• Europes biggest bike selection
    Road biking

    Best road bike saddle: the seats that can’t be beat

    Tom Owen
    Tom Owen
    Jun 4, 2024 12 min
    Best road bike saddle: the seats that can’t be beat

    What's the best road bike saddle? Ah, the saddle. Everyone’s least favourite pain in the ass. Saddles are arguably the most important touchpoint on your bike and can cause discomfort if you do not find the right one. The most important thing to note is using the words “for you.” Being the most critical touchpoint on your bike, Saddles are also the most personal. Because of this, it can be the hardest to choose correctly the first time. But of course, you know that: that is why you are here!

    Best road bike saddle: Which is best?

    Best road bike saddle
    To remember: the saddles that we swear by might not be the ones that you swear by.

    Before we start, here is something to remember: the saddles we swear by might not be the ones you swear by. No two people are built the same. We have made our recommendations with all preferences, budgets and riding styles in mind, but we cannot cover all bases simultaneously. Our recommendations are also separated by gender, as many cyclists find this helpful. That being said, some women prefer men’s saddles and vice versa.

    Below are our top three recommendations by gender. Scroll to the end for the answers to all your pressing questions. 

    👋
    Do you know buycycle? We are the leading marketplace for buying and selling pre-owned bikes. Not just any bikes - only beautiful performance bikes. Come and take a ride!

    Best road bike saddle for men

    1. Specialized Romin EVO Comp Gel
    2. Fizik Tempo Argo R3
    3. Prologo Dimension Space

    While we may say road bike saddles are for men, most are designed with men in mind or without women’s specific features. We have put together these top three saddles with men in mind.

    Specialized Romin EVO Comp Gel

    Best road bike saddle

    Bucking the trend of short-nosed saddles that has emerged in recent years, the Specialized Romin EVO Expert Gel saddle has an extended, thin profile. Made for performance and comfort in an aero position, the saddle has a firm base with minimal flex. The gel inserts will not make the saddle cushy but add padding for extra comfort and blood flow. 

    The Romin EVO Expert Gel is available in three widths (143mm, 155mm, and 168mm) and costs $140 / £95 / €100. 

    Get the buycycle App now!

    👉 👈

    Fizik Tempo Argo R3

    Best road bike saddle

    The Fizik Tempo Argo R3 is a short-nosed road saddle for long rides, intended to be used by riders who want to take on long distances without dealing with saddle discomfort. It has a flatter shape than a typical race saddle, though that will not get in the way while you are in the drops. The saddle has good padding for long rides and a large central cutout. When they reviewed it, road.cc praised the Tempo R3 for its “great comfort and overall quality”.

    The Tempo Argo R3 is available in two widths (150mm and 160mm) and weighs 229g and 235g, respectively. The saddle retails for $159.99 / £149.99 / €149. 

    🚲
    We have a huge selection of gravel bikes, mountain bikes, and road bikes ready for purchase on our shop.

    Prologo Dimension Space

    Best road bike saddle

    The Prologo Dimension Space is another short-nosed saddle that is perfect for aggressive riders or those who spend a lot of time in the drops. The saddle uses Prologo’s “PAS” channel, a central gap in the padding with a cutout designed to minimize pressure on soft tissues. The Dimension Space has firm padding for support and a slightly lower nose to accommodate aero positions. 

    The saddle is only available in one width (153mm) but has two rail options: the Tirox rails, which weigh 220g, and the T4.0 rails, which weigh 237g. The two options retail for $139 / £119 / €136.72 and $115 / £99 / €113.11, respectively.  

    Explore our range of road bikes on buycycle now!

    Best road bike saddle for women

    1. Bontrager Aeolus Elite
    2. Selle Italia Diva Gel Superflow
    3. Specialized Power Comp with Mimic

    Because of the previously mentioned lack of consideration for women in saddle designs, many women struggle to find a saddle that suits them. That is why most (but not all) of the saddles in this list are made with women in mind and have received excellent reviews from women for their female-specific features. 

    Bontrager Aeolus Elite

    Best road bike saddle

    The Bontrager Aeolus Elite is the one saddle out of these three that isn’t a women’s specific design. But don’t be alarmed! This one is on the list because of the extended cutout, padding and flex in the wings. It is a saddle designed for racing performance rather than long days in the saddle and is a favourite of female and male racers alike.

    The Aeolus Elite is available in two widths (145mm and 155mm), weighing 219g and 222g, respectively. The saddle retails for $159.99 / £114.99 / €119.99.

    Explore our range of road bikes on buycycle now!

    Selle Italia Diva Gel Superflow

    Best road bike saddle

    For longer days in the saddle, the Selle Italia Diva Gel Superflow is a great women’s road bike saddle for long distances. It is a cushier saddle than most, so it will not be ideal for those looking for racing performance, but this saddle is ideal for touring or ultra endurance. It also has a long cutout to relieve pressure, though it no longer has the distinctive pink of earlier models.

    The Diva Gel Superflow has two width options (135mm and 152mm) and weighs 275g and 285g. It costs $139.90 / £114.99 / €124,90. 

    Specialized Power Comp with Mimic

    Best road bike saddle

    The Specialized Power Comp with Mimic may not be the saddle for everyone, but it fills an important gap. This is the only saddle on our list with no cutout. Instead, the center has Mimic technology, a soft memory foam designed to support soft tissue without adding pressure. If cutouts don’t work for you, this may solve your problems. 

    The Power Comp with Mimic is available in three widths (143mm, 155mm, and 168mm) and is highly recommended by many women. It retails for $140 / £95 / €110. 

    👋
    Do you know buycycle? We are the leading marketplace for buying and selling pre-owned bikes. Not just any bikes - only beautiful performance bikes. Come and take a ride!

    Road bike saddles: most commonly asked questions

    Best road bike saddle
    Discover some answers to the most burning questions that you might have!

    So, now that you have our top six best road bike saddle recommendations, here are some answers to the burning questions that you might have. 

    What saddles do pro cyclists use?

    To show you just how personal the bike saddle is, it is one of the few things that professional cyclists can sometimes choose themselves, free of any obligation to ride the team’s sponsor’s products. So, what do they ride?

    Tadej Pogačar swears by the Prologo Scratch M5, the saddle on his bike for his recent win of the Giro d’Italia. Demi Vollering, meanwhile, rides the Specialized S-Works Power saddle with Mimic, as already mentioned. 

    Often, the pros' saddles are the top-end models in a brand’s line-up, available to the public but at a price point that might make your eyes water. Soudal-Quickstep’s bikes are equipped with the S-Works Power and Romin saddles with Mirror technology, the 3D-printed older siblings of the Romin and Power saddles we recommended. - Alice Huot @ buycycle.

    How to choose the right saddle for a road bike? 

    We have mentioned a few times how personal a saddle is, but we have yet to get into how you can find the perfect saddle for you. So, here are a few tips and tricks to help you find that saddle. 

    The first thing to do is to measure your sit bones to determine how wide your saddle should be. Luckily, this can be done quickly and easily at home. Get a piece of cardboard, place it on a hard surface, and sit on top of it for a few minutes (ensuring you have nothing in your back pockets or jeans that might make a false impression). Then, stand up and mark the two indents. Measure the distance between them, preferably in millimeters and add 20mm to get a guide for your optimal saddle width.

    The other element to consider is the geometry of your bike. If you read this article, you will most likely want a road bike-specific saddle. The two main subsections of road bike saddles will be those intended for racing and long-distance riding. If you have a road bikeand the saddle itself are important with a more racy geometry, you will want a saddle designed for racing because it will be more comfortable for your position. Likewise, if your road bike is an endurance fit, then a saddle made for longer distances will work best.

    Explore our range of road bikes on buycycle now!

    What is the best road bike saddle for long rides?

    Often known as endurance saddles, the best long-distance seats are made to keep you comfortable in a more upright position when you spend a lot of time in the saddle. These saddles often have slightly more support and padding and let you sit up more than you can with a performance saddle. 

    Of the saddles we have recommended above, the Fizik Tempo Argo R3 (for men) and the Selle Italia Diva Gel Superflow (for women) are the best for long-distance riding. The Tempo Argo R3 is designed for endurance riding, while the Diva Gel Superflow is ideally suited for road touring.

    Best road bike saddle
    Browse road bikes on buycycle

    What is the best saddle position on a road bike?

    Your saddle position and the saddle itself are important to ensure your comfort on the bike. Even the best saddle will not help if your position is wrong. 

    Three factors influence saddle position: height, fore-aft position, and angle. You likely already have your height set, but if you need a refresher, you are looking for an almost straight leg with your pedal at the 6 o’clock position. You can also read our article on saddle height.

    The basic fore-aft position is simple: you want your knee over your pedal spindle when in the 3 o’clock position. From there, you can tweak it as needed.

    Lastly, set your saddle angle. To start, position your saddle so that the main body is flat. This should work well if you have the right saddle for your bike’s geometry, but you can always adjust it later. 

    What's YOUR best road bike saddle?

    Using the recommendations and tips in this guide, you should be able to find yourself the perfect seat that can’t be beaten. Remember that it’s a far more personal process than buying a new set of handlebars or a fresh cassette, because everyone’s butt is built a little differently.

    Many bike stores carry trial saddles so you can try one on your bike before returning it to make a full purchase (or try out a different option). Saddles are often one of the first things our customers carry trial saddles so you can choose to upgrade or switch after buying a secondhand bike from us. Don’t hesitate to refer to this guide.

    Explore our range of road bikes on buycycle now!

    Components guide

    Gearing system

    Wheels and tires

    Breaks

    Pedals

    Saddles

    Bags

    Electronics

    Bike Maintenance

    Others

    Road bike buying guides

    Road bikes reviews

    Top road bikes

    Road bike sizing guides

    History & brands

    Road bike gear guides

    Road bike selling guide

    Road bike winter cycling

    Buying guide

    Brands guide

    Where to buy a bike?

    Sizing guide