De Soto Bike Seat Cushion Review

You know, that nagging pain in your rear end that seems to scream every time you hop on your bike for a long ride. Maybe you need a De Soto bike seat cushion.

Saddle discomfort is the leading reason cited by Ironman triathletes that they want to fix. During an Ironman, you’re pushing yourself to the limit, giving it everything you’ve got. And when you’re riding at that level of intensity, even the smallest discomfort can feel like a giant roadblock.

Plus, there’s the mental aspect to consider. When you’re battling saddle discomfort, it’s hard to focus on anything else. Your mind starts to wander, your motivation wanes, and suddenly, that finish line seems like a million miles away.

Solution: The De Soto Saddle Pad

Price: $48

The smart people at De Soto have been a leading manufacturer of triathlon clothing and accessories for many years. They began looking into improving saddle discomfort for athletes way back in 2017, and now have pads that will fit most bike seats (over 150 different bike saddles).

De Soto is addressing saddle discomfort head-on and finding solutions that work for you.

I have had 20 saddles over the years and all seem good for a while, but the longer the rides, the louder my butt complains. I got to the point where I thought this was just part of racing Ironman distance races.

During the winter I’m stuck inside riding my trainer. Saddle sores are a real concern since you’re not moving as much on the seat and the same exact spots on your rump are chafed over and over again.

I do my rides in tri shorts, and they lack padding by design. Having an easy way to add padding to my bike seat was an interesting approach I wanted to investigate.

I measured my seat in a few places and ordered the right seat pad from the De Soto website, and it arrived a week later.

Material and Construction

The De Soto Bike Seat Cushion is made of GreenGoma 5mm wetsuit rubber material. Basically, it’s the exact material in a wetsuit, but it’s flipped inside out. So the part you sit on is what you’d normally find on the inside of the best triathlon wetsuits.

The stitching is top-notch and appears to be built to last many years.

Also, black is the only option at the moment.

Installing the De Soto Bike Seat Cushion

With your seat cushion, you get a QR code to scan that will take you to the installation instructions.

De Soto has a webpage explaining how to install the seat pad and an accompanying video. It’s simple and straightforward. It’s basically like putting a very tight-fitting sock on your seat.

The De Soto bike seat pad slips on over your favorite saddle and instantly gives it a little more “plush” feeling. This padding molds to your body and absorbs shocks to help alleviate saddle discomfort.

However, anyone who has put on a triathlon wetsuit knows that you can tear the rubber material, especially with your fingernails. So be careful during this process, and make sure your seat does not have any sharp areas on it.

I had a few questions and had to contact customer support since I have a behind-the-seat bottle holder. The De Soto people were very helpful with my few questions, and installation ended up being quick and easy. The pad goes on very tight and doesn’t move once installed.

It definitely won’t slide around, which is what you want. It’s like it becomes part of the saddle.

One downside to this adventure is that you do lose the aesthetics of your expensive seat in favor of a happier butt. The De Soto seat pad is more about function over fashion.

Comfort and Performance

The time has come to test this out. I loaded up my favorite cycling app and hopped on board.

My initial reaction was that I don’t move as easily on the seat. The material on the seat pad and my shorts are not as slippery. I was not sure if this was good or bad, especially since I do move around a bit when racing.

The more I thought about this though, the more appreciated this.

When I’m really putting forth a huge effort, I’m sitting on the tip of the saddle. When doing this, I slowly slide backward and have to keep moving towards the front of the seat. With the De Soto bike seat cushion, I don’t slide back. I’m not repositioning myself all the time. It took me 3 or 4 rides to even notice it. I was just focused on pushing the pedals, so that’s good.

I can’t help but wonder if this will wear down my shorts a bit faster since there’s more friction. I have not seen any issues after 10-15 rides, but it seems logical that this may occur. Time will tell.

With the pad on, I felt no change in my riding position. I simply added it and forgot about it.

The main issue is whether or not this bike seat cover adds comfort for the rider. I have only used this while riding the trainer, but I haven’t had any rides that result in uncomfortableness yet. I look forward to seeing how this feels on many 4 to 5-hour or longer rides in the summer heat.

For comparison, I nearly always feel some uncomfortableness while on the trainer. So my enthusiasm is high that this can help me stay aero in my next Ironman race.

Durability

This bike seat cushion looks exactly like it did when I first put it on. It doesn’t seem to have any wear on it even after 15 hours of riding.

The seams and material all look brand new.

Another positive I thought about is how with any Ironman race, you check your bike in the day before, so it’s sitting outside all night. This waterproof bike seat cover will only help protect the seat from the elements, resulting in a longer life.

Conclusion

Whether you’re a casual rider or a seasoned cyclist, investing in the De Soto Bike Seat Cushion may enhance your cycling comfort and enjoyment.

I’d love to hear your thoughts or reviews on the De Soto seat pad. If you have a comment or need any questions answered, just ask!

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