Selle saddle pain

GER 67

I have a Selle Italia Turbomatic Team Edition Saddle, nice saddle, but longer rides 50+ are really painfull on the soft tissue then makes it way to the buttocks and to my thighs. I have a 100+ rides coming up this summer, are there any other Selle Italia's that are more forgiving?

chrisvanderkaap

turbomatic is a retro classic and has been known for its increased comfort. Anyhow comfort is relative and is now only related to the amount of padding but more to the curvature, length and with of the saddle. I don't know how much you're into sella italia (you could check out the flite gel flow too) or retro saddles but for example specialized toupe or bontrager affinity rl are pretty comfortable and you're able to dial in the width to support your pelvic arch. Should help a great deal!

GER 67

Ive tried the toupe and all of the Bontrager's!! The Turbomatic is the best so far, that why i want to stay with the Selle's, cos im nearly there!! It may be the padding im using, enduro pro fs260 shorts. Also would chamoix cream help!!! I'll try anything for a painless ride!!

aka Arthur

I have a Selle Italia Flite - it's nice and flat, so the sit bones are hard on the saddle. Padding or curvature only means more pressure on your mushy bits and more heat build-up where you don't want it, in my opinion. The Fizik Antares is similarly flat.

I'm comparing both with a Fizik Aliante I have on another bike, which for me is more comfortable initially, but not over a long distance.

rnath

I'm usually a Toupe user, but after experiencing pain on the turbo over this winter tried a Flite Gel Flow and have found it to be very comfy.

Eaglehighcycling

Don't feel restricted to one brand of saddle. Different brands have different shapes, and the best way to find which saddle is the best is by trying out test saddles from your local bike shop.
But seriously, it doesn't matter what brand that saddle is, or even what it looks like! Because it only matters how it feels.

That being said, you shouldn't feel it.

GER 67

I've been road cycling for three years now, i ride about 100 miles a week, and im still strugling with saddles, ive tried about eight diffrent ones, and they still hurt after 50-60 miles. ones ive tried are- FIZIK ARIONE,BONTRAGER RL, TOUPE, 4ZA, CHARGE SPOON ,SELLE SIGNO AND SELLE TURBOMATIC. Now the best ones up to now are the last two!! Havent tried the ANTARES or the ALIANTE. Has anyone had a problem with Endura Pro short, is the padding to thick?? Cos im always wiggling about on the saddle

chrisvanderkaap

I think you're right about the padding. I know it's been said many times and I don't want to sound like a sales assistant but something to the likes of castelli ergo tre (thinner) or assos uno (thicker) will make all the difference. Especially since you said you're 'nearly there' with the turbomatic and I think it's a very good saddle with no obvious downsides. Quality padding and some chamois cream (assos also makes a very good one) is what you may be looking for with those the longer rides in the saddle.

Grill

GER 67 wrote:

I've been road cycling for three years now, i ride about 100 miles a week, and im still strugling with saddles, ive tried about eight diffrent ones, and they still hurt after 50-60 miles. ones ive tried are- FIZIK ARIONE,BONTRAGER RL, TOUPE, 4ZA, CHARGE SPOON ,SELLE SIGNO AND SELLE TURBOMATIC. Now the best ones up to now are the last two!! Havent tried the ANTARES or the ALIANTE. Has anyone had a problem with Endura Pro short, is the padding to thick?? Cos im always wiggling about on the saddle

50-60 miles is nowhere near enough time to break-in a saddle...

The Endura Pros are fine. If you're wiggling it's more a question of bike setup (saddle height, fore/aft, tilt, etc.).

passout

I now use SELLE smp - they are great.

I went through loads of saddlles before I settled on the WTB silverado on my road bike & Devo on my MTB. I was 95% comfortable & used these for years but was not quite there. After further experimentation now I only use Selle SMP saddles; they are by far the most comfortable I have used. Loads of options (width/firmness) available & no pain ever. Expensive but worth every penny.

GER 67

Done 97 miles this week on the Selle Turbomatic, the sit bones is not the issue, the pain comes from the soft tissue around the small bones(whatever they are called) just under the Testis!! On the Endura Pros the padding is more on the sit bones, and a bit thin under the Testis area!! The pain is so bad that i get cramps on my buttocks and down the back of my thighs. ive tried moving the saddle up-down etc, but nothing works. The first 20 miles is very comfortable, then it gets worse as the miles go up.Has anybody else had this problem?

Grill

Have you adjusted the tilt? Sounds as if you may have to bring the nose up a tad. Of course there is also the possibility that it's not he right saddle for you.

giant_man

GER 67 wrote:

I've been road cycling for three years now, i ride about 100 miles a week, and im still strugling with saddles, ive tried about eight diffrent ones, and they still hurt after 50-60 miles. ones ive tried are- FIZIK ARIONE,BONTRAGER RL, TOUPE, 4ZA, CHARGE SPOON ,SELLE SIGNO AND SELLE TURBOMATIC. Now the best ones up to now are the last two!! Havent tried the ANTARES or the ALIANTE. Has anyone had a problem with Endura Pro short, is the padding to thick?? Cos im always wiggling about on the saddle

Try the Aliante, my 'default' saddle now. Not 100% perfect (for me) but very near, and so far the one that I would go for every time. Go for a cheaper or second hand Gamma model and work your way up to the carbon braided model, which (again for me is lovely). Of course it may not suit, but I too have dismissed a LOT of saddle including the Selle Italia SLR and charge spoon. The Antares wasn't bad either. You could also try their derivatives, the Kurve Bull and Kurve Chameleon (based on Aliante and Antares).

drjs83

I'd get yourself to a fitter or a shop that has a sit bone measuring device. I am now riding a 155 Specialized Romin after having a sit bone assessment (I was on a 143 saddle). It's unbelievable! It suits an agressive riding style whereas the Toupe is for a more relaxed position. I'm pretty slim, but that has nothing to do with your sit bones. Don't be put off by a lack of padding. If the saddle supports you in the right places it will be comfortable.