Saddle Recommendations?

notsoblue

Evening chaps.

I appear to have worn out my Selle Italia C2


Basically where it should be a fairly flat top it now dips down in the middle and as a result makes it pretty uncomfortable for anything over 20 miles. I guess the pre-christmas over indulgence has taken its toll... Up until it broke it was actually wonderfully comfortable, and there doesn't seem to be anything else on the market around that price so I'm probably going to just get another one. I'm half-loathed to do this because the last one only lasted just over a year...

So what saddles do you all use? Any hidden gems in the under £75 price range?

itboffin

Why not just buy another one?

£46 @ a well known internet cycling store

meanredspider

Specialized Toupe? Love mine and they seem to be pretty popular

Hoopdriver

Saddles are very personal. If you have found one that works well for you don't mess about for the sake if trying to save a few quid. Just buy another if what is already working really well for you.

fossyant

Stick with the same make if you like them.

SLR Gel Flow ? Got this on the best bike and a XR Trans Am (cheap) on the commuter.

gtvlusso

Stick with what you like;

However, the Selle Italia Turbomatic gel Flow Team Edition is like an armchair....even Bikeradar reviewed it as very comfortable. I took a punt and never looked back.

bigmat

SLR Fibra was £60 at Planet X - absolute bargain for a lovely saddle that is a lot comfier than it looks.

Headhuunter

meanredspider wrote:

Specialized Toupe? Love mine and they seem to be pretty popular

Yeah I've got a Specialized BG Romin (or something like that) which is similar to the Toupe I think and it's been very comfortable...

jonny_trousers

fossyant wrote:

Stick with the same make if you like them.

SLR Gel Flow ? Got this on the best bike and a XR Trans Am (cheap) on the commuter.

Or if you fancy a SLR Superflow I'm planning on selling mine.

Fireblade96

meanredspider wrote:

Specialized Toupe? Love mine and they seem to be pretty popular

I quite liked mine too, but when I went to move the bike the other day I noticed it had cracked !
I may be carrying a few extra Christmas pounds but I'm no heavyweight, so I'm not very impressed, it had only done a couple of thousand miles :-(

matt@theforce

I've always struggled to find a decent saddle. Up until late last year the best I found was the OEM saddle on my Forme5 from Decathlon but then I was introduced to the Brooks B17, the Brooks is truely awesome.

pitchshifter

Just bought a Romin from the concept store. Looks good, light weight and £75 for the carbon railed one.

You can get measured up as well. Turns out my SLR is too narrow.

jonny_trousers

pitchshifter wrote:

Just bought a Romin from the concept store. Looks good, light weight and £75 for the carbon railed one.

You can get measured up as well. Turns out my SLR is too narrow.

I got that from them too when I got measured up. I'm not suggesting they're wrong, but I've since read an interesting article by a bike fit guy (can't find it now, annoyingly) where he suggests the standard sit-bone measuring system used by the likes of Specialized is flawed, and that we are being sold wider saddles than we ideally need.

pitchshifter

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

pitchshifter wrote:

Just bought a Romin from the concept store. Looks good, light weight and £75 for the carbon railed one.

You can get measured up as well. Turns out my SLR is too narrow.

I got that from them too when I got measured up. I'm not suggesting they're wrong, but I've since read an interesting article by a bike fit guy (can't find it now, annoyingly) where he suggests the standard sit-bone measuring system used by the likes of Specialized is flawed, and that we are being sold wider saddles than we ideally need.

Proof will be if it stops the pain. They said I can take it back used to swap it out which I thought was a nice touch..

jonny_trousers

pitchshifter wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

pitchshifter wrote:

Just bought a Romin from the concept store. Looks good, light weight and £75 for the carbon railed one.

You can get measured up as well. Turns out my SLR is too narrow.

I got that from them too when I got measured up. I'm not suggesting they're wrong, but I've since read an interesting article by a bike fit guy (can't find it now, annoyingly) where he suggests the standard sit-bone measuring system used by the likes of Specialized is flawed, and that we are being sold wider saddles than we ideally need.

