Bike Seats Can Make Or Break Your Triathlon Race Performance
Coaches and athletes rightfully place a tremendous amount of focus on our training to prepare for races, with equipment and fueling plans often regarded as the primary two pieces of the jigsaw puzzle. Shoe choice for the run, getting the right bike, wheel choice, even getting fit on the bike are all important components of the journey to arrive race ready. With all this prep, there is one piece of equipment that doesn’t get the attention or focus it deserves -- your bike seat. The bike seat is one of the most important yet overlooked components of your race performance.
Let’s Get Into It:
The bike seat as ‘The Difference Maker’
If I stand at mile ten of an IRONMAN race, I, typically, see the majority of athletes riding with relatively good posture and reasonable fits. Sure, there are outliers, but most ‘look’ like they fit on the bike and are riding well. Stand at that same point of the out and back course and wait for the riders to return, and a different picture will reveal itself. The majority of these same athletes will often appear as though they paused at the turnaround point of the course and paid for the world’s worst bike fit experience. Scrunched over, many often not even able to hold aero position, poor posture, and a large drop in speed. What contributes to this situation?
Poor postural fitness. Some athletes are just not prepared to ride for this many hours in a good time trial position. The original points in space of the fit might be wrong, or they simply are not trained to hold this position for a long time.
Lack of variance. Particularly relevant to flatter courses, athletes riding in a single position and narrow power and cadence range, often tighten up due to the stress of monotony of load and position.
Bike seat. But the queen of the reasons often related to the choice of the riders bike seat.
Bad Bike Seat, Bad Results
Your bike seat can make or break your performance on the bike and the run. Think about it. You train for months, think of every precaution, but then get crippled by a simple choice of seat that isn’t suitable for you. What happens? A proper time trial fit must enable you to stay comfortable in a time trial position, which means a pelvis rotated forward, enabling a long spine and proper posture. This rotation of the pelvis means a direct ‘interaction’ between your sit bones and the seat. If the seat is not fit for purpose, for you, then trouble brews. Here is what happens:
You rotate your pelvis back
You choke back on the bars, with a rounded/arched back
You experience greater postural stress in the shoulders and low back
You become ‘quad dominant’ in your pedal stroke, causing early fatigue in those muscles that are critical to retain bike power and run performance.
The Right Bike Seat For You
As soon as you try to self-correct, the chaffing and pressure begins, and you will revert back to that rounded hunched position. No one can overcome this tendency hours on end; it is inevitable. The only way to overcome this situation is to get the right seat for you, and the purpose you are riding the bike for.
Road position versus Time Trial: Different bike seats
Female pelvic structure versus male pelvis structure
Your own unique anatomy
As you review the three points above, one thing is clear, and that is the fact that there is no ‘best bike seat.’ The best bike seat is the one that fits you well and feels great. We are all built differently, and it sometimes takes a little trial and error, but I don’t like to leave things to chance. That is why I, and the Purple Patch athletes, lean into the team at IOG Bike Fit and Consulting. They have no agenda, no specific affiliations to sell you a brand, and are dedicated to finding you the best seat. You may have your own local resource and bike fitter, which is super too, but just ensure they are not tempted to sell you the cool seat because it is expensive, or they have a commercial relationship. We also have some great advice on bike fits and the bike seat in the Purple Patch Podcast The Value, Benefits, and Results of a Proper Bike Fit
BOOK A BIKE FIT CONSULT WITH ONE OF OUR PARTNERS AND PIONEERS IN THE INDUSTRY, IOG
Either way, don’t take a bike seat choice lightly. It can be your pathway to sofa-like living on the bike, or you can end up like a bulldog humping a cricket ball! Not a good place to be.
Cheers,
Matt Dixon