The 7 Best Mountain Bike Saddle For Women in ​2021

The saddle plays an important role when it comes to enjoying a comfortable ride on your mountain bike. You spend most of the riding time sitting on the seat so you need to make sure that it's in line with your preferences. However, MTB saddles for women are quite different from the varieties available for men, which may limit the choice available for you in the market. This makes finding the perfect saddle for yourself a difficult task but once you do find the right one, we guarantee that your biking experience will be transformed forever. In this article, we'll be taking a look at some of the best mountain bike saddle for women in ​​2020 along with some of the important considerations you need to keep in mind to pick out the one that suits your needs. So without wasting any further time, let's get started.

#1 Selle Royal Respiro Women's Moderate Cool Xsenium Bicycle Saddle

Respiro Moderate Bike Saddle by Selle Royal is one of the best saddles you would find in the market. It is designed while keeping the needs and body structure of female bikers in mind, which makes it the best choice for women who want to enjoy the thrills of mountain biking with comfort. This anatomically designed saddle has Selle Royal’s patented Royal Gel filling that distributes the vibrations evenly to maximize comfort.  Moreover, the filling is non-toxic and does not age or harden with time. The saddle rails are made of manganese which is not only lighter than conventional steel rails but is just as strong. Respiro Moderate saddle has an air ventilation channel to improve air circulation and reduce pressure in the perennial region. This temperature regulation makes your ride more comfortable even during hot winder months or longer rides. Another good thing about this saddle is that it features a Cool Xsenium cover that is treated with ultraviolet protectant which not only keeps it cool under the sun but also makes it water-resistant. All these features add up to improve comfort and relief even after long use, making Selle Royal’s Respiro Moderate bike saddle a perfect choice for female riders.

Pros

• Soft filling
• Ergonomic shape
• Offers temperature regulation
• Features scuff guards for protection
• Has a clip system for attaching bags

Cons

• Hard edges on the sides
• May be too soft for some riders

#3 SGODDE Comfortable Universal Bike Seat

Another fantastic saddle for mountain bikes is the Bike Seat for Men and Women by SGODDE. You can blindly trust this saddle by SGODDE as it ensures that all its products are anatomically optimized to offer the riders with the most wonderful riding experience. For instance, the front side of the saddle is narrow and streamlined, allowing the thighs to move freely and minimizing friction between them. Moreover, the deep center cutout relieves pressure on your sensitive areas and enhances breathability, making longer rides much more comfortable and enjoyable. The seat itself is made of high-quality foam and incorporates an artificial gel padding to evenly distribute the pressure across the seat surface and eliminate pain. Also, the SDOGGE bike seat is equipped with double stainless steel rails along with a highly resistant shell under the saddle for better protection and shock absorption and a reflective stripe is featured to reflect the surrounding lights during the night. Overall, the comfortable universal bike saddle by SGODDE is the perfect replacement saddle for your mountain bike.  

Pros

• Universal saddle
• Pressure relief channel
• Thick foam padding
• Maximum shock absorption
• PU leather cover for water-resistant abilities

Cons

• None that we could find

#4 YLG Oversized Comfort Bike Seat

The right saddle can truly make your mountain biking sessions much more comfortable and with YLG’s oversized bike seat, you can experience this.  This high-quality bike saddle is padded with premium Memory Foam and Gel Soft that has a high density and elasticity for providing optimal comfort level. To enhance the durability of the saddle, the surface is made of a layer of PVC Leather that is not only waterproof but is also anti-slip and anti-scratch. Talking about the design, YLG has ensured that its oversized saddle can come to your rescue regardless of your gender. The super-wide arc is designed like a wing so that it can fit your hips perfectly and offer maximum support to your sit bones and the saddle shape doesn’t come in the way of your leg movement. Moreover, dual spring ball suspensions are also featured underneath the saddle seat for greater stability and shock absorption.  YLG oversized saddle is designed to fit on every bike and with the installation tools that come with it, the entire installation process is fairly simple. Another great thing about buying this saddle is that YLG offers a 90 days free return and refund policy so you can make a purchase with complete satisfaction.

Pros

• Premium quality materials used
• Wide seat
• Anatomically optimal design
• Has a strong shock absorption mechanism
• Comes with a return and refund policy

Cons

• No pressure relief cutout

#5 Planet Bike A.R.S. Standard Bike Seat For Women

Planet Bike ARS saddle for Women is a solid choice for mountain bikers looking to ride in comfort without going too hard on their pockets. This comfort-oriented saddle has super thick padding which is hard to find on most bike saddles out there. To be more specific, the saddle features sit-bone gel pads along with foam padding for optimal comfortability during riding. Another fantastic design aspect is the anatomical groove that runs through the length of the saddle and transitions into a full cut as it approaches the nose. This relieves the pressure on your sensitive areas, distributing it throughout the saddle and enhances breathability.  The Planet Bike ARS saddle has a strong steel rail and plastic shell to ensure that the product is durable. On the whole, the ARS bike seat by Planet Bike is a great choice if you’re looking for a new saddle for your mountain bike.

