will i ever find a saddle that suits! whats your perch?...

geordiefella

i've been through about 6/7 types. currently on a charge but after 20 miles i get the same uncomfortable feeling of poor fit. thinking of a fizik arione (do they have less centre padding) or a cut out variety from selle italia.

advice anyone? (riding a sports hybrid... tend to ride towards the saddle nose a bit)

thanks people!

cjcp

Spesh BG Alias 155 on both bikes. No issues.

Had a Selle SLR. Not substantial enough for me.

Everyone's different though. Is your position on the bike ok?

il_principe

cjcp wrote:

Everyone's different though. Is your position on the bike ok?

+1. Also what shorts are you using.

I'm a Specialized Toupe fan.

UndercoverElephant

Surely if you're riding towards the saddle nose, that'll be your problem? You need to position your sit-bones on the saddle. Perhaps try moving the saddle forward, or shortening your stem.

bratboy

I have been on an arione for the last 4 years and it's great. It has plenty of length so you can slide forward a fair bit when you are trying to get that last bit out of ya legs in a TT, or you can slide right back on to the "wings" at the back when pushing hard up hill.

I also have a San Marco Rolls on my CX bike. I've used a Rolls for that last 20 yrs and find it lovely, and they have recently started making them again.

As cjcp says make sure your position is correct too, if you are riding towards the nose of the saddle most of the time then is there any room to move the saddle forwards on the seat post - if you do then remember to lift the seatpost a few mms too to make sure the pedal to saddle height remains the same. And again, everyone IS different.

roger_merriman

ones ass is well ones ass so very difficult to say what is a comftable saddle i use a quite old saddle i used to use on a old MTB that i stuck on the road bike as make do and it's been lovely so i've left it on!

Oddjob62

I'm having the same problem.
Spent the last few weeks trying to get used to the Spec Toupe, but it's not working. Looking to try out a Charge Spoon next.

biondino

bratboy wrote:

As cjcp says make sure your position is correct too, if you are riding towards the nose of the saddle most of the time then is there any room to move the saddle forwards on the seat post - if you do then remember to lift the seatpost a few mms too to make sure the pedal to saddle height remains the same. And again, everyone IS different.

Don't raise the saddle as you're not changing your actual body position - you're just placing the saddle where it should be, under your sit bones.

Rich158

I use a Selle Italia SLR gel flow on my commuter that's 131mm wide and a Bontrager Inform RL that's 145mm wide on my race bike. One has a cut out, one doesn't but they're both damn comfortable. In fact I've done 7 hours plus on the Bonty with no problems at all. Personally I think saddle fit is more important than the design and any fancy cut outs etc.

jonginge

Rich158 wrote:

I use a Selle Italia SLR gel flow on my commuter that's 131mm wide and a Bontrager Inform RL that's 145mm wide on my race bike. One has a cut out, one doesn't but they're both damn comfortable. In fact I've done 7 hours plus on the Bonty with no problems at all. Personally I think saddle fit is more important than the design and any fancy cut outs etc.

+1 on the fit. The right width is crucial: must fit your sit bones. Most selle italias and fiziks are narrow, too narrow for most it seems. Measure, or get them measured, your sit bones then choose the correct width of saddle. You may not end up with the most aesthetically pleasing saddle but comfort is paramount.

bratboy

biondino wrote:

bratboy wrote:

As cjcp says make sure your position is correct too, if you are riding towards the nose of the saddle most of the time then is there any room to move the saddle forwards on the seat post - if you do then remember to lift the seatpost a few mms too to make sure the pedal to saddle height remains the same. And again, everyone IS different.

Don't raise the saddle as you're not changing your actual body position - you're just placing the saddle where it should be, under your sit bones.

It'll depend on whether your position is at the correct height now, and why you tend to sit on the nose.

Roastie

I absolutely adore my Selle San Marco SKN Ti. Fitted to both the commute and race bikes. Obviously saddles are very personal, but the SKN is the best saddle I have ever ridden on bar none.

gtvlusso

Specialized Tri Trip on Roadie and MTB

Charge Spoon on Fixie

Tri trip is comfy over distance - never had an issue with my fat, flabby old @rse.

Gazzaputt

Been converted to the Fizik Aliante so comfy but with weight penalty over the Ariones I used to run.

Christophe3967

I had the standard Bonty saddle that came with the Madonne, and didn't like it. I've swapped it for a Toupe Gel, as my old commuter had a Spesh Alias which was very comfortable, but I thought too heavy for a road bike. The Toupe gel is effectively a pared down Alias as far as I can tell, and I can spend all day on it without any grief. Decent shorts make a huge difference as well.

laughingboy

Roastie wrote:

I absolutely adore my Selle San Marco SKN Ti. Fitted to both the commute and race bikes. Obviously saddles are very personal, but the SKN is the best saddle I have ever ridden on bar none.

Those SKN things:

remind me of these V things.
[/img]

Rich158

Christophe3967 wrote:

I had the standard Bonty saddle that came with the Madonne, and didn't like it. I've swapped it for a Toupe Gel, as my old commuter had a Spesh Alias which was very comfortable, but I thought too heavy for a road bike. The Toupe gel is effectively a pared down Alias as far as I can tell, and I can spend all day on it without any grief. Decent shorts make a huge difference as well.

+1 to that, I had the same problem. It was so narrow it felt like it was intimate terms with my upper colon after about 50 miles :shock:

It always amazes, and irritates me in equal measure, that with something so dependant upon fit we get lumbered with a cheap saddle that's meant to fit mr average rather than the option of a correctly fitting saddle, even on high end bikes :evil: :evil: :evil:

il_principe

Surely this is why you should spec the extras to your liking when buying high end?

