View Poll Results: Rate your saddle experience, describe why below.
1/10- like sitting on the TT of a steel bike
0
0%
2/10- 5 miles is the limit
1
0.82%
3/10
2
1.64%
4/10
8
6.56%
5/10- 30 miles is noticeable
12
9.84%
6/10
6
4.92%
7/10
11
9.02%
8/10
9
7.38%
9/10- 70 miles is noticeable
23
18.85%
10/10- centuries without a problem
50
40.98%
Voters: 122. You may not vote on this poll
Do you like your saddle?
11-22-19, 08:28 AM
#1
Some Weirdo
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Do you like your saddle?
How many of you actually are comfortable with your saddle?
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11-22-19, 08:37 AM
#2
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I’ve never had problems with saddles except for the cheapest ones. Sella Italia and Fizik are my favorites. When I start to feel discomfort, it means I need to adjust the saddle position.
11-22-19, 08:46 AM
#3
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Im happy with most of the thin profile firm racing saddles. The wider and softer saddles start to bother me after one hour or so.
BTW not a good poll re: choices and meanings. This thread may just get many yes responses.
BTW not a good poll re: choices and meanings. This thread may just get many yes responses.
Last edited by joesch; 11-22-19 at 09:18 AM.
11-22-19, 08:51 AM
#4
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yes
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11-22-19, 09:05 AM
#7
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I'm using the stock saddle that came with my bike. It is women-specific. My longest ride so far is 50 miles, but I had no pain. I don't think I'm that fussy about saddles or shorts. I can understand men being a little pickier. I don't have the dangly bits to worry about.
11-22-19, 09:45 AM
#9
Junior Member
Don’t dismiss inexpensive saddles. A 2019 EC-90 model Chinese “power saddle” nock-off bought on Amazon for under $40 after taxes, is the absolute best saddle I’ve ridden. So far I’ve got 2,271 miles on it and still going strong. If you are in the search for a good saddle this one is worth a try. Happy cycling!
11-22-19, 10:13 AM
#11
Some Weirdo
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Don’t dismiss inexpensive saddles. A 2019 EC-90 model Chinese “power saddle” knock-off bought on Amazon for under $40 after taxes, is the absolute best saddle I’ve ridden. So far I’ve got 2,271 miles on it and still going strong. If you are in the search for a good saddle this one is worth a try. Happy cycling!
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11-22-19, 10:46 AM
#12
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I can't remember really liking a saddle in 50 years of riding and have found only a weak correlation between comfort and cost. Brooks were among the worst for me. I can tolerate almost anything on the road, but the trainer is simply torture after 90 min or so. With the amount of pressure my pudendal nerves have taken, I'm amazed I can still get it up with a crane.
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11-22-19, 10:54 AM
#13
Junior Member
Been really happy with my SMP Dynamic. Prior to that was happy with the Arione until one day I got on it and couldn't believe how uncomfortable it had become. And I still weighed the same so not sure what changed.
11-22-19, 11:36 AM
#14
Junior Member
Don’t dismiss inexpensive saddles. A 2019 EC-90 model Chinese “power saddle” nock-off bought on Amazon for under $40 after taxes, is the absolute best saddle I’ve ridden. So far I’ve got 2,271 miles on it and still going strong. If you are in the search for a good saddle this one is worth a try. Happy cycling!
11-22-19, 11:48 AM
#15
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After many years of riding a Selle Italia Flite, I started riding a Specialized Romin. It was a little finickier to set up, but once I got it dialed in, it just disappeared.
11-22-19, 11:58 AM
#16
Heft On Wheels
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After I got my spesh toupe pro or whatever its called that was a game changer for me. Dropped some cash and thought what a dumb purchase, never going back now. One of my better buys for my bike.
11-22-19, 01:36 PM
#17
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Terry Flys for me. Basically the Selle Italias I raced and road for years until my undercarriage changed and I could not ride them any more. A cheap Specialized 20 years ago with a full length groove meant I could ride again. Several seats later, I discovered the Fly and use only those now except on my winter/rain/city bikes where I use the Specialized seats with their rain-proof plastic covers.
I've done 130 mile centuries on the fix gear with those Flys. I consider that a pretty good test. (The century plus riding to and from.)
Second the post above about price not necessarily meaning comfort. I paid $40 for that cheap heavily padded Specialized that was a breakthrough. It got relegated to my winter bike where it stayed for the next decade until the covering died, maybe 15,000 miles later. Never stopped being a good ride. Now, those Flys, for me, just work. I splurge and get the ti-railed ones for the comfort. (I'm light. I don't flex steel seat rails.)
Ben
I've done 130 mile centuries on the fix gear with those Flys. I consider that a pretty good test. (The century plus riding to and from.)
Second the post above about price not necessarily meaning comfort. I paid $40 for that cheap heavily padded Specialized that was a breakthrough. It got relegated to my winter bike where it stayed for the next decade until the covering died, maybe 15,000 miles later. Never stopped being a good ride. Now, those Flys, for me, just work. I splurge and get the ti-railed ones for the comfort. (I'm light. I don't flex steel seat rails.)
Ben
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11-22-19, 02:01 PM
#18
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12 of 25 have voted that a century is no problem. I would be surprised if a random poll of 25 cyclists in the general forum would have 12 who have even completed a century.
11-22-19, 02:51 PM
#19
Full Member
It depends on the saddle and application the Selle San Marco on my "road" bike is good for a metric century but gets uncomfortable around 75 miles. On the other hand it's lousy for mountain biking so I have a WTB on my dually.
Saddle comfort is complicated by different body shape and position so there's no one right answer. I have 3 bike, 3 saddles, all different shapes, all suited for purpose.
Saddle comfort is complicated by different body shape and position so there's no one right answer. I have 3 bike, 3 saddles, all different shapes, all suited for purpose.
