For most cyclists, comfortable cycling keeps you in good condition and achieves the best cycling efficiency. In cycling, the seat cushion is one of the important components related to your cycling comfort. Its width, soft and hard material, material and so on will affect your cycling experience. So what do we need to pay attention to when choosing the seat cushion, follow the following small series together to understand the next.
The components of the seat cushion are generally divided into: skin, filling, bottom plate and seat bow, each part is closely related to your riding comfort.
First of all, the skin material directly contact the buttocks, and the permeability and smoothness of different materials will affect the cycling experience. At present, the main skin material on the market is mostly leather, its price is low, the surface is smooth, very convenient to maintain, but the air permeability is poor, so some seat cushion will improve its air permeability through special design.
Of course, there are also leather material seat cushion, its better air permeability, but also very more textured, but the price is not cheap, daily maintenance is also very troublesome. In addition, there is a kind of carbon fiber material surface cushion, which is easy to maintain, lightweight, but the price is slightly higher, general comfort.
The filling of the seat cushion is designed to expand the contact surface of the buttocks and the seat cushion, and to carry the part of the vibration, thus bringing comfort to the rider. General filling materials include foam, silicone, air cushion, spider seat cushion and 3D printing, etc. These spider seat cushion and 3D printing seat cushion have the best air permeability.
Below the filling is the bottom plate of the seat cushion, which supports the filling material and the body weight, and also relieves the vibration. Now the mainstream floor is composite plastic material and carbon fiber, the former elasticity is good, cheap price, the latter light weight, high strength.
Bearing seat cushion, at the same time has the effect of relieving vibration, generally connected with the seat pipe. Common materials include steel, titanium, carbon fiber, etc., and some cushions will use hollow tube technology to improve the lightweight and cushioning effect.
Knowing the components of the cushion, how do we choose the cushion?
In fact, the choice of seat cushion varies from person to person, and different people’s seat cushion needs will be closely related to the shape of the buttocks, height and weight, cycling posture, car models and so on. Generally according to your cycling time, cycling posture and other needs, you can choose the general type, hard suitable for high-speed cycling, a little soft more comfortable. Of course, the best way is to experience it personally.
One thing to note, is not necessarily to replace the seat cushion will become comfortable. Because some problems of cycling are not necessarily brought by the seat cushion, the unreasonable cycling posture, the Angle of the seat cushion, other parameters of the frame and cycling clothes may affect the cycling comfort.
If you want to change your comfort level, cycling clothes are also the most important choice, being more personal than a seat cushion. According to a study by the Fzik brand, if a 75 kg rider, for example, reaches a power output level of 2W / kg at 28 km per hour, when only 40% of his weight is scattered on the cushion, 15% of his weight on the handlebars, and the rest 45% in the five.
Therefore, when choosing to change, we should consider the comprehensive, and the strength distribution is only a reference. Adjust the posture according to the cycling condition when cycling. The choice of seat width is also extremely important, with lighter and softer riders preferring to narrow, flat cushions, while heavy and slower riders prefer more curved section cushions. This is also the result of brand, you can choose this method based on your own feelings.
The most common physical discomfort of cycling is butt pain, which we can naturally think of as caused by some factors of the seat cushion. Low back pain actually also has a lot of relationship with the seat cushion. Prolong rides can make the waist sour and the skin red and hot. Although a day or two off can recover, but still need to pay attention to the following points.
1. Watch out for the ride Improper cushions can compress the perineum, pressing the blood vessels and nerves in the lower back, severe numbness or swelling; do not assume you are ridden or unfit.
2. Check the seat cushion position and angle Carefully and correctly adjusting the vehicle, especially with the right cushion height, can significantly improve the ride experience and prevent you from shaking from side to side on the cushion.
3. Choose the right cycling suit As mentioned above, the cycling suit with comfortable pads can protect the buttocks, and has a good heat dissipation and sweat function, effectively alleviating compression, friction and other problems.
4. Maintain personal hygiene When maintaining and cleaning the bicycle, the seat cushion should also be cleaned and disinfected in time. At the same time, cycling clothes are personal clothes, and after each cycling, there will be a lot of skin excrement. If not cleaned in time, it will cause bacterial infection.
Post time: Jun-16-2023