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A guide to the best triathlon saddles for men, women, short-course, and long-course racing.
The saddle is one of the most underrated pieces of triathlon equipment. Of course, you could have, a shiny new helmet, the perfect pair of triathlon shoes or some aero-optimised triathlon wheels, but none of that matters if you are uncomfortable on your saddle.
A saddle can be the difference between riding to the win and riding in pain. Comfort is king, so as the best triathlon saddles help you stay comfortable, aerodynamic, and injury-free, they are in turn helping you to go faster. Triathletes are some of the toughest athletes in the world in large part due to the fact that they stayed planted in the saddle for hours at a time (and then run a marathon afterwards, for those racing Ironman).
For this article, we tried and tested the best triathlon saddles, and crafted a list of our 10 favourites for men, women, beginners, and seasoned professionals, but before diving into it, let’s take a closer look at triathlon saddles, and what makes one different from another.
The shape of a triathlon saddle is hugely important, with some saddles being wider or narrower at certain points. There is no “best shape” for a triathlon saddle, so we will go into detail about each saddle and explain why its shape is better for certain riders over others. The overall width of the saddle will change the amount of support that you feel in the saddle – the wider the saddle, often the more support it will give. Again, “support” is not a better/worse term, but it is often more important for beginner-level triathletes.
Central cutouts are a popular trend in both triathlon and the best road bike saddles, but again, there is no “best cutout for triathlon.” Instead, it is mostly down to personal preference, how big you want your cutout, how deep it runs through the saddle, and which riders benefit most from it. We will go into detail on each and every saddle.
When it comes to the actual materials in the saddle, we can look at the texture and density of each saddle as a major reference point. Again, there is not a leading material, but there are certain trends that work better for certain triathletes. Those with an angled seat position, for example, might prefer a rougher or stickier saddle, while beginner-level riders may prefer a softer and smoother saddle so that they can easily change their seat position.
Without further ado, let’s dive into our list of the best triathlon saddles available today.
The nose-less ISM PN 3.1 is one of the most popular saddles in not only triathlons but also in all of cycling. This unique design can be found on road bikes, gravel bikes, track bikes, and TT bikes, all well as triathlon frames, of course. The PN 3.1 is well-loved for its narrow shape and nose-less front, which means that the middle of the saddle tapers off quickly at the front end. There is a deep mid-cutout that relieves plenty of pressure on the saddle, plus there is extra padding to cushion the blow.
Perhaps the biggest downside of the PN 3.1 is its unique shape. Riders with an extreme-forward position may have nowhere to sit on a nose-less saddle, so the PN 3.1 is not the best fit for them. If that’s you, consider the Pro Stealth Team, which is a short-nose road saddle that we find lots of riders get on with, while still offering a racy position. ISM also recommends that riders with minimal knee bend or more straight-legged pedalling use a different ISM saddle instead of the PN 3.1.
Thanks to the narrow front end, there is plenty of thigh clearance on the PN 3.1, making it one of the best triathlon saddles for riders with large legs. Tapered edges allow the slightest bit of movement on top of the saddle – not enough to slip off, but enough to slightly alter your position mid-pedal stroke or mid-corner.
The Watt Gel Superflow is Selle Italia’s first triathlon-specific saddle, and it’s a good one. Known for creating world-beating saddles for all types of bikes, Selle Italia is typically geared towards performance, and the Watt Gel Superflow follows that trend. As opposed to other triathlon saddles which are more padded and comfortable, the Watt Gel Superflow is quite narrow, stiff, and straight. There aren’t any gimmicks here, just a triathlon saddle meant for speed.
There are some downsides to this approach though. It can lead to discomfort, so we don’t recommend it without trying it first. However, the Watt Gel Superflow is one of the most solid triathlon saddles in terms of construction, texture, and density. In addition, It’s quite sticky – not actually sticky, but you definitely won’t be slipping off the nose of this one.
The Pro Stealth Team saddle is a favourite amongst performance-oriented road cyclists and triathletes, as it is a lightweight saddle that is still comfortable and wide enough to suit an array of riding positions. It offers plenty of support, and room to find your sweet spot in the middle of the saddle. However, extremely forward riders may struggle to find enough support on the Stealth Team saddle’s narrow front end.
The large cutout nearly runs the length of the saddle, although it doesn’t continue through the nose as it does on the ISM saddles – again, another reason that this saddle may not be the best for triathletes who prefer to sit on the front of their saddle. With downturned wings on the outside of the saddle, the medium-slippery surface is as comfortable as can be. Compared to the ISM saddles, the Pro Stealth is much thinner and less padded.
With a relatively dense surface and lightweight frame, the Stealth Team saddle is geared towards performance over comfort, making it one of the best mid-priced options for performance-oriented.
