Best Mountain Bike Saddle – Expert Reviews & Buying Guide

One of the most important but commonly overrated components of a mountain bike is the saddle. A good saddle is the difference between a comfortable ride and a painful ride. With tons of saddles in the market, getting the best mountain bike saddle can be quite a daunting task for a rider.

There are different circumstances to consider when choosing bike components because they not only need to be high quality, but they also need to mesh with your riding style and comfort.

One has to consider a bunch of factors before buying a saddle that fits their specifications. However, with this review, you will get to know exactly what to look for in the saddle and have a look at the best mountain bike saddles on the market.

Choosing a good bike saddle is one of those things you want to get right! Here are the contenders.

Best Mountain Bike Saddle Reviews

WTB Rocket Race 150 Saddle

WTB (Wilderness Trail Bikes) is a well-known manufacturer of quality mountain bike parts. This is evident in their new production, the WTB Rocket Race 150 Saddle.

This is a mid-priced saddle designed to give you a smooth, comfortable, and enjoyable ride. The saddle is best suited for riders who do not move a lot while riding.

The saddle weighs a modest 288 grams or 12 ounces, which is an average weight for a bike saddle. It has a width of 15 centimeters and a mid-length of 26.5 centimeters.

It is a narrow and firm saddle that favors smaller riders. It has a distinct rise in the tail which gives it a unique sweet spot. Due to its dimensions, it is best suited for mountains, road riding, and cyclocross.

The saddle is made of a microfiber cover with a flex-tuned shell. It has standard padding as with most regular saddles. It features Chromoly rails for extra strength and durability.

The firm padding enables firm power transfer. The microfiber material is much smoother and ensures excellent performance even in wet conditions.

In terms of comfort, the WTB Rocket Race 150 Saddle scores average mainly due to the narrow width. The padding, however, more than makes up for this due to the firmness and comfort it offers. For small riders, this is the perfect saddle for your biking comfort.

On the performance front, this saddle scores highly due to the padding and a stiffer shell. Power transfer is good enough. The only drawback is that due to its size, it does not give the rider much room to move around.

The saddle offers great versatility with excellent performance in multiple terrains. The durability is noteworthy with a durable frame and strong build material.

This is undoubtedly one of the best saddles you can get in the market for its affordability.

Planet Bike A.R.S. Classic Bike Seat

Made with foam padding, this seat has a flexible base that provides maximum comfort and support. It uses a full-length center recess with cut out for comfortable anatomic relief, and a lycra cover with abrasion-resistant side material. Similar to the WTB saddle, this seat also uses steel rails. It measures 6.5 x 10 inches and weighs 14.6 ounces.

Aside from looking sporty, this seat is best known for the comfort it provides for its riders. The A.R.S. seat is a favorite for all different riding styles, whether you are an occasional rider with a lower tolerance to riding saddles, or whether you put in lots of miles and need something that will maximize support and relief. This seat has you covered, even in the case of frequent bumps and rough terrain.

Sit-bone gel pads provide extra cushioning on pressure points, and the full-length center recess keeps the pressure away from vulnerable areas, making this an excellent choice for bumpy or long rides.

The A.R.S. also comes with a durable weather-proof cover, keeping the seat working at optimal quality and looking its best even after years of use. It is a favorite of weekenders, mountain bikers, road riders, and freestylers alike.

SymWell Outdoor Sporting Cycling Pain Free Comfortable Soft Elastic Gel Suspension Bike Saddle

This is without question the best low-cost saddle you can get. It packs some great features that you would expect to find in the high-end seats. It is an affordable option in place of the other pricier saddles in the market.

The saddle weighs in at a hefty 1.4 pounds, making it more of a heavyweight. It has a width of 16 centimeters and a mid-length of 28 centimeters. The fairly large dimensions of the saddle make it an excellent fit for most riders.

The saddle is surprisingly well-designed. It is made of PU leather and a silicone gel material. It is shockproof and the hollow design makes the rider feel cooler.

It features a breathable design which, together with its elasticity, makes is comfortable even when used for extended periods. The shock absorbers are state of the art produced with ARC technology.

This SymWell saddle offers excellent levels of comfort mainly due to the design. It is large enough to allow for movement and is comfortable enough even for big-sized riders.

The breathable design makes it possible to ride for a long time while still maintaining comfort. The shock absorbers are strong enough and give a smooth ride even in fairly bumpy terrain.

In terms of performance, the saddle is expected to be a bit average. It, however, makes up for this with its size which gives room to move around.

With its wear-resistant fabric, the saddle will last you for a long time. It is also great to use on different terrains.

WTB Speed Comp Saddle

This saddle is made from the highest quality materials and has been tested for optimal durability. Used by professional riders, it performs well on both road and mountain terrains and is excellent for recreational riding and commuting. It is mid-width and mid-length in size, measuring 5.7 x 10.4 inches, and weighing 15.8 ounces.

This saddle is very popular and well-known for its comfort. It uses a dual compound soft-shell base and lots of padding. It is balanced with just about any bike that uses a two-rail mount bracket under the seat, and it tends to be a great compromise of comfort and weight. The quality is sturdy and built well, it is aesthetically pleasing and works like a champ.

The WTB Speed Comp is also usable in the rain, as water and other moisture will brush off of it rather than soak in. As for the mounting bracket, there is plenty of room to adjust the rail mount to each bike’s frame size and specific geometry. In addition to all of its other positive qualities, this saddle is available at an affordable price point.

