For years, many things in cycling have been considered “normal”: pain, pressure numbness and intimate discomfort. Discomfort after hours in the saddle.
But just because people have become used to living with these issues doesn’t mean they are normal.

This awareness is what sparked the collaboration between Selle SMP, Bikeboobs and Paola Paonessa: three realities sharing the same mission, truly putting people’s bodies and wellbeing at the center of the cycling experience.

A partnership that will also take center stage at BAM!, with a workshop dedicated to awareness, comfort and wellbeing on the bike.

Body, bike and awareness: wellbeing in the saddle

During BAM!, Selle SMP, Bikeboobs and Paola Paonessa will host an open, inclusive and taboo free talk titled: “Body, Bike and Awareness - Wellbeing in the Saddle”

Giulia Vinciguerra, sex educator and Paola Paonessa, physiotherapist and bike fitter, will finally address topics that are too often ignored or minimized in cycling: posture, pelvic floor health, saddle pressure, pelvic anatomy, comfort, saddle choice and intimate wellbeing.

The talk is designed with a particular focus on women’s wellbeing but it will be open to anyone interested in experiencing cycling in a more conscious, comfortable and body-respectful way.

Because comfort is not a luxury. It is a necessary condition to truly experience the freedom of cycling.

Wellbeing in the saddle starts with listening to the body

For years in cycling, saddle pain, pressure and saddle discomfort have been treated as something riders simply had to adapt to. But comfort should never be a compromise.

Selle SMP has always developed its saddles based on one core principle: no two bodies are the same, and true wellbeing on the bike comes from proper pressure relief and respect for individual anatomy.

Through its research, Selle SMP has particularly highlighted how this approach can make a significant difference for women’s wellbeing, especially when it comes to the perineal area, support and comfort during long hours in the saddle.

Selle SMP is in fact the only company to have developed a scientific study specifically focused on female anatomy and the pressure exerted while riding, with the goal of further deepening the relationship between ergonomics,comfort and women’s wellbeing on the bike.

An approach that continues to guide the development of SMP saddles: listening to the body in order to create solutions that genuinely help people feel better while riding.

A collaboration that came naturally

For years, Bikeboobs has been working to create a more inclusive, conscious and stereotype-free cycling culture, openly addressing topics that are still rarely discussed in the cycling world.

Through workshops, experiences and open conversations, the project has built a space where people can talk about cycling and wellbeing without embarrassment or filters.

The collaboration with Selle SMP and Paola Paonessa therefore came about naturally: all the realities involved believe that listening to your body is the first step toward riding better.

During the workshop, the following topics will be discussed:

• discomfort and body signals that should not be ignored;
• anatomy and pelvic floor health;
• posture and load distribution;
• choosing the right saddle;
• comfort during the menstrual cycle;
• intimate wellbeing and chafing prevention;
• body awareness while riding.

These are topics that are part of the daily experience of many people who ride bikes, yet they are still rarely talked about today.

See you at BAM!

BAM! will be the perfect opportunity to meet, connect and build together a new way of experiencing cycling: more conscious, more inclusive and more attentive to people’s real wellbeing.

Selle SMP, Bikeboobs and Paola Paonessa look forward to welcoming you for an open, practical and authentic moment of dialogue.

Because feeling good on the bike should not be the exception. It should be the norm