Having read through all this you’re quite possibly now wondering if you’ll ever find the right seat to match not only your body but also your riding preferences and style.

However, there are plenty of options available to help you to get it right. An increasing number of enlightened shops now have ‘saddle libraries’; basically a selection of seats from a number of manufacturers and for a small deposit you take one for a week or so and use it on your own bike until you find the one that works best for you.

If you want to take a more scientific route then you need to find a store that along with bike fitting has the ability to measure your sit bones and advise on the most suitable seat.

As we mentioned at the top, saddle manufacturers are also increasingly offering a fit system that helps you find the right saddle. Selle Italia dealers can use the Italian firm’s idmatch system, which takes your general parameters (age, gender, weight, etc.), intertrochanteric distance (the width of your sit bones), thigh circumference and pelvic rotation to establish which saddle best meets your needs. Fizik’s Spine Concept, on the other hand, makes a saddle suggestion based on the rider’s flexibility, and goals (from performance/comfort to comfort/pressure relief). As a result, it’s worth doing your research and seeing whether your preferred manufacturer (or a range of manufacturers) can offer a helping hand.

Ultimately when it comes to saddles, it can often be a case of trial and error, but use all the tools and information at your disposal and you have a better chance of finding a comfy saddle for many happy miles.