Please recommend me a saddle

jimmer111

Hi All

I have just purchased a Felt F65 and am absolutley over the moon with it. One thing that has dissapointed though is the saddle. It is a felt own brand and appears to have no padding at all!!!

I am quite heavy at 16.5 stone (approx 105Kgs) and think any length of time spent on that saddle will be torture so can i pick your brains for a decent, comfortable replacement.

Thanks

James

kingrollo

Padding won't make you more comfy.

Some of it is just getting you backside use to the saddle - some of it is down to saddle height and bike fit -

An often recommended saddle is the charge spoon - thinks its only about £25 - which makes it cheaper than my final suggestion of some quality shorts

danowat

Infact, padding generally makes a saddle more uncomfortable (for me at least).
Give it time to bed in (your ass, and the seat.)

hugo15

Saddles are really a personal thing. The problem is it can get expensive finding one that suits your backside. You might also find that it takes a good few rides to get used to a saddle.

I bought a Fizik Arione after lots of recommendations on here. It was ok for up to 2 hours, but anything loner and it was like sitting on a very narrow piece of wood!! I stuck with it for a few of months but had to give up in the end. I now have a Fizik Aliante, which is much less painful.

danowat

I have a Fizik on my TT bike, and its a horrid thing, compared to my specialized BG

Butterd2

I bought a Fizik Arione to replace the o/e on my Scott the first time I used it I nearly took it off and rode back home sat on the seatpost it was so bad. However due to laziness I never got round to changing it and slowly over a couple of weeks became used to it.
I recently did 8-10 hours a day crossing the Pyrenees on it with very little discomfort.

Strangely if you look on the Fizik site they try to to associate your build/riding style to an animal an then recommend a saddle. The Arione is for "racing snakes" and the Aliante for "bulls". Given that I too am c.16st and cannot touch my toes without bending my knees I should have been a "bull" and the Arione should have been the last saddle that I bought.

I now have an Arione on the FG as well, I guess this just proves the points above that;
a) it is very personal so no one can really recommend what will suit you.
b) whatever you do get it requires a little patience for the saddle and your arse to learn how to get along.

sungod

the saddle should be thje correct width for your 'sit bones', you can measure these, and specialized have the hilarious ass-o-meter device, once you know the width pick a saddle to fit

but it'll probably still take a few weeks to get used to the saddle, when i took up cycling again i was just about broken by the (quite padded) saddle, but now my almost padding-free arione is comfy all day

sorry if this is a teaching to suck eggs question, but are you wearing padded shorts? makes a big difference for road saddles

unixnerd

I recently found happiness with a Fizik Pave. I've since read very good things about the Fizik Antares and might get one for my tourer.

I have a Charge Spoon on my mtb and for 20 quid you really can't go wrong. It's a great shape for me and is almost perfect. It's standard of finish isn't up to the Fizik but it's a fraction of the price and really pretty decent. I find it feels a bit hard after an hour or two but it doesn't make any of the manly areas go numb or cause specific sore points. With very slightly better padding it'd be perfect.

B1ghubba

jimmer111 wrote:

Hi All

I have just purchased a Felt F65 and am absolutley over the moon with it. One thing that has dissapointed though is the saddle. It is a felt own brand and appears to have no padding at all!!!

I am quite heavy at 16.5 stone (approx 105Kgs) and think any length of time spent on that saddle will be torture so can i pick your brains for a decent, comfortable replacement.

Thanks

James

Get your bum measured then buy a Specialized Romin SL
Slot down the middle helps prevent a numb todger

pneumatic

I have a couple of Specialized BG saddles - virtually no padding and very comfortable. I did get the second one fitted with the ass-o-meter but, since there are only three sizes to choose from, I am not sure how useful that was.

As has been said, though, it takes a while for your butt to toughen up, you should look after your perineum, saddle fitting is a very personal matter, and good padded shorts help.

jimmer111

Cheers for all the replies guys, very helpful.

For the record, although i have only just got a road bike i have been mountain biking for years. I have got a free ride saddle on my mountain bike (cove stiffe) which is very comfortable and has done a few all day hard rides in the welsh mountains.

With regards to shorts, i am riding in padded shorts (8 pannel) which are comfortable, i think i will have to give this saddle a propper trial and see how i get on (might just need to wear it (and my ass) in) but think if id do change the first point of call will be the ass-o-meter!!!

James

dmch2

I've just moved from comfy gel saddle on my hybrid to a hard road saddle on my new bike. It's taken a month and 170 miles to get used to it and now it's as comfy as the hybrid ever was (40 miles no problem). First ride though i was in pain after only 5 miles!

I just did a short ride every few days to build up whatever muscles it is and went further and further as I got used to it. Make sure you do a mixture of riding on hoods and drops as well. First fortnight was all under 20 miles so give it time!

Pat Murray

Brooks!!!!!!

brin

should be able to find one out of this lot
http://www.bikecult.com/works/saddle.html

lef

i recommend the spesh toupe though be sure to be measured properly - some bikes shops have a foam contraption that you sit on (Evans do...though Im no fan) . The cut out really helps with alleviating numbness...at least for me.

StillGoing

dmch2 wrote:

I've just moved from comfy gel saddle on my hybrid to a hard road saddle on my new bike. It's taken a month and 170 miles to get used to it and now it's as comfy as the hybrid ever was (40 miles no problem). First ride though i was in pain after only 5 miles!

I just did a short ride every few days to build up whatever muscles it is and went further and further as I got used to it. Make sure you do a mixture of riding on hoods and drops as well. First fortnight was all under 20 miles so give it time!

That surprises me. The Bontrager on my 1.5 never did break in and was crippling me inside two miles every ride. I stuck an Intake saddle on (£30) and have never looked back. The longest rides I've done have been 50s but I don't get any pain in the rear.

airbusboy

Sella Italia Thork (gel covered). Fairly hard saddle but ubber comfy. LOVE IT


AB

father_jack

Pat Murray wrote:

Brooks!!!!!!

yup :-)

chunkytfg

philthy3 wrote:

dmch2 wrote:

I've just moved from comfy gel saddle on my hybrid to a hard road saddle on my new bike. It's taken a month and 170 miles to get used to it and now it's as comfy as the hybrid ever was (40 miles no problem). First ride though i was in pain after only 5 miles!

I just did a short ride every few days to build up whatever muscles it is and went further and further as I got used to it. Make sure you do a mixture of riding on hoods and drops as well. First fortnight was all under 20 miles so give it time!

That surprises me. The Bontrager on my 1.5 never did break in and was crippling me inside two miles every ride. I stuck an Intake saddle on (£30) and have never looked back. The longest rides I've done have been 50s but I don't get any pain in the rear.

Another vote for Intake. got one on each of my bikes and seems to work for my considerable bulk