Saddles
Comfortable bike saddles.
5 products
With Dutch commutes often covering 10, 15 or even 25 kilometres, many cyclists spend hours a week in the saddle. A bad saddle is obvious within fifteen minutes and makes cycling hell, a good saddle simply disappears and you forget you are sitting on it.
Saddles are surprisingly personal: your sit-bone width determines the ideal saddle width and differs per person. Fortunately brands like Specialized, Selle SMP and Bontrager offer in-store sit-bone measurement, sometimes via smartphone apps. Broadly there are three directions: soft gel saddles for city bikes and relaxed rides (Selle Royal, Velo Plush), semi-sporty models with moderate padding for commuters and touring riders (Selle Italia Flite, Specialized Power) and classic leather saddles from Brooks (especially the B17, in continuous production since 1898) which break in over 500 km and mould to your shape.
Prices range from 25 euros for a standard replacement saddle to 250 euros for top Brooks or carbon-railed models. For e-bike and city use a Brooks or a good Selle Royal Respiro often hits the sweet spot.
Filter by brand
Brooks B17
Brooks · Leren zadel · Gehard leer
€95
Brooks Cambium C17
Brooks · Leren zadel · Rubber & katoen
€85
Ergon SM Sport
Ergon · MTB-zadel · Ergonomisch TwinShell
€55
Selle Italia SLR Boost
Selle Italia · Racefietszadel · Short-nose performance
€65
Selle Royal Respiro
Selle Royal · Comfortzadel · Gel
€45
Buying tips
- Get your sit bones measured (e.g. at a Specialized dealer), too narrow a saddle pushes on soft tissue instead of bone and will always hurt.
- More padding is not better: very soft saddles transfer pressure to the wrong spots after 20 minutes, moderate and wide is often nicer than thick and narrow.
- A saddle with a central cut-out or relief channel reduces perineal pressure and is more comfortable for many on long rides.
- Brooks leather saddles need 500-1000 km to break in, be patient, but afterwards you have a saddle for life.
- Rub your Brooks with Proofide every six months to keep the leather supple and water-resistant.
What does the ART certification mean and which level do you need for your bike or e-bike? Compare ART-1 through ART-5 and the requirements of Univé, ENRA, Centraal Beheer and Unigarant.