Braun’s now offers Speed Factory Anatomical Bike Fitting

Whether you are buying a new bike or just want to make your existing bike ride better we can optimize your position to get the most power with the least discomfort.

Fit is the most important consideration when it comes to going fast on a bike.  Forget the fancy wheels and carbon fiber bits.  If the fit isn’t right you won’t be comfortable, you won’t perform up to your potential and it could lead to overuse injuries.

• Do you suffer from numb hands or feet?
• Is your back or butt sore after a ride?
• Are you as comfortable as you could be?
• Are you positioned to put out the most power you can?
• Does your bike feel like an extension of your body?

If you have a road bike and weren’t fitted, ask yourself are you getting all the performance you could?

Before you think about frame material or what wheels you want, think about bike fit.  Consider the fact that a 60 km ride equals more than 10,000 pedal strokes.  If you are riding an ill fitting bike you will be at best uncomfortable and slower than you could be, and worst case it can lead to injury.  Even with the correct sized frame you can still be uncomfortable if the seat, bars and pedals aren’t properly aligned for you.

We operate on the philosophy of adapting your bike to you, rather than the other way around.

For recreational riders it’s all about comfort. The right equipment with the right set up for you, leads to an enjoyable ride. Your butt and back don’t have to hurt.

For performance oriented riders and racers, it has to be a balance between performance, comfort and bio-mechanical alignment. I’ve been refining my fitting system for 14 years, using the most up-to-date research combined with the experience of fitting thousands of customers.

To get the your bike adjusted to you, I look at more than just your measurements. There is an interview where I talk about your athletic and injury history, comfort issues on the bike, riding goals and anything you might have done to try to fix any problems before coming to me.

Then we do a structural assessment. Most people have imbalances, whether in flexibility, strength or stability. By assessing which muscles may be tighter or weaker we can find and address the root cause of alignment and performance issues.

Only then do we get your on the bike.  Starting with your feet we work up until you have a total body alignment on your bike.  When your bike is fitted properly, you feel like you could fly.  Hill climbing is easier. 100 mile rides are much more enjoyable because your hands and neck aren’t hurting.  More speed, less aches and pains.

Do you want have up to 10% more power in one day?

I’ve had customers gain this much of an increase in sustained power just by having there bike adjusted to match their bio-mechanical structure. Even riders who are fitted pretty well can see improvements that would take months of training to accomplish. And this is in just a hour of repositioning on your bike.

Each Speed Factory session works with your measurements, cycling history, flexibility and preferences to dial in your position for maximum performance while still being comfortable for the long haul.

A quality road bike is like a suit, it only looks good on you when it is tailor fit.  By getting the three contact points ( handlebars, pedals and saddle) in the right position you will find your self riding faster and longer with less soreness.  Add to this foot and knee alignment for optimal power output and injury prevention.

Getting your alignment and balance right on the bike will make riding faster and more comfortable.

Our list of fit factors includes:

• Saddle shape and angle
• Saddle height and fore-aft balance
• Handlebar shape and angle
• Choice of type of handlebar tape and padding
• Brake lever angle
• Cleat alignment and shimming with Bikefit cleat wedges
• Knee and foot alignment
• Leg length imbalances
• Pedal stroke mechanics
• Crank length
• Pedal stance width

We are currently offering Speed Factory Bike Fittings by appointment at our Cambridge location.  To book an appointment call 226-533-9090 or email us at cambridge@brauns.com

