How do you choose a saddle ?

Neil Fat man on a bike

This might seem a stupid question ( and maybe frquently asked too) but how do you choose a saddle........?

I live in a remote area, I cant just nip off to a 'body geometery' type place.

My local bike shops are round trips of 160 and 220 miles, so I cant nip out and try a few

So, how do I select the right saddle from an internet site? I'm looking for a good quality 'all day' saddle. My initial thoughts are that a traditional Brooks type saddle needs way too much care. I wust want one to sit on, not another maintenance chore. Any suggestions,

I imagine I need to measure :shock: my 'sit bones'......... :shock: how do I do this and get the right figure to select a saddle?

Your help would be much appreciated.

redddraggon

I just bought ones that looked nice............I got lucky and found both Ariones and Flites suited me.

stu99

I can highly recommend the SQ-lab range (especially the 612 for all day comfort).

Read about it here
http://painfreecycling.com/pdf/SQ-06e_sit_and_fit_2.pdf

and order it from here
http://www.bike-x-perts.com/en/product_ ... _id/133291

or here (via a dealer)
http://www.2pure.co.uk/SQ-lab/SQ-lab-Saddles

I have both the 612 and the 611 but you might consider the 610. After trying a huge number of saddles in the past 15 years (including the Specilaized range) I find these to be the best and the only ones that are still extremely comfortable after 6 hours in the saddle.

Neil Fat man on a bike

Is that the fizik Ariones, not seen a Flites saddle!?

EDIT nice bike collection by the way

Neil Fat man on a bike

Thanks Stu I'll have a good look at that.

Ta mate

redddraggon

Neil Fat man on a bike wrote:

Is that the fizik Ariones, not seen a Flites saddle!?

EDIT nice bike collection by the way

The Selle Italia Flite, it's quite an old design now.

http://www.roadcyclinguk.com/news/article/mps/uan/2516

giant_man

Specialized seem to be one of the very few companies who need to find your sit bone measurement to kit you out with one of their saddles, Body Geometry and all that jazz ... and it could very well work for you but in the majority of cases it doesn't SO ...

It could take you a long time to find your ideal saddle for YOUR posterior, I have found one which is 'adequate' (up to about 60 miles anyway) but if probably wont' be the one for you. So the best advice I can give is take up some LBS's offers of 'try before you buy' or Selle Italia apparently do a money back guarantee scheme or something similar, so that you can indeed try and return if it's not for you.

Good luck in your search, I think personally I would categorise ie. non-padded, padded, gel, and full 'cushioning' and then take a look at some, and choose one which isn't too expensive at first. That way you will be able to govern what kind of saddle you should be looking for.

mrushton

Neil Fat man on a bike wrote:

This might seem a stupid question ( and maybe frquently asked too) but how do you choose a saddle........?

My initial thoughts are that a traditional Brooks type saddle needs way too much care. I wust want one to sit on, not another maintenance chore. Any suggestions,

I imagine I need to measure :shock: my 'sit bones'......... :shock: how do I do this and get the right figure to select a saddle?

Your help would be much appreciated.

www.mcmwin.com will provide a Brooks-type saddle (titanico) that's almost maintenance free and in different colours. email them and have a chat about what you require

scapaslow

Your sit bones can be measured by sitting on a bit of foam for a minute or two and then measuring the distance between on the imprint before it disappears. This is what happens at the Specialized "scientific fitting" session - hardly worth a huge round trip.

My experience is that saddle fitting is very personal and what fits others won't necessarily fit you even if you have been measured for it. I couldn't get on with the Specialised Toupe although many do.

My current saddle is a Topeak Allay Racing Sport which is not perfect but i can manage 6 hours on it whereas with my other saddles anyting over 2 hours became painful. There may be an element of time required to toughen up which helps with long days in the saddle.

Hope you find something that suits - I'm hoping to find that perfect saddle someday.

By the way, i think Bontrager have saddles in various widths that you can return if they don't suit.

singlespeedexplosif

How do you choose a saddle ?

trial and error. And then sticking to something you know and which works for you. Not much help I guess, but there you go...that's saddles for you. What's perfect for one person is agonising for another.

alfablue

After years of searching for the right saddle, I bypassed Brooks and got a Selle An-Atomica. Superficially it is like a Brooks but it is different in some important ways (they do offer a Brooks upgrade service). The model I got is made of waterproof leather and needs no care or treatment. It was amazingly comfortable from the the off. The guy who designs them and owns the company answers all emails personally and was extremely helpful. Shipping from the US took 5 days and there was no customs to pay. There is a 30
day no-quibble return policy - but I doubt if many people ever want to return them!

Before this I was using Specialized Avatars, I had my sit bones measured and a 143mm fitted, about 90% of people need 143mm. It was the best I had tried but still wasn't perfect.

Selle An-Atomica have lots of info on their web site about saddle fitting, plus videos of their saddle in action.

Over the year I have spent loads of money trying many saddles (I have about 6 in my cupboard at the moment), I think I have now found THE ONE!

cougie

I bought a Fizik Arione on advice of others and its the nicest saddle I've had in 25 years plus of cycling. First ride out on it was 100 miles - no problems.

gabriel959

For the money, it must be the dogs dandies!!! £100

redddraggon

gabriel959 wrote:

For the money, it must be the dogs dandies!!! £100

Fizik Ariones can be had for £50.......

gabriel959

redddraggon wrote:

gabriel959 wrote:

For the money, it must be the dogs dandies!!! £100

Fizik Ariones can be had for £50.......

Meant the one from the US ... it is 175 plus postage!

