Do saddles give or break in?

I am the god of hell fire

Im feeling a bit of a numpty posting this but do saddles need time to break in?

I bought my first bike 5y ago
It had a Fizik Arione

At first everything ached - I mean every single part of my body not just my delicate bits!
As the months passed I gradually got more into it and supple and had the bike set up just so
I can now ride for hours on the Arione

Now I got a new bike last week with a Selle SL Kit Carbonio
The saddle looks less extreme than my Arione but its absolutely lethal
Ive ridden the bike twice for an hour or so and once for 4h when it became torture

Do saddles give and become more forgiving?
Like I said Id expect it to be more comfy just on looks alone

Cheers

stronginthesun

you have got one of the more comfortable saddles ( alegedly ) its a case of breaking your arse in .

I am the god of hell fire

Looking at it Id agree

But my Arione looks like a Medieval torture device and at 5y of age is lovely and comfy

Im kind of hoping the Selle will mold itself to my backside - as at the moment its not exactly luxurious

Cheers

andrewjoseph

my experience is that only leather saddles like brooks, mould to your shape.

plastic and foam saddles usually deteriorate after a while, the foam compresses, but that usually makes them more uncomfortable. Gel too breaks down I believe.

If you are happy with your previous saddle and have not had a long break from riding, then your butt is already toughened up. it may just be that the new saddle shape doesn't suit you. Either use your old saddle, or get a similar one.

unixnerd

I think saddle angle has a lot to do with comfort. Personally I'd get another Arione and flog the new saddle.

I'm probably about to sell my lovely Fizik Pave. I've come to realise that no amount of adjusting it or getting more miles on it are going to make it comfy. Shame, looks great.

yenrod

Theirs only 1 saddle that is comfortable, once rode, you'll never go back ! SELLE SMP

father_jack

Gel ones don't bed in no. But leather ones do.

cougie

Buy another arione. Great saddles. My first ride on mine was 100 miles - no worries with it at all. If you're happy with that saddle - I'd not even entertain buying a different make.

Butterd2

As others have said it's a case of breaking your arse in. Now it's arione shaped why try using any other saddle?

mikeq

unixnerd wrote:

I'm probably about to sell my lovely Fizik Pave. I've come to realise that no amount of adjusting it or getting more miles on it are going to make it comfy. Shame, looks great.

Not just me then. Fizik Pave on my Synapse and it just isnt comfortable, cant use my Specialized one on the Synapse due to the stupid clamping mechanism that just wont clamp the Specialized securely. Between a rock and a hard place, literally.

giant_man

Most saddles don't need to be broken in per se or are constructed in materials ie good quality leather that don't need to be broken in.

Brooks need to be broken in. In some instances, big time by all accounts.

luv2ride

+1 on the Fizik Pave. I got a titanium railed version on a great deal but just couldn't get on with it.

I'd posted a similar query on here some time ago about wearing in saddles. I have a San Marco SKN on my Boardman which I get on with pretty well, so bought another exactly the same when I got my Roubaix. At the time it felt very different to my original SKN, but was advised to persevere. It now seems to have loosened up a bit and is now as comfy as the original 8)

Garz

I had a San Marco Rolls with my newer machine and decided I oculdnt get on with it. I am currently breaking in a brooks b17 special which only after a few rides was already comfier than the Rolls.

Case of trial and error I think.

pst88

If you believe the marketing literature the Arione does break-in a bit. Apparently those little grooves either side of the saddle allow it to deform and shape to your arse. Whether or not it actually makes a difference I have one too any find it pretty good. +1 for getting another Arione and sticking that on.

Teach

I'm looking at spending about £60 (less if possible) on a saddle. I know it is all personal choice. I was wondering about a Brooks, or the Fizik Arione. Any comments?
The Brooks looks very smooth, will you spend the whole time slipping on it whilst climbing?
I have a Selle San Marco Regal which if it was meant to have any padding, I'm sure it wasn't fitted at the factory. I really do not like it. Looks good, but just spoils my bike.

I am the god of hell fire

Things are improving - which is nice

After the first few rides I moved its position my about 10mm

I dont know if its that or whether it did break in any but its a lot more comfortable
It could even be that my 4rse had adapted to the Arione but not the new one until then

Whatever Im happier

cheers