Comfort

While cycling is certainly a good way of getting around, there's one thing that keeps many people from doing it … butt pain. We've seen many saddles designed to address that problem, and here are five that struck us as being particularly innovative.

Rose City Recumbent Cycles out of Portland, Oregon, has launched the Roselandia on Kickstarter, a funky ebike with a slanting seat tube that pushes the mid-drive pedal-assist motor forward for a more comfortable ride.

Long drives, much like long flights, can result in health issues simply because of the inactivity of sitting there not moving for so long. Jaguar Land Rover plans to solve this by moving your lower body for you by way of actuators in your seat.

Specialized has teamed up with Carbon, to create a 3D-printed saddle that's comfier than "old school" foam-filled models.

​If you work in an office cubicle, then you likely don't have much control over the factors that determine your comfort level. Well, a new device could at least let the powers-that-be know if things need improvement, by monitoring the environment in your cubby hole.

​Pain and numbness in the butt/crotch is a common complaint among cyclists, which has led to the development of various types of saddles that are claimed to address the problem. One of the latest, the Canadian-designed Airo Bike Seat, utilizes flexing "Wing-Springs" on either side.

Claiming to be the first major change in the business aircraft seat in 30 years, Bombardier Business Aircraft's new Nuage seat makes its debut on the company's Global 7000 aircraft. The new handcrafted seat incorporates a number of new features for greater comfort.

​Butt discomfort is a common complaint among cyclists, caused at least in part by road vibrations being transmitted up the frame and into the saddle. The Rinsten Spring addresses that problem, in the form of a steel spring that's installed between the saddle and seatpost.

Last August, Redshift Sports launched a Kickstarter campaign for its road-focused and very normal-looking ShockStop suspension stem. That campaign was a success, and the stem is about to hit the marketplace. We recently had the chance to try one out. ​​

Trying to find a comfortable position in which to sleep when on a plane can be an exercise in futility. You could try folding your arms and resting on a tray table, but a lack of space may keep you awake. The inflatable Woollip travel pillow breathes new life into these age-old problems.

​Although a lot of people may describe conventional bike seats as being "a pain in the butt," the fact is that they're more often a pain in the crotch. That's why 3 West Design first developed its air bladder-equipped Reprieve Bicycle Saddle. We recently got the chance to try one out.​

According to Vancouver, Washington-based engineer Jay Small, waterproof cycling gloves have a hard time keeping out the rain while also letting the sweat escape. His solution? Use regular dry-weather gloves, and his DriBarz handlebar fairing.