We know this is a big claim to make in the complex world of bike saddle design. Read on to discover how we have pulled together all the best features of modern bicycle saddle engineering and ergonomic design to make the current version of this cycling classic better than ever before.
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Comfort should come first in bike saddle design
Comfort should come first in saddle design, but it’s far from the whole picture. If your saddle is uncomfortable to ride, or worse, causes physical harm, you’re never going to get on your bike and experience the joys of cycling.
If you are used to an uncomfortable bike ride, you’ll be surprised to discover that comfort is an excellent indicator of cycling performance on any well designed bike. Peak performance comes from high quality engineering of ergonomic design that fits the biomechanics of the rider.
Do you need to sacrifice performance for comfort?
Absolutely not! We know that every rider needs a saddle that fits their body shape and style of riding to be comfortable and also get the best performance possible out of their bike. You don’t need to sacrifice your body to the illusion of better performance.
There is nothing to gain from pain!
Far too many cyclists try to push through riding uncomfortable saddles with poor ergonomics that can cause you long term, even life-changing, injuries. It’s really not necessary. ‘No pain, no gain’ does not apply to bike saddle engineering, in fact the opposite is true.
Biomechanical design for natural performance
WTB bike saddles are biomechanically designed and engineered to give you performance that comes naturally with a comfortable, well designed saddle that supports you in the right places and transfers your weight and power to the bike correctly.
Volt’s traditional shape fits the rider
People talk about the benefits of split saddles, noseless saddles and innovations in saddle design - so why does Volt still have a traditional shape? That’s because this shape has been proven to be the best for cycling efficiency. Research shows that the nose is essential for maintaining stability and directional control of your bicycle, and gives you a more secure ride than noseless saddles.
"Problems with saddle comfort come from incorrect distribution of pressure and a poor fit to your body"
Look closer at the shape of the Volt and you’ll see the attention to detail and refinements that separate Volt from a standard saddle. Our gently elevated ‘whale tale’ is ergonomically designed to fit your sit-bones properly, and cushions your seat while keeping your weight off the more sensitive parts of your body.
The scallops in the transition zone of the saddle from rear to mid-saddle encourage optimal power transition by supporting the biomechanics for femur alignment that allows you to pedal the bicycle more efficiently.
[separator]The WTB Comfort Zone
Featured exclusively on WTB saddles, the small cut-away window in the saddle base provides key relief from pressure on sensitive areas. The Comfort Zone® provides a noticeable riding difference with long-term comfort.
The Love Channel
WTB’s Volt saddles feature the “Love Channel.” This padding relief runs in the middle of the saddle from the back to approximately 2” (50mm) from the tip of the saddle nose, and maintains comfort and stability in all riding positions. This enhances blood flow and reduces numbness in sensitive areas by reducing perineal pressure.
Mid-Saddle Relief
All Volt saddles also feature gentle contour in the mid-saddle that maintains stability and comfort in all riding positions, enhances blood flow and reduces numbness in sensitive areas. As your sit-bones are on the flat back of the Volt saddle, the Love Channel and Mid-Saddle Relief reduces pressure on sensitive areas.
The Comfort Zone, The Love Channel, and the Mid-Saddle Relief, in combination with the Volt’s slight “whale tail” that provides level support for your sit-bones, delivers an incredibly comfortable ride, no matter how long you are in the saddle, and maintains stable, secure, directional control of your bike.
[separator]How do we Make the WTB Flex-Tuned Saddle?
The shell, or base, of the saddle is what defines the support. We’ve determined, through extensive testing, what areas of the shell need to be more rigid, to provide support, and which areas need to have some flex, for comfort. We vary materials and thicknesses to address these areas, tailoring the shell to give the proper balance of support and comfort.
[separator]Designed for Speed & Comfort
The contoured shape of the WTB Volt bike saddle provides an optimal position for power transfer from your legs to the pedals, giving maximum support during long rides. The Volt’s upward curved whale tail, rounded back and sides, and gentle nose drop ensure you can adjust your riding position whether you are pedaling uphill, descending, or riding on the flats. The overall shape and design provide efficiency without slipping or discomfort.
[separator]What is WTB Fusion-Form?
