If you’re easily bruised or not used to cycling long distances, a cycle seat can be a pretty uncomfortable place to sit. Luckily, one way to quickly have a more comfortable ride when cycling is by investing in a gel bike seat cover.
The semi-rigid gel padding of gel bike seat covers provides extra cushioning between the rider and the seat. Its structure balances perfectly between comfort and support, and its consistency works well to reduce and absorb shocks and jolts. Many of them have a hardwearing, moisture-wicking or neoprene outer and attach firmly to a seat via a drawcord fastening. It's also commonplace for a bike seat cover to have a non-slip lining, helping to keep it in place and reduce slipping and sliding.
Related: The best road cycle helmets | The best cycling watch 2021
Gel bike seat covers are an affordable and convenient solution to sore behinds, providing you with comfort and avoid the potentially expensive hassle of purchasing and installing a new heavily padded seat.
Another of their strengths is that they can be removed and added whenever needed. If you’re planning to spend a bank holiday cycling, a gel bike seat cover can be carried until it’s needed, or just as some welcome assurance if any discomfort arises on the route.
Related: The best cycling backpacks for road, mountain and commuting
Before you buy… make sure that you measure your seat! Though it appears that all bike saddles are the same, there are several different shapes and sizes available. For example, racing and mountain biking (MTB) seats tend to be narrow, while commuting and city bikes often have wider saddles. Pick up one that is too small and there's no way it will fit, and one that’s too large will be baggy and slip around.
The best gel bike seat cover shortlist:
• Souke Sports Gel Bike Seat Cover
• WizMove Gel Bike Seat Cover
• BioFlex GelFlo Anatomic Saddle Cover
• Cube RFR City Bike Gel Cover
• Zacro Gel Bike Seat Cover
The best for sporty bikes
Description
The Souke Sports Gel Bike Seat is designed for narrow road and MTB seats. It combines gel and foam to create a low profile but comfortable cushion. Thereu2019s also venting for improved airflow and cooling. The seat cover is held into place using a Velcro fastening and the underside has anti-slip lining. A free rain cover is included.
The best for staying in place
Description
The WizMove Gel Bike Seat Cover has a lot going on. Its gel padding is great at absorbing shocks, and it has two ways of securing the cover in place: a drawstring fastening and a pillar strap. Thereu2019s even additional support on the underside of the cover, with sticky silicon pads to better hold position and prevent slippage. A nice bonus here is that the cover comes with a free weather-resistant cover.
The best for city bikes
www.rutlandcycling.com
Description
The Cube RFR City Bike Gel Cover is ideal for commuters. Its wide and ergonomic design is comfortable for city bikes, and can easily be fitted via the drawstring fastening.
Recommended
www.wiggle.co.uk
Description
The BioFlex GelFlo is designed to fit both road and MTB saddles. It fits into a seat via a drawstring enclosure. Its well-proportioned, comfortable and holds its position well. The cover fits bike seats with widths of between 178mm to 203mm.
Recommended
Description
The Zacro Gel Bike Seat Cover is a softly padded option for wider saddles (its width is around 190mm). Thereu2019s a dotted non-slip bottom to hold it in place on the seat and a drawstring fastening. Itu2019s basic, but it does the job for larger seats and shorter journeys. A lightweight waterproof cover is included.
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William Lobley is a Senior Content Writer and reviewer for WhatsTheBest, specialising in technology and outdoors. He also writes for Empire Online.
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