Proof will be if it stops the pain. They said I can take it back used to swap it out which I thought was a nice touch..

That is good service, and the Romin is a great saddle. May I ask what pain you're suffering?

kelsen

NSB, I have one of these for sale.

Selle Italia Flite Genuine Gel



No box but it's brand new and never been used. It's a spare as I already have one on my commute bike. £50 plus postage (or collect in Central London). PM me if you're interested.

The Rookie

Very impressed with my Bontarger Inform RXL on the MTB, really soft feeling despite minimal padding, carbon reinforced shell and Ti rails, RRP is about £80 but I got it for 1/2 that!

pitchshifter

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

pitchshifter wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

pitchshifter wrote:

Just bought a Romin from the concept store. Looks good, light weight and £75 for the carbon railed one.

You can get measured up as well. Turns out my SLR is too narrow.

I got that from them too when I got measured up. I'm not suggesting they're wrong, but I've since read an interesting article by a bike fit guy (can't find it now, annoyingly) where he suggests the standard sit-bone measuring system used by the likes of Specialized is flawed, and that we are being sold wider saddles than we ideally need.

Proof will be if it stops the pain. They said I can take it back used to swap it out which I thought was a nice touch..

That is good service, and the Romin is a great saddle. May I ask what pain you're suffering?

If I ride hard in the drops for long durations the next day its just tender where it shouldn't be and its clear you have been sitting on a whole bunch of nerves :shock: .

Rode the Romin home last night and there was a significant difference. I felt I was actually sitting on my sit bones, but then this morning I wasn't sure I could tell any difference at all. Could probably do with a rest day for the pain to pass to make any significant conclusion on the new saddle though.

Didn't you buy that SLR with the big cut out? not get on with it?

vermin

You can have the one that came OEM on my Scott for free. It's a cheapo Selle Italia somethingorother.

jonny_trousers

pitchshifter wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

pitchshifter wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

pitchshifter wrote:

Just bought a Romin from the concept store. Looks good, light weight and £75 for the carbon railed one.

You can get measured up as well. Turns out my SLR is too narrow.

I got that from them too when I got measured up. I'm not suggesting they're wrong, but I've since read an interesting article by a bike fit guy (can't find it now, annoyingly) where he suggests the standard sit-bone measuring system used by the likes of Specialized is flawed, and that we are being sold wider saddles than we ideally need.

Proof will be if it stops the pain. They said I can take it back used to swap it out which I thought was a nice touch..

That is good service, and the Romin is a great saddle. May I ask what pain you're suffering?

If I ride hard in the drops for long durations the next day its just tender where it shouldn't be and its clear you have been sitting on a whole bunch of nerves :shock: .

Rode the Romin home last night and there was a significant difference. I felt I was actually sitting on my sit bones, but then this morning I wasn't sure I could tell any difference at all. Could probably do with a rest day for the pain to pass to make any significant conclusion on the new saddle though.

Didn't you buy that SLR with the big cut out? not get on with it?

I can relate completely. I'm actually having a decent period off the bike (very frustrating) to try to give my body a break. When I get back to it I think I'll try an Adamo saddle. Good luck with the Romin!

clarkey cat

really love my Fizik Arione.

kelsen

clarkey cat wrote:

really love my Fizik Arione.

I, on the other hand, hate it! I had one on the weekend bike and after an hour my ass was in agony!

clarkey cat

i was sceptical. I was all set to buy the romin but the guy in Condor convinced me to go with the arione. but it has been a real joy. I think I was thinking my ass was wider than it was (as I'm a big lad) and had been sticking with a san marco regal but it was literally ripping me up. foolish really.

jonny_trousers

pitchshifter wrote:

Didn't you buy that SLR with the big cut out? not get on with it?

