Pressure Map MyOwn: Saddle perfection, according to science

In modern professional cycling, the secret to going faster is often presumed to be in the long grass of marginal gains, where milliseconds of extra speed are painstakingly eked out like a needle from a haystack.

But optimisation isn't always measured only in watts and aerodynamics. Increasingly, they are found in the details of how a rider interacts with the bike itself, and few contact points are as critical as the saddle.

For athletes competing at the highest level of our sport, covering tens of thousands of miles per year, the incorrect saddle choice can be the difference between a career-defining season and one full of sub-par performances. Their ability to pedal in comfort, to put power out, and even how aerodynamic they are all come down to their position on the bike, which always starts with finding the perfect saddle.

Teams like Visma-Lease a Bike and Ineos Grenadiers know this, and in partnership with Prologo, they spend time in the lab, on the open road, and even on mountainous climbs to ensure their riders are using the perfect saddle and to dial in their position for maximum performance.

"Comfort on the bike starts with choosing the right saddle, explains Ineos' Carsten Jeppesen. "With the right saddle, you have a good starting point for having good performance and feeling comfortable."

Now, that same analytical approach is beginning to move beyond the WorldTour and into the bike fitting studios and retailers where everyday cyclists can benefit from the same insights.

At the centre of this shift is Pressure Map MyOwn, the latest addition to the MyOwn programme from Prologo, designed to bring scientific saddle analysis into the bike fitting and saddle choosing process.

Making the invisible visible

At its core, Pressure Map MyOwn is a thin, flexible sensor pad equipped with 64 high-tech pressure sensors that sits directly on the saddle.

As the rider pedals, the mat records how the rider loads the saddle surface and transmits the data via Bluetooth to a smartphone and desktop-based web interface, producing a real-time saddle pressure map, revealing exactly where the forces are concentrated during pedalling.

The system works on any saddle model, allowing riders to test their existing setup against prospective new purchases, while the fitter analyses pressure distribution, stability and symmetry to guide the decision.

Because the system is wireless and controlled through a mobile app, testing can take place both indoors on rollers and outdoors on the road or velodrome, capturing pressure patterns in realistic riding conditions.

Ineos Grenadiers use this to double check saddle pressure on steep climbs, and in the wind tunnel to optimise riders' aggressive positions. For you and me, that opens up a world of opportunity.

Built for real world riding

One of the defining characteristics of Pressure Map MyOwn is its flexibility in testing environments.

Everybody – and every body – is unique. Different sit-bone widths, amounts of soft tissue, levels of asymmetry are the obvious considerations, but even our fitness levels and our muscle recruitment can affect our saddle pressure.

Thanks to its wireless connectivity and mobile app, Pressure Map MyOwn can be used both indoors on the indoor trainer, and outdoors on the road. Riders can therefore be analysed not only in a static fitting session but also while pedalling in realistic riding conditions.

This is particularly valuable because saddle pressure often changes with effort level, terrain and riding posture. Climbing, sprinting or riding in an aggressive aerodynamic position can all alter how the rider sits on the saddle, something that bike fitters have long recognised, but until now, have been unable to measure.

The system offers two testing protocols to capture this information.

• Free Test allows the rider to pedal without time constraints or prescribed positions, giving the bike fitter full freedom to analyse real-world riding behaviour.
• Guided Test follows a structured protocol in which the cyclist rides for 1 minute 30 seconds, spending 30 seconds each in the tops, brake hoods and drops, allowing precise comparison between the different riding positions.

From data to decision

Collecting pressure data is only part of the process. What makes the system powerful is how that information can be interpreted and applied.

Within the desktop interface, bike fitters can view:

• Real-time pressure maps showing contact points on the saddle
• Video analysis of pedalling mechanics
• Pressure graphs over time
• Detailed pressure value tables measured in millibars (mbar)

These tools make it possible to quickly identify sections of the saddle experiencing irregular or excessive load.

Once adjustments are made – whether that means altering saddle height, setback, tilt, or even selecting a different saddle model – the fitter can repeat the test and directly compare the results.

A full report can then be generated, giving both the rider and the fitter a clear overview of the improvements.

Removing discomfort is a marginal gain

Saddle sores affect even the best cyclists in the world. Tom Dumoulin was forced to abandon the 2016 Giro d'Italia because of them. Jai Hindley did the same at the 2021 version of the same race. Although, coincidentally, they both returned the following year to win the maglia rosa. Perhaps they're a good omen after all!

Before using Prologo saddles, Tom Pidcock and Chris Froome have all suffered the effects of saddle sores too, and in each case, they were either forced to abandon the race at hand, or their performances suffered as a result.

Who knows… with a different saddle choice and a reduction of pressure, their respective races could have been saved, and Dumoulin and Hindley could be sitting on two Grand Tour wins each.

You can't improve what you can't measure

In elite cycling, success rarely comes overnight. Instead, improvements come through incremental refinements; a few seconds saved in the wind tunnel, a few watts added to the FTP in training, delayed time-to-fatigue from a new fuelling strategy, or the elimination of discomfort that might otherwise limit performance.

By turning saddle pressure into measurable data, Pressure Map MyOwn brings that same philosophy to the broader cycling world.

For bike fitters and retailers – and by extension, all everyday riders like you and me – it offers a powerful way to analyse, adjust and verify saddle choice, position, height and tilt.

It provides the confidence that your most important contact point with the bike has been optimised not by guesswork, but by science.

Visit Prologo to find out more.