If you don’t want a part of your body to get sore, then that part shouldn’t be pushing against something that doesn’t move along with it. That’s the thinking behind the vabsRider bicycle saddle, the two sides of which pivot in time with your pedaling.
Editor’s note: Readers often ask us for follow-ups on memorable stories. What has happened to this story over the years? This article was originally published in 2024 but has been re-edited and updated with new information current as of Apr. 9, 2025. Enjoy!
Australian engineer Robin Macan first came up with his idea for a more compliant bicycle seat back in 2016.
He proceeded to team up with industrial designer Philippe Guichard to develop the concept further, and then joined forces with the Melbourne-based Whistle Design Group to produce a marketable product. It has since been commercialized via Macan’s startup, ataraxyBSC.
ataraxyBSC
“The innovative split seat design allows for individual movement of the legs, rotating around the hip joints on an axis that is virtual to the seat,” the company states on its website. As a result, by independently moving up and down along with the legs, the two sides of the saddle reportedly transfer pressure from the sit bones to the femurs, distributing the load more evenly (and less painfully).
Set screws in the vabsRider’s system-specific seatpost allow for combined fore/aft and height adjustments, along with adjustments to the saddle’s angle and width.
ataraxyBSC
Macan now tells us that after receiving feedback from numerous test riders, the design for the production model has been revamped. Among other things, it no longer features the exposed stitching (which some riders found slightly uncomfortable), plus it gains a more streamlined, contoured seat pad area with a smoother finish.
Plans call for a Kickstarter to launch on May 1st, 2025, at which time backers will be able to reserve a vabsRider of their own. Check the ataraxyBSC website for updates.
Introducing vabsRider bike seat by ataraxyBSC
Source: ataraxyBSC
A version of this article was originally published in 2024.