It would never have come to our mind that we would publish this article at the end of March. Actually, we had planned it for the next off-season. But in unusual times full of “actually” nothing is as it was – and so we publish the post already now. In the coming weeks a lot of athletes around the world will spend a lot of time at home on the bike trainer instead of outside on roads or trails. And that’s exactly what our story is all about: more riding comfort during indoor training.

No matter whether for road cyclists, triathletes or mountain bikers: in cycling, training on the bike trainer is a very interesting and practical alternative to riding in the cold or rain outside. Or just in times like these, when in view of the corona crisis people in many countries should not or are not permitted to leave their houses or apartments if not for really urgent reasons.

Technology has made great progress in recent years with smart trainers or direct drive systems plus software solutions such as Zwift, TrainerRoad and Co. that make training indoors particularly efficient and entertaining. However, one problem that is as unpopular as it is widespread is even more prominent in indoor training than outdoors: saddle soreness. Because unlike during the “real” ride in the open air, an athlete riding on a bike trainer sits in the same almost fixed position for a comparatively long time. After all, he does not have to brake or steer, and he also gets out of the saddle less often. As a result, the strain on the buttocks is significantly higher. “Typical discomfort like numbness or pain due to excessive pressure on nerve tracts and blood vessels in sensitive body regions tend to occur more often when riding on a bike trainer”, says sports scientist and gebioMized saddle developer Mathias Brandner. Accordingly, it is important to have a saddle that fits the athlete as well as possible and which is perfectly positioned on the bike.

This is exactly where the Secret Saddle Club (SSC) with their gebioMized saddles comes into play. “Our saddle pressure measurements show again and again: exchanging the old saddle for a model from the SSC line which fits the athlete leads to significant improvements in the form of lower peak loads and overall more evenly distributed pressure on the buttocks. This is already valid before we even start with the actual optimization of the riding position in the bike fitting process”, explains Brandner.

The example shows: Just from changing from the original saddle to the gebioMized Sleak 145, the contact area between saddle and cyclist was increased and the pressure peaks reduced significantly.

SCIENTIFICALLY DEVELOPED WITH PRESSUREMAPPING-DATA FROM THE TRAINER

It is important to note that our Area, Sleak and Stride models were not only developed under scientific conditions, but also directly on the bike trainer so to speak. This is because the knowledge gained not only from extensive testing on the road but also from many hundreds of pressure measurements during indoor training was considered in the development process.

As of today not only road cyclists but also triathletes in particular can benefit from this work. Because the gebioMized Stride, predestined for triathlon and time trial, also performs excellently when used on a bike trainer. “On the Stride I can sit comfortably in different positions and I don’t feel as if I am embedded in concrete”, says Ironman world champion Anne Haug. And Mathias Brandner adds: “More and more triathletes mount their triathlon bikes on the bike trainer for their specific training in order to squeeze in an appropriate amount of training and get used to their riding position. The Stride is especially suitable for training on the bike trainer due to its flattened front. And the choice of two different degrees of hardness helps to find the right Stride for every triathlete. For example professional athletes like Nils Frommhold, Daniela Bleymehl or Florian Angert, who are part of our Secret Saddle Club Triathlon Squad 2020.

Mathias Brandner and his team of developers also focused on indoor training when working on the Area and Sleak models, which are designed primarily for road and mountain bikes. “By combining the T- and V-shape with a flat or more curved saddle surface, the right saddle for every type of load can be selected from the eight different models in the Sleak and Area series,” says the sports scientist.

OUR OFFER: BUY NOW, FIT LATER

A cyclist usually finds out which saddle is the right one for him in an appointment with one of our members of the Secret Saddle Club, i.e. with one of the bike fitters who have not only supported the development of the saddles with their input and feedback, but now also have them in their portfolio.

However, since in the current situation it is not advisable to make appointments on site, we have considered an alternative: Our partnering bike fitters, and therefore members of the Secret Saddle Club, can use our new gebioMized Saddle Selector Tool combined with a consultation by phone or e-mail, to determine quite exactly which saddle will fit best.

This saddle is then sent to the customer by mail and assembled by the customer himself, gladly with the advice of the bike fitter. Considering the current circumstances, this allows for the best possible position – and thus a noticeable gain in comfort with less saddle soreness during indoor training. A professional bike fitter will make the final adjustment as soon as our everyday life gets back to normal. Then the cyclist will sit perfectly on the saddle and can enjoy the ride out in the open all the more.

EXCLUSIVE FOR MEMBERS OF THE SECRET SADDLE CLUB: THE NEW GEBIOMIZED SADDLE SELECTOR