Pros

• Enhances comfort during riding
• Thick padding
• Strong and durable make
• Weighs only 407 grams

Cons

• The Lycra cover is not tear-resistant

#6 Planet Bike A.R.S. Classic Bike Seat For Women

The ARS Classic Bike Seat for Women is another saddle by Planet Bike that has made it on our list of top mountain bike saddle for women. Like the ARS Standard Saddle, the ARS Classic Bike Seat for Women is designed to add comfortability to your biking sessions. The foam padding has a flexible base to provide a greater degree of comfort and support while a full-length recess with the cutout is also featured for anatomic pressure relief. The strong steel rails on the saddle along with a durable plastic shell, a soft Lycra cover and an abrasion-resistant side material all ensure that the saddle lasts for a long time. Moreover, this saddle weighs only 372 grams so it does not add much weight to the bike. All in all, Planet Bike’s ARS Classic Saddle for Women relieves pain instantly and makes your mountain biking sessions more fun and enjoyable.

Pros

• Made of quality materials
• Maximizes comfort
• Thick padding
• Pressure relief channel included
• Smart design

Cons

• Lycra coating may easily get worn with time

#7 Terry 2019 Women's Cite X Gel Bicycle Saddle

The last product that has made it on our list of the best mountain bike saddles for women is Terry's Cite X Gel Bicycle Saddle. The base of this saddle has shock-absorbing elastomers that mimic the functionality of springs without incorporating any mechanical equipment or additional weight in the saddle. That ensures that the impact from the surface conditions is not transferred to your spine. An additional layer of gel is also featured for providing maximum comfort even on long biking sessions. A key feature of Terry's Cite X Saddle is that it is designed with a screen-printed graphic treatment on the sides, making the saddle much more stylish and attractive. The synthetic vinyl cover is not only easy to maintain but is also quite long-lasting. Perhaps the best thing about opting for this Cite X Gel Saddle by Terry is that the company goes to every limit to ensure that you're fully satisfied with its products. Hence, investing in this bike saddle is an amazing choice.

Pros

• Durable
• Has shock absorption elastomers and padding
• Lightweight
• Stylish design

Cons

• None that we could find

Buyer's Guide

The ideal preferences of females for a saddle are quite different from that of men, which makes finding the right one for yourself a bit difficult. And since women's anatomy varies way more than men, the one that suits you might be horrible for another. After all, nothing can be worse than riding a bike with the wrong saddle as it not only makes the ride uncomfortable but can also result in chafing and bruising. Hence, it's important to invest some time in finding the perfect saddle so that you can ride with confidence.

This comprehensive buyer's guide will walk you through everything there is to mountain bike saddles for women. So keep on reading to learn everything you need to know to make the correct choice and buy the best female saddle out there.

Anatomy of a Mountain Bike Saddle

The saddle of a mountain bike consists of 4 components namely the shell, padding, cover and the rails. Normally made of plastic or carbon fibers, the shell forms the basic structure of the saddle and outlines its shape and width. Over the shell is a thin layer of gel or foam for padding, which is concealed by a cover made of leather or Kevlar. Two rails are clipped to the seat post to hold the entire package. A number of materials are used to make the rails, but you should the ones made of steel are strong and cheaper while those made of titanium are lightweight but a little expensive.

Key Considerations For Finding The Right Saddle

Unfortunately, finding a suitable saddle isn't as easy as just sitting on it and knowing that it's comfortable. However, you have better chances of getting an appropriate seat in the first instance if you keep the following consideration in mind.

Riding Style

Your riding style and posture is an important determinant of the kind of saddle you should look for. You're more likely to suffer from soft tissue discomfort if your biking posture is low and stretched out and for such an aggressive position, short and flat saddles with a large pressure relief area are recommended. If you ride in an upright position, curved saddles with more padding at the rear end are more suitable for a comfortable mountain biking experience.

Saddle Width

Saddles are available in different width and the finding a suitable size depends on the width of your sit bone, the joint where your legs and butt meet. Narrower saddles make pedaling more efficient and allow you to shift your weight easily when riding on different surfaces. However, women are known to have wider sit bones than men which logically calls for wider seats for women. Ideally, the width of the saddle should be wider than your sit bones for a higher level of comfortability and support. Most bike shops offer tools for measuring the width of your sit bone but keep in mind that it's not related to the size of your jeans at all!

Length

Saddles with a narrow and long nose allow you to shift your weight quickly and offers a more efficient riding position when climbing on steep slopes. However, the downfall of such saddles is they add more weight to the bike which isn't desirable for most women.

Padding

An important thing to consider when looking for a bike saddle for women is the level of padding. Typically, manufacturers that lean towards the comfort aspect of the design will incorporate more padding on the saddle shell. However, saddles for professional racing are normally available with minimal and even no paddings at all. This is because sitting on extra-padded saddles for long an extended time can cut off circulation. Determining the level of paddings boils down to your personal preferences but we recommend that you opt for a seat with a couple of millimeters of padding to have a comfortable experience.

Pressure Channels

Have you ever noticed a groove or a long narrow hole running down the center of the saddle and wondered what it's for? Well, such features are incorporated in the design to relieve pressure on the sensitive areas to prevent numbness. Riding in an aggressive position requires more soft tissue relief but since the vulvas for every woman vary drastically, finding a saddle with the perfect shape and size can prove to be a challenge. But if you suffer from soft tissue soreness after every ride, look for a saddle with a larger pressure relief cut-out.

Conclusion

Perhaps, riding a mountain bike with a comfortable saddle is the dream of every biker but achieving this dream requires plenty of effort on your part. And if you're a female mountain biker, this task becomes even more challenging pertaining to the limited bike accessories specialized for women. However, manufacturers are aware of the growing popularity of mountain biking amongst females and thus are introducing bike saddles targeting this segment of MTB riders.

With that in mind, we have devised this list of the top MTB saddles for women so that you can have a clear idea of the best options available to you. We hope that the buyer's guide will also help you narrow down your choice according to your needs and make the right decision.