Gel Bike Seat Covers – What are they and Should You Get One?
While mountain biking, having a comfortable seat is one of the most important things you can do to improve you experience on the trail. Take it from someone who spent their first year of riding on a seat that was adjusted improperly — having a comfortable seat can make a world of difference, and can even stave off health problems for men! In our guide on how to make a bike seat more comfortable, using a gel bike seat cover is one of our tips and it is what we will be talking about in detail in this informational guide.
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The Lowdown on Gel Bike Seat Covers
In this article we will talk about what gel bike seat covers are, what they’re made of, how you should use one, and whether or not getting a gel bike seat cover is the right idea for you. Whether you are looking to get some more information on a gel bike seat cover or are looking for a new cover all together this article is sure to cover everything you need to know about gel bike seat covers. This is not a buyer’s guide so the information will be more generalized for all gel bike seat covers however we will recommend some of our favorite brands so be sure to read until the end! With all the boring introductory information out of the way lets dive in to some gel bike seat covers!
What is a bike seat cover?
The first thing that you might be asking yourself is what exactly is a bike seat cover? Well the answer is pretty straight forward. Simply put a bike seat cover is an all-around covering for you bike seat that is intended to make your seat more comfortable. Designed more for mountain bikers and road bikes rather than cruisers, bike seat covers can be made out of a variety of different materials and are great at making the sometimes uncomfortable bike seats much more bearable.
Often you will see bike seat covers that are made of memory foam material, however not all covers are made equal. Understanding the design and quality of a gel/ memory foam bike seat cover is integral to making sure you make the right decision about your new seat cover. Bike seat covers serve a variety of uses however the number one reason to buy a bike seat cover will always be to make your ride more comfortable.
What is a gel bike seat cover made of?
When you hear the word gel many of you will be confused just like I was when I first learned about gel bike seat covers a number of years ago. My first thought when I heard of these seat covers was how could that make a seat more comfortable. I pictured a mini water bed on my bike saddle and couldn’t imagine how that could possible improve my ride. However as you probably know by now the “gel” in a gel bike seat cover is not viscous like you might think, it is more like the memory foam of high end mattresses.
This material, when produced properly from a reliably manufacturer is comfortable, durable, and the perfect choice for a bike seat cover. Unlike other materials high quality memory foam has a tendency to bounce back to form, keeping its springiness even after extended use. If you have bought a lower end seat cover before you’ll know how quickly they can wear out and become useless.
Buying a bike seat cover that is not only comfortable when you first purchase it but stays comfortable even after you have used it for a long time is very important. We know how frustrating it can be to buy low quality products, and after being in the mountain biking industry for many years we know firsthand how many cheaply made products there are. At the end of this guide to gel bike seat covers we will tell you our three favorite companies who have never let us down in terms of quality or comfort.
Why should I buy a gel bike seat cover?
Well in our professional opinion anyone who is not concerned about high level racing should get a gel bike seat cover as there really is no downside to it. If you are a bike racer and are looking to reduce weight as much as possible we understand not wanting to add an additional component to you mountain bike however for everyone else we highly recommend a gel bike seat cover.
Even if you are not having any trouble with the comfortability of your bike seat, you will never know how much more comfortable you could be with a seat cover. These days high quality bike seat covers are relatively inexpensive and provide excellent cushion without compromising your feel for the seat. New age gel bike seat covers are thin, durable, and weigh very little, which results in you having a more comfortable and enjoyable ride without sacrificing almost any of your performance.
If you are having any issues with the comfort of your bike we first recommend reading our guide on how to make your bike seat more comfortable. One of our pro tips in that guide is to get a gel bike seat cover however there are other tips and tricks that you can use as well.
Conclusion
Like many things in life getting a gel bike seat cover is not going to dramatically change your riding experience. However, if you are having any discomfort while riding, or simply want to make your saddle more comfortable we highly recommend trying out a gel bike seat cover and seeing if you enjoy it. I switched to riding with a gel bike seat cover and rarely leave my garage on my bike without it. I’ve noticed that when using it I can ride longer, and even after a long ride I feel better than I did before I started using it. The gel bike seat cover makes my rides more comfortable and after using it for over a year it still feels as good as new.
As always we hope you found this information useful, if you have any suggestions on what we should write about next please leave us a comment and we will get back to you right away.