Hi we get a lot of questions about choosing saddles there are two common themes

1. Which saddle should I choose for comfort

2. What saddle will fit my seatpost?

I will concentrate on the first question today

The first thing to bear in mind is that your sit bones should support your weight if you are experiencing soft tissue discomfort it is possible your position on the bike is wrong be sure to have the saddle set up parallel to the ground or with the nose dipped slightly. You should have a slight bend in your leg at the bottom of the pedal stroke (in your cycling shoes -clipped in if you ride clipless pedals) when seated in the saddle. Bars should not be too low or too far away (causing your weight to press on your soft tissue areas) space limits talking of specific fitting advice here.

As regards comfort as stated above your body weight has to be supported, so a firm saddle is more comfortable in the long run than a softer saddle but there is a process of breaking in involved.

Saddles with holes are a solution to poor set up and ergonomics and not a viable alternative to proper position (how many tour riders do you
see with holy saddles??)

So if you are riding lots of miles choose a firm saddle wide enough to support your sit bones and allow a little time to grow used to it, but most importantly check your position.

For riders who only ride infrequently or for short distances a softer saddle may offer a suitable alternative and there may be a case for a saddle with a central hole.