Types of Bicycle Seat Covers
Bicycle seat covers come in a variety of sizes and styles, to fit various types of bicycle seats as well as different types of cyclists. Serious cyclists may want bicycle seat covers to help provide maximum comfort and performance during races or long trips. Casual bike riders may want seat covers for extra padding, and to prevent and relieve aches and pains. Riders of all types may want bicycle seat covers that look good, and protect the bicycle seat.
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Types
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Bicycle seats come in various types and materials, including padded seat covers, sheepskin covers, decorative covers and rain covers. Padded covers generally have spandex or a similar soft, stretchy material on the outside over a layer of gel. Decorative covers are also often made of spandex, and come in a variety of colors and patterns. Although some padded gel covers come in a variety of colors, most are black while decorative covers are thin and simply change the color of the seat. Sheepskin covers, made of genuine wool, add a minimal amount of padding to the seat and absorb perspiration. Rain covers may be made from plastic, nylon or oilcloth.
Function
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Bicycle seat covers have three main functions: to make the seat more comfortable, to change the look of the seat and to protect the seat from wet weather or perspiration. Some types of seat covers, such as gel and sheepskin covers, may serve all three functions and can stay on the bicycle seat all the time. Other types, such as rain covers, have only one purpose, and only go on the bike when the rider is not using it and storing it outdoors. Rain covers keep bicycle seats dry, and are especially important for protecting leather seats that can be damaged by rain.
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Size
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Bicycle seat covers come in a variety of sizes, to fit different types of seats. Most fit seats within a certain size range, and include a drawstring or elastic on the underside to adjust to the size of a particular seat. Some typical seat styles include long, narrow racing bike seats that allow the rider to lean forward, mountain bike seats that allow the rider to move back and forth while traveling over various types of ground, and wide seats for casual riders who want maximum comfort. Alternative seats often include two sections with space in the middle to avoid putting pressure on the rider, and may require specially sized covers. Recumbent bicycles tend to have wide, chair-style seats that may use specially sized seat covers for extra padding. Gel bicycle seat covers also come in various thicknesses, such as 3/4-inch, 1-inch, 1 1/8-inch or 1 1/2-inch, depending on how much padding the rider desires.
Benefits
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A gel bicycle seat cover adds padding to the seat, and it can also adjust the shape or height a bit to make it more comfortable for the rider. A bicycle seat that fits the rider well can reduce ailments such as chafing, pressure pains, backaches and groin irritation. Although some riders may need specially shaped seats to be comfortable on a bicycle, padded seat covers can provide relief for many riders at a much lower cost than buying a new bicycle seat. Most gel and spandex covers are also weatherproof, and sheepskin covers absorb perspiration during hot weather and keep the seat warm during cold weather.
Considerations
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When choosing a bicycle seat cover, riders should consider whether they want a seat cover for comfort and padding, to keep the seat dry or to provide decoration, then choose a type of seat cover that suits this purpose. Riders with specialty bicycle seats may need to order a seat cover from an online store, or even from the seat manufacturer, since most bike shops only stock standard seat sizes. Riders with standard seats may wish to try out various styles and thicknesses of bicycle seat covers in person to find one they find most comfortable.
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