If you don't want a part of your body to get sore, then that part shouldn't be pushing against something that doesn't move along with it. That's the thinking behind the vabsRider bicycle saddle, the two sides of which pivot in time with your pedaling.
Australian engineer Robin Macan first came up with his idea for a more compliant bicycle seat back in 2016.
He proceeded to team up with industrial designer Philippe Guichard to develop the concept further, and then joined forces with the Melbourne-based Whistle Design Group to produce a marketable product. It is now being commercialized via Macan's startup, ataraxyBSC.
"The innovative split seat design allows for individual movement of the legs, rotating around the hip joints on an axis that is virtual to the seat," the company states on its website. As a result, by independently moving up and down along with the legs, the two sides of the saddle reportedly transfer pressure from the sit bones to the femurs, distributing the load more evenly (and less painfully).
Set screws in the vabsRider's system-specific seatpost allow for combined fore/aft and height adjustments, along with adjustments to the saddle's angle and width.
If you're interested in getting a setup for yourself – once they reach production – you can express your interest by emailing the company. Guichard tells us that pricing and availability have yet to be determined.
You can see the vabsRider in action, in the video below.
Potential buyers might also want to check out the somewhat similar Airo Bike Seat. While that saddle has an unmoving middle section, "Wing-Springs" on either side of it pivot up and down as the rider shifts their sit-bone pressure from side to side while pedaling.
Source: ataraxyBSC
