Road bike riding is a great way to get the exercise you need, allowing you to see the world around you. On a good day, you might be able to travel hundreds of kilometers, given the right conditions.
But, unfortunately, many people don’t think about having the right saddle. Sure, having the right tires and a sound gear system is very important, but you should consider what you’re sitting on for comfort.
The right saddle is essential for your overall comfort. If you’re not comfortable, you’re not going to enjoy your ride, and nobody wants that.
However, finding a good road bike saddle for long rides is easier said than done. This article will get you started in your search by reviewing five of the top bike saddles we have found. So, let’s get to it.
Comparison Chart
Best Road Bike Saddle For Long Rides: Reviews
ISM PR 3.0 Saddle
Suppose you’re looking for what is likely the very best bike saddle in the world. In that case, this saddle from ISM is an excellent option if you have the money to spend. We do need to mention this because it is not a cheap bike saddle. However, although this saddle is relatively expensive, you get what you pay for, and here you get long-lasting quality, comfort, and overall functionality.
The frame and the rail are made of steel, so you know that they will be pretty durable. Moreover, the exterior material used is also extremely tough. Even better is this material is also waterproof, so it won’t get wet, smelly, and uncomfortable. This also makes it very easy to clean.
In addition, the rear of this saddle is about 142 millimeters. This wide design ensures that your backside has plenty of room to sit on and that there is not too much pressure on any one point. In addition, its extra-wide design provides a great deal of comfort. Plus, this saddle has quite a lot of padding.
The amount of padding allows for a great deal of comfort and absorbs shock and impact created by road bumps. In addition, the combination of foam and gel used in the padding is genuinely top-notch.
Moreover, this bike saddle has a very design that is ideal for males. A slot in the middle is designed to let those private parts hang down a little bit, so they don’t get crushed underneath you. This is a problem many bike saddles have—they just aren’t designed to keep males comfortable. However, there is no reason why a female could not use this bike saddle.
Pros
- Ideal for males
- Works for females too
- Very wide
- Ideal for upright bikes
- Tons of padding
- Durable
- Water-resistant material
Cons
- Big and heavy
Fizik Aliante Gamma
This is another high-quality and ultra-comfortable road bike saddle that works really well for long rides. However, in this case, you won’t spend a small fortune on it.
Right off the bat, keep in mind that this saddle measures 142 millimeters wide, which means that it is extremely wide. Therefore, you have a large surface area to sit on, and there shouldn’t be too much pressure on any one point of your backside.
Moreover, this saddle features a highly ergonomic design that is made to hug your backside for a much more comfortable ride. However, this saddle is not quite as thick as the first one we looked at, but it’s still thick enough to provide you with a good deal of shock and impact absorption. The padding may not look all that thick, but it is surprisingly functional in terms of impact absorption.
In addition, the Twin Flex technology helps absorb as much impact as possible and keep this saddle in one piece. So, the saddle itself is pretty flexible and more able to absorb impacts.
A feature you might appreciate is that the outer shell is made with carbon-reinforced nylon. Nylon is already tough, but it becomes just that much more durable when you reinforce it with carbon. So this is not a saddle that is going to rip or break on you anytime soon. Moreover, the outer shell is waterproof, so it will never absorb water or sweat.
The Kium rails and simple clip system are very durable, and in general, this saddle is easy to mount on your existing road bike.
Pros
- Easy mounting
- Extra-wide
- Waterproof
- Good padding
- Flexible
- Great durability
Cons
- Women are not comfortable on it
Fabric Line Race Saddle
Similar to the first saddle we looked at, this one is not cheap by any means, although it’s not the most expensive one out there. But, again, we want to stress that you get what you pay for with this kind of thing, and here you get quality and comfort, so we think it is worth the investment.
Right off the bat, perhaps the most beneficial feature of this bike saddle is that there is a long strip down the middle where there is no material (on the top half of the saddle). In other words, this saddle features a ventilation shaft that provides a bit of airflow between you and the saddle, which helps keep you cool and prevents excessive sweating.
Now, what also needs to be said is that this saddle is narrower than the two others we checked out. This means that it is not quite as comfortable for larger behinds as there is a smaller surface area to sit on. But, on the other hand, this also means that the saddle itself is smaller, lighter, and more aerodynamic, thus allowing for greater speed.
The inner material of this saddle is high-quality foam which can absorb the impact created by bumps on the road. It’s not the softest or most absorbent saddle, but it still works to keep you reasonably comfortable over long distances.
Moreover, the outer shell is made of nylon, which for this purpose, is one of the most durable materials. Finally, the steel rails are up there with the best of them.
Pros
- Good for long rides
- Decent impact absorption
- Great ventilation
- Fairly soft
- Easy to mount
- Very durable
Cons
- Not waterproof
- Not ideal for wide backsides
Luce Manganese Saddle Women
Finally, we have a bike seat designed explicitly for women. It is ideal for women because it features so-called ischial flex, a technology that offers elongated pressure relief for women; it helps keep those sensitive parts from absorbing too much impact and becoming painful.
In addition, this saddle features a unique ergonomic shape designed for women’s comfort.
Another feature that helps keep you comfortable here is that this bike saddle is very wide, around 142 mm, meaning that women have plenty of surface area to sit on, therefore minimizing weight and pressure on any one point.
In addition, this saddle has two flexible thermoplastic elastomer plates to give this saddle great flexibility and impact absorption. It also contributes to its overall high level of durability. Finally, you may appreciate that the outer shell is made of strong yet lightweight materials that should stay together for years.
Pros
- Made for women
- Great impact absorption
- Flexible
- Quite durable
- Reasonable price
- Very wide
Cons
- May cause slight leg chaffing
Prologo Scratch 2
This is a very high-quality road bike saddle for a fairly reasonable price. One thing that we need to say is that it is not very wide. In fact, this is the narrowest saddle on our list, so it is ideal for those who like narrow saddles, but it is probably not the best choice for large and heavy people.
The Prologo Scratch 2 features a bit of padding to assist with impact absorption and keeping you comfortable, although, in terms of padding, it is our least-padded saddle, so there is only so much that it will do on this front.
That being said, the minimal amount of padding that this saddle does have is surprisingly impressive at absorbing bumps. The reality is that this saddle is lightweight for speed.
Pros
- Small and lightweight
- Minimal material
- Very tough and durable
- Decently comfortable
- Reasonable price
Cons
- Not ideal for large people
- Comparatively little padding
Buyer’s Guide
Before you start shopping for a road bike saddle for long rides, there are a few essential factors to consider.
Overall Size
You should pay attention to the size of the saddle. The width is the most crucial dimension if you want to be comfortable for long rides, and the wider the seat, the better. Aim for something that is 140 millimeters in width or more.
Padding
Of course, if you’re going on long rides, you’ll need a saddle that has good padding. For one, this means that the padding should be pretty thick, but more important is the saddle’s type of padding. Generally speaking, a combination of foam and gel is best.
The Outer Shell
Although the exact material of the outer shell is not all that important, you want something tough such as nylon that is not going to break with just a few uses. Moreover, it should also be waterproof so that it does not absorb your sweat.
The Rails
Pay attention to the rails because the saddle needs to have rails compatible with your current setup.
Comfort Specific Features
Finally, look for any other features designed specifically for comfort, such as ventilation shafts, special features for women and male riders, etc.
Conclusion
By far, the best road bike saddle for long rides on our list today is the ISM PR 3.0 Saddle, without a shadow of a doubt. It’s tough, it has a lot of padding, it’s wide, and it will keep you comfortable on those long trips.
