Cyclist
SaddleSpur: Reshaping cycling
SaddleSpur is a radical reinvention of the cycling seat that’s been seven years in the making.
How has its inventor, John Downing, redefined the most basic of bike components? He has designed his seat with a 15cm padded spur (hence the name) at the rear, which SaddleSpur doesn’t just claim to improve cycling comfort, efficiency and performance, but which is backed up by extensive scientific research.
Dr Dan Gordon, Associate Professor in Sport and Exercise Sciences at Anglia Ruskin University, concluded that SaddleSpur is ‘a unique invention that has the potential to reshape the cycling industry’. How? Here’s how…
Great British innovation
For those of a certain age, the design of the SaddleSpur has a hint of ‘Raleigh Chopper’ to it, but while the 1970s kid’s bike’s seat was effectively a take-off of American motorcycle design, the crafting of SaddleSpur has function at its heart, rather than form.
By introducing a secure, padded base at the rear (the spur), the rider has something to push back on, giving extra purchase and more power with each pedal stroke. As well as providing that extra support, it also, as SaddleSpur puts it, ‘repositions the pelvic cradle, creating a more harmonious interaction between the cyclist and the bike.’
Developed with funding from Innovate UK Edge, a British government research funding vehicle, the SaddleSpur has been awarded patents in the UK, 12 European countries, the US, Japan, China, Australia and New Zealand – a testament to British ingenuity which blends comfort, style, and engineering excellence.
This saddle soars
While that unique spur design, effectively anchoring the rider to the bike, enables greater transfer of power to the pedals, this isn’t achieved at the expense of comfort. In fact, the two benefits go hand in hand. Or, rather, coccyx in saddle… The expanded surface area of the spur serves to actively remove pressure and friction from the sit bones, eliminating the aches we’ve all felt on a long ride. SaddleSpur call this ‘coccyx connection’ the ‘fifth touch point of cycling’.
To further promote comfort in the nether regions, a cut-out along the length of the saddle provides an aperture that’s designed to relieve pressure to the more sensitive parts of the anatomy, for any gender. Polyurethane foam padding provides additional protection, as well as comfort.
It has undergone extensive testing in the real world, by groups ranging from triathletes to weekend cyclists, and their feedback has been of universal enjoyment. But, as well as anecdotal evidence, there’s rigorous scientific research to bolster SaddleSpur’s claims.
Scientifically quicker
To add substance to their performance claims, the makers enlisted the help of 12 seasoned cyclists – six men and six women – plus the facilities and expertise of academics at the Cambridge Centre for Sport and Exercise Studies, based at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge. The findings and conclusions of their research were astonishing. Using indoor cycling technology, the subjects took on the 10-mile Planche des Belles Filles time-trial from the 2022 Tour de France, using a variety of saddles, including the SaddleSpur. Data collection over the challenging course (which topped out at a 20% gradient) was as exhaustive as the TT itself, with cardio response, EMG readings, perceived discomfort among the metrics being recorded.
Pivotal insights were forthcoming. For starters, the riders reported far less discomfort when using the SaddleSpur, especially in the final three miles of the uphill time-trial. And less discomfort translates directly to increased efficiency. Also, the SaddleSpur seat allowed them to push harder when the going got really tough. Despite losing time to the other saddles in the first seven miles of the test, on the later, steeper sections, riders on the SaddleSpur not only clawed back a 27-second deficit, but also finished, on average, 11 seconds quicker compared to their time on a conventional saddle.
So, it’s no surprise to learn that Dr Gordon, Associate Professor in Sport and Exercise Sciences at Ruskin, remarked: ‘These findings show that the saddle could have a huge potential for cycling, through the reduced discomfort of riding and the potentially enhanced efficiency when riding up steep inclines.’
• To buy the SaddleSpur and redefine your own ride, visit www.saddlespur.com
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