Brooks Saddles England C15 Cambium Carved Saddle

This Brooks Saddles England C15 Cambium Carved Saddle is one of the premium saddles on the market today. It is meant for the more discerning rider and is best suited for longer rides.

It features the latest technology in saddle-making. It’s the obvious option for professional riders and experienced cyclists. The unmatched comfort makes it worth its rather hefty price tag.

This saddle is truly a lightweight coming in at below 3 pounds. This makes it ideal for long rides. It has a length of 28.3 centimeters and a width of 14 centimeters, making it a long and narrow shape. The size makes it comfortable for long periods.

The saddle is made of vulcanized rubber and has an organic cotton top which makes it amazingly comfortable. It also has an aluminum chassis and tubular steel rails which make it strong. The ergonomic design provided relief in the perineal area, giving you great comfort mile after mile. The design is firm yet supple, providing great performance.

The comfort levels of the saddle are unparalleled. It is made specially to keep you comfortable even after riding for very long distances. It has been designed to minimize any discomfort one may experience while using other saddles.

The saddle is also built for performance. It is firmness and suppleness that reward you with professional performance on long journeys. The narrow and long design is meant to enhance performance as you ride your mountain bike.

The manufacturers claim it is built for a lifetime, which says everything about its durability. Made of the best possible material, this saddle will most likely outlive its owner. It might also be quite expensive, but given the quality, it offers, it is worth every single dime.

Fabric Scoop Elite Saddle

The fabric is becoming an increasingly popular choice for new bike saddles, and it’s no wonder why. The Fabric Scoop seat is uniquely constructed, comfortable, and offers a high level of performance.

You can choose between flat, shallow, or radius shapes for your desired comfort level, and the seat comes in a wide variety of color options. The flexible nylon shell offers a standard of comfort that is hard to beat in other, firmer seat styles.

The weather-resistant micro cover holds up for years of hard use, and its chromoly rails maximize durability. It measures 5.6 x 11.1 inches and weighs 9.4 ounces.

All about versatility, the Scoop is built strong and made to last with Fabric’s three-part saddle-building process. Its lightweight nylon base gives it exceptional flexibility.

The solid Chromoly rails serve as a durable interface for the seat that helps dampen vibration coming along the seat post and can withstand gravel and trail riding.

The saddle is made with a waterproof microfiber that resists rain, moisture, and years of hard use. Its three-shape options provide optimal customization for the rider.

The flat shape is ideal for more flexible riders who prefer to shift around in their saddle. The radius provides lots of support for the less flexible, more powerful riders.

The radius is the largest of the three and offers the most surface area, which allows for a wider variety of riding positions. This makes it a strong choice for longer rides. The shallow shape falls somewhere in between the flat and radius models.

How to Choose the Best Mountain Bike Saddle

Has your butt ever hurt after just a short bike ride? Or developed painful sores on your butt cheeks after that long ride with friends? Well, I have experienced both of those and they caused me a great deal of discomfort, I just had to change my bike saddle.

Saddle soreness is a common discomfort that most riders experience. For a comfortable bike ride, the saddle has to be a perfect fit. This makes the process of selecting the ideal seat very crucial.

Shape

Different body types require different types of saddle shapes for a comfortable bike ride. There is a wide variety of saddle shapes in the market that can fit various body types.

A bike saddle that is too wide might chafe the skin while a narrow saddle will not provide enough support. The saddle comes in various shapes, some are flat with square sides, while others have a steady curve and are rounder.

Measure the width of your sit bone and find a saddle width that would perfectly fit the natural shape of your butt.

The Shell and Cut-Out Design

The hard shell of saddles is normally made from nylon. This would determine how it would flex under the weight of the rider. If you are looking for a light saddle, choose one that is made of plastic mixed with fiber. The carbon fiber will also make it more flexible.

If you are looking for a saddle that is good for speed, choose a sports model made with a carbon shell. A good saddle should have a split through the nose. This will transfer the pressure from the soft tissues towards the sit bones providing more comfort.

Covering

The external skin of saddles could be made of fabrics, plastics, or leather. Some of them have tiny holes to provide more friction. Choose an outer covering with simple features like perforations or sturdier corners. This will keep you from sliding and falling off the seat.

The sturdier corners have a further advantage of enhancing durability in case of a fall. However, it is not advisable to choose a saddle with plastic as the outer covering if you are using your bike for racing. A plastic covering is comfortable, but it will make you slide off the seat at high speeds.

The Padding Material

The padding is what gives the saddle its squish. The most common material used is urethane foam with polymer gels. The polymer gels have a rubber-like consistency which provides a nice and comfortable feel. Not all paddles have paddings, but for a comfortable ride, you should get one that has it.

The padding helps to distribute the pressure over a larger area. However, do not get one that is too thick, it may get deformed and move the pressure to areas like the sit bone where you would not want it.

Final Verdict

Which seat is the best of the best? It is a tough decision, but our vote goes to the Fabric Scoop Elite. While these are all great seats, and while the ultimate decision remains with the personal preferences of each rider, the Scoop offers the most versatility and comfort and is the highest quality saddle all across the board.

The Scoop’s three shape options allow the rider to customize their experience. There is no one-size-fits-all rule when it comes to biking miles across rough terrain or commuting to work.

This seat takes the cake for durability, compatibility, and longevity. Its quality is among the best of its kind. It’s a little more expensive than the other contenders, but it’s not like you’ll be looking to replace it anytime soon.

Hopefully, you are now feeling more informed and better equipped to make a selection that will benefit your riding and bring you many miles of comfort and happiness.

While there are many great saddles for your mountain bike, the above three are without question the best mountain bike saddles cut across all categories.