Oops, just spotted this question. Yeah, I did. It's a lovely saddle, but I'm not convinced it solved my issue. I've never had the numbness thing a lot of cyclists suffer, but I've had sporadic ball ache for quite some time (all checked out through doctor and nothing showing to worry about). I had three weeks off riding during my honeymoon and the ache did seem to go, but upon getting back on the bike again, it soon came back. On top of that I suffered the kind of embarrassing thing a gentleman doesn't want to suffer a couple of times recently so finally decided I had to do something about it. I suspect a pro bike fit would be a very good idea, and I am going to get one when I know what my cyling future will be (crap stuff going on at work), but I do like the idea of trying an Adamo, given what I've read and what a couple of mates have said.

UndercoverElephant

One of the lads at work tried an Adamo saddle, he absolutely loves it - so much so he's bought one for each of his bikes... And he has a loooot of bikes!

simon_masterson

Just the Charge Spoon for me; on both of my bikes. Certainly the shape is about right, and it's supportive. Perhaps given bike sizing, fitting and stem length optimised for my performance I might opt for something longer, but it's just a £20 improvement I made to my old steel bikes: I'm happy. :-)

jonny_trousers

Just given up on the Adamo. I totally get why they make sense for time-trialers and those who stay in the saddle and in an aero position (such as the triathletes who seem to love them), but I'm not convinced the idea works for casual roadies. I gave it a good go, and it was great in many respects, but it was always an issue finding that sweet spot each time you sat down back again after climbing out of the saddle. I put my old Romin back on and immediately it was like coming home (no noticeable difference in pressure on the sensitive bits, either). I suspect at 130mm my Romin is too narrow, but I can't see me needing a 155mm as the guy in the concept store suggested. I'll see if they have any tester saddles.

How you getting on Pitchshifter?

bunter

Simon Masterson wrote:

Just the Charge Spoon for me; on both of my bikes. Certainly the shape is about right, and it's supportive. Perhaps given bike sizing, fitting and stem length optimised for my performance I might opt for something longer, but it's just a £20 improvement I made to my old steel bikes: I'm happy. :-)

I love the Spoon, or at least I did. The new model has a much grippier covering material that causes chafing where the older model didn't...

roger_merriman

bunter wrote:

Simon Masterson wrote:

Just the Charge Spoon for me; on both of my bikes. Certainly the shape is about right, and it's supportive. Perhaps given bike sizing, fitting and stem length optimised for my performance I might opt for something longer, but it's just a £20 improvement I made to my old steel bikes: I'm happy. :-)

I love the Spoon, or at least I did. The new model has a much grippier covering material that causes chafing where the older model didn't...

Pan here, looks nice and no problems with it, as ever millage varies.

essex-commuter

I used to race on a Toupe until the titanium rail broke. It was under warranty but Spesh said I could have 50% off any saddle as a replacement..I chose a Romin. Really like both.

On the commuter I have a Charge Spoon, that's comfortable too.

All saddles are white...obviously. (no 'to match your socks Essex boy' comments please!)

pitchshifter

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Just given up on the Adamo. I totally get why they make sense for time-trialers and those who stay in the saddle and in an aero position (such as the triathletes who seem to love them), but I'm not convinced the idea works for casual roadies. I gave it a good go, and it was great in many respects, but it was always an issue finding that sweet spot each time you sat down back again after climbing out of the saddle. I put my old Romin back on and immediately it was like coming home (no noticeable difference in pressure on the sensitive bits, either). I suspect at 130mm my Romin is too narrow, but I can't see me needing a 155mm as the guy in the concept store suggested. I'll see if they have any tester saddles.

How you getting on Pitchshifter?

Its better than the SLR but I think a bike fit would be money well spent as its still not perfect.. I found that moving the cleats forward helped push me back on the sit bones so that may be worth a try.

I have an SLR on my other bike which is the same size (different geometry though) and can ride that without any problems. I think if you have been through a few saddles its most likely to do with the bike setup.