Narb

So I am 5'10" 190 lbs, i got a bike to lose some weight. I went to Target and got the comfortable cruiser type seat from shwinn. I have a cannondale quick 4, when i put the seat all the way back i can still feel my thighs hitting the seat because the seats so wide. Should I just get a narrower seat and add a seat post suspension? What is everyones favirote seat and seat post combination?

yashinon

I would not recommend a cushy cruiser seat for your bike. What was wrong with the original saddle? Saddles are very personal, I may have a favorite but it will not work for you. Seat posts are either straight or have setback. Typically OEM posts are pretty good.

Jarrettsin

That type of seat is meant for 60° riding angle and that bike is a 45° riding angle, so yes your going to rub! Seat post suspension might work. Maybe a comfortable cruiser type bike would suit you better?

corrado33

A PROPER fitting saddle (they're called saddles, not seats) will be comfortable for short AND long rides. Those massive "seats" are only comfortable for a very short ride. Saddles are EXTREMELY personal, go to a bike shop and get your sit bones measured. Alternatively, google "how to measure sit bone width" and do it yourself. With that knowledge, go buy a saddle that fits. Most people suggest adding 25-30mm to your sit bone width to get your correct "saddle" width.

I'd suggest buying a pair of cycling shorts (with a chamois). They're made (and used) by most cyclists for a reason. (They work.)

Honestly, nobody here is going to tell you which saddle will be comfortable for you. Only YOU know what you find comfortable, and it's different for each person. A bike shop will be able to help you best.

Narb

Would you recommend getting a seat post suspension as well?

limbot

As someone above mentioned, what's wrong with the OEM/stock seat that came with it? If you've just got a sore butt then note that no matter what seat you get it'll take a while for your butt to acclimatize if you've only just started riding. And again a pair of padded shorts may assist.

I'm a big believer in one thing at a time. If you do decide to change the seat, I'd change that first, have a go with it before looking at another seatpost as well.

NormanF

No. I'd get a good sprung leather saddle. Brooks if you can afford it or the cheaper Gyes.

Gyes' North American distributor by the way is now in my hometown.

Narb

The orm seat just doesn't have enough cushion, the cruiser seat had enough but was too wide and not suitable. The oem seat looks like a really nice seat with gel but for some reason it is very very stiff when i sit on it and it doesnt feel so good if you know what i mean.

manthe

It typically takes ~7-10 days (riding every single day) to acclimate to almost any given saddle. The painful, almost 'bruised' feeling WILL go away - I can assure you! Those big, ridiculous, super-cushioned monstrosities will ultimately do far more harm than good - especially in the form of long term, soft tissue damage. There's a very good reason that most saddles aren't like that - that most saddles have low to moderate 'cushioning' - it's because ultimately that is what is proven to be the most effective and least damaging (over the long term). As many have said, a saddle is a deeply personal thing. It's good to get recommendations of what to look in to - but ultimately you will have to try some out - and give them the FULL 2 weeks. I'm a big guy as well. I also happen to have wide sit bones (one has nothing at all to do with the other - sit bone width does not change - what ever you're born with is what it is - regardless of body size). I went through probably 7-8 different saddles before I found the one that works for me.

Regarding seatpost suspension and/or spring loaded saddles - I would recommend breaking in the right saddle 1st before considering anything else. Suspension of any kind robs you of power and efficiency. In my opinion, if you do not absolutely need it (e.g. For very rough terrain, off-road riding, etc), then don't get it/use it. Seatpost suspension, in particular only helps tame the impact of bumps - it does not make the saddle 'softer'. The primary source of the initial pain you're feeling comes from supporting the weight of your torso on a moderately concentrated area in a way that you're not accustomed to. Suspension does nothing to actually change that. In fact - depending on the quality of the suspension you get and the preload characteristics (e.g. How quickly/easily the suspension 'kicks in' and much it 'pogos', etc.), the added impact of a suspension's 'rebound' could actually exacerbate the issue. Just something to consider.