Our attention to detail in maintaining rider comfort and stability for better riding performance has led us to develop the WTB Fusion-Form construction method. Fusion-Form offers state-of-the-art progressive resistance to the rider's weight and riding impacts, and is a revolutionary shell construction method, not just a change in padding type or padding density.
Fusion-Form Volt saddles have a tunable structure that retains cushioning beyond the compression limits of standard PU padding, and is just one of the many improvements we’ve made to the Volt design based on biomechanical research and rider experience.
How does WTB Fusion-Form construction improve bike saddle comfort?
You can see from the saddle pressure mapping above how WTB Fusion-Form shell construction reduces pressure on your sit-bones compared to traditional bike saddle padding. The Fusion-Form base can be tuned more precisely than a standard saddle base, which means we can introduce more flex. The difference between the two pressure maps is due to different shell materials, not different padding.
Fusion-Form offers a softer ride with more progressive resistance to deformation. This maintains a high comfort level and offers optimized resilience to cope with unexpected bumps in the road. Fusion-Form is a standard build option on stainless, titanium and carbon Volt saddles.
[separator]Padding, rails, and saddle weight
Volt saddles are offered with three padding options and five rail types. This allows you to fine tune your choice of bike saddle for weight, comfort, and compliance (the flexibility of the bike saddle rails). The table below lists the rail and padding options in order of weight, with carbon the lightest and steel the heaviest.
Saddle Rail Material & Saddle Padding
What are the 3 WTB bike saddle padding options?
- DNAx is a lightweight polyurethane padding that is soft and a great option for anyone worried about sore contact points on their saddle. Volt steel and stainless rail saddles feature DNAx padding.
- HLX is a memory foam style padding. HLX padding is lighter and more resilient than DNA. HLX padding is more supportive for longer rides, and is used on our Volt cromoly rail saddles.
- DNA is our high-performance light-weight padding that holds its shape incredibly well to provide unbeatable comfort and support on long rides while also minimizing saddle weight. DNA is fitted on Volt titanium and carbon rail saddles.
The exact weight of a Volt saddle differs, depending on the rail-type, padding, and saddle width. Refer to the Volt Technical Information below for exact measurements and specifications.
[separator]Volt Technical Information
Is there a secret to designing a perfect bike saddle?
The not-so-secret reason for the success of the WTB Volt saddle is how we have refined the dimensions and characteristics of the saddle over the years. We have improved the padding, saddle base and style to make a range of sizes and padding levels that allow a virtual “custom fit” for any rider based on their riding style and physical dimensions.
The importance of proper cushioning in the right place to improve comfortable riding and proper shape cannot be overstated. Research shows “the type of saddle used, as well as the position of the rider are the most important factors affecting personal injuries caused by bike riding - the fact that you enjoy riding a bike isn’t what hurts you. It’s poor choices of saddle and riding position that do the damage.
How do I know what bike saddle I need?
The WTB Fit-Right System helps you find the saddle style to maintain performance for all types of riders. We recognize that a rider who spends long periods in the saddle in a prone riding position needs a different saddle to a rider who prefers a more upright position and shorter rides.
In designing our range of saddles we have distilled our experience and know-how to make comfortable saddles to suit all styles and levels of experience. We are inclusive in designing saddles for hardcore bike athletes as well as occasional riders who want a really positive weekend experience.
What is Fit Right?
The WTB Fit Right System uses a simple method to determine personalized saddle fit. Based on your individual biometrics and riding position, we calculate your sit bone measurement and allow you to select your riding style so you can match these with the WTB saddle in our complete range of saddles to identify the best options for you.
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WTB Volt: four decades of refinement, over a million riders
Today’s Volt saddle is the refinement of four decades of expert design, riding, research, rider experience, and cutting edge technologies. This is why when you sit on a WTB Volt saddle you will join more than a million riders who have realized they don’t have to choose between comfort and performance. You really can have the best of both with a WTB Volt saddle.
Wilderness Terrain Bikes was founded in Marin County in 1982. Our team has mountain biking pioneers and global 21st Century experts in saddle design working together in pursuit of biking excellence. We focus on bike saddles, tires, wheel systems and accessories, designed by riders for riders. Discover Volt alongside the full range of WTB products on our Amazon shop. You’ll be amazed at how comfortable a high performance saddle can be.