Best MTB saddles: saddle up for the trails

You know as well as we do that a bad saddle can be a real pain in the butt. The saddle is one of the most important parts of your bike and having the wrong one can make even the most exhilarating trail absolutely miserable. Besides the physical pain an incorrect saddle can cause, riding with the wrong saddle can make you not want to ride at all. Which is precisely why we are here; to help guide you through the process of choosing the best mountain bike saddle for you. 

Now, here is the thing: the saddle that works for us may not be the one that works for you. The saddle, as well as being one of the most important parts of your bike for your comfort, is also one of the most personal. We have made our recommendations with your varied preferences, riding disciplines and budgets in mind, but everyone is different. We have also separated our recommendations by gender, as many saddles that work for male cyclists might not work for female cyclists. If you are more of a roadie, head on over to our best saddle for road cycling guide.

Read on to find out our top three saddle recommendations per gender. 

Best MTB saddle for men 

1. WTB Volt Chromoly
2. SDG Components Bel-Air V3 Lux-Alloy
3. Specialized Power Comp

The vast majority of mountain bike saddles, while they may not be labeled as men’s specific, are designed with men as their target audience. We chose our top three men’s mountain bike saddles because they come highly recommended by men, though, as ever, our favorites might not end up being your favorites. 

WTB Volt Chromoly

The WTB Volt Chromoly is an excellent all-round mountain bike saddle, made to be comfortable for long days in the saddle without letting you down in its performance. The saddle has a gently curved shape to provide support and while it does not have a traditional cut-out, it does have a depression in the top to provide pressure relief. While the Volt is not squishy by any means, it is nicely padded, making it a good option for those who prioritize comfort. 

The WTB Volt Chromoly is available in three widths: narrow (135mm), medium (142mm) and wide (155mm). With its Chromoly rails, the saddle weighs in at 290g, 310g and 315g per size.

SDG Components Bel-Air V3 Lux-Alloy

If you tend to be particularly hard on your gear, then the SDG Components Bel-Air V3 might just be the saddle for you. The top of this saddle has welded edges and is durable enough to stand up to whatever you can think to throw at it. It will also look good while doing so. The saddle has a nylon glass base with a bridge that allows for excellent power transfer so that you can power up those climbs. 

The one downside is that the SDG Components Bel-Air V3 Lux-Alloy is only available in one width, 140mm, which weighs in at 236g. It makes up for this by offering nine different colorways, so you can match the saddle to your bike.

Specialized Power Comp

The Specialized Power Comp saddle is designed for riders who prefer an aggressive position but are still looking for all day comfort. The Power Comp has a stiff shell that provides excellent support, especially when you are in those more aggressive positions. The saddle has a cut-out for extra relief and also comes in a version with Specialized’s Mimic technology, if you prefer a padded center to your saddle.

The Specialized Power Comp comes in three widths: 143mm, 155mm and 168mm. It weighs 242g, 249g or 256g and retails for $140 in North America, £95 in the UK and €100 in Europe. 

Best MTB saddle for women

1. Ergon SM Women
2. Syncros Savona V1.5 Cut Out 
3. Phenom Comp with Mimic

Most female cyclists will be familiar with the struggle of finding a saddle that works for them, having already been through the trial and error of testing many different saddles, both men’s and women’s specific. This is why, even if not all of the saddles in our top three are women’s specific, they all come recommended by women. 

Ergon SM Women

The Ergon SM Women is the ideal saddle for women who are looking for a comfortable saddle that will not interfere with their performance, even on more technical trails. The saddle is curved upwards and is well padded where your sit bones will rest on the seat to provide the best support and comfort. It also has a cut out to relieve pressure. 

The Ergon SM Women comes in two sizes: s/m (143mm) and m/l (155mm) and weighs 265g or 285g depending on the size. The saddle retails for $79.95 or €79.95 in Europe.

Syncros Savona V1.5 Cut Out 

The Syncros Savona is designed for women who prefer to ride in a more aggressive position and are looking to get the most out of their saddle. The Savona V1.5 is designed for performance and comfort, with lightweight titanium rails and a central cut-out to relieve pressure. The Savona V1.5 also comes in a channel version, for women who prefer more support in the middle over having a cut-out. 

