Which Recumbent Seat is the Best Choice?

Bacchetta makes four different seats to fit any kind of riding style. Since choosing to ride a recumbent is frequently a result of pain while riding traditional bikes, choosing the right recumbent seat is tantamount to a pain-free, enjoyable riding experience.

I remember seeing the first Bacchetta Euromesh seat at Interbike around 2005 and thinking it was the best thing I saw in the recumbent world that at the show! The goal was to make a lightweight recumbent seat with a similar shape to carbon fiber seats, but with better ventilation and comfort. This seat does both well. The stretched mesh across an aluminum frame provides just the right amount of give on rougher roads. The front end is cut out to make reaching the ground even easier. With the foam pad and cover, you get an even cushier ride but no ventilation; the Ventisit pad allows the air to flow right through the back of the seat onto your back. This recumbent seat is designed to be reclined like a carbon fiber seat and is best used on bikes like the CA3.0 and A70 with a higher bottom bracket. With the foam and cover, it weighs 3.5 pounds. In terms of sizing, it is comparable to a medium carbon fiber seat.

The B3 seat bridges the Recurve and Euromesh recumbent seats. It has the same mesh back as the Recurve seat but has a smaller seat base with a lower density foam. It can be run as upright as the Recurve, but the smaller seat base may make you feel like you are sliding off the front of the seat. Ideally, this seat is best in a medium recline position on your recumbent - weight is transferred from the seat pan to the seat back and the larger cut outs on the front of the seat allow the rider to still reach the ground. With weight similar to the Euromesh, this seat is perfect for those preferring a moderately reclined position on their recumbent with excellent ventilation. With the standard cushion, it weighs 3.4 pounds. The B3 seat sits 2” further forward on the bike than the Recurve. So subtract 2” from the exseam range when sizing your bike.

The Bacchetta Carbon Fiber seat is designed for performance recumbent ridind! Our seat with the lowest weight is designed to be reclined for the best aerodynamics. If run in a moderately upright to upright position, you are bound to feel like you are sliding off of the front of the seat with every pedal stroke.

While the carbon fiber seat does not provide any ventilation, this can be mitigated with the Ventisit seat pad. If you prefer a cushier ride (the Ventisit is definitely NOT cushy), the foam pad and cover will work well. Most will also want some sort of neckrest given the lower seat angles used with the carbon fiber seat. With foam pad and cover, it weighs 2.25 pounds.

Carbon fiber seats come in a variety of sizes: medium, large and extra large. To figure out which seat is ideal for you, take your seated shoulder height measurement by sitting on the floor up against a wall, making a mark on the wall at your collar bone and then measuring from the floor to that mark.

24-25.5" = Medium Recumbent Seat

25.5-27" = Large Recumbent Seat

27" or more = Extra Large Recumbent Seat

If you are on the cusp of two measurements, go up if you are planning on using the foam pad with cover, go down if you are using the Ventisit pad.

While seat selection may seem like a daunting task, start by deciding on the type of recumbent riding you will be doing and go from there. We are always a phone call/text/email away if you have any questions!