Saddle advice

andy46
andy46 Posts: 1,666
edited November 2010 in Road buying advice
Hi guys

Just a quick question, the saddle on my road bike is not really comfy so this will be getting changed very soon.

I have a Selle Italia C2 Gel Flow saddle on my mountain bike which is great.

Now my question is, should i get another one for the road bike or would this not work because of the different riding position/geometry.

I know saddles are a personal thing, i'm just interested in peoples thoughts on using the same saddle on a mountain bike and a road bike.

Thanks Andy. :)
2019 Ribble CGR SL

2015 Specialized Roubaix Sport sl4

2014 Specialized Allez Sport

Comments

  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,446
    if you find it comfy, no reason not to

    less/non-padded road saddles do take some getting used to, i find that far more comfortable than padded on longer rides - i've got an arione, the only padding is in my shorts - i assume you are wearing padded shorts on the road bike

    imho if the road bike is new then try a few more weeks before you change saddle - check set-up is ok, usually should be level, not tilted up/down

    but it's what's right for you that counts, so if you find more padding better, the c2 on both bkes seems a good way to go
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • andy46
    andy46 Posts: 1,666
    No i don't have padded shorts, i've never needed them on the mountain bike.

    Maybe a wise investment for the road bike :?
    2019 Ribble CGR SL

    2015 Specialized Roubaix Sport sl4

    2014 Specialized Allez Sport
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,446
    yep, road saddles assume the shorts

    it makes a big difference, without you can end up really sore!
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • topdude
    topdude Posts: 1,557
    Why not just put the MTB saddle on the road bike and give it a try. That will be more usefull than asking others if it will work :wink:
    He is not the messiah, he is a very naughty boy !!
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    andy46 wrote:
    No i don't have padded shorts, i've never needed them on the mountain bike.

    Maybe a wise investment for the road bike :?
    You will definitely need them for your road bike. A great variety of shorts (and quality of inserts) are available. Get it right with your saddle choice and you'll have no problems. It's a very personal thing if an insert will suit you and your ar$e.
  • carrock
    carrock Posts: 1,103
    andy46 wrote:
    Hi guys

    Just a quick question, the saddle on my road bike is not really comfy so this will be getting changed very soon.

    I have a Selle Italia C2 Gel Flow saddle on my mountain bike which is great.

    Now my question is, should i get another one for the road bike or would this not work because of the different riding position/geometry.

    I know saddles are a personal thing, i'm just interested in peoples thoughts on using the same saddle on a mountain bike and a road bike.

    Thanks Andy. :)

    An arrse is an arrse. Unless yours is very clever, it will not know whether it's sat on a road bike or MTB. so if the Selle is comfy, I can see no reason why it wouldnt be comfy on a road bike.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    [quote="carrockAn arrse is an arrse. Unless yours is very clever, it will not know whether it's sat on a road bike or MTB. so if the Selle is comfy, I can see no reason why it wouldnt be comfy on a road bike.[/quote]


    Not neccessarily; I find on the road bike I'm lower at the front end so my pelvis is rotated slightly. I'm therefore bearing a bit more weight on the old perineal area, which does make a difference!
  • andy46
    andy46 Posts: 1,666
    keef66 wrote:
    Not neccessarily; I find on the road bike I'm lower at the front end so my pelvis is rotated slightly. I'm therefore bearing a bit more weight on the old perineal area, which does make a difference!

    I will try swapping them over to see what it's like. Dedicated road saddles do seem to be a different shape to mtb saddles.

    The Selle C2 i have says it is for both road and off road so we'll have to see.

    Confusing thing saddle choice with so many out there, and costing so much money.
    2019 Ribble CGR SL

    2015 Specialized Roubaix Sport sl4

    2014 Specialized Allez Sport
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    andy46 wrote:
    keef66 wrote:
    Not neccessarily; I find on the road bike I'm lower at the front end so my pelvis is rotated slightly. I'm therefore bearing a bit more weight on the old perineal area, which does make a difference!

    I will try swapping them over to see what it's like. Dedicated road saddles do seem to be a different shape to mtb saddles.

    The Selle C2 i have says it is for both road and off road so we'll have to see.

    Confusing thing saddle choice with so many out there, and costing so much money.

    Most important thing is good shorts as others have said. I can tell immediately if the shorts aren't good when sitting on the bike.

    After that - things like the height and angle of the saddle can make a big difference too. Angle it too far up or down and it will affect the comfort.

    I've always found with road saddles that less is more. Less padding is actually more comfortable - and it's easier to move around with less bulk down there (no rude comments please!).

    There is a 'saddle swap shop' on the forum: http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12715506

    Might be worth a look to see if you can find something you want to try.

    Saddle prices are often based on materials - the lighter they are (more carbon fibre, etc), the more expensive. But there are heavier, but just as good and much cheaper versions available.

    Many people ride, Fikiz, Selle Italia or Specialized saddles to name a few.

    Lastly - if you can buy secondhand and try it out - if it doesn't feel good you can sell it on and recoup your money - it's what I normally do. (I finally found a saddle I really like and it cost me close to £200 - but worth it for all the hours I spend on it!)

    Good luck.
  • vision267
    vision267 Posts: 149
    Some bike shops have a try before you buy.Fizik prologo do this,I have tried the all the fizik saddles they dont work for me.

    Actually I bought a prologo scratch pro today after a two week trial.A brilliant saddle for me anyway,it also looks really cool as well.Saddle choice is one of the hardest thing to get right.Hopefully I have got it right now :wink:

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