What saddle to get?

hetkyckling

I recently noticed that my Syncros RP2.5 has been slightly bent because of a clipless pedal incident :oops:. I've been searching for a replacement saddle, but there seem to be so many options to choose from. I like the shape of the RP2.5, but it seems as if they are unavailable to purchase. Is there any similar saddle you guys would recommend in the price range of 100-120€?

Thanks

sloppyschleckonds

A comfy one.

Fizik Antares.

stokieshinobi

I was having horrible ass ache - all fixed with the Fizik Aliante - love it!

Ive now bought another Fizik Aliante Versus to see if its EVEN better!

sloppyschleckonds

You bought the same saddle hoping its better!?

hetkyckling

Turns out that there is probably not a single dealer in Sweden that stocks Fizik saddles - a shame since they looked really appealing. I've started examining my options, and I found the Specialized Toupé Pro. I've read that they do not fit on all seatposts, do you guys know if they would fit on my Ritchey Pro post?

Thanks

northpole

I'm not sure - it's all about the diameter of the carbon seat rails. If you are considering the pro models please note my experience that they are very firm - I found them just too firm for long rides. I also found the romin evo expert to provide a much more comfortable solution. The titanium rails are a 'normal' diameter and more likely to fit your seat post. However, getting the right saddle to provide you with optimal comfort is not an easy process!

Peter

arlowood

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

You bought the same saddle hoping its better!?

Not the same - the Aliante Versus has the central channel supposedly to reduce pressure on the periannal area.

stokieshinobi wrote:

I was having horrible ass ache - all fixed with the Fizik Aliante - love it!

Ive now bought another Fizik Aliante Versus to see if its EVEN better!

I'd be a bit wary of assuming the Versus will be even better. My experience from a year or so of trying different saddles was that the Aliante Versus was not great. The central channel is a good idea in theory but I found that the outer ridges of the channel created uncomfortable pressure points making it a failure for me in the comfort stakes. After trying various other channel/ cut out type saddles in between I decided to give the standard Aliante a go and so far have found it to be excellent (a bit against my expectations I have to say).

I know everyone is different but I wouldn't automatically assume that the Versus will be better.

mercia_man

Yes, arlowood, we are all different. I tried an Aliante Versus on a test ride and liked it so much I bought one. It's up there with my Brooks for comfort.

ugo.santalucia

You can always order a FIzik from Wiggle or something, no?

Antares for me...

Tjgoodhew

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

A comfy one.

Fizik Antares.

And just to make a point - i had a Fizik Antares and found it the most uncomfortable thing. Just couldn't get on with it and ditched it after 3 months of pain

Bottom line - very difficult for somebody to recommend you a saddle.

I have found a Charge Scoop is pretty comfortable for me and for around £20 its worth trying out. Plenty of people use them so if it isnt right you will have no problem selling it on for close to what you paid for it

ugo.santalucia

Tjgoodhew wrote:

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

A comfy one.

Fizik Antares.

And just to make a point - i had a Fizik Antares and found it the most uncomfortable thing. Just couldn't get on with it and ditched it after 3 months of pain

Bottom line - very difficult for somebody to recommend you a saddle.

I have found a Charge Scoop is pretty comfortable for me and for around £20 its worth trying out. Plenty of people use them so if it isnt right you will have no problem selling it on for close to what you paid for it

Saddles like the Antares work well if you ride with the saddle significantly higher than the bars... if you don't, then you want more padding/support, as you place more weight on the saddle and the Spoon might just be the business.

I think it's more down to rider's position than it is about rider's cheek bones shape

Paulj700

Having heard good things about the comfort of specialized BG range of saddles I went and got a Romin Evo Pro. I had originally gone looking for the toupe but there were none in the shop. I took advantage of a 30 day retun offer to give the Romin a try.

Getting it in the right width made all the difference and its 10 times more comfy then my previous saddle which had significantly more padding. So far I've done several 30-40 milers with no soreness at all.

