Specialized Power setup/saddle questions
 

Hi Graupel,
It's always best to start with the "black" line leveled from front to back of the saddle. You can always make minute adjustments after that.
Best regards

With the power, I always had the tail slightly up, so more level where the red is, with just a hair nose up. I gave up on the saddle and went back to my antares however. I found the sharp edge of the perimeter and the pointed nature of the wide part of the saddle was uncomfortable. Based on your pic on the seat it would see like you are hanging a bit too far off the back, so you may need to move the setback further back so you are sitting on the wide part more

As stated above, the black line is generally where you'll want it level. Using the same black line as reference, my saddle is comfortable with about a 3 degree "nose up" position from level. My sit bones hit on the green marks you indicated, but I do tend to move around on the saddle depending on effort and terrain. At the risk of stating the obvious, be sure the floor the bike is sitting on is level when working with fluid levels at the seat.


-Kedosto

I had a Power Expert 155 and I had a professional fit at a Specialized Dealer. The fitter said that the first 2/3rd of the saddle should be level and that allows for the back to be pushed against. I also found that on a trainer, the Power saddle wasn't as comfortable as it is riding outdoors. But then again, what saddle is...

I just had a Retul fit and switched from a Fizik Antares to the Power Expert. Two rides in and it's been a marked improvement, though my sit bones are still getting used to being supported. The rest of my backside feels so much better though.

One thing I wonder though is whether the Power is right for you, OP. My understanding is that it was designed for more aggressive riders. It might not provide the right amount of support if you have more weight on the saddle.

After years of saddle swapping, I have finally settled on the Power Expert 155. My sit bones are 140 mm. I tried a 168 Power, but it chafed my thighs.

Neither of your lines are relevant. As another poster said, the relevant area — on pretty much every saddle I have tested — is the area where your perineum rests. On the Power, that’s the flat section from the middle of the saddle until it drops off at the nose. You should begin your saddle fit with that area level to the ground, and then micro adjust up or down. I have found that most saddles probably need to be angled slightly up: that will take pressure off the hands and lock you into the saddle. On my Power, perfectly flat works best.

The persistent claim that the Power is for riding in an aggressive position — from Specialized as well as other reviewers — is frustrating. If you search Internet reviews of the Power, you will see scores of comments that the Power is comfortable for all kinds of riders, not just in-the-drops ectomorphic sprinters. The truncated nose of the Power solves the perennial (not perineal) problem of squashed genitals on anything other than an upright bike. As a 67 year old Clydesdale, I only ride in the drops when going down a long, steep hill. The Power is infinitely more comfortable on the hoods and tops than any other saddle I have used, because as soon as I lean forward on a conventional saddle, there is pressure on my genitals. Why saddle makers didn’t figure this out a hundred years ago is a mystery to me.

If I could make one change to the Power, it would be to make it just slightly softer. The Comp and Power are softer than the Pro and S-Works, but I wish there would be just a notch more padding. I have tried the Elaston, which only comes on the Pro, which is a harder saddle. My feeling — literally — is that the Elaston on the Pro makes it feel like an Expert. And, frankly, I can’t tell the difference between the Elaston section on the saddle and the rest of the saddle. If there’s any real difference, it’s certainly not worth the $ 100 premium you pay for the “thousand tiny pillows.” This would not be the first time Specialized hyped a magic ride smoothing technology of questionable value (Zertz inserts, anyone?).

While I dislike Specialized’s marketing model, they do make great saddles. And the Power is a real game changer in the cycling world. I predict that in the next few years short nosed saddles will be the rule, rather than the exception.

Try the Power with Mimic. I moved on from the standard Power, now have an Elaston saddle and one with Mimic. Agree that the Elaston isn't much of a difference. I wanted a second Power-type and bought a lightly used Elaston from a guy in my group rides. The Mimic, though marketed for women, works great for me and is noticeably softer because it uses different materials.

That’s really interesting, although, thinking about it, not surprising. I’ve been through so many saddles that I’m committed to the Power Expert for a while. When there’s evidence of a quantum leap in comfort, I’ll check that out.

I recently decided to try a Specialized Power saddle.
I have been recovering from HHT (high hamstring tendinopathy) for over a year and need something that will not aggravate it.
I have been using a custom MELD saddle and it has worked out ok but it is very hard and I feel my bones grinding on it.
I decided to try the MIMIC expert since is was reported that men also liked this saddle.
My first impression is I really like it. It has similar support of my MELD saddle but with some padding that makes it more comfortable.
But there is a problem, the edges of the saddle dig into the sides and back of my legs which I read is a common problem with this saddle.
It is not painful and does not seem to be affecting my injury, but it is annoying and probably will not work long term.
So now I am thinking of trying the Power Arc which is supposed to solve this problem, but I am afraid it might be too rounded for me as I like flat saddles.
Would appreciate any feedback on the Arc.

Hi I have the arc elastane 143mm. It's good overall but I wish there was more padding. I feel slight pain in my sit bone and some perennial area numbness. I am not sure if it is the saddle or the fit. but I would definitely like to see variation in the padding of the power saddle . Not sure why they do not make it in various padding levels.

I'm on a second Specialized Power right now, a Power Expert in 155mm, after the previous (which was in 168mm) broke in a crash. Love the saddle. My sit bones are also about 130-ish mm so I initially went for 168mm and that was great, but the 155mm is also great. I prefer to angle it down slightly to about 8 degrees overall (so the front bit is about 4 degrees down), and I find it quite literally disappears under me; the nose down setup makes it comfortable to spend prolonged periods in the drops (no spacers, -17 stem, so the drops are pretty low).

Just building a CX / light gravel bike with a Power Elaston, which doesn't seem to be much different trying it out on the road, will possibly be a slight bit more comfy offroad.

The saddle digging into the sides and back of your legs - try lowering it by a few milimetres and see if it goes away.

Thanks everyone for this thread. I followed someone's advice and angled the front of my power saddle so that 2/3 of the front are level. It's been a great ride! My reach is closer to the bars which is what I wanted.