Need saddle help!
 

Hi all,

So I purchased another road bike recently and need to upgrade the saddle. You can see my other post on my Eddy Merckx Arcobaleno.

I need a saddle that is comfortable. I don’t care about weight or Carbon, or whatever. Comfort for long rides is key.
I currently have a selle SMP saddle on my Raleigh Road bike and I’m not thrilled with it either. My bum hurts after about 10 miles.

A bit about me -
I’m a bigger guy- 6’1 240lbs
I’m not petite and neither is my bottom.

id love some recommendations on a comfortable saddle. Price isn’t an issue- All recs are welcome!
Thanks All-

I think a Brooks cambium would look good on it with some black leather bar tape. The most important thing is you get fit for saddle width. Your current saddles may be too wide or too thin

I have tried many saddles. Bontrager, Selle Italia, Serfas, Gel (the worst). I settled on a Terry. Official Terry Site: Womens Cycling Apparel, Saddles & Gear

Another vote for Terry. Not just for women....

Brooks Cambium is probably a safe bet. As an above poster mentioned, get the right saddle width - and one with a cut out if you need it.

Also warning: saddle advice online is dangerous because you can waste money quickly. I would try to get a test saddle in different widths to narrow that down first, and look for one with a cut out if you get pain on your perineum or other sensitive areas.

a friend of mine recommended The ISM prologue seat, I was gifted one, and love it. Took about 200 miles to get used to, but I don’t have any discomfort at all.

Best find out what width you need and then narrow your search.

I really like the Fizik Aliante Gamma saddle. It's a little wider than many racing saddles--I find it very comfortable. I echo the above poster--saddle fit is very personal. Finding a demo or buying used saddles on eBay is recommended.

David

Take a look at Selle Anatomica and/or Rivet. Both are (most models) leather saddles with cutouts, designed by people who've done lots of double-centuries and other ultra-endurance rides. I use a Selle Anatomica Titanico: it's not perfect, but it's way better than all the other saddles I've had.

If cost is no object, you might want to investigate Specialized's new 3D-printed S-Works Power with Mirror saddle, "only" $450. Or the (also 3D-printed) Fizik Antares Evo Adaptive line, starting at $250.

Everyone bottom is different so what works for me might not work for you.

Most good shops have"tester" or loaner saddles. They let you try them for a short period of time and then you decided. I'd talk to a local shop and see what they have.

The Specialized Power comes in 168mm width for the wider bottoms also and is one hell of a saddle, very comfortable. I rode the 168mm and the 155mm (after I broke the first in a crash), it's nice both on a short hard ride or a 300km adventure. Note it should be angled down overall with the front part setup flat (or slightly down if you really want to get really low at the front and keep riding in the drops).

​​​​​Narrow (or too high, which is a bike fit issue to keep in mind) saddles tend to be harder on the backside for me. There's the "Elaston" version of it which is supposed to be more comfy which has a bit different padding in the sitbone area.

I also got on very well on all day rides (even without padded shorts) on the classic Brooks B17, although I'd probably opt for one with a cutout (the "Imperial") if building a new touring bike. The mechanism in the front for tensioning it with their special spanner isn't top quality, sadly, and I needed to use pliers and a wrench to get it to work after a while on two of them already.
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None of my local bike shops do a saddle fitting. Any tricks in fitting?

Yeah mate - couple things

Youtube how to measure your sit bones. Some good ones are sitting on a bit of cardboard on a hard surface and measuring the distance between the centre of the depressions. Take that measurement + 10-15mm to work out your ideal saddle width.


Also to consider is your thigh circumference. Thick quads may want a narrow nose saddle to give more space for peddling and reduce inner thigh chafe.

Something you'll only work out with experience is if you prefer a flat saddle, rounded or something with a bit of a kick-back on the rear (assists pelvic rotation forward)

Thanks so much for sending this.

