Originally Posted by
DaveSSS
I've never had a problem with numbness, but I found my smp stratos saddle to be more comfortable than any other I've owned. The right width is important. SMP makes several widths and different levels of padding for each width. The suggest using your waist size when skinny as a guide for width with a 30-31 waist, I chose the narrow model with standard padding and it worked well. The angle setting is critical. No cheap post with wide spaced serrations will work, except by luck.
This isn't a good way to know width. Waist has to do with fat vs bone location. I've been 30 to 32 waist most of my adult life and need wide saddles for proper sit bone support. I'd imagine too wide would not be that bad but too narrow can be more uncomfortable.
I was given a track bike once with a saddle without the cutout (was a female rider). It was TERRIBLE. It's not the same as a "flat hard bench" as someone mentioned. It's worse, because the middle of the saddle is HIGHER than the edges.
Also to get proper saddle support you obviously need to be on the wide part of the saddle. If you do like to get low and aero, you tend to slide forward so make sure your reach isn't too far. I'm 5'-10" and my race bike is a 54 with saddle slammed all the way forward and in the forward seatpost position (dual position seatpost). My new gravel bike is a 52 and feels nice with the saddle in a normal position, which I suspect is where you like yours if you aren't getting super aero.