So you’ve got a bike. Now what? To fully enjoy riding you will need a few accessories to help you on your way. These are my top 10 pieces of gear that will your cycling life better.
Padded Cycling Shorts
If you ride more than just around the block you’ve probably had a sore butt or chafing at some point. Padded bike shorts go a long way in reducing back side discomfort. You can get them in the classic skin tight lycra or a baggy short with the padded short built in. The fabrics are a modern wicking material that helps pull sweat from the skin to protect the skin and be more comfortable. Either way they will give the bum some more padding, reduce chafing and help manage moisture.
Pump
A pump is one of those things that isn’t very exciting until you need it. Then it’s your best friend. I recommend both a floor pump for home use and a mini pump that you can carry on your bike in case of flats while riding. The floor pump take far fewer strokes to get a tire up to pressure making it less of a pain to inflate a tire. The mini pumps work but I only use it for on the ride repairs as they have you pumping like a mad man to get up to pressure. Far better than walking but not something I want to do every few days.
Repair Kit
Like the boy scout motto goes, “Always be prepared”. Get one of the little bags that strap under your saddle and fill it with a spare inner tube, patch kit, tire levers, fold out mini tool (allen keys, screw drivers and chain breaker) and mini pump. With this kit you can take care of most of the problems you will run into while out riding.
Chain Lube and Cleaning Supplies
A clean and lubricated chain is a happy chain. You will have better shifting and longer life to all your drive train parts if you clean and lube your chain regularly. If your lazy like me you can use Pro Link Gold chain lube which clean and lubricates in one step.
Gloves
Whether for comfort, protection or warmth, cycling gloves are a must have. You can do short rides without them but just like the bike shorts, having gloves reduces pressure and chafing.
Vest and Warmers
A wind vest, arm warmers and knee warmers take a summer cycling outfit and extends the temperature range down by 10 degrees. Of particular utility is the fact that on a cool summer morning your can start with these pieces on and as it warms up can remove and store them in your jersey pocket.
Sport Glasses
You need to protect your eyes from the sun, wind and debris. In expensive sport glasses are available with interchangable lenses so one set will cover all lighting conditions. All it takes is one bug in the eye to see how important eye protection is.
Hydration System
This can be bottles and cages on the bike or a Camelbak hydration backpack. If you are riding for more than 30 minutes or it’s hot out you need to rehydrate. You need 750-1000 ml of fluid per hour of riding and you need some way to carry it.
Light Set
Even if you are a road rider who only goes out during the day light, at some point you will get caught out as the sun goes down. A small LED front and rear light can be the difference between making it home safe and getting run over. Many of the small lights will go on your bike without adding much weight or wind drag but they are there when you need them. If you ride at night regularly a more powerful front light that throws enough light to light your way.
Bike Knowledge
All of the cool accessories in the world won’t do anything if you don’t know how to use them. Check with your local bike shop or community college as they often offer bike repair courses. If you develop the skills, things like flat tires, misaligned gears and mushy brakes will be simple fixes you can do yourself and keep riding.

Why Improve the Fit? – for a faster, more comfortable ride

You love riding your bike

 but after a while it feels more like a torture device than an extension of your body. It doesn’t have to happen. Getting your bike fit dialed in will go a long way to improving both comfort and performance. People think a fast position is low and uncomfortable but if your body won’t tolerate an aggressive then you won’t be as fast as you could be. While I can’t cover all the details of bike fit in a single article I will address some of the more common complaints and easy fixes for them.

Numb or Sore Hands
This may sound odd but the most common cause of numb hands is your seat being too far forward. Most bike saddles are on rails allowing you to move them backward and forward. Try sliding your saddle back 5-10 mm. In my own case, I have a long upper body so I need to be extra far back. I’ve got a seat post with extra offset and the saddle slid all the way back.

As well your handlebar may need to be raised or your stem swapped for length.

For every 2 mm you move your saddle back, lower your seat 1 mm as you are moving away from the pedals so it has to be compensated for. Make sure your saddle is level as well as a saddle tipped down will have you sliding forward on your hands.

Butt and Crotch
Most of your weight should be on your sit bones on the rear widest part of the saddle. If you feel like to much of the pressure is on the crotch, then lower your seat 3 mm. Test it out and keep lower a little at a time until you are supported on the sit bones with minimal pressure on the crotch or perineum area.

Sometimes with crotch and butt pain it’s just that you have the wrong saddle. If you develop sore spots in the inside of your sitbones then the saddle could be the culprit. If your saddle feels like you are sitting between the sitbones rather than on them consider a saddle that is slightly wider at the back.

Feet
If you ride in sneakers then the best thing you can do for your feet is get the biggest platform pedals you can find as your shoes don’t support your feet so the pedal has to. BMX or downhill pedals are a great way to go.

When you are running cycling shoes and clipless pedals there are a number of ways to improve foot comfort. If you are experiencing foot numbness or a hot spot in the forefoot then my first adjustment would be how you tighten your shoes when you put them on.

Start at the top, nearest your shin and work towards the toe. When you start at the toe you tend to over tighten across the ball of your foot leading to numbness.

The next step is to move your cleats back further towards the heel. Start with 5 mm and test to see if that relieves the pressure. Keep moving it back if the problem is getting better but not gone. When you move your cleats back you will have to move your seat down half the distance you moved your cleats.

