So findest du den richtigen Sattel! - Alpensattel.de

How to Find the Right Saddle for You!

February 8, 20233 min read

If you want to buy a new bike saddle, the right size is crucial – especially for longer rides. An uncomfortable saddle leads to pain, numbness, and pressure points. The good news: you can determine your saddle size at home in five minutes. You only need corrugated cardboard, a ruler, and a hard chair.

Why the right saddle size is so important

Your pelvis has two bony protrusions at the bottom – the sit bones. These are exactly what should rest on the bike saddle and support your weight. If the saddle is too narrow, your sit bones slide off to the sides and the weight lands on sensitive soft tissue. If it’s too wide, your inner thighs rub with every pedal stroke.

The distance between your sit bones is individual. For men, it typically ranges from 10 to 14 cm, for women from 11 to 16 cm. A saddle that fits your neighbor perfectly can be a source of pain for you.

Measuring sit bone width – at home in 5 minutes

You don’t need a bike fitting or an appointment. With corrugated cardboard and a ruler, you can measure your sit bone width yourself.

Step 1: Prepare materials

You need a piece of corrugated cardboard (about 30 by 30 cm, for example from a box), a hard chair or stair step, a ruler or tape measure, and a pen.

Step 2: Sit on the cardboard

Place the cardboard on a hard surface. Sit on it in a normal posture, feet flat on the floor. Lean slightly forward, about as you would on a bike – this shifts the pressure to where it lies when cycling.

Step 3: Sit still for 30 seconds

Stay still for 30 seconds. Don’t wiggle, or the impressions will become blurry. Tip: If you place a book under each foot so that your knees are slightly higher than your hips, it increases the pressure on your sit bones and makes the impressions clearer.

Step 4: Measure the impressions

Stand up and look at the cardboard. You will see two clear impressions – these are your sit bones. Measure the distance from the center of the left impression to the center of the right. This is your sit bone width.

Step 5: Derive saddle width

Add a margin to the measured value depending on your sitting position. Upright (city, e-bike): plus 3 cm. Sporty-moderate (trekking, MTB): plus 2 cm. Road bike: plus 1.5 cm. For a 12 cm sit bone width and sporty posture, this results in a 14 cm saddle width, i.e., 140 mm.

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Zadelbreedte afhankelijk van zitpositie

Je zitbotafstand alleen is niet voldoende. De zadelbreedte hangt ook af van je zitpositie. Hoe meer je voorovergebogen zit, hoe minder impact op je meting.

Recht op (stad, e-bike, Hollandse fiets): zitbotafstand + 3 cm
Sportief-matig (trekking, MTB, gravel): zitbotafstand + 2 cm
Racefiets (sterk voorovergebogen): zitbotafstand + 1,5 cm

Voorbeeld: 12 cm zitbotafstand bij een sportief-matige houding resulteert in 14 cm zadelbreedte, dus 140 mm. Bij het comfortmodel voor rechtop zitten zou dit 150 mm zijn.

Zadelmaattabel – je resultaat correct interpreteren

Opmerking: Vrouwen hebben anatomisch gezien een grotere zitbotafstand en kiezen meestal bredere zadels. Eerst meten, dan kiezen.

9 tot 10 cm zitbotafstand: 130 tot 140 mm zadelbreedte – typisch voor Race+
11 tot 12 cm: 143 tot 155 mm – typisch voor Sport+
13 tot 14 cm: 155 tot 165 mm – typisch voor Comfort+ of Sport+
15+ cm: 165+ mm – typisch voor Comfort+

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Welk zadel past bij jou?

Met de gemeten zitbotafstand en jouw zithouding kun je nu gericht het passende model kiezen. Onze drie hoofdmodellen zijn gecategoriseerd op zithouding:

Alpenzadel 3.0 Comfort+ – voor een rechte zithouding (stadsfiets, e-bike, omafiets). Memory foam, breed zitvlak, uitsparing voor drukontlasting in het kruisgebied.

Alpenzadel 3.0 Sport+ – voor een sportief-gemiddelde houding (trekking, MTB, gravel). AIR-vering, ontlastingskanaal, gemiddelde breedte. Het allround zadel.

Alpenzadel 3.0 Race+ – voor een sterk voorovergebogen houding (racefiets, gravel-performance). Smal, licht, met gerichte drukontlasting aan de voorkant.

Alle drie de modellen zijn verkrijgbaar in meerdere breedtes en zowel in de herenvariant als in de damesvariant.

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Häufige Fragen

How do I measure my saddle size at home?

With a piece of corrugated cardboard on a hard surface. Sit down, lean slightly forward, and sit still for 30 seconds. You will see two impressions – these are your sit bones. Measure the distance from center to center. Depending on your sitting position, add 1.5 to 3 cm to the sit bone distance; this gives you your saddle width.

What is the sit bone distance and why is it important?

The sit bone width is the distance between the two bony protrusions on the pelvis – where you should rest on the saddle. For men, it typically ranges from 10 to 14 cm, and for women from 11 to 16 cm. It determines the saddle width you need so that your weight rests on the sit bones and not on the sensitive soft tissue.

What saddle width do I need for a sit bone distance of 12 cm?

With a 12 cm sit bone width, a saddle width between 143 and 155 mm fits. For an upright seating position (city, e-bike), rather 155 mm; for a sporty position (trekking, MTB), rather 143 mm. On the road bike, you go a bit narrower because less weight rests on the sit bones.

Do women need a wider saddle than men?

On average, yes. Women anatomically have a wider sit bone distance and therefore usually need wider saddles. But: There is no general women's or men's model that fits everyone. What matters is always your individual sit bone distance. Measure first, then choose.