Squeezebox

I've had a Brooks Pro, and an Ideal saddle. I looked in the basement and they are gone. So sad. I don't want to deal with the issues of protecting a leather saddle.
I'm pretty satisfied with what came on my road bike and my Trek 920. I'm sure I could shave several oz. if I changed, but I'm not gonna do it.
Just curious if you have had saddle problems and how you fixed it.
Gender and wt. might be worth mentioning.
Thanks!

DropBarFan

I have the idea to combine ultra-light saddle with a suspension seatpost. Smoother pedaling & less chafing than cushier touring saddles but protection against bumps. Some saddles are 400 g lighter than Brooks B17 which offsets much of added suspension seatpost weight. Only problem is experimenting w/$300 saddles to find good fit.

fietsbob

Drop bar bike? consider San Marco Rolls. (I use it interchangeably with my Brooks team Pro)

[SI Turbo another (avocet race is made by SI) Asian copy "TaiBo" comes thru Merry Sales imports/'SOMA']

My trekking bar bikes I have a Cane Creek Thudbuster seat post, & Fizik's Vitesse, a Unisex saddle .

Of course I dont have your pelvis sitting on my saddles so YMMV.

Go forth , into bike shops and sit on a variety of saddles..

Brooks , now a division of An Italian holding company, has the rubber Cambium series,

Hammock suspended between nose and tail , just like the Leather ones..

tarwheel 

Saddle comfort is very personal. What is very comfortable to one person may be miserable to another. My recommendation would be to buy a saddle from a store that will allow you to test ride it or return/exchange it if not comfortable for you. You may have to test several saddles before you find one that fits you well.

I tried a bunch of different saddles before settling on one. I had been riding with Brooks B17s for many years until I tried a Fizik Vitesse. The Vitesse is similar in shape and width to a B17 but weighs about half as much. However, it might be too wide for riders with sit bones that are closer together. Fizik markets the Vitesse as a womens' saddle but it is identical to their Aliante, just a little wider.

fietsbob

Local Bike shops , like Mine have Take-Off saddles for cheaper than the same new one with the display card.

also New, just Bike Buyer wanted a different one than the factory build specs chose .

I got My Vitesses thru the now closed Brompton dealer in Palo Alto,
it was an Optional saddle for the Ti parts Mix Bikes .

Plain Black the saddle rail bend had more adjustment clearance than the B17

Mr IGH

If I need some cushion I use my Thudbuster, I don't like sprung saddles, no adjustment for weight/conditions. I love my old school Brooks and Ideale saddles but leather is too fragile for my style. I like the WTB Rocket Race saddles. They come in three widths; 130mm, 142mm and 150mm, made from synthetic material, sheds water and requires no care.

deapee

I know people that can put 100 miles on any saddle that comes with any bike. That wasn't the case with me.
My first bike came with a 130mm Bontrager, and it was like sitting on a metal pipe.
I had my sit bones measured at Specialized and picked up a 155mm Romin Evo (and a 143mm Toupe), and love both.
My second bike came with a 143 Specialized saddle, can't remember which one...but I took it off immediately and put my Romin Evo on it...just wasn't worth chancing it.

My mountain bike came with a 143 Phenom and I tried it...but it felt somewhat like sitting on a metal pipe (not as bad as the 130) -- but I swapped a 155 Targa on it and haven't looked back.

suburbanbeat

As a touring enthusiast and animal advocate, I spent a lot of time researching non-leather saddles when I was in the market for one. All signs pointed towards the Brooks Cambium, and sure enough, it's amazing. So amazing in fact, that my fiance bought one for her touring bike, and I plan on buying another just to have as a backup in case the thing is ever discontinued (I truly hope it isn't!).

The Cambium breathes easily and is completely unnoticeable when set up properly, as any good saddle should be. Like any saddle, finding the optimal placement will take time and a good deal of trial and error, but my guess is that you'll be happy when it's dialed in.

veganbikes

Another vote for the Cambium. I just bought another one and also got one for a co-worker. I haven't found a better saddle for my buttocks and I doubt one will come along anytime soon. I have a C17 Carved and a second one (the first one might actually be the shorter/womens version which is really only just a touch shorter but same width) My only complaint is I wish they did the exact same saddle without any changes aside from doing a titanium rail to lighten it up maybe.