11-22-19, 02:52 PM
#20
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11-22-19, 02:54 PM
#21
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Any narrow WTB seems to work for me. Cheap, expensive, doesn't matter.
11-22-19, 02:56 PM
#22
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Terry Flys for me. Basically the Selle Italias I raced and road for years until my undercarriage changed and I could not ride them any more. A cheap Specialized 20 years ago with a full length groove meant I could ride again. Several seats later, I discovered the Fly and use only those now except on my winter/rain/city bikes where I use the Specialized seats with their rain-proof plastic covers.
I've done 130 mile centuries on the fix gear with those Flys. I consider that a pretty good test. (The century plus riding to and from.)
Second the post above about price not necessarily meaning comfort. I paid $40 for that cheap heavily padded Specialized that was a breakthrough. It got relegated to my winter bike where it stayed for the next decade until the covering died, maybe 15,000 miles later. Never stopped being a good ride. Now, those Flys, for me, just work. I splurge and get the ti-railed ones for the comfort. (I'm light. I don't flex steel seat rails.)
Ben
I've done 130 mile centuries on the fix gear with those Flys. I consider that a pretty good test. (The century plus riding to and from.)
Second the post above about price not necessarily meaning comfort. I paid $40 for that cheap heavily padded Specialized that was a breakthrough. It got relegated to my winter bike where it stayed for the next decade until the covering died, maybe 15,000 miles later. Never stopped being a good ride. Now, those Flys, for me, just work. I splurge and get the ti-railed ones for the comfort. (I'm light. I don't flex steel seat rails.)
Ben
in 2003 bought a replacement after wearing the first out. Great! $69, great, ti rails.
2005, another ti rails, $80.
Couple years ago, I looked into another replacement, $180!!!!
Great saddles but getting too high for my blood. But great saddles imo. In 2005, I did 23 centuries on the Fly. First time on the saddle, right out of the box I planned a 60 miler. It was so comfy I just kept going and did 100.
I just can't see myself paying that much for one nowadays.
I get saddles for less than half that will work fine. Not as good but I can't justify the price just because they want to keep raising the price of the darn thing.
11-22-19, 04:35 PM
#23
Full Member
good on one bike, bad on another
I dumped a women's issue specialized for a Charge Spoon. Bad on the Al bike, a 57cm Spec Dolce but works and feels great on my steel Centurion IM. New specialized hollow rail saddle for $60 works great on the Al bike. But a very old tricot covered no-name saddle I've had for thirty years still feels great on either one. (Now on a vintage Giant CFR carbon.)
11-22-19, 07:47 PM
#24
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I've tried a bunch of saddles and so far the contemporary Selle Italia narrow racing style saddle seems to suit me best -- flat, solid top, no upward flares, curves or perineum relief cutouts. With the right shorts (and pedaling effort) it's fine for up to 60 miles or so. My longest ride this year, 105 miles on that saddle, included a long lunch break around the 60 mile mark, so it wasn't a continuous century ride.
I started with the low priced Selle Italia SLS Kit Carbonio when it was discontinued and heavily discounted a couple of years ago. Selle Italia does that pretty often so I'll probably get another with the same dimensions, although they change model designations too often to keep up with. But if you wait awhile their $200+ MSRP saddles will sell for under $100.
Unfortunately the slightly wider, more padded Selle Italia Q-Bik didn't work out for me. It's just enough different to be uncomfortable after 20 miles or so.
An old and nearly worn out Selle San Marco with a split rear but otherwise similar to the Selle Italia has been pretty comfortable on my hybrid.
I'm trying a Bontrager Ajna woman's saddle with generous perineum relief cutout. It's a little wider and shorter, but the main problem is the wider cutout leaves less saddle actually supporting my sitdown area. So after an hour or so I can feel the saddle digging in. It's better with thicker pads, like the Coomax pads used by Przewalski shorts and bibs.
So I'll probably stick with the solid top saddles, flat or nearly so without significant upward flare at the rear, and no hammock type design.
I started with the low priced Selle Italia SLS Kit Carbonio when it was discontinued and heavily discounted a couple of years ago. Selle Italia does that pretty often so I'll probably get another with the same dimensions, although they change model designations too often to keep up with. But if you wait awhile their $200+ MSRP saddles will sell for under $100.
Unfortunately the slightly wider, more padded Selle Italia Q-Bik didn't work out for me. It's just enough different to be uncomfortable after 20 miles or so.
An old and nearly worn out Selle San Marco with a split rear but otherwise similar to the Selle Italia has been pretty comfortable on my hybrid.
I'm trying a Bontrager Ajna woman's saddle with generous perineum relief cutout. It's a little wider and shorter, but the main problem is the wider cutout leaves less saddle actually supporting my sitdown area. So after an hour or so I can feel the saddle digging in. It's better with thicker pads, like the Coomax pads used by Przewalski shorts and bibs.
So I'll probably stick with the solid top saddles, flat or nearly so without significant upward flare at the rear, and no hammock type design.
11-22-19, 08:56 PM
#25
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I have Fizik Donna saddles on my road and gravel bikes and a Fizik Vesta on the single speed. I've done centuries on all three without any serious issues, but prefer the Donna.
I like to think I'm not overly picky about saddles, but I've learned that stock saddles and super cheapo ones tend to be painful. Whenever I get a new bike, I hop on the Bay and pick up a Fizik Donna. I'm sure there's something even better out there, but it's been working, so no point in changing.
I like to think I'm not overly picky about saddles, but I've learned that stock saddles and super cheapo ones tend to be painful. Whenever I get a new bike, I hop on the Bay and pick up a Fizik Donna. I'm sure there's something even better out there, but it's been working, so no point in changing.