on earth can’t they make a more comfortable bike seat? Well, there’s a lot of good reasons why bike seats are shaped the way they are.

What are the disadvantages of a mountain bike?

The Seat Has A Small Design – Another reason is that the seat has a small design. As we know that mountain bikes are actually used for trekking activities to ride uphill, so the riders will not sit on the seat for a long period of time because they are peddling their bikes standing up. Why Are Mountain Bike Seats So Uncomfortable

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How to use a mountain bike seat properly?

How To Stop Mountain Bike Seat Pain –

  • Even though you are sitting on your hard seat properly you may experience some discomfort or even pain. The first you can do is to check the position of the seat. Make sure that it is relatively level. Tilt the front of the seat downward or upward testing it after each adjustment.
  • Other adjustments you can make are to tilt the seat left or right. Check that the seat is attached to the seat post in the center of the rail. If it is attached too far forward or too far back that can have an effect on how you sit on the seat. Your weight will be distributed too forward or back.
  • Generally, point the seat nose down if you are going to climb hills. Point the seat nose up if you are going to go downhill. When you go uphill your weight will be focused on the back of the saddle. When you go down a steep hill then the seat will end up leveling off. You can use the front off the seat for better control going downhill.
  • When you move the seat more forward you will then use your quads and kneed more. When you move the seat further back then you will use your glutes and hips. If you are an older rider you may feel more comfortable moving your seat further back.
  • Next you can wear long mountain bike shorts which have padding in them. This may make your crotch area heat up which is uncomfortable. So in this case it is a good idea not to wear underwear, just wear the padded shorts for support.
  • If you are a new mountain biker then the biggest reason you feel pain while in your bike seat is because you are not conditioned for your bike seat. Your glute muscles are not tough because you have not ridden a lot.
  • For new riders you will need to ride a few hundred miles in order to toughen up your butt muscles and soft tissue. If you have some experience then you may just need to ride for a couple of days in order to break in the hard seat. Seats which break in the easiest are made of leather.
  • If you are still experiencing pain and discomfort, then it is time to test out different seats. Be sure to test the hard seat for at least 5 or 10 minutes by riding a bike with the particular seat. If you can test it out for longer, that’s better. Try to test at least 10 or more seats to find the right one.