If the pain is in the arch or outside of the foot then you may need to replace the stock insoles with one with more arch support. There are a few brands of heat mold-able insoles that have a firmer arch support.

Knees
Knee cap / Front of the knee
This is usually a sign your seat is too low or you are doing to much hill climbing in a big gear. Raise your seat 3 mm at a time until the pressure on your knees has eased. And while not a fitting issue, focus on spinning lighter gears, even uphill. It takes work but you will become a more efficient cyclist once your adapt your body to a higher cadence. If you have persistent pain or discomfort than you may have developed some inflammation. Going to see your doctor is a good idea in this case. Go light on the riding for a couple of weeks spinning easy gears to give the joint a chance to heal.

Back of the Knee
This is less common but is usually a sign that your seat is too high. Pain behind the knee is often accompanied by low back (along the belt line) pain as the hips will tend to rock when your seat is too high.

Sides of the Knee
If you get pain in the outside of the knee from riding it’s a sign your feet are set too narrow. This is a problem with some of the modern pedals from Look and Shimano as the stance width is narrower than older models. Most cleats will allow some side to side adjustment so you will want to move them in towards the inside of the foot which will move your feet wider. Another way to get a wider stance is to put a washer on the pedal axle between the pedal and the crankarm.

The other thing that can cause pain in the side of the knee is cleat angle. It’s most common to need the heels in a bit but that doesn’t apply to everyone. Try adjusting the angle a little and see how it feels. If it’s worse go in the other direction until the pressure eases.

Lower Back and Hips
This can be caused by a number of factors including seat to far forward, bar too low, reach to the bar too long or seat too high. Follow the step outline above and see if they help with the lower back. Other factors include tight hamstrings and pushing too hard of a gear.

Without a professional fit, it can take a bit of trial and error to correct fit problems but try the tips I’ve outlined above and you should start to see some improvement.

Happy Spring,

Why should we have to make sacrifices for convenience?  Does that not negate something actually being convenient?

So what changes with bikes?  More often than not, I see a lot of our customers come into the shop with preconceived notions of what a bike has to be.  The biggest is probably comfort and that’s unfortunate but yet a reality of what bikes used to be.  The other large feature of a bicycle that I think attracts a lot of new cyclists is convenience and ease of use.  Bikes should be something that you can get on, ride and, smile.

Montague folding bikes offer up a few solutions to make your cycling adventures easy and convenient without any sacrifices and may change your mind about riding a bicycle.  What sets Montague apart from many other folding bike companies is that they make full size folding bikes, not the small 16 or 20″ wheels you may have seen in the past.

Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Montague Bikes was started by David Montague, a MIT graduate student, while in school.  The company mantra has always been convenience, ease of use and foldable, in fact I couldn’t have put it any better than the guys at Montague themselves in this website quote about the companies history:

“A company focused on designing and producing full-size, high-performance bicycles that fold — bicycles that sacrifice nothing in performance and still provide the folding benefit for space saving convenience.”

How many times have you found yourself giving up the bike for an alternate pass time or mode of transportation due to lack of space?  Montague may entice you to think twice with one of their great folding bike options.

The advantage of having a full size folder is that you have the very familiar feel and predictable handling of a regular bicycle.  A full size folder removes any concern of  where you need to store it.   It is easy to get to work or put it on a bus or train, the bicycle folds in seconds.

Montague offers a variety of folding models to choose from.  Perhaps one of the more interesting bike is the original Montague – the Paratrooper.

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The result of a two year grant from the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to design an electric bike for the Marine Corps!  Talk about tough!  The basic design on the paratrooper has gone on to inspire several different models from Montague such as the Swissbike series.

Recent other additions to the Montague line up have included the more urbanized Boston and Boston 8 (Boston pictured below), perhaps THE perfect commuter bike.  The Boston comes in a very pure and simple single speed, where it’s bigger brother comes in a Shimano Nexus 1 x 8 speed configuration-weather proof and low maintenance.  Both bikes have 700 c wheels rather than the 26 ” found on the paratrooper and swiss bikes.

If you enjoy traveling, why not bring your bike along with you?  Montague offers carrying cases in hard shell or soft shell variants to make travel, especially by air, a lot easier.  Again, the list of convenience features for your favorite outings go on, camping or for the RV?  What about boating?  What a great way to visit a few ports enjoy our great Canadian landscape or tour around the cottage.

Montague offers you an alternative to the traditional bicycle without any inconvenience or hassle that you may have been previously trying to contend with.  Go forth ride and be happy!  Simply,  your problems may have just been solved.

