Why Most Pros Don’t Ride Cutout Saddles

I never thought much about bike saddles. Not until my ass started talking back.

Not literally, of course. But when you spend hours perched on a piece of carbon no wider than a stick of butter, you start to hear things.

Some guys swear by cutout saddles—the ones with a gaping hole in the middle, supposedly to relieve pressure.

Others, mostly the pros, ride the solid ones, no cutouts, no gimmicks.

Ever wonder why? Well, pull up a chair—or better yet, a saddle—because we’re about to get into it.

1. The Pressure Myth

A cutout saddle is supposed to reduce pressure on the perineum. Sounds nice in theory. In practice? It often just shifts the pressure somewhere else—like the edges of the cutout itself.

Some riders, myself included, find that the supposed “relief” area is actually a razor-sharp reminder that cycling is a sport designed by sadists.

2. Pros Ride by Feel, Not Marketing

Most pros don’t care what the latest saddle study says.

They ride what works. And what works is often a saddle they’ve been using since their early years, cutout or not.

Comfort trumps gimmicks. And if a solid saddle is what gets them through 200km of suffering, they’re not about to change because some bike shop guru swears by an anatomical miracle.

3. Stability Matters More Than Relief

A saddle with a hole in the middle? Great for ventilation.

Terrible for stability. Pros need a consistent platform, something that won’t flex weirdly when they’re hammering up a climb or tucked in an aero position.

A solid saddle gives them that. No wobbles. No unexpected pressure points. Just a dependable perch for the pain parade.

4. Cutouts Can Create More Problems Than They Solve

You ever ride a cutout saddle and feel like your tender bits are being bisected by the sharpest knife in the kitchen? Yeah, me too.

The edges of the cutout can dig in, creating hot spots where there weren’t any before.

I switched back to a non-cutout saddle after one too many rides where I thought I’d lost all circulation down there.

5. Weight and Durability

A saddle with a cutout has less material. That means less weight, right? Technically, yes. But pros aren’t counting grams when it comes to their seat. They care about durability.

A cutout saddle can flex more, potentially break more easily, or just not provide the solid support they need when hammering out watts on a sprint finish.

6. Traditional Saddles Work—They Always Have

Before marketing teams decided we needed holes in our seats, cyclists rode on solid saddles. And they did fine. Bernard Hinault didn’t need a cutout. Neither did Fausto Coppi. If it was good enough for them, it’s good enough for most pros today.

7. The Mind Game

Pros are creatures of habit. If a saddle has been working for them for 10 years, why change it? Cyclists are already juggling a million tiny marginal gains—position tweaks, diet plans, aero optimizations.

A saddle switch is a risk they don’t want to take. The mind plays tricks on you when you introduce new gear. If they feel even 1% different, that could be the difference between a podium and a pack finish.

Summary Table

Factor	Cutout Saddles	Non-Cutout Saddles (Pros’ Choice)
Pressure Relief	Claims to reduce perineal pressure but often shifts it elsewhere	Even pressure distribution
Stability	Can introduce flex and instability	Consistent and solid platform
Comfort	Some riders feel sharper pressure points on the edges	More even weight distribution
Weight	Slightly lighter	More durable
Durability	More prone to flex and potential breakage	Stronger, lasts longer
Tradition	Newer design, not time-tested	Used by pros for decades
Psychological Factor	May feel “different” and require adjustment	Familiar and trusted by pros

You might be thinking, “Okay, but what does this mean for me?” Well, here’s the deal: If you like your cutout saddle, ride it. If it makes your rides more comfortable, who cares what the pros do?

But if you’re chasing comfort and keep swapping saddles like a man desperate for relief, maybe try what the pros have been riding all along.

I switched back to a non-cutout saddle a year ago. You know what happened? My ass stopped complaining. Maybe the pros were onto something all along.

Oh, and if you’re still thinking about it—wondering if you should ditch the cutout or not—just remember: the last guy who asked too many questions about saddles ended up riding a recumbent.