Best Saddle for comfort for short/medium distances

jamiemorgan

Hey all

Just wanted to hear your opinions on the best saddle for comfort?

I'm using the saddle that came with the bike (Giant Defy) I do a 8 mile round trip to work each day, and at weekends i'll do around 15-20 miles. Obviously i am looking to increase this in time when i have built up my stamina (back in fitness mode after a few years off - dad duties)

Really interested in any one who has had testicular cancer too; as a member of the club they'll know what i mean by needing the extra comfort!

I wear tight boxers and padded shorts for my weekend trips, the shorts do seem to help a lot but i think i could do a lot more miles if i was just that little bit more comfy.

Thanks Guys and Gals

declan1

Well.....

First of all, PLEASE don't wear anything under cycling shorts. Seriously, it's like wearing swimming shorts under jeans and a t-shirt.

Also, saddles are an entirely personal choice. One saddle that is comfortable for one person can be another person's idea of hell (thinking Fizik Arione here...).

Wirral_paul

The most comfortable saddle is the one that fits your own particular shape best - nobody can answer that for you. Best bet is to try some and get your sit bones measured (Specialized stores can do this) - many manufacturers now do test saddles (Fizik / Specialized / Selle Italia etc).

Oh - and ditch the boxers - padded shorts are not designed to be used with boxers and i really cant understand why so many insist on continuing to wear boxers under lyra shorts. Chamois creme does work too - certainly for me (120 miles for me today with no discomfort)

Gizmodo

jamiemorgan wrote:

Really interested in any one who has had testicular cancer too; as a member of the club they'll know what i mean by needing the extra comfort!

I had testicular cancer and I have no idea what you mean - but then I managed to avoid surgery.

Proper bike fit is probably more important than saddle choice. As everyone else has said, saddle choice is personal, one man's comfy saddle is another man's razor.

skyd0g

First of all, lose the boxers - they'll do you no favours in the comfort department. :shock:
Do you really find your current saddle uncomfortable? Over what sort of distance - more towards the 20 mile mark? What area of you is uncomfortable? How long have you been riding - usually it takes a few weeks or so of regular riding to 'toughen-up'

As said previously, after ditching the undercrackers etc., a possible cheap alternate saddle that works for many is the Charge Spoon - or if the pain is in the area of the perineum , possibly consider a cut-out saddle such as the Selle-Italia XO-Flow or similar.

jamiemorgan

[quote/] I had testicular cancer and I have no idea what you mean - but then I managed to avoid surgery.[/quote]

What i guess i meant was, that we are more aware of our bodies and take care of our "boys" more than someone who hadnt suffered from it.

davidefernandes

Yeah lose the boxers mate, I used to wear them when I started cycling, purely cos I didnt know any different. I use the Charge Spoon saddle, very comfortable for me. combine that with some decent shorts and chamois cream and you'll be fine, well these work fine for me.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/charge-spoon-sa ... omo-rails/
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-aeron-cycling-short/

pollys_bott

If you're not able to get to a bike shop for a 'proper' measuring, DiY at home: sit on the floor with your legs out straight, then bring your knees up & draw your heels in towards your bum. Unless you've got a very well covered derriere you should feel like you're sitting on a couple of hard bits - they're your sit bones and you need to measure the distance between them to get some idea of which saddle will suit you best. Sit in that position (heels drawn in towards your bum) on a bag of sand and when you get up the indents made by your sit bones should remain clear and measurable. Measure them, then harness the power of Google to find saddles around that width.

I spent many years perched on a saddle 130mm wide and stupidly thought that the relative discomfort was par for the course. It's only recently that it dawned on me that I might need a wider saddle, tried a 135mm wide Selle Italia X2 Gel-Flow which was a bit better, went to a 143mm Spesh which was initially like sitting on a cushion but then wasn't so good on longer rides and am now trying a 141mm Prologo Nago. Use the saddle swap thread in the classifieds for excellent value purchases.

pollys_bott

OnYourRight wrote:

...saddle discomfort is usually not the fault of the saddle, but rather your fit and position on the bike. Changing the saddle might alleviate the symptoms without fixing the underlying problem.

Yes, very true: no point having the right saddle if the frame is too big / small, bars too high / low, stem too long / short... they're all pieces in the jigsaw (says he, having ridden a 56 frame for donkeys years when he should really have been on a 54 )

Camcycle1974

jamiemorgan wrote:

Hey all

Just wanted to hear your opinions on the best saddle for comfort?

I'm using the saddle that came with the bike (Giant Defy) I do a 8 mile round trip to work each day, and at weekends i'll do around 15-20 miles. Obviously i am looking to increase this in time when i have built up my stamina (back in fitness mode after a few years off - dad duties)

Really interested in any one who has had testicular cancer too; as a member of the club they'll know what i mean by needing the extra comfort!

I wear tight boxers and padded shorts for my weekend trips, the shorts do seem to help a lot but i think i could do a lot more miles if i was just that little bit more comfy.

Thanks Guys and Gals

The Defy saddle is quite soft. I liked the shape but found it uncomfy for longer distances. Have since changed to a Charge Spoon which is almost identical in shape but a bit firmer which counterintuitively makes it more comfortable for longer rides. Treat yourself to some Assos padded bib shorts. Your nethers will be in heaven! As already stated, lose the boxers as they will chafe.

Frank pole

+1 for the charge spoon but all saddles will take a while for your under carriage to fully adjustment to it