The Syncros Savona V1.5 comes in one size of 145mm and weighs 240g. The saddle comes in at a very specific $87.62 from the brand’s US website, or around £65 in the UK from third-party retailers. 

Phenom Comp with Mimic

The Specialized Phenom Comp with Mimic blends performance with comfort. With its long and slim profile, the Phenom Comp is designed to help you perform at your best. The long profile of the saddle allows you to get the most out of your efforts, while its slim shape means that the saddle will not get in your way when you are out of the saddle. Instead of a cut-out, the Phenom Comp has Specialized’s Mimic technology in the center, a soft memory foam which supports soft tissue without adding pressure and was designed with women in mind. 

The Phenom Comp comes in three widths of 143mm, 155mm and 168mm. It weighs in at 245g, 254g and 261g respectively. The saddle retails for $140 in North America, £95 in the UK and €100 in Europe.

Commonly asked questions about MTB saddles… 

Now that we have covered our top three recommendations for both male and female cyclists, here are some tips and tricks for making sure that you can find and position the saddle correctly for you. 

What is the best saddle height for MTB? 

Getting your saddle height set correctly is another large factor in making sure that you are comfortable on your bike. Incorrect saddle height can also make your saddle uncomfortable. Saddle height is also crucial, because if your seat is too high, it can cause knee issues and if your saddle is too low, it can negatively impact your pedaling efficiency. But what is the correct saddle height? 

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First things first, if your mountain bike has a dropper post, make sure that you are setting your seat height while the dropper post is all the way up. This is how you will be riding most of the time, so making sure that the height is set correctly here is the most important. 

To set your saddle height, you will need a trainer or a way to keep your bike upright (leaning against a wall will do) and an Allen key. Get on your bike, put your heel – not the middle of your foot – on the pedal and pedal backwards until one foot is at the bottom of your pedal stroke. You are looking for your knee to be almost locked out when your heel is on the pedal at its lowest point. When you resume pedaling normally, this should translate to approximately a 30-degree bend in your knee at the base of your pedal stroke. 

How to choose the right saddle for a MTB? 

So, how exactly do you determine which saddle is going to be the perfect fit for you? There are a few important factors to take into consideration when you are looking for a new saddle. 

If you are a competitive rider looking to get the best performance possible out of your saddle, then you will be looking for a saddle that is lightweight and has a shape that allows you to get the most out of your efforts. If you are a casual mountain biker who is just looking to get out on the trails and have fun, then a saddle that is both durable and comfortable will be better suited to you. 

The other thing that you will need to do before purchasing your new saddle is to determine how wide your saddle ought to be. To do this, you will need to measure your sit bones, which you can easily do at home. Simply get a piece of cardboard and place it on a hard surface. Then, after making sure you have nothing in your back pockets that might make a false impression, sit down on the card for a few minutes. Stand up and mark the two indents. Finally, measure the distance between them, preferably in millimeters and add 20mm to get a very good indicator of your saddle width.

How should you sit on a MTB? 

How you sit on your saddle is almost as important as the saddle itself. Even if you have the perfect saddle for you, if it is set up or positioned incorrectly, it can be just as uncomfortable as the wrong saddle. 

Mountain bike saddle positioning, while it follows the same ideas as road saddle positioning, is a little bit different. If you are planning to do a lot of climbing with your mountain bike, shifting your saddle forwards will keep your weight centered over the bike and help to keep your front wheel in contact with the trail. Tilting your saddle slightly downwards will also help with climbing.  However, cross country riders who plan on riding flatter trails will want to keep their saddle flatter and further back, to keep themselves comfortable and to avoid sliding forwards during hard efforts. 

If you aren’t sure which position will suit your riding style best, start in a neutral position and make incremental changes until you find what works.

Which MTB saddle will you buy?

We sure hope this guide gives you all you need to go out and start ripping some trails with a big ole smile on your face. Not sure if you want to dally with downhill or take on the tarmac? Check out our road bike vs mountain bike guide to the differences between the disciplines.

And if you want to sell your mountain bike, that's possible too! Sell your mountain bike easily online on buycycle.