Spongy Wonder vs Spiderflex
04-07-15, 08:55 AM
#26
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I have had a spiderflex for about a year now. I chose it because of the suspension gadget and the solid look. I added a bit of foam as I found it a little firm. I wrote to Spongy Wonder to ask if I could try their pads on it but he wouldn't sell the pads alone. Fair enough.
I am now well used to the seat and don't have any problem with control: don't think I'll go back to an ordinary seat. (my prostate is much happier)
I don't ride a unicycle or try to go down cliffs, it's a commuter.
One thing I really enjoy is being able to stand on the pedals and lean back against the seat, which you can't do with a standard saddle.
I am now well used to the seat and don't have any problem with control: don't think I'll go back to an ordinary seat. (my prostate is much happier)
I don't ride a unicycle or try to go down cliffs, it's a commuter.
One thing I really enjoy is being able to stand on the pedals and lean back against the seat, which you can't do with a standard saddle.
06-23-17, 01:13 PM
#28
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The reason noseless saddles aren't more popular
I've been using a noseless saddle for my commuter bike for a year and can say without a doubt that yes there some loss of control, but it is well worth it to have feeling in my toes and more private areas. I haven't used either of the saddles that were asked about here and was hoping to get feedback from people who have used them. How about you let them post and you go to the horned saddles are the only saddles for me forum and hang out.
Last edited by rwgreen89; 06-23-17 at 01:16 PM.
06-23-17, 01:43 PM
#29
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Joker, I am a believer in finding a (relatively) traditional seat that works for you. Do you have a good bike shop nearby? Many shops in the larger cyciong centers offer trial periods for seats wit full refunds or credit to store merchandise if it doesn't work. (One shop here in Portland has a "library" of 25 seats on shelves. But a $25 library card and you can take out any seat for up to a week, just like a book, as many different seats as you want. Find "the one" and your $25 goes to that seat, new and boxed.
Many shops are figuring out that getting the seat right is a key piece to happy, satisfied customers. If your local shop doesn't do this, talk to them about it. (They could look at Bike Gallery with its standard for Portland policy or Gladys Bikes with its library for ideas.) You could even arrange a vacation to NE Portland, buy a library card and spend your vacation "reading"!)
I stress this actually riding the seats because that is so important. Our butts vary as much as our faces do. (No, I have not done the actual research! Just observed what long time riders find comfortable. I remember well doing an epic ride with a racing clubmate, each of us riding our favorite seats with no issues at all, each of us riding seats that would have been literal a**hachets for the other. That ride was well over 100 miles. He started us out way too fast and died with 50 miles to go to get back to his car. I dragged him over all the remaining hills. The town of Harvard, MA, top of a hill, around Lake Quinsigamond and back up to Harvard. Not flat! Our bodies were hurting all over but our seat were still comfortable.)
When you find the firm-ish seat that supports your sit bones properly and allows you to move to all the positions you like to ride, you wll be very glad you did this work. (I'll bet that seat will not be the final solution. We change and our riding changes over time and we learn more as we go, but having a seat that narrows down the next search a lot.
Good luck and good riding!
Ben
Many shops are figuring out that getting the seat right is a key piece to happy, satisfied customers. If your local shop doesn't do this, talk to them about it. (They could look at Bike Gallery with its standard for Portland policy or Gladys Bikes with its library for ideas.) You could even arrange a vacation to NE Portland, buy a library card and spend your vacation "reading"!)
I stress this actually riding the seats because that is so important. Our butts vary as much as our faces do. (No, I have not done the actual research! Just observed what long time riders find comfortable. I remember well doing an epic ride with a racing clubmate, each of us riding our favorite seats with no issues at all, each of us riding seats that would have been literal a**hachets for the other. That ride was well over 100 miles. He started us out way too fast and died with 50 miles to go to get back to his car. I dragged him over all the remaining hills. The town of Harvard, MA, top of a hill, around Lake Quinsigamond and back up to Harvard. Not flat! Our bodies were hurting all over but our seat were still comfortable.)
When you find the firm-ish seat that supports your sit bones properly and allows you to move to all the positions you like to ride, you wll be very glad you did this work. (I'll bet that seat will not be the final solution. We change and our riding changes over time and we learn more as we go, but having a seat that narrows down the next search a lot.
Good luck and good riding!
Ben
06-23-17, 02:49 PM
#30
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The lessening (not "loss") of control without the horn on the saddle is probably not apparent to casual riders, who I assume are the primary users of the hornless saddles. I speculate that they either do lose control more often but do not have enough experience to know why, or they are never particularly skilled riders anyway and don't miss the loss of control. I find the horn is really only heavily used in more extreme maneuvering. It's not like you need it to ride day to day - I could ride around just fine with a block of wood on the top of the seat post, but I would be in trouble if I got right hooked and needed to do an emergency countersteer maneuver to follow the idiot around the corner rather than just going into the side of his car.
Also in emergency braking situations, you really don't want anything that wide under your butt. I have had to throw my tail back behind the saddle and hit the front brakes hard enough that I was on the verge of going over. If the saddle was as wide as that looks, I probably wouldn't be able to shift my weight backwards and my stopping distance would be longer.
Also in emergency braking situations, you really don't want anything that wide under your butt. I have had to throw my tail back behind the saddle and hit the front brakes hard enough that I was on the verge of going over. If the saddle was as wide as that looks, I probably wouldn't be able to shift my weight backwards and my stopping distance would be longer.
06-24-17, 11:08 AM
#31
Banned
Noseless saddles are removing one lever to steer with , that happens to fit between your legs..
06-24-17, 06:40 PM
#32
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The thread was started in 2010, I think Joker has found a solution
Then we have the four post wonder who dredges up a old thread to argue. Welcome rwgreen89, you might want to alter your stance a little since you are new here. You know you are arguing with one guy who hasn't posted since 2013?
I have owned Spongy Wonder but I am not going to repeat what I said in response to your other attacks on the 50+ forum. If I follow your logic, since I owned the saddle I have the inherent right to post an opinion.
I will say this about the saddle, Fietsbob hits the nail on the head on what is wrong with noseless saddles.
Then we have the four post wonder who dredges up a old thread to argue. Welcome rwgreen89, you might want to alter your stance a little since you are new here. You know you are arguing with one guy who hasn't posted since 2013?
I have owned Spongy Wonder but I am not going to repeat what I said in response to your other attacks on the 50+ forum. If I follow your logic, since I owned the saddle I have the inherent right to post an opinion.
I will say this about the saddle, Fietsbob hits the nail on the head on what is wrong with noseless saddles.
06-26-17, 07:19 AM
#33
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Every time this comes up, it gets flooded with people who have no posts and are eager to defend the noseless saddle.