I don't know ... yeah, we're all different, but are we THAT different? Or have we told ourselves this? My derriere is SO unique ... I simply have no choice but to spend $$$$ over years, searching, searching, searching for THE ONE. I'm missing that gene, thankfully. The OEM horrors on dept. store level BSO's excepted, just about anything works for me. Sit bones narrow in width as you lean forward. Most people don't know that. They do the sit test sitting bolt upright but they ride canted forward at 45* to 55*. For best results, measure your the distance between your ischial tuberosities while sitting with the same back angle as you ride. Or don't measure them. It doesn't matter.

IMO what matters more is that your saddle is the proper distance from your handlebars so you don't slide forward and sit at the nose of the saddle where it is only 2" wide. A Bontrager Affinity is a great saddle. Very flat profile, It doesn't have a cutout. I haven't found that it needs one. A Terry Falcon (XY if you're a guy) is a good saddle. It has a cuttout. A more rounded profile. Like I said, I just don't care. In general Specialized/Bontrager saddles work. 145mm wide and up. Being wide doesn't matter with these saddles because they have very long thin noses. Like Fizik saddles. I've never tried one but I suspect I would like them. Look for sales. Bontrager Affinity's run around $160 for the non-titanium models but on sale they are $100 off!

WTB, Charge, OEM saddles of most major brands of bikes retailing above ~$500 should not be a problem. If you are having a problem, don't blame the saddle. Look at the fit of the bike. Look at how you ride. Do you get out of the saddle often? You should. Do you wear padded shorts? Maybe you should think about it. I'd like the saddle aftermarket to thrive as much as the next guy but I can't really justify becoming a saddle connoisseur. Chances are good, if you are reading this, that you cannot be one either. A bigger guy is usually meaty enough in the ... yeah, to get along with most OEM saddles, but 'maybe' the saddle on a serious racebike will be a bit narrow for lengthy rides in absolute comfort. That's not what these bikes were made for. A wide saddle with a long, narrow, frontpart will work if given the chance. FWIW.

I like the SA vegan rubber saddle too.

Specialized will take back anything within 30 days as I understand it. Can try that brand out that way. Or there are online shops that will do loaners shipped.

Selle H2
 

Anyone using a Selle Anatomica H2? I searched by weight and this seems to be the best match for me based on the Selle Website. Any thoughts?

Check user comments on Amazon and everywhere the Selle Anatomica is sold. The only complaints I've ever read about Selle Anatomica came from heavier riders who said the leather stretched too much or the rails bent. Most folks I know locally who ride Selle Anatomica love 'em, but they all weigh less than 200 lbs.

Im happy to give them a try! They offer a 30 day money back guarantee so I feel I have little to lose except testing time. I am about 240 pounds so im a bit concerned after reading your comment, but still willing to give it a shot.

You say that it's another road bike. Guessing the saddle on the other bike is comfortable? Have you tried that saddle on your new bike? I know Terry also offers a trial period, as does Serfas, and many others. Read the "fine print" though, to be sure it's not just a "catch phrase". Best o'luck-lots of us have gone thru many before finding the right one for us.

Good luck, but what works for me may not work for you.

I prefer Fizik Arione saddles. I've tried others, but nothing works as well.

I have a Selle SMP Extra on my other road bike that is just ok, Nothing to write home about.

I ordered a Fizik Aliante R3 Large this morning on Amazon - Used Like New for $46.00. It suppose to fit me the best according to the Fizik website. Dont have much to lose for that price. If that doesnt work I will try Specialized or Selle Anatomica.

I have ridden just about every one of the SA saddles . My current road bike has an earlier version of the X1 saddle and it has held up OK under my 265 lbs. If the R2 is rated for 250 lbs you will be fine.

One of my commuters has the rubber R2, which is also rated for 250 lbs. I like this one a lot for all-weather riding (although I learned firsthand that early in its life, the rubber top stains light-colored rain paints in a pronounced way). :rolleyes: