Mountain and leisure bike saddles

A saddle for sitting up and standing down

The mountain bike saddle has two lives: in climb, it supports the rider's weight for long minutes; in descent, it must fade away as the body moves back and over the bike. The Chromag saddle developed with Canadian rider Brandon Semenuk illustrates this second role: designed for slopestyle and dirt, it features a silicone printed area for better grip between the thighs during tricks, mounted on eight millimetre chromoly steel rails. Durable, it has also won over many downhill riders who appreciate its compact profile when the terrain gets steeper.

The other components

Mountain bike components also come in:

• Seat posts.
• Handlebars.
• Grips and Bar Ends.
• Stems.
• Forks.
• Pedals.
• Headsets and Cups.

All components are gathered on the peripheral components page.

Repente and TKX: 3D printing, carbon and titanium

Founded in 2016 and manufactured in Italy, Repente has built its saddles on an original principle: the shell and cover can be replaced independently. The Nomad takes it further with padding made from 3D printing, firmer under the sit bones and softer on the soft tissues, covered with a smooth surface that doesn't hold mud. The Artax, in the GLM wide version at one hundred and forty-two millimetres, features oval carbon rails: ensure that the seat post clamp accepts them. The TKX Koreill relies on titanium rails, lightweight and able to filter some of the vibrations.

Leisure saddles, children's saddle and Shotgun kit

For casual mountain biking, where the torso is more upright, the weight rests more on the sit bones: the Montegrappa Max Comfort and Happy Flowers saddles, the latter designed for women, offer a wider platform and thicker padding. The children's OK GO saddle from Montegrappa is for small bikes. The Shotgun kit combines a saddle that attaches to the top tube of the frame and a small handlebar: the child, aged two to five years, up to twenty-seven kilos, rides at the front, between the parent's arms, and shares the trail instead of being stuck in a rear seat.

Good deals

Good bargains can also be found in the good deals, promotions, clearance, sales, and Black Friday. The new items showcase the latest collections, and articles shipped in 24h are prepared and dispatched within 24 hours. The key events of the year follow a regular pattern: Black Friday in late autumn, the year-end holidays, the winter sales, the French Days in spring, followed by the summer sales and the back to school period.

Frequently asked questions

How do you measure the spacing of your sit bones?

Sit up straight on a piece of corrugated cardboard placed on a hard chair, feet on the floor, then measure the distance between the centre of the two impressions. You then choose a saddle that is a little wider than this measurement.

What is a pivotal saddle?

It is a saddle without rails, attached by a single through bolt on a compatible seat post. Compact and very sturdy, like the Deity Frisco, it adjusts in an instant and absorbs the shocks from dirt and slopestyle.

How do you adjust the saddle height of your mountain bike?

With your heel on the pedal at the lowest point, your leg should be straight without tilting your pelvis. When pedalling with the front of your foot, your knee should have a slight bend. A dropper post allows you to lower the saddle for descents.

Why does a bike saddle hurt?

Pain often comes from a saddle that is ill suited to the spacing of your sit bones, or incorrect tilt or height. A very soft saddle is not the solution: it collapses and increases pressure on soft tissues.

How do you change the saddle on your mountain bike?

Loosen the bolt(s) of the saddle clamp on the seat post, remove the old saddle and slide in the rails of the new one. Adjust the setback and tilt, initially flat, then tighten to the torque specified on the post.