Till next time.

P,

Injuries suck.

No really, being a cyclist is awesome until you get injured well, I guess the same would hold true for any sport.  But the down time is the killer!

Around the beginning of June I tore some pretty key ligaments in my wrist while on a pretty wicked (up until the time of injury) mountain bike ride.  Doc said no more mountain biking for awhile but he DIDN’T say I couldn’t ride my road bike .  I’m lucky enough to own a few bikes, my Argon 18 Radon being one of them.  So my season thus far has been a lot more as a roadie than anything else.  I have also had to keep the typing to a minimum and wear a robo cop/spiderman hybrid looking brace thus not a ton going on in my blog world.

Good news:  I seem to be back in great health, ventured down to Woodstock last weekend to hit some trails and all systems seemed go.

So during the many Km’s i racked up so far this summer during my road rides, one thing became inherently clear to me.  Referencing my previous post regarding bike comfort while riding road, specifically picking up a decent pair of gloves, one thing occcured to me that i hadn’t mentioned in previous posts.

As much as gloves will certainly add to ride comfort, let’s not forget bar wrap.

For those new riders that may not be aware, bar wrap or bar tape is the material (usually cork or synthetic base) that your curved handler bar is wrapped in for both grip and comfort.

For a lot of us, replacing your bar tape is usually one of the last things you would think of on a bike unless it is visably worn through or ripped or, coming unwound.  However replacing your bar wrap from older stuff or the stock tape that came on a new bike can make a huge comfort difference.

Aside from providing a grip area on your bars, your bar wrap will actually aid in dampening the vibration that works it’s way through the bike and into your hands.  vibration in the bike happens on any bike, be it carbon or aluminum, the better materials of course like carbon and titanium drastically reduce and dampen vibration but it is still present on our sometimes not so great Ontario roads.

Of course with a wrist injury, this became very important to me.  Well not giving up cycling totally, i wanted to recover as quickly as possible so that i could once again enjoy the dirt side of the sport.  I decided to upgrade my bar wrap from the rather lackluster stuff that came with the bike.

Most basic bar wraps consist of a cork or minimalist synthetic base but, as an upgrade you can get gel wrap or even add thin gel pads underneath your wrap.  Now i know the weight weenies out there will be complaining that this does add a little bit of weight to the bike, which is true but, this upgrade would not be for the cyclist that races but rather for the “century” rider, those of us that want to just get on the bike and eat some Km’s.

I decided to try the Fizik Bar Gel Kit which is a kit consisting of a softer almost leather feel tape and some smaller gel inserts that can be custom cut and placed under the wrap.  Their was no noticeable thickness difference of the wrap with the gel inserts and comfort was dramatically increased,  although i have no medical evidence that this increased my recovery time from injury, it certainlywas a lot better on the wrist from the previous stock wrap – this i am sure of.

So if you have some good gloves but are still maybe wondering what else you can try ? maybe it’s time to look at this simple low cost upgrade to your bike – could be the difference between happy ride or…not so much

P

Safety Equipment

Safety Check

Basic Bicycle Safety Checklist:

Bolts/Quick release levers

Check that bolts and/or quick release levers on the seat, seat post, handlebar stem and axles are tight.

Headset

Check that it turns freely and doesn’t rattle.

Brakes

Check that the nuts on the brakes are tight. Brake pads should not touch the rims unless you are squeezing the brakes. Brake levers should stop at least 2.5 centimetres from the handlebars when the brakes are fully applied.

Axles

Check bearings for looseness by shaking the wheel side to side. Make sure quick release levers are clamped tight.

Shift Levers

Derailleur levers should move easily only when shifting. A screw or butterfly nut or similar device lets you adjust the movement of some types of shifter levers.

Derailleur Movement

On derailleur bikes, try shifting through all your gears and make sure your derailleur does not throw the chain off the sprockets.

Tires

Inflate to the recommended tire pressure as shown on the tire.

Spokes

Check for and replace loose, bent or broken spokes.

Wheels

Make sure wheels are centred in the forks and not touching the brake blocks. Check the rim for side-to-side wobbles and up and down hops by watching the wheel spin past the brakes or frame. More than half a centimetre of wobble is cause for concern.

Coaster Brakes

Check that the bolt holding the brake arm to the frame clip is tight.