Roastie

laughingboy wrote:

remind me of these V things

Had one of those in my youth, but a Washburn. Without a doubt the worst guitar I ever owned. Good for making a big noise but little else. Incidentally, it was also really uncomfortable to play. Replaced with a Strat. Ah, my sweet Strat.

Roastie

Il Principe wrote:

Surely this is why you should spec the extras to your liking when buying high end?

"Friends don't let friends ride stock."

bomberesque

I use SDG Bel air saddles except on the commuter where I have a Brookes B17 and on the DH bike I have some great big sofa thing with a maple leaf on it (gag gift from a Canadian Mrs

seems to be the right combination of value, weight and comfort for me

Rich158

Il Principe wrote:

Surely this is why you should spec the extras to your liking when buying high end?

You don't always get the choice, OK a Madone might not be considered to be high end compared to some, but I'd at least expect the option of the correct width bars and the right saddle as a minimum for this price, rather than be stuck with what Trek deem to be correct for me. At the end of the day it wouldn't cost much to offer the options at the point of purchase as it's largely own brand kit anyway and most dealers will carry pretty much the full range.

Perhaps this is as much a reflection on my LBS as it is on Trek.

salsajake

agree its all about the fit and the position, though to be honest I have never had issues with any saddle. My SDG Bel Air on the MTB feels like a sofa compared with my SLR XP on the commute bike, but its just something I perch my @rse on. Padded short liners may go a long way to helping too, but much to my roadie friends chagrin I continue to wear baggies on top of them (its the only way I can stuff all my stuff in, until I get myself some more cycling jerseys with back pockets), but as I said, never had undue issues with rubbing/soreness/aching.

il_principe

Rich158 wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

Surely this is why you should spec the extras to your liking when buying high end?

Perhaps this is as much a reflection on my LBS as it is on Trek.

More surely. If you're spending that much moolah on a frame, then LBS should spec it as you wish (within reason )

lost_in_thought

Il Principe wrote:

Rich158 wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

Surely this is why you should spec the extras to your liking when buying high end?

Perhaps this is as much a reflection on my LBS as it is on Trek.

More surely. If you're spending that much moolah on a frame, then LBS should spec it as you wish (within reason )

Hell yeah. Epic were fantastic at that - the guy had put aside a collection of saddles for me to try, and was either relieved or slightly disappointed when I'd brought my own!

Same applied for pedals.

Rich158

Il Principe wrote:

Rich158 wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

Surely this is why you should spec the extras to your liking when buying high end?

Perhaps this is as much a reflection on my LBS as it is on Trek.

More surely. If you're spending that much moolah on a frame, then LBS should spec it as you wish (within reason )

That's what I thought, I hate the 'well that's what it comes with, if you want anything else it'll cost you' attitude, especially when you've spent a decent wedge with them this year. :shock:

Time to find a new LBS methinks.

Anyway back to the OP, if you get fitted, any decent firm saddle should be OK as you'll be supported on your sit bones not the perineum :shock: Believe me I've spent 100 miles on a saddle that's too narrow and I thought I'd never get any feeling back in the old fella :shock:

sarajoy

I had a bit of to-ing and fro-ing with my saddle. It's now a little further forward than I originally entertained, and really rather comfy

Finally it's in a place and at an angle where the sit bones are happily on the wider bit, and the rest of me is supported without being squished.

I have a Charge Ladle, which is barely narrower (maybe 5mm?) and slightly shorter than the Spoon.

If I, a happily 'hippy' or pear-shaped lass, can get both her sitbones onto such a saddle, I'm sure the OP can?

I had trouble with a more padded Spesh Women's BG saddle, I think my sit bones kinda went in roughly the right place, but the rest of the squishy bit was actually a bit too firm to surrender to my softer parts. Not comfy for me!

A bloke appeared in front of me on a roadie yesterday. His saddle was tipped so far forwards that the wide bit your sit bones are supposed to rest on were /behind/ his bum! He must have a REALLY strong (or sore!) perineum (that's what I think it is, right?) to sit on a saddle like that. Ouch. As I understand it if you're sat well on a saddle (assuming it's not one of those huge armchair-like things), not much of it should really be showing...?

Christophe3967

I think a good LBS would allow you to spec it as you like - Pearson and Prologue both fall into that category. The Madonne doesn't count as it was bought at a charity auction after having been ridden once and donated by Trek. The guy who'd ridden it was very pleased when I gave him the saddle back though - he really liked it

jedster

My planet-x build came with a selle italia turbo (got love those guys - nice ally frame, carbon forks, full 105 yours for £800 quid and they still give you a better saddle than any of the big brands). I really like it but I THINK they are discontinued. Couple of questions:

1. the leather is looking a bit tired/pale/dry - should I be treating it with anything? Neutral shoe polish?

2. Anyone know where I can find any turbos or suggest another saddle with similar fit.

I bough a charge spoon for another bike which is fine and a big improvement on the saddle that it came with but not as nice as the turbo.

J

Jay dubbleU

Mine came with the bike - when I moaned about it about three weeks after I started riding the sympathetic lot on here told me to MTFU

Few minor adjustments to the position (not the height) an now its really comfortable - not sure which of us has changed shape to fit the other though

NGale

Ironically the most comfortable sadde I have ever had on a bike is the one I have on my Trek which came as standard. for those of ample bottomage it's rather comfy