Saddle?
07-24-18, 06:12 PM
#1
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Saddle?
Hello all, I know saddle comfort is relative to fit but is there a general consensus on which saddles are typically more comfortable than others? The saddle on my old bianchi was comfortable, as was the fizik on my father in laws bianchi. The saddle on my new bike is terrible. Could it be I took a week or so off of riding along with the combination of a new saddle that's hurting me so bad? I mean I feel like I'm starting over again. I hate to spend money on another saddle right now. I feel like I need to give my butt some adjustment time. What do you guys and girls think? For reference what I have now is a selle Italia but not sure what model.
07-24-18, 06:14 PM
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Also want to note that on my daily after work rides I'm riding about 10 miles a day in gym shorts. I use my padded shorts for my saturday rides cause they are usually the 20 to 30 mile range.
07-24-18, 06:25 PM
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It's hard to tell. A week off shouldn't be like starting over though, but it can certainly take time to adjust to a new saddle. Or it might just not work for you. Can you not switch the old saddle to the new bike?
07-24-18, 06:35 PM
#4
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You might consider some adjustments to the saddle- up/down, fore/aft, angle up/down. Sometimes small adjustments can make significant differences.
07-24-18, 07:04 PM
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Keep looking until you find a saddle you don’t know is there. For me, that was the Fabric Scoop Shallow.
07-24-18, 07:09 PM
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the old bike got sold and the fizik is on my father in laws old bike. I'm sure he'd let me trade him but I'd like to try and adjust to this one first. I did already adjust the fore and aft this morning. That feels pretty decent. I just lowered it a little. Took it around the block seems to fit better now. I'll know a little better after tomorrow afternoons ride. I'm kinda thinking the saddle may work. I'm not gonna give up on it yet. It may take me a few days to get it dialed in.
07-24-18, 08:33 PM
#9
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Close the toilet lid.
Put towel on the lid.
Put a sheet of aluminum foil on the towel.
Wear only your briefs.
Sit down on the foil, not moving around. Lean forward about the same angle you'd ride the bike.
Stand up.
Notice the two dents left in the foil from your ischial tuberosities. Mark their centers with a marker.
Measure the distance between the marks.
07-25-18, 12:48 AM
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How to measure:
Close the toilet lid.
Put towel on the lid.
Put a sheet of aluminum foil on the towel.
Wear only your briefs.
Sit down on the foil, not moving around. Lean forward about the same angle you'd ride the bike.
Stand up.
Notice the two dents left in the foil from your ischial tuberosities. Mark their centers with a marker.
Measure the distance between the marks.
Close the toilet lid.
Put towel on the lid.
Put a sheet of aluminum foil on the towel.
Wear only your briefs.
Sit down on the foil, not moving around. Lean forward about the same angle you'd ride the bike.
Stand up.
Notice the two dents left in the foil from your ischial tuberosities. Mark their centers with a marker.
Measure the distance between the marks.
I keep finding different opinions on what size seat to buy using my actual measurement. For me it was 124mm. Some say to add 25mm to 30mm, other say add 15mm and buy that width seat. Then I saw Specialized says certain ranges should buy certain sized seats. I am currently using a 143mm but looking for something more comfortable.
07-25-18, 12:50 AM
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Fit makes a big difference in saddle comfort. My low end Selle Italia (SLS Kit Carbonio, only $30) has about the same amount of padding as a Fizik and I was a bit worried it would feel like an a$$ hatchet, but it took only a few rides and tweaks to be perfect. But minor adjustments in saddle height, fore/aft position and angle made significant differences. Once it got those dialed in I hardly notice the saddle. But if it was off as little as 1/8" to 1/4" anywhere my sit bones complained.
And I'm wearing AeroTech Pro shorts with minimal padding on the road. Only time I wear more thickly padded shorts is when the bike is on the trainer, since I tend to sit more heavily in the saddle.
Regarding width, I'd assumed 140 or so was right for me, but my Selle Italia is 131mm and it's more comfortable. Turns out my sit bones are narrower than I'd realized. Any wider in a firm road saddle felt wrong, although I like wider saddles on my hybrids since I sit more upright.
And I'm wearing AeroTech Pro shorts with minimal padding on the road. Only time I wear more thickly padded shorts is when the bike is on the trainer, since I tend to sit more heavily in the saddle.
