TECH CHECK

SQLAB MEDICALLY-DEVELOPED SADDLES

Words by Robert Johnston | Photos & Video by Ben Gerrish // HDDN Media

January 16, 2025

When you’re riding a mountain bike, you’ve got four or five points of contact that connect you with your bike: two grips, two pedals, and a saddle. With so much force and pressure going through these relatively small contact patches, it’s vital that you use quality and well-fitting components in order to be comfortable and in control as you ride. SQlab is a German company focused on producing ergonomic components for the contact points on a bike, with a purposeful design that leads from medically-developed ergonomic solutions.

Asclepius was a Greek god who was renowned for his magical healing powers. In German, his name is Äskulap, so giving the SQlab name that’s used today. SQlab then hopes that their ergonomic components are going to offer you god-like healing powers for your rides, as well as improved comfort and performance.

In this Tech Check feature, we’re going to dive into the science behind SQlab’s solution for how you sit on your mountain bike, and share why they might be able to not only make you more comfortable on your bike, but also be able to ride it faster and for longer.

Editor’s Note: Tech Check Features are made with the help of partnering brands to share the latest news and technology about products. We’d like to thank SQlab for the opportunity to put this feature together, and for keeping us comfortable in the saddle.

FOR MEDICAL BENEFITS AND PERFORMANCE

While the word “ergonomic” may instantly have you thinking about solving discomfort and medical issues, there are also performance benefits to be obtained when using bike components that are designed with the bodies’ movement in mind.

After all, if you can be more comfortable without limiting your control, then you’re likely to be able to push that little bit harder, both up and down the hill.

WHY SQLAB SADDLES?

Down in your nether regions, whether male or female, you’ve got your perineal area with a soft zone through which blood vessels and nerves pass. On standard saddles, your body weight can be partially supported by the sensitive area. Pressure in this area can cause reduced blood flow, with numbness and discomfort as a result.

SQlabs’ saddles feature a unique shape, called Ergowave. This Ergowave shape is designed to move rider weight away from the perineal area and onto your sit bones, which are better equipped to handle rider weight. It allows for the relief of the perineal area, and provides a fixed position for your sitting bones to park themselves on. Because you have a more solidly defined seating position that is guided by the saddle shape, you can more directly transfer power into the pedals.

Further benefiting the ability of the SQlab saddle to support the rider on the climbs, the raised rear offers some natural support and reduces the amount of core engagement required to keep the rider on the saddle on the steepest terrain.

FIRMER IS MORE COMFORTABLE?

SQlab is able to use firmer padding in the saddle, since they’re not trying to alleviate pressure on a sensitive area. This reduces the chance of your body “sinking in” to the saddle, which can result in friction and lead to more discomfort.

Thanks to the relief of the perineal area – and thus a reduction in discomfort which may force a defensive seating position – the rider can focus on maintaining the most efficient and effective pedaling position and produce the maximum power. Less of the input energy is stolen by the saddle padding, meaning more energy going into the pedals.

FITS LIKE A…SADDLE.

Ensuring that a rider’s sitting bones are properly supported means that the saddle must be sized appropriately to fit each rider’s unique anatomy. For this, SQlab has a range of saddle widths, and a fitting system to help each rider find their perfect size. They’ve been offering tailored saddle widths on saddles since way back in 2002, and offer up to four different widths of each saddle to ensure most riders can get a comfortable fit.

Not only is the anatomy of the rider taken into account, but also the style of riding and therefore the position of the rider on the bike. The sit bones and pubic bones have a V-shape, so more forward and aggressive seated positions mean the rider’s pelvis will rotate further forwards, and so the touchpoints on the saddle will come closer together.

SQlab has specialist retailers globally who can assist you in obtaining the perfect saddle size for your needs. But if you’re not near a dealer, then you can order SQlab’s specialist measuring set free of charge, which will allow you to identify the size of saddle you need from the comfort of your own home.

THE SQLAB ACTIVE SYSTEM

In addition to the unique shape of the saddle, some of SQlab’s premium saddles also feature their Active system. This is a specific flex built into the rear of the saddle which allows the pelvis to move by up to 7° while pedaling.

By doing so, you’re less likely to experience discomfort in the lower lumbar spine, pelvis and hips. It allows the natural “swing” of your pedaling motion to feel a little more natural and comfortable.

You can tune the flex of the Active system with different elastomers, letting you adjust to different body weights and rider preferences.

A SADDLE FOR EVERY RIDER

SQlab offers many different models that are tailored to different styles of riding and rider preferences. We mainly use the 611 ERGOWAVE® active 2.1 for our mountain bike riding.

The 6OX eBike-specific saddle has a more pronounced rear scoop for support in the steepest climbs. It also features increased padding to better handle the higher saddle forces experienced when climbing on an eMTB.

SQLab Saddle Tech Check

HOW DO SQLAB SADDLES PERFORM?

I’m not a rider who often experiences problematic discomfort on typical saddle designs. There’s certainly some which don’t quite…sit right… but for the most part, my derriere is not particularly fussy. However, from my first rides on the SQlab saddles a couple of years ago, I realized there were improvements to be had.

The biggest standout improvement with SQlab saddles for me is the reduced effort I have to put in to keep myself in a comfortable and efficient pedaling position. I barely have to think at all about my position on an SQlab saddle, whereas I often find myself shifting fore and aft on conventional saddles to get to a comfortable spot. This is even more appreciated by my colleague Cole, who used to struggle a lot with numbness and discomfort until he got on the SQlab program.

The natural support that’s built into SQlab saddles means I can relax and just focus on spinning circles on steeper climbs, instead of putting effort into keeping myself in the saddle. I can focus on pedaling without compensating for comfort, and the firmness of the saddle means I can influence the bike more directly. The small amount of rock that the firmest elastomer in the Active System provides leads to a more natural feeling pedal stroke, too.

SQLab Saddle Tech Check

ARE THERE ANY DOWNSIDES?

The main potential downside is the width of the saddle, especially if you have wider-set hip bones. On the wider sizes, the rear of the saddle needs to be quite wide, so if you’re a rider who has their legs close together on the descents, you may have issues with fouling. For me, on the Size 14 that fits my anatomy best, it’s on the limit of width before it would be a problem. I’m more than happy to accept this in order to have improved comfort on the way up and along.

HOW ABOUT THE SQLAB BIBS?

The bibs are new to me, but I’m already appreciating their thinner and firmer feel. They feel a little less “mushy” and restrictive to me than typical bibs. I often do without bibs for shorter mountain bike rides, especially with SQlab saddles, but for the longest rides and especially on eBikes, the extra comfort is much appreciated.

THE WOLF’S LAST WORD

Overall, whether it be for a more efficient pedaling platform, or to alleviate discomfort and pain, I think SQlab does a really solid job at taking their medical knowledge and applying it to bicycle ergonomics. I’m a big fan of their saddles, and now these bib shorts are adding to that comfort further. It’s nice to know that they’re doing their best to not only reduce the likelihood of injury and discomfort on the trail, but to improve performance in the process.

Head to the SQlab website to learn more about their products, and to find your local dealer.

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