We explain the differences between short and long saddles, and how to pick the best short-nose saddle for you
The stubby shape of the best short-nose saddles proves less is more when it comes to saddle comfort, aerodynamics and pedalling efficiency.
Since Specialized released the S-Works Power saddle in 2015, short-nose saddles have grown in popularity. Now the likes of Fizik, Selle Italia and Cadex produce their own versions.
But what is a short-nose saddle and why do some cyclists prefer them? How can a shorter saddle be more comfortable than a longer bike seat?
Alex Locatelli, product manager at Fizik, bike fitter Dan Smith from UK Bike Fit, and Jeff Schneider, global head of product and marketing at Cadex and Giant group, have helped us answer some common questions about short saddles.
What is a short-nose saddle?
A short-nose saddle is shorter and wider than a conventional saddle, and can make riding in an aggressive, aerodynamic position more comfortable.
A typical short-nose saddle is about 245mm long, 30mm shorter than a standard saddle.
Unlike a conventional saddle with a narrow, pointy tip, the front of a short-nose saddle is usually square.
Because you can comfortably adopt an aggressive position, short-nose saddles were common on time trial bikes long before their adoption on the road.
Short-nose saddles often but not always have a cut-out. This is a channel running through the saddle that’s designed to relieve pressure on soft tissue in contact with the saddle.
A typical road bike saddle will measure 145mm wide, although some short-nose saddles are available in wider sizes, up to 155mm wide.
Depending on whether they have carbon saddle rails, a short-nose saddle can be lighter than many longer road bike saddles.
How do short-nose saddles work?
Short-nose saddles are designed to load the pelvis at the square-shaped front of the saddle. This area supports your anatomy as you lean forwards into a low and flat position.
“As you roll the pelvis forward, the shape of the pelvis becomes narrower towards the pubic bone at the front of the pelvis,” says Smith.
“That’s the shape that the saddle is trying to mimic and support.”
As a result, Smith finds that people who anteriorly tilt through the pelvis and get into a more aggressive position are best suited to short-nose saddles.
In his view, riders who sit a little bit more upright or posteriorly tilt the pelvis and have a flattened back shape will be better on a longer-nose saddle.
Smith says the cut-out (found on most short-nose saddles) will run almost from the nose but not right to the back – that’s because you’re meant to sit in the front half of the saddle.
The shape of the cut-out varies from narrow to wide, as on the Pro Stealth, for example.
For some people who load more weight forwards, compressing soft tissue at the front of the saddle, a wide cut-out is necessary to avoid numbness from nerve compression on the perineum, according to Smith.
According to Schneider, a critical feature in a short-nose saddle is padding at the front of the saddle.
The idea is you sit squarely on a short-nose saddle. However, during hard efforts, he says some riders still creep forwards in a bid to maximise pedalling efficiency.
“If it is shorter, you have to compensate by adding different or additional padding to the front of the saddle,” he says.
What are the benefits of a short-nose saddle?
Short-nose saddles are best for riders who tilt their pelvis forward into a low, aggressive position.
Locatelli says the longer nose of a traditional saddle can catch against soft tissue because you rest more weight towards the tip of the saddle.
On a short-nose saddle, you have less room to move about, which encourages you to sit in a fixed position.
Excessive movement in the saddle can trigger the most common types of pain caused by cycling, especially lower back pain and saddle sores.
Bike fitter Smith explains that a UCI rule governing saddle position influenced the development of the Specialized Power saddle.
However, this type of saddle also benefits riders who are not subject to UCI regulations.
Removing the tip of the saddle effectively brings the middle closer to the bottom bracket.
Smith says: “This positions the body a little bit further forward over the bike into a more aero and powerful position and opens up the hips.”
A more open hip position often alleviates hip pain from cycling.
As we found during some wind tunnel testing, a wind-cheating body position is one of the cheapest and most effective aero upgrades.
What are the disadvantages of a short-nose saddle?
Fixed, aggressive position on the bike
The fixed, aggressive position a short-nose saddle creates can limit riders who like to move around on the saddle.
Schneider notes that riders who like a short-nose saddle on their road bike may not feel the same about their gravel bike.
“They feel they need to move around more [off-road] to adjust their body position,” he explains.
More upright cyclists, who put more weight on their sit bones, are unlikely to find short-nose saddles comfortable, according to Smith.
“As you pedal in that position on a short-nose saddle, because the wings of the saddle normally flare out quite widely from where you’re designed to sit on it [from the middle to the front] you chafe and catch the back of your thighs on the saddle,” he explains.
On the other hand, when you tilt your pelvis forwards and sit on the front of the saddle, you shouldn’t catch your thigh on the back of the saddle.
Cut-outs
Most short-nose saddles have cut-outs, which don’t suit everyone.
Although he recommends a wide cut-out in general, Smith adds: “It can cause other issues, such as chafing of soft tissue in females and males.
“The edges of a wide cut-out can get in the way.”
Short-nose saddles with a cut-out filled in with soft material, such as the Specialized Mimic, have been marketed to women.
This is because some women find sharper edges of other cut-outs cause soft-tissue discomfort.
“But there’s a large crossover between men’s and women’s saddles, which I think is why a lot of brands don’t call their saddles ‘women-specific’,” he adds.
During bike fits, Smith says some women prefer the Specialized Power, the men’s version of the Mimic. Men, meanwhile, can sit better on unisex or women’s saddles.
Potentially less compliance
Short-nose saddles can be less compliant than longer saddles because they have less rail to absorb vibrations, according to Schneider.
Therefore, on the new Cadex Amp saddle, the rails run right to the front of the saddle, maximising their length, which Cadex claims improves comfort.
A number of short-nose saddles are 3D-printed. This should mean they have more compliance, but it tends to increase the price.