Regarding width, I'd assumed 140 or so was right for me, but my Selle Italia is 131mm and it's more comfortable. Turns out my sit bones are narrower than I'd realized. Any wider in a firm road saddle felt wrong, although I like wider saddles on my hybrids since I sit more upright.
07-25-18, 04:52 AM
#12
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How to measure:
Close the toilet lid.
Put towel on the lid.
Put a sheet of aluminum foil on the towel.
Wear only your briefs.
Sit down on the foil, not moving around. Lean forward about the same angle you'd ride the bike.
Stand up.
Notice the two dents left in the foil from your ischial tuberosities. Mark their centers with a marker.
Measure the distance between the marks.
Close the toilet lid.
Put towel on the lid.
Put a sheet of aluminum foil on the towel.
Wear only your briefs.
Sit down on the foil, not moving around. Lean forward about the same angle you'd ride the bike.
Stand up.
Notice the two dents left in the foil from your ischial tuberosities. Mark their centers with a marker.
Measure the distance between the marks.
07-25-18, 02:32 PM
#13
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07-25-18, 02:41 PM
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Try your father-in-laws saddle and if it feels much better, let me know. I have several different Fizik's for sale here for very good prices. They are all almost brand new.
07-25-18, 03:19 PM
#15
Retired loving & Life!
No break in..a high quaility leather saddle made here in the US. I own 4, enjoying total comfort while riding.
https://selleanatomica.com/
https://selleanatomica.com/
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Last edited by Patriot1; 07-25-18 at 03:22 PM.
07-25-18, 03:58 PM
#17
Retired loving & Life!
How to measure:
Close the toilet lid.
Put towel on the lid.
Put a sheet of aluminum foil on the towel.
Wear only your briefs.
Sit down on the foil, not moving around. Lean forward about the same angle you'd ride the bike.
Stand up.
Notice the two dents left in the foil from your ischial tuberosities. Mark their centers with a marker.
Measure the distance between the marks.
Close the toilet lid.
Put towel on the lid.
Put a sheet of aluminum foil on the towel.
Wear only your briefs.
Sit down on the foil, not moving around. Lean forward about the same angle you'd ride the bike.
Stand up.
Notice the two dents left in the foil from your ischial tuberosities. Mark their centers with a marker.
Measure the distance between the marks.
Worked perfect for for my wife and I. Then we had a professional bike fit, money totally well spent.
I did not want to waste $$$ and then own a box of saddles that never worked.
FWIW...
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07-25-18, 04:03 PM
#18
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No break in..a high quaility leather saddle made here in the US. I own 4, enjoying total comfort while riding.
https://selleanatomica.com/
https://selleanatomica.com/
07-25-18, 04:15 PM
#19
Retired loving & Life!
in normal daily wear cotton shorts, total comfort. I then knew that with lycra chamois riding shorts this was the saddle for me. As mentioned I own 4 SA’s now one of which is on my wife’s bike a Trek 920. She loves the comfort of her SA saddle. SA gives very clear instructions on how to properly mount their saddles for proper figment. 30 day return if your not happy. Best of luck with your saddle search.
My latest SA H2- vintage/silver
SA H2 mounted on my Merlin Ti.
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Last edited by Patriot1; 07-25-18 at 04:23 PM.
07-25-18, 06:32 PM
#20
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Zero irritation and no adjustment time or break-in. In fact when my first SA arrived I installed it and took a short ride
in normal daily wear cotton shorts, total comfort. I then knew that with lycra chamois riding shorts this was the saddle for me. As mentioned I own 4 SA’s now one of which is on my wife’s bike a Trek 920. She loves the comfort of her SA saddle. SA gives very clear instructions on how to properly mount their saddles for proper figment. 30 day return if your not happy. Best of luck with your saddle search.
My latest SA H2- vintage/silver
SA H2 mounted on my Merlin Ti.
07-25-18, 06:40 PM
#21
Retired loving & Life!
07-26-18, 04:58 AM
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Brooks C15 carved. I have three Brooks saddles which I love but the Cambium is the easiest. No break-in, no concern about weather damage, long lasting and very comfortable.
07-29-18, 05:21 AM
#24
Retired loving & Life!
