If you’ve ever winced after a long ride because your saddle felt like an instrument of torture, you’ll probably understand the appeal of finding something more comfortable. After all, conventional bike saddles don’t exactly look inviting. They’re narrow, firm and, to the uninitiated, seem completely at odds with comfort.

So, what if we simply borrowed the design from something we know is comfortable? Like an office chair?


That was the thinking behind one of the strangest cycling products I’ve ever seen, let alone bought. Complete with a padded seat and backrest, it promised to turn my bicycle into something resembling an ergonomic desk chair on wheels. It looked ridiculous, but if it genuinely made riding more comfortable, perhaps we’d all been getting saddles wrong.

I’m no stranger to the strange saddle game, but would this AliExpress find prove even stranger still? There was only one way to find out…

Starting with the wrong bike

Office Chair Saddle-3
I can’t wait to see this at Unbound next year (Image Credit: Andrew Sykes)

Admittedly, my first decision wasn’t exactly sensible. Rather than fitting the chair saddle to a Dutch bike or commuter, I bolted it onto my lightweight gravel bike. It looked every bit as absurd as you’d imagine.

> From bum massage boards to backrests: check out cycling’s weirdest saddles

The first few pedal strokes immediately highlighted the biggest problem. Modern road and gravel bikes are designed around an aggressive riding position, with the rider leaning forwards over the handlebars. The backrest, therefore, serves absolutely no purpose because your body never actually reaches it – unless, of course, you’re riding no-handed.

In fairness, cruising along without touching the bars did feel surprisingly stable, with the backrest offering somewhere to lean. That’s hardly a compelling selling point though, especially when the enormous chair hanging off the seatpost was almost certainly doing my aerodynamics no favours. It quickly became obvious that this wasn’t the right bike for the job.

A better match

Office Chair Saddle
Maybe it’d be better for a more upright position? (Image Credit: Andrew Sykes)

Next, I moved the chair saddle onto a town bike, where the more upright riding position finally allowed the backrest to do what it was designed for. In many ways, this made much more sense.

After all, if you’re cycling to the office, why not sit on something that resembles the chair waiting for you when you get there? Unfortunately, despite looking soft and supportive, it still wasn’t particularly comfortable.

That might seem surprising. More padding should equal more comfort, shouldn’t it? Not necessarily…

Why soft doesn’t always mean comfortable

Office Chair Saddle-2
The width of the saddle forces you far too forward (Image Credit: Andrew Sykes)

One of the biggest misconceptions in cycling is that a softer saddle automatically feels better.

In reality, excessive padding can create its own problems. Rather than supporting your sit bones, a heavily padded saddle allows your body to sink into the foam, increasing pressure on soft tissue and making it harder to pedal efficiently.

> Best bike saddles for every type of riding

The broad seat also restricts leg movement. Every pedal stroke involves your thighs brushing against the sides of the saddle, something you rarely notice on a conventional design because it’s intentionally kept narrow.

Putting the pressure to the test

Liam saddle pressure mapping 10
The office chair was easily the worst saddle Brain had ever seen (Image Credit: Liam Cahill)

To better understand what was happening, I visited bike fitter Brian at TheBikeTheBody to put both saddles to the test. Using a pressure mapping system, we compared the office chair saddle with a traditional bicycle saddle. The results were revealing.

Although the office chair barely registered any pressure points due to the vast width and soft padding, it didn’t necessarily reduce the pressure where it mattered most. Instead, it created more contact with areas of the body that aren’t designed to support your weight while pedalling.

A conventional saddle may look uncomfortable, but it’s carefully shaped to support your sit bones while allowing your legs to move freely. The narrow nose also provides control when cornering or changing position on the bike.

The office chair, meanwhile, prioritised cushioning over biomechanics. It’s a good reminder that bicycle saddles aren’t uncomfortable by accident. They’re designed around the unique demands of pedalling, rather than simply sitting still.

So, is an office chair saddle worth it?

Office Chair Saddle-6
Saddle for sale, one careful owner (Image Credit: Andrew Sykes)

As a novelty, it’s brilliant. It certainly attracted plenty of attention, and it remains one of the strangest cycling components I’ve ever fitted to a bike. As a genuine comfort upgrade, though, it falls well short.

If you’re struggling with saddle discomfort, the answer is rarely to buy the softest seat you can find. A proper bike fit, choosing the correct saddle width and shape, and wearing decent cycling shorts will almost always make a far bigger difference than adding more foam.

As bizarre as an office chair on a bicycle sounds, this experiment proved one thing: comfort on a bike isn’t about sitting on the biggest cushion possible. It’s about supporting your body in the right places while allowing it to pedal efficiently. Unfortunately, even the world’s most comfortable office chair fitted to your bike couldn’t change that.

Want to try out this curious bike seat for yourself? Sorry to disappoint, but it is (perhaps unsurprisingly) no longer for sale on AliExpress…