As far as weight and gender. I have a nice aero pouch at the front (unfortunately this is old school aero so the pouch ain't light) and have those damned dangly bits downstairs which seem to just chafe and get in the way.

DropBarFan

I like the look & shape of the Rolls but some reviewers note that it's harder than it looks. I bought the San Marco Regal for shape/looks & ignored reviewers who noted that it was quite hard. They were right, padding is very thin & it was painful after 80 km.

I agree about trying saddles from LBS take-offs though in local shops I don't see as many of those saddles as previously.

PDKL45

WTB Comfort Comp has my vote. It's like personal Cadillac suspension for your bum.

fietsbob

** one of thousands of different saddles made

Maybe they Put them On Ebay more ,,

AdvXtrm

I'm looking into getting a wide saddle with a large center channel, and attaching it to a suspension post.

spinnaker

Oh no, not another saddle thread.

Simple the saddle that works for someone else might not work for you. You are just going to have to figure that out on your own.

DropBarFan

Probably; also with the huge choice of saddles online I guess fewer bike buyers have the LBS switch saddles.

DropBarFan

Fit is personal of course but I figure the more info the better. There should be a saddle & shoe database web page where folks contribute their experience & buyers have a convenient centralized info source.

BTW, knowing that touring bikes typically have higher prices & lower-quality equipment than the other more popular categories, I wonder how many of the touring saddles on offer have significant R&D etc? I'd guess lots of makers just extrapolate from road or recreational saddles to cheaply create "touring" saddles & then buffalo buyers with ad-copy about science/tech.

Miele Man

Not just another saddle thread but a thread started by someone who in their original post clearly stated they're happy enough with what they have and that they're not going to change their saddle. i don't see the point of the thread to be honest.

Saddles are so personal and many threads/posts show that what works well for one on long rides can be agony for another. I have a buddy who had trouble getting a saddle he was comfortable on until I gave him a transversely flat Bontager saddle I got for $20.00 Canadain in a take-off bin at a local shop. my buddy really likes that saddle and would like to get another one for his other bike.

I find some saddles are so transversely rounded it seems that my sit bones are always getting splayed apart.

Cheers

DropBarFan

Hmm, that's an issue I wouldn't have thought of so the thread isn't completely useless.

I see that in UK they have saddle fitting service for £150 that includes sitting on a pressure-mapping cover placed over rider's current saddle; they claim staff has experience fitting top pros. I don't know if similar service offered in USA but the concept is interesting. Not cheap but experimenting with saddles can wind up being costly & frustrating.

Cyclefit Services | CycleFit

A British woman who does double-centuries had saddle problems & reports good results from the fitting. She initially considered the recommended saddle as minimalist & uncomfortable looking (Bontrager Anja BTW) but actually very comfortable due to stopping soft-tissue pressure.

https://www.theguardian.com/environm...er-isnt-better

spinnaker

A computer program does not tell you everything either. You could spend £150 on a fitting and still have a sore butt.

Squeezebox

I disagree that a pro fit is worthless. You may not get the best fitting. But getting someone intelligent to talk to you about adjusting your bicycle is a good thing.

spinnaker

Where did I say it is worthless? Read again. There is a could in there. and I waqs speaking to the comfort of the saddle not adjustment of the rest of the bicycle.

fietsbob

My Wax (not quite) saturated Brooks team pro has been on many tours over the past 40 years .

when camping in the rain, I put a Common Plastic Bag Over it , when its raining all day I just left the plastic Bag On the saddle..

Weight shaving? I now see a C13, a C15 with a Carbon Sub frame.

AdvXtrm

If I didn't require a more prostate friendly seat the Brooks would be the one I'd get hands down.

I'm looking into getting one of these,

Fizik:
tritone 5.5 k:ium

DropBarFan

Apparently it's not a computer program per se, the fitter looks at the pressure map etc & makes a judgement & recommendation. Emphasis is on avoiding soft-tissue pressure. The Brit woman notes it's more for riders who have already experimented with saddles w/o ideal results.

fietsbob

Physically your Prostate is in your Pelvis not outside .