El Gordo

Neil Fat man on a bike wrote:

My initial thoughts are that a traditional Brooks type saddle needs way too much care.

Spending a couple of minutes every six months or so rubbing the leather treatment in doesn't seem like too much to ask for the supreme comfort a Brooks will give you.

mrushton

gabriel959 wrote:

For the money, it must be the dogs dandies!!! £100

It is!

But you can find plenty of race saddled for £100+ Where the Selle Anatomica wins is over long distance/time. It isn't a shell rather a suspension and as such it moves with you. It's leather so it breathes. if you only ride for a max of 4 hours then a standard saddle may work, but when you are out on long rides eg Audax/touring it's fantastic. It's particularly good for women due to the slot in it.

alfablue

mrushton wrote:

gabriel959 wrote:

For the money, it must be the dogs dandies!!! £100

It is!

But you can find plenty of race saddled for £100+ Where the Selle Anatomica wins is over long distance/time. It isn't a shell rather a suspension and as such it moves with you. It's leather so it breathes. if you only ride for a max of 4 hours then a standard saddle may work, but when you are out on long rides eg Audax/touring it's fantastic. It's particularly good for women due to the slot in it.

Agreed, and the slot is good for men too, and yes, mine is comfy from the start, but it is around the 3 to 4 hour mark where my other saddles start to get too painful, the Selle An-Atomica just keeps feeling great all day long.

By the way, it was £113 including shipping, which puts it at a mid-range Brooks price.

giant_man

Don't get it. Why should a slot make so much difference. Let's face it, on a normal saddle your block and tackle is kinds resting on the saddle anyway as you're going along. The slot as far as I can see, isn't big enough for your tackle to rest inside anyway, so what difference would it make?

Nice looking saddles and nice leather used etc etc but why the slot? Please educate me!

alfablue

giant mancp wrote:

Don't get it. Why should a slot make so much difference. Let's face it, on a normal saddle your block and tackle is kinds resting on the saddle anyway as you're going along. The slot as far as I can see, isn't big enough for your tackle to rest inside anyway, so what difference would it make?

Nice looking saddles and nice leather used etc etc but why the slot? Please educate me!

Sorry I can't give you all the details, but off the top of my head (!) the slot relieves pressure on the veins under your dick, long term compression and trauma can lead to impotence, apparently. I wouldn't want my tackle actually in the slot, that would be very bad under heavy braking. The slot width on the Selle is narrower than some because it is a suspension saddle, so the leather moves with the rider. I don't know about the truth of the claims but I have experienced numb dick on some saddles, and it has worried me! My Specialized had a "lurv groove" as well.

Further back, the slot allows the saddle to flex under the sit bones, so it moves every pedal stroke, the videos on the site show this in action - seems to work.

giant_man

Yeah cheers alfablue interesting stuff. which model did you go for in the end, the Titanico (which seems to be the popular one) or another?

alfablue

I got the Titanico with Clydesdale laminate (for heavier riders) and waterproof leather. I got it in black with copper rivets. It is weird, and I was sceptical, but it really does what it says on the tin - I love it, I will be buying another one soon.

gabriel959

I am not saying they don't look good but 100 quid for a saddle when I only have a Giant SCR2 that only cost me £430 then it makes it a 1/4 of the cost of the bike. Far too much I think.

alfablue

Gabriel, I see your point, but for me it is more about the value I place on avoiding the pain I get after a few hours. I have spent hundreds of pounds on bike clothing to be comfortable, and of course panniers, racks etc, so the saddle doesn't seem too bad. In fact, what has irked me in the past is spending modest money on saddles (£40) and they are still useless for me. It was in desperation I took the plunge on the Selle, and it has paid off fortunately.

scapaslow

I'd pay double that for a saddle i was sure was THE ONE irrespective of the value of the bike

gabriel959

Got to admit my Selle Royal Viper is not too comfy but was looking at cheaper options to be honest

giant_man

Depends on whether you want to ride in comfort after 4 or 5 hours in the saddle or not gabriel959, in that respect 100 quid is damn cheap!

synchronicity

scapaslow wrote:

I'd pay double that for a saddle i was sure was THE ONE irrespective of the value of the bike

So would I.

I have had good luck with the selle italia XP. It might not be padded enough though for you if your on-screen name is anything to go by...

It's one of those things. You need to sit your arse on as many different saddles as possible. It may take years to find the right saddle... for some it's a lifelong search.

I'll be trying the magma saddle by selle san marco next.

Probably the best value for money saddle that (for me) is also comfortable is the Selle Italia X2 Trans Am Kevlar saddle. It only costs 30 Euros in Decathlon... definitely under 30£. It looks alright too & is very durable... I'm suprised it's so cheap really.

giant_man

The right saddle is a cyclist's holy grail .......

Mettan

Neil Fat man on a bike wrote:

So, how do I select the right saddle from an internet site? I'm looking for a good quality 'all day' saddle. My initial thoughts are that a traditional Brooks type saddle needs way too much care. I wust want one to sit on, not another maintenance chore. Any suggestions,

I imagine I need to measure :shock: my 'sit bones'......... :shock: how do I do this and get the right figure to select a saddle?

Your help would be much appreciated.

Work from past experience - if your current saddle is uncomfortable..........is it too narrow, not enough padding, too much chaffing, not enough of a cut-out etc etc. If you don't like a new saddle, you can always sell it on Ebay - you'd probably get at least 80 % of your money back. So it shouldn't be too much of a costly process getting something sufficient.

Gav2000

The Selle SMP TRK Saddle is an extreme version of a saddle with a split but it's the only saddle I've ever tried that is comfortable after 90+ miles. The lowest cost version is only £22.50 at Bike+.