Your fat bike saddles
#1
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Thread Starter
Your fat bike saddles
What saddles are you guys using on your fat bikes? I'm only a leisure cyclist so don't punish my bikes much at all, but prefer the more 'sightseeing' type of ride.
I've currently got a Specialized Phenom Expert on my fattie but I'm not sure it's the right saddle. It definitely needs padded shorts/tights for me at least. I would dearly love to put a Brooks B67 on it (which I have on my cruiser) but I fear that it would be ruined very quickly over the Winter months as Brooks leather saddles are not rain friendly.
I'm looking for other suggestions. Anyway, this is what I currently have and I'm 50:50 about it at the moment from a pure comfort point of view.
I've currently got a Specialized Phenom Expert on my fattie but I'm not sure it's the right saddle. It definitely needs padded shorts/tights for me at least. I would dearly love to put a Brooks B67 on it (which I have on my cruiser) but I fear that it would be ruined very quickly over the Winter months as Brooks leather saddles are not rain friendly.
I'm looking for other suggestions. Anyway, this is what I currently have and I'm 50:50 about it at the moment from a pure comfort point of view.
#2
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I still use the stock saddle on the Surly Ice Cream truck but I plan on replacing it with Brooks B17 just like on my Salsa Beargrease
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#3
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Stock WTB Volt. Seems a bit narrow. Thinking of changing to an old Brooks B17N.
#4
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Ergon SME3. Excellent saddle. Fits me well enough that I have no need of padded shorts.
#5
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Price and brand name have little to do with what matches you. With my Fat bike came one of those newer, hard, plastic racing seats. I changed it out with a mid range MTB saddle. I wouldn't dare use a Brooks, considering I ride deep water, even though the B17 is the most comfortable saddle I have ever ridden.
It's best to find what suits your buttocks and give little weight to what others scream are the best saddles. Of course, break-in and time in the saddle will help.
Find a shop that will allow you to test the saddles.
It's best to find what suits your buttocks and give little weight to what others scream are the best saddles. Of course, break-in and time in the saddle will help.
Find a shop that will allow you to test the saddles.
#6
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How do you like the Jones Loop? I have been considering them for a while for my touring bike, but would like to give them a good try before investing.
#7
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I love the Jones Loop, especially on my wife's Fat Bike (Salsa Beargrease) where I use them with the Jones foam handlebar grips. Those grips are long and allow the hands to more positions up and down.
We also have Jones bars on my wife's touring bike where she likes them a lot.
The only disadvantage on a touring bike that I could think of is the inability to naturally install the Ortlieb Ultimate Handlebar bag. I've seen one video of someone jerryrigging a solution but I did not find it particularly elegant.
We also have Jones bars on my wife's touring bike where she likes them a lot.
The only disadvantage on a touring bike that I could think of is the inability to naturally install the Ortlieb Ultimate Handlebar bag. I've seen one video of someone jerryrigging a solution but I did not find it particularly elegant.
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Whatever saddle you use in the summer. Yes, you can over-complicate things and loOK at how the foam will behave in sub-freezing conditions. But in the real world it isn't an issue.
If a saddle works in a mountain bike, it will work in a fat bike. And saddles are a very personal thing.
If a saddle works in a mountain bike, it will work in a fat bike. And saddles are a very personal thing.
#9
Newbie
I like the phenom a lot.
A good bike shop will have a box of loaners to try out. Its hard to tell what you'll like without a couple of rides.
A good bike shop will have a box of loaners to try out. Its hard to tell what you'll like without a couple of rides.
#10
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Brooks Cambium or Specialized Toupe.
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#11
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On both my Salsa Mukluk and Fargo I have Broooks b17's and couldn't be happier.
Last edited by JeffAbe; 12-18-17 at 07:03 PM. Reason: added content
#12
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I have a B17 on my tourer/commuter (Surly Troll), and wouldn't use anything else, but I've found it doesn't work as well on my fat bike. The rear is wide enough that for trail riding it's just not as easy to drop my tail off the back of the saddle for weight distribution.
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#13
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Currently my Salsa Mukluk has a Brooks England B17 on it. It may down the track get a Selle Anatomica X1 or X2 but yet to make that decision.
Pink Lake [not] by Andrew Priest (Aushiker), on Flickr
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#14
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Thread Starter
Last night I realised that I had an unused Brooks Flyer still in its box (the Flyer is a essentially a B17 with springs - in between a B17 and a B67). I replaced the Phenom Expert on my fattie with the Brooks Flyer so will see how it works out.
The Brooks Flyer is a really heavy saddle, but in the context of a fat bike, my own weight and my leisurely rides, it's not going to be an issue.
I did (finally) remove the spoke reflectors on the bike too, just to save a few grams.
The Brooks Flyer is a really heavy saddle, but in the context of a fat bike, my own weight and my leisurely rides, it's not going to be an issue.
I did (finally) remove the spoke reflectors on the bike too, just to save a few grams.
#15
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Thread Starter
Here's the Brooks England Flyer fitted to my Cannondale Fat CAAD2 fattie:
I've found that it's really sensitive to bike fit (mostly saddle height and angle) and becomes really comfortable once you hit the sweet spot when making small adjustments.
I've found that it's really sensitive to bike fit (mostly saddle height and angle) and becomes really comfortable once you hit the sweet spot when making small adjustments.
#16
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Just swapped out the stock one on my Kona Wo for a Brooks C17.
Did a 60 mile ride in March with someone else's Fatty, which also had a C17 and and enjoyed it. So took one off of one of my other bikes and put it on this one (also use the all weather version on my gravel bike).
May put the B17 onto it and see how it is (I just don't like that I slide on the B17 on another bike)
Did a 60 mile ride in March with someone else's Fatty, which also had a C17 and and enjoyed it. So took one off of one of my other bikes and put it on this one (also use the all weather version on my gravel bike).
May put the B17 onto it and see how it is (I just don't like that I slide on the B17 on another bike)
#17
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Thread Starter
Tried the Brooks Flyer out this evening. It was like sitting on the narrow edge of a 2x4!
I know that Brooks saddles have a burn-in time, but this was ridiculous, and I was wearing padded shorts too. It felt okay on a couple of very short test rides when I fitted it.
I'll do a few more rides and if things don't improve then I'll put the Specialized Phenom Expert back on.
I know that Brooks saddles have a burn-in time, but this was ridiculous, and I was wearing padded shorts too. It felt okay on a couple of very short test rides when I fitted it.
I'll do a few more rides and if things don't improve then I'll put the Specialized Phenom Expert back on.
#18
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Brooks C-17 (been a B-17 too). I ride endurance gravel events with this bike (50 to 150 miles), so for my bum, this is a very comfortable saddle.
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#22
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Brooks Cambium.
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#23
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#24
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The WTB saddle the bike came with. It has been comfortable so far.
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#25
Senior Member
Here's a fattie I built up this winter to stick my big toe in the pool...Saddle is glittery Bontrager Race.