As as others have said - the most important thing is to get a sit bone width measurement and get a saddle of the proper width. Keep the padding moderate and as high quality as you can afford (remember soft tissue damage potential!). Two last things I like to tell people:

1. Don't get caught up is men's vs women's saddles. A saddle is a saddle.
2. The saddle is one of (if not THE) most important components on a bike (at least for serious and/or 'enthusiast' riders) - it's NOT the area where you want to cheap out if you can avoid it.

Good luck and give it time!

NYMXer

I used to ride a hybrid bike with a seat post spring, then just started riding another bike without any suspension on my paved but bumpy rail trails. I didn't like the ride and so I didn't go out as long/far. It was not the direction I wanted to go so I stopped riding that bike until I learned about seat post suspensions and the difference between the cheaper and more costly ones. Not really knowing what I was buying, I went the cheap route and got a $50 one on Amazon and loved it. It let me ride the bike again but I bought the "Thudbuster" for my hardtail Mtb and now can see the difference. The Thudbuster is a bit more than twice as costly but gives 5 X's better action. Even on the mountain bike, the bumps are almost negated away and for the really big hits, my but is off the saddle anyway...... you can go cheap and try a $30-$50 one. I think you will be pleased with the results.

prj71

Don't equate the amount of cushion with comfort. You may just need a wider seat. I use seats that are 155mm wide. The difference between a 143mm and 155mm seat is night and day for me.

Seat post springs are useless and just add unneeded weight to the bike.

Specialized makes some nice saddles in 3-4 different widths depending on the model

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/components/saddles

Delmarva

I've found that when the road or path gets rough that raising slightly off the seat improves the ride. I've tried riding a suspended seat post and found it uncomfortable and makes me feel less connected to the bike. Much like those cushy cruiser seats.

Try the original seat for a couple of weeks.

limbot

+1 and don't forget small variations in height, forward/backward, tilt of the seat can also make a big difference.

yashinon

Thank you for the info. Does it really take 7-10 days? I picked up a new road bike and the saddle is hard as a rock! Maybe I should re-test it. 8-))

manthe

Roughly - at least that's what it's always taken me, my wife and others I've ridden with who are just starting out or just getting back 'on the horse' after a long break. Once you've re-accustomed yourself to riding in a saddle - breaking in a new one doesn't take as long and doesn't hurt as much as that initial hump. But hey - rock hard is rock hard ;-) I know I wouldn't do well on a completely hard saddle!

late

There are crap OEM saddles you will simply never get used to.

B67.

I got one recently, Sis has had one for about a decade, and has done a number of 60-70 mile days on it.

BROOKS ENGLAND LTD. | CITY+&+HEAVY+DUTY | B67

This assumes you sit close to upright. When you get a different bike, you will want your position to have about 25-30 degrees of lean forward. You will need a different saddle at that point, narrower.

Craptacular8

There are a lot of good seats out there. I had pretty good results with cheap bontrager pull offs, that can be found on ebay for $15. They were way more comfortable for me than the OEM schwinn squishy seat that my first lbs schwinn came with. I've also had good results with a sel anatomica x on a long distance bike, and a Terry Butterfly TI on a gravel bike. If you go with a Terry saddle, they come with an exchange policy. The folks at Terry are very good at listening to what type of riding you're doing, your size, etc, and recommending a saddle that they think will work for you. If it doesn't, more than willing to swap them out until you find one that works. While they are known for their women's saddles, they also make men's versions...then again, some men prefer the wormen's and vice versa.

I've heard good things about the Thudbuster post, but honestly, your tires/tire pressure contributes so much to ride quality/bump absorption, I'd probably adjust that after a saddle change up before I'd look at suspension seat posts. I run my gravel bike at around 40-45 psi...smooths out the bumps and bouncing just fine. For pavement, slightly higher, like 50 psi. Rolls easily on a good tire, takes out the road buzz.