A good bike seat, or saddle as they call it, is vital to ensuring a good ride. The best ones help reduce and prevent saddle soreness, especially for beginner riders or for cyclists that are looking to increase the duration of their rides. It will make the rides more enjoyable and comfortable, and helps the rider focus on more important aspects of riding, such as proper pedaling mechanics and good posture, for example. 

There are a wide variety of bike seats out there, and each rider may find that different saddles are more suited to their liking. Fit, comfort, and riding style are likely going to be the three most important components to look at when you are shopping for a new seat. Figuring out what works best for you means conducting good research, which is why we're here to help. 

Check out our picks for the best bike seats in 2020:

The Long Ride Seat: Selle Italia Superflow Endurance

On longer rides, there is always the very real possibility that your butt will get really sore from being seated for so long. As such, it's important to get a comfortable seat to ensure that supports you while you're riding and doesn't cause irritation to the soft tissue muscles in your butt. 

The Superflow Endurance saddle is perfect for this category. It has a perfectly sculpted base, anchored by titanium rails, which support its neoprene padding under the sit bones. Cyclists can purchase this seat for under $80. 

The Performance Seat: ISM PL 1.1

It may look funny, but the ISM PL 1.1 is arguably the best performance seat out on the market. With its two-pronged nose, this seat is longer than the average saddle, making it good for climbs and descents. It's a lightweight seat with a significant amount of padding to it, meaning as a rider you can still move quickly but do so in comfort. 

It's not the cheapest option out there, but at around $185, the ISM PL 1.1 is one of the best seats for high-performance riders that you'll find. 

The Commuter Seat: Giddy Up Bike Seat

For your everyday, flat-road commuting, a well-cushioned saddle that keeps you nice and upright is the best bet. When speed and climbing aren't at a premium, you can afford to have a seat that's bigger in size than the high performance or endurance seats. 

For a casual seat that keeps you comfy, we're looking at the Giddy Up, which has a memory foam cushion and a dual shock-absorbing ball to make for the most comfortable ride. It's a wider seat than most and sits on suspension coils rather than mounted rails, which helps to reduce the amount of vibration and friction felt by the rider. If you're riding your bike to work every day, odds are you'll be riding over some dodgy patches of pavement which may have potholes or other bumpy sections in the road. A comfy commuter seat such as the Giddy Up will serve your day to day needs brilliantly.