Helmet

             Make sure that your helmet meets safety standards (e.g. Snell, CSA, ANSI,   ASTM, BSI, SAA, CPSC) and has not been damaged in a collision.

Keep your bike secure

Always carry a quality bicycle lock when riding and always lock your bike and quick release items like your wheels and seat to something solid.

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Over the next number of blogs we will cover Safety Equipment (Sizing, Safety Check, Helmets, Visibility), Handling Skills, Riding in Traffic (Where, Intersections, Signs and traffic signals, Dealing with trucks and buses), Obstacles and Road surfaces, Cycling and the Law and Electric Bicycles.  Stay tuned for the next few weeks as we cover some important information to keep YOU safe while cycling!

Watch for” CYCLING SKILLS (Safe Cycling)  Part 3 – Safety Equipment -Helmets” in the Blog on Monday, August 2nd.

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The above information is taken from the Government of Ontario website and addresses “Ontario’s Guide to Safe Cycling”.  For more information please see http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/pubs/cycling-guide/index.shtml .

Safety Equipment

Sizing Your Bike

There is a variety of bicycles on the market to choose from. Whether you’re choosing a touring, sport, mountain or hybrid bicycle, it should fit properly, making it easy to control and comfortable to ride.

Check these important fitting points on your bicycle.

Frame Size

Frame size varies by type of bicycle, but as a general rule, you should be able to stand flat-footed over your bike’s frame (top tube) with two to five centimetres of space. For a woman’s frame bike, when sitting on the seat, the base of the seat should be at least five centimetres above the seat tube when the tips of both feet touch the ground.

Seat and Handlebar Height Adjustment

Seat

Positioning your seat properly will help make your pedalling more efficient and reduce strain on your knees. To ensure your seat is at the correct height, sit on the seat with the balls of your feet on the pedals. At the bottom of the pedal stroke, your legs should be almost straight with your knees slightly bent.

Handlebars

In a normal riding position, your weight should be evenly balanced, allowing you to rest your hands lightly on the handlebars. You can adjust the tilt of your seat and the height of your handlebars to achieve a good balance of weight.

Your handlebar stem and seat post must be at least five centimetres into the frame. Both usually have a mark that indicates the maximum extension point. Longer seat posts and stems are available if you need them.

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Over the next number of blogs we will cover Safety Equipment (Sizing, Safety Check, Helmets, Visibility), Handling Skills, Riding in Traffic (Where, Intersections, Signs and traffic signals, Dealing with trucks and buses), Obstacles and Road surfaces, Cycling and the Law and Electric Bicycles.  Stay tuned for the next few weeks as we cover some important information to keep YOU safe while cycling!

Watch for “ CYCLING SKILLS (Safe Cycling) Part 2 – Safety Equipment -Safety Check” in the Blog on Thursday, July 29th.

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The above information is taken from the Government of Ontario website and addresses “Ontario’s Guide to Safe Cycling”.  For more information please see http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/pubs/cycling-guide/index.shtml .

A very common question I get asked at the shop is “What can I do to alleviate wrist pain or numb hands when riding?”  Although the answer is sometimes not simple and could be a host of issues with both bike set up, type of rider and size of bike, something that will never hinder your comfort is a good set of cycling gloves.

Our friends at Louis Garneau have always had a solid glove line up in addition to their performance apparel and gear and this year they have a new model called the Vent Flex.

Before we get started  talking about how awesome the addition of the L/G Vent Flex can be to your ride, let’s briefly discuss the differences between various types of gloves themselves so we’re all on the same page.  Generally you have two types:  half finger and full finger.  Usually a full finger gloved is used by off road cyclists as it gives a more aggressive grip and offers further hand and knuckle protection against tree branches and other obstacles.  Full finger gloves usually have less padding in the palm area because off road cyclists demand a solid grip and ride with hands that are constantly moving and adjusting the weight of the body based on terrain.

Half finger gloves typically suit the more recreational cyclist or those that enjoy road riding  as these cyclists tend to adopt a more static hand posture for  longer periods of time thus increased padding in the palm with a light and breathable back.

When temperatures change, some of the qualities of both gloves can be transferable i.e some off road cyclists prefer half finger gloves in really hot temperatures and road riders will source long finger gloves when riding early or late in the season etc.  Essentially, there aren’t any hard and fast rules for gloves in a general sense. Use what is comfortable and  works for you.

Now with the background complete on to the product!

