Bicycle saddle

They can be made of solid or hollow steel, titanium, aluminum, manganese, or carbon fiber, typically trading off cost, weight, strength, and flexibility.The shape of some unusual saddles also makes them physically incompatible with certain seatpost, clamps, or frames, due to bumping into other parts or blocking adjustment or attachment bolts.Tightening this bolt brings together four pieces of metal (two on each side) which have round slots to grab and hold standard-size rails.[10] A saddle may contain one or more suspension components to improve rider comfort by absorbing or deadening vibration and shock transmitted by the frame and seatpost.[11] Yet another method of suspension utilizes a web-spring platform made of eight or more coil springs mounted horizontally beneath the saddle shell.In an effort to cut cost and weight, some suspension saddles utilize a skeletonized, flexible nylon frame in lieu of the steel web-spring.Saddles may incorporate two or more of these suspension designs in an effort to provide additional comfort and shock absorption, as they have since cycling first became popular in the 1880s.In comparing them, it is the range of adjustment of their comfort points that need considered, and because the matter is largely subjective, giving it proper attention is difficult to do.The "no-nose" seats eliminate the nose, and support the body at the bottom of the "sit bones", spreading the body's weight over a larger contact area causing lower peak pressure areas to avoid the crushing injuries caused by standard seats.This is often done by keeping the legs or arms under moderate constant tension which can cause additional effort on the part of the rider.For instance, the 1898 "Christy Anatomical saddle", developed by Spalding, was designed with a hollow seat for avoiding any friction on the genitalia.[28] Though riding an upright bicycle improves the cardiovascular system and can therefore actually improve the erectile function among men, riding a bicycle for prolonged periods of time with an unhealthy cycling technique can still cause problems for both men and women due to a reduced blood flow in the crotch area.Some male riders—survey data published in 2005 indicated around 5%[29]—may ultimately get erectile dysfunction problems if a poor cycling technique is used with prolonged pressure on the perineum.This issue is more related to the cycling technique than the saddle type,[citation needed] although there are special, more anatomically correct, designs to relieve crotch pressure as well.[27] To alleviate the problem, manufacturers have designed a number of bicycle saddles that purport to allow greater blood flow through the pudendal artery.[18][36] A downward-tilted saddle relieves pressure on the perineum and the "sit bones" (ischial tuberosities), thus improving a cyclist's perineal blood flow.However, width and design have proved to be more important than the amount of saddle padding in determining the intensity of perineal distress the cyclist suffers.[36] In fact, some researchers have postulated that extra padding, foam or gel, can result in an increased prevalence of pain in the sit bones.