Bought first road bike - Which saddle

The_0ne
The_0ne Posts: 35
edited July 2008 in Road beginners
Well ive finally bought myself a road bike :D

Bought a 2nd hand Orbea Mitis bike complete with chorus gear and brakeset 8)

Which saddle or saddles do people recommend as ive bought it without one.

I have quite a bony ass so need something comfy :lol:

Cheers

Comments

  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Everyone will recommend a different saddle.

    Spesh Toupes are popular, but I like Fizik Ariones.
    I like bikes...

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  • The_0ne
    The_0ne Posts: 35
    Budget is about £50 by the way
  • fto-si
    fto-si Posts: 402
    Saddles are a very personal thing.

    But I second what Redddraggon says about the Specialized saddles .. happy with mine
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  • The_0ne
    The_0ne Posts: 35
    In the absence of visiting a shop is there any way to gauge what width saddle would suit me?

    Im 6ft tall and slim.
  • Roadbike
    Roadbike Posts: 23
    yes. You want to measure the distance between the tips of your "sit bones."

    The easiest way is: lay on your back with your feet on the wall. You want your legs bent like sitting in a straight back chair (knees & hips both at 90 degree angles.) That position causes the "sit bones" to protrude & it's really easy to feel where they are. Use both hands & a ruler to measure the distance.

    Whatever the measurement is, you want the back flat part of the saddle to be wide enough to support those 2 bones. If it's not wide enough to support the bones, all your weight will be supported by soft tissue between the bones (ouch..)

    FYI, most who ride long distance steer clear of saddles with gel or extra padding. As long as the saddle is wide enough, flat & stiff is best for serious distance. Gels & padding just put pressure on those soft tissue areas.
  • The_0ne
    The_0ne Posts: 35
    Seems to be around 140mms

    Would i be ok with a specialized toupe 143mm saddle or should i get a 155
  • Roadbike
    Roadbike Posts: 23
    I'd personally go 155. Look at any saddle from the rear and you'll note they are not flat side-to-side, they are slightly domed or curved. If you go 143 you'll be sitting on the outside edges when you ride upright. (When you go into aero position your pelvis rotates forward and the sit bones taper slightly towards center. When you sit more upright the pelvis rotates back to the wider measurement.)

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