Saddles - carbon rails?

proto
proto Posts: 1,483
edited September 2013 in Road buying advice
Anyone with any experience of carbon railed saddles? Worth the extra expense? More fragile? More comfortable? Etc, etc.

Thanks

Comments

  • diamonddog
    diamonddog Posts: 3,426
    No difference for comfort between carbon, titanium or steel rails it's the saddle that makes the difference. As for being more fragile I would think that there is a weight limit on carbon rails but I am very light so mine has been fine.
  • jamiekavanagh
    jamiekavanagh Posts: 59
    I have a Toupe Pro with carbon rails and find it no different to the standard cromo seat I had before. It looks cooler IMHO, but is no more or less comfortable because of the carbon...
  • proto
    proto Posts: 1,483
    For my daughter's race bike. She weighs 61kg, so would hope weight limit not an issue!

    More concerned about fracturing the carbon rails with the seat post clamp.
  • blinddrew
    blinddrew Posts: 317
    I've got carbon railed saddles on my MTB and road bike. Have had them for a few years with no problems. I'm 85kg so a bit above average so I wouldn't worry.
    Music, beer, sport, repeat...
  • diamonddog
    diamonddog Posts: 3,426
    proto wrote:
    For my daughter's race bike. She weighs 61kg, so would hope weight limit not an issue!

    More concerned about fracturing the carbon rails with the seat post clamp.

    No problems on weight I would have thought, carbon is very tough, you would need to be really cack handed to break carbon rails.
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    You'll need to make sure the post will accept carbon rails. Most are an odd shape.
  • proto
    proto Posts: 1,483
    Good point. It's an Easton EA70, like this:

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/easton-ec70-carbon-seat-post-2012/
  • diamonddog
    diamonddog Posts: 3,426
    edited September 2013
    Mine is a Selle Italia SLR saddle and lucky for me it slotted straight on to the Ritchey seatpost but some carbon rails are a diferent diameter to steel rails etc. so be careful.
  • Mccaria
    Mccaria Posts: 869
    80 kg+ and have ridden several carbon railed saddles with no problems. As above need to check seatpost works with rails which on carbon tend to be more oval shaped. Otherwise be careful with the torquing, the rails are susceptible to crush damage.
  • blinddrew
    blinddrew Posts: 317
    Forgot about the rail shape issue but given your seatpost grips top and bottom (rather than from the sides like a raceface) you should be ok with most rail shapes.
    Music, beer, sport, repeat...
  • proto
    proto Posts: 1,483
    Thanks for all the great advice.

    Btw, saddle would be a Specialized Toupe Pro
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    I have a Toupe Pro and a Toupe S-Works. Both are far more comfy that their metal equivalent due to the fact that they're stiffer and don't flex under power.
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • racingcondor
    racingcondor Posts: 1,434
    The Fizik carbon railes saddles are stiffer than their Kium railed versions (at least the Anteres is).

    Ultimately this seems to make them more comfortable though as your weight stays where it should be rather than spreading to your soft tissue.

    I've seen carbon rails break but they were being clamped well outside the recommended area (they were right back) and on a seatpost with some pretty sharp looking edges (frame specific aero post though so the owner was stuck with it). Mine have been great though and I've ridden well over 5k miles on the two I've got.
  • northpole
    northpole Posts: 1,499
    I tried the Toupe Pro and the S Works Toupe. There is a bit of flex in the Pro whereas the S Works has none - it is like sitting on a very uncomfortable brick! I surrendered after a few attempts are retreated to the relative comfort of the Toupe Pro! The rails are definitely larger diameter than the titanium railed equivalents.

    Peter

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