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

geordiefella

thanks everyone for chipping in. i've got a B17 Special (but not put in on yet, been trying it on the dining room chair for sit bone suitability).

my regular ride is 30 miles round a day, but i'm doing the C2C sept 4th so i want to get sorted by then fore sure even though i ride regularly.

i've got a charge spoon at the minute (3 weeks old) (any takers?) i think i'll try the arione next. wear either rapha fixed shorts for round town and DHB 3/4 bib tights for my commute. moving the saddle nose up adds a little pressure. moving it down a tiny bit means i move to the front a little and off my hip bones. i can only think i should have the up position out of the two but that less centre padding might increase comfort.

a pair of oakley radars just arrived but they've had no effect on comfort ;-)

has anyone got the fizik arione, pictures suggest its got a softer centre ridge which is shaded (CR-eaction.com)

really apprecaite everyones response. love the cycling, its literally a royal pain when it takes your mind off the cycling.

biondino

I have Planet X's Arione rip-off, if that helps! It's nicely padded, quite slippery in lycra though. Feels like a decent saddle, though of course I have no idea whether they have anything beyond the superficial in common.

Stuey01

I have the Arione.

Has taken a bit of getting used to but is now reasonably comfy. I changed to this from quite a wide spesh BG saddle that was great on my commute but chafed whenever I went further.

the Arione is quite narrow and quite firm. It does indeed have a softer centre section. Sometimes feels too narrow, I am a bit torn as to whether it really fits me as well as it could.

Saddles are personal so doubt that will be of much use to you...

geordiefella

i've put my 5/6 saddles on ebay after i've put the brooks b17 onto my sports hybrid, my daily ride. its like a glove, erm, for the bum.

day 1. felt hard, even through padded shorts but could feel that an area of the saddle was right width for sit bones. when no one was behind me a bounced on it a little to get the sit bones to break it a little and soften the leather. felt the centre ridge and wondered whether it would stay there or even become more prominent.

day 2. saddle proofed the night before. going to work, felt slippy, lowered the front, slipping forward, raised the front again. centre ridge felt a bit erm, well it was there. coming home, sit bone area at the back better. proofed again at home with the brooks stuff. pressed the massaged the centre ridge and rest of saddle. day 3....

day 3. felt good today, now 60-70 miles in. rear sit bones nice, firm but shaped now and centre ridge much less (gone by day 4)

day 4. saddle is a good shape now. kind of proud of having gone through a shaping few days. feels kinda personal now. weird having a traditional part on my modern cannondale. weird but good.

i think if i got a full on road bike i'd give one of the other brooks saddles a go but for hybrid commuting i think i've cracked the saddle part with the brooks B17. i thought for a day or two that i should have gone for the cut out imperial but i'm feel happy with this regular one after 4 days it's going into a good and comfy shape. i should have given this a go first...

i hope that helps some of you. if you want an update in a week or two just add to this and i'll give you an update like mid july or something...

Geordiefella

bigmat

jedster wrote:

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

You could try a San marco Rolls - think they still make those, they are a similar shape to the Turbo (similar vintage). Gold bits are a bit bling for my taste though!

hambones

Just posting to confirm how different we all are - Charge Spoon for me which I find to be an all day saddle. Also never had any problems with my Selle Italia until after around 5 hours.