Anyone else here use "retro" style saddles? Can't find anything better than my Regal
#26
Jet Jockey
I have a San Marco Concor Light on my light road bike. Fantastic saddle.
I have Brooks on my cross bike. Used to run a B17N on my roadie, but gave it up for the Concor Light.
I have Brooks on my cross bike. Used to run a B17N on my roadie, but gave it up for the Concor Light.
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Ive looked at that one but I think it's a bit narrower than the regal. Basically I think now that the saddle is the place where compromises shouldn't be made in terms of comfort. I can save the weight somewhere else most likely and keep my saddle that I know works.
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And I have Brooks saddles on all my bicycles, most of which are road bicycles.
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Stick with what works for you. I have the same saddle on both roadies and an extra one on the shelf.
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#32
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Most of the "retro" choices cited are just wide. Newer designs come in wide models too.
Saddles 150mm and up : https://www.wekeepyoucycling.com/en/c-34-width-150.aspx
Saddles 150mm and up : https://www.wekeepyoucycling.com/en/c-34-width-150.aspx
#33
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#34
Jet Jockey
For what it's worth, I didn't pick the Concor Light to save weight. There's more to saddle comfort than just width. The shape of the Concor Light gave me a support surface as wide as a competing saddle almost 1cm wider, but the curvature gets the saddle out of the way of the thighs when pedaling.
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Another vote for the Selle Italia Flite. I've got them on all of my bikes. Most are the old originals but the one on my main bike is one of the new "retro" models they brought back. It seems just like the old ones. I tried one of the popular Fizik models and hated it. If I ever start having issues then I am sure it will be a long search for a new one that works for me.
#36
Jet Jockey
One of my riding buddies swears by his Flite. It's so old and beat up I wouldn't have known what it was if he hadn't told me. (All the labels/logs/etc have long since been abused away.)
Doesn't Soma source a bunch of copies of "old-school" saddles with cheesy pseudo-Japanese names?
Doesn't Soma source a bunch of copies of "old-school" saddles with cheesy pseudo-Japanese names?
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If I'm going to spend hours on the saddle, I worry more about comfort than weight. For me, Brooks "Professional" saddles are the most comfortable, and they hold up well -- I have four in use here. This is a 1967 Pro saddle still in regular use:
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I just put an SLR Flow on my bike, with the cutout. I have had an Italia Flite for the last 14 years. I didn't know it was there it was so comfortable. My butt is adjusting to the new saddle, but I think it's a keeper. Going to VT for 200+ this week. I'll know when I get back.
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I have the Concor as well and I must say I have no comfort issues at all, and I usually just ride in basketball shorts with compression shorts.
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My nearly 40 year year old Ideale Record 80 is still pretty darn comfy.
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Another reason I'm interested in looking into different saddles is that it seems to me that after ~50 miles I seem to get a little sore in the cheeks. But I might chalk that up to just not spending enough time on the bike for that distance.
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One of my riding buddies swears by his Flite. It's so old and beat up I wouldn't have known what it was if he hadn't told me. (All the labels/logs/etc have long since been abused away.)
Doesn't Soma source a bunch of copies of "old-school" saddles with cheesy pseudo-Japanese names?
Doesn't Soma source a bunch of copies of "old-school" saddles with cheesy pseudo-Japanese names?
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My first "real" road bike I had a San Marco Rolls
Now I have a San Marco Era Pro, and it feels just
as comfy and it's lighter.
Now I have a San Marco Era Pro, and it feels just
as comfy and it's lighter.
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I have San Marco Regal Racing (Ti) and I'm using a Regale now. Both are fairly light and close in fit. The Regale is much harder and the curves and crowning are less pronounced than the Regal.
I used Flites many moons ago and had to wrap tape around the nose after a few months of riding them to stop the wear. Very comfortable saddle for me back then but probably not now.
I used Flites many moons ago and had to wrap tape around the nose after a few months of riding them to stop the wear. Very comfortable saddle for me back then but probably not now.
Last edited by mmmdonuts; 08-07-12 at 08:43 AM.
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After a 42 mile ride this past weekend, I found myself fidgiting on the saddle quite a bit around mile 30.... I just looked into the Selle Anatomica Titanico saddles and found only positive reviews. Only negative is that it's 100g heavier than the Regal. It is on sale now though in white ($130 instead of $180) so I bit the bullet. I'll report back when I put some miles on it. Hopefully the retro style doesn't look too out of place on my road bike. If so then It'll go on the commuter.
I have my first century ride coming up on Labor Day weekend and my biggest fear is that I'll start getting pain in the saddle too early on.
I have my first century ride coming up on Labor Day weekend and my biggest fear is that I'll start getting pain in the saddle too early on.
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Same here. I keep it as a backup . . . my Regal I like just a little better.
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Madison Flux, the most comfortable Road/tourer saddle I own
Recently I increased my cycle rides to 60km and found all my saddles (8) gave varying degrees of soreness, All apart from two; the MADISON FLUX and my 1958 East German MOVE leather saddle.. I wouldn’t get hung up about weight of a saddle! I 100% guarantee you that a comfortable heavier saddle will allow you to go faster for longer. Just a word of warning on ‘classic’ saddles…. If they are new, it will take about 200 miles of riding to work them into your seat bone shape, and this in it self can be painful. But I’ve tried race blades, 143mm tourer saddles and ‘fat-ass’ leisure saddles and the MADISON FLUX is the one I would recommend .