The L/G Vent Flex, available in men’s or women’s, came to mind when discussing gloves because they have really made a big comfort difference to my ride this season.  My former gloves were a bit worn out and the padding was compressed and worn…great excuse for an upgrade!

Referring to my previous statements, L/G Vent Flex would be classified as mostly a road riding glove.  It’s construction and padding placement leans more towards the rider that is going to be using a drop handlebar style.  That is what they are designed for.  They will, of course, work for other cyclists.

The Vent Flex is a very light weight glove that features 5 mm thick gel foam palm padding and L/G’s “air zone” construction,  meaning the glove is very breathable.  The upper thumb is made of a really nice microfiber cloth for wicking away sweat, bug guts and all that nice stuff from the face.

One clever feature that I like is the rubberized pull tabs on the fingers.  These are designed so that it is a lot easier to get the glove off, rather than pulling them inside out all the time.  The material that the gloves are made of is fully washable too but they should be air dried rather than piling them in a dryer.

So if you’re a roadie and you are  tired of numb hands or you’re a cyclist that just wants a better, super comfortable glove then stop by one of our locations and try a pair of Louis Garneau Vent Flex glove.  Your hands will thank you!

Hey everyone,

Hope you’ve all been enjoying our unseasonably wet spring!

It has been a busy week at the shop, and finding time to write these posts seems increasingly more difficult. The one thing on my side at the moment is all the (for the most part) unwanted rain we have been receiving in the past few weeks. For those who prefer not to ride in the rain… they may have to put the bike back on the hook and focus on indoor activities. However, for us devotees out there, there is a way to continue to enjoy riding, even when the weather is unfavorable.

Indoor Trainers and Rollers offer all the physical benefits and enjoyment of a ride, without having to leave the comfort of your own living room! Pictured above is an example of a Tacx rear wheel, fixed bicycle trainer. These styles of trainers attach to the quick release of your rear wheel, and a resistance roller is placed in contact with either, the running surface or sidewall of your tire. These trainers are great as they allow you to pedal the bicycle without having to maintain balance. They do require the use of a specially formulated trainer tire, which is designed for the repetitive contact on the running surface or sidewall and will not deform or fatigue as a result of the heat generated. These tires are available in both 26″ and 700c sizes. You will also need a riser block for the front wheel, as the trainer raises the back wheel off the ground. The riser blocks are available in varying heights and are adjustable so that climbs and descents can be simulated on the trainer. As a result of this unseasonably wet weather and being a respectful rider and not wanting to damage the trails, I elected to install my trainer tire back on one of my rigs in order to be able to enjoy cycling no matter the outside conditions.

Rollers (as mentioned earlier and seen in the above photo) work on a similar premise. However, the bike is not fixed to the rollers and the rider is responsible for maintaining balance on the bike. They provide a much more realistic riding experience but they do require far more concentration when using inside the home.

The best part about either style is that they allow you to maintain your regular riding schedule, no matter the weather conditions and do so in the comfort and convenience of your own home. I personally find setting up the trainer in view of a TV and catching part of a game, or throwing a movie on, is the best way to stay motivated. There are also simulation ride DVDs in a first person point of view which can be purchased in order to keep you even more involved in your exercise.

There are those times however, where there is nothing better then going out for a nice ride in the cool rain on a quiet afternoon and if the forcast is correct thats what my ride may end up being. Make sure you check out the trainers, but remember there is a lot of world out there… and you want to see as much of it as you can!

Until next time, make sure you stay on the rollers!

Bryan

Explaining the mystery of saddle (seat) selection

Quite simply – If your bike seat hurts, it’s either not yet set up properly or it may be the wrong saddle for you!  If it hurts to ride, you will not ride as much as you otherwise would and you will not enjoy it.  So saddle comfort is really important.

There are a number of details a cyclist needs to consider when selecting their bicycle seat.  Here are the main ones:

1. There are gender specific shapes and widths of seats
2. What is the seat is made out of 
3. What padding the seat supports you with
4.  The positioning of the various padding systems internally within the saddle structure

Then once you have selected the correct seat you need to mount it to your bike in a way that you will benefit most from.  In other words, you need to be comfortable and this is done by having the seat correctly positioned on your bicycle.

1. The (up and down) angle of the seat
2. The fore vs aft position of the seat as it compares to the seat post & pedals
3. Is the seat straight relative to the bicycle frame

This may seem like a lot of things to consider, but if you aren’t comfortable when you sit on your bike seat and start to ride, almost nothing else will matters.