As far as the rails go, my carbon rails were no problem fitting into my fsa seatpost.

LegendLust

Tjgoodhew wrote:

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

A comfy one.

Fizik Antares.

And just to make a point - i had a Fizik Antares and found it the most uncomfortable thing. Just couldn't get on with it and ditched it after 3 months of pain

Bottom line - very difficult for somebody to recommend you a saddle.

I have found a Charge Scoop is pretty comfortable for me and for around £20 its worth trying out. Plenty of people use them so if it isnt right you will have no problem selling it on for close to what you paid for it

See what you did there. Very good

kajjal

Have a read on how to measure yourself for a saddle and also let the pain guide you to the type of saddle you need. My original saddle was too narrow with a lack of cutaway and used to cut me in half after an hour or so. Changed to a wider specialized avatar with a decent cutaway and now all is fine.

hampus

Trying my first post here and now.
I would agree with arlowood the Aliante versus is not as comfy as the original Aliante which is the best saddle I've ridden. It is much better than any Spesh saddle IMHO and I've tried a few of them.

northpole

hampus wrote:

Trying my first post here and now.
I would agree with arlowood the Aliante versus is not as comfy as the original Aliante which is the best saddle I've ridden. It is much better than any Spesh saddle IMHO and I've tried a few of them.

Perfect illustration of the conundrum that is saddle selection! I have an Aliante on my commuter and romin pro and romin evo expert on my other two road bikes. After a weekend's ride, getting on the Aliante on a Monday morning feels blooming awful! Now that could be because the spesh saddles have beaten me up, but really, for me the lack of a cut out is the issue and the reason I couldn't go any distance on an Aliante. Fine for short distances. And I wouldn't be surprised if hampus has completely the opposite experience. Saddle selection is not easy!!

Peter

turbotommy

IMO saddle comfort is more down to preference of shape and angle of saddle rather than cushioning. I have an s-works toupe which has very little padding, but is the right shape for me and my style I guess, as I find it very comfy.

hetkyckling

Thank you all for the replies, wasn't expecting to get this much response!

I'm leaning back towards Fizik again, I did the spine test and I'm apparently a Snake. Which Arione saddle would you guys recommend?

EDIT: I think that the distance between my sitbones is roughly around 110-120 mm, would I still be able to ride the 132 mm Arione saddle comfortably? The RP2.5 I currently have is 135 mm and that feels OK.

Thanks

ai_1

Tjgoodhew wrote:

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

A comfy one.

Fizik Antares.

And just to make a point - i had a Fizik Antares and found it the most uncomfortable thing. Just couldn't get on with it and ditched it after 3 months of pain

Bottom line - very difficult for somebody to recommend you a saddle.

I have found a Charge Scoop is pretty comfortable for me and for around £20 its worth trying out. Plenty of people use them so if it isnt right you will have no problem selling it on for close to what you paid for it

My bike came with a Fizik Antares. Tried it for a couple of rides. Found it very uncomfortable so took it off. However that's just me, I seem to be a bit particular when it comes to saddles and have settled on a Specialised Romin Evo for the road bike and an Adamo Attack for the tri-bike. Most others I tried have caused numbness or pain after a while.

Incidentally I still have the Antares sitting there. Meant to sell it and forgot all about it. Anyone want one, almost unused and at a good price (white with black on the back corners)?

I've never bought a saddle without trying it first (except when it comes with the bike!) as it's just too much of a lottery. You should be able to find LBS' that will lend you saddles for a couple of weeks or who will agree to allow you return it provided it's unmarked. Specialized generally accept returns within 30 days provided the saddle is still as new. Fizik sellers usually have a lot of trial saddles floating about, etc...
Actually I lied above, I did buy my Romin Evo but on the agreement I could return it. I got a 143mm first and wasn't too keen on it, switched it for a 155mm which I love.

daniel_b

I love the Arione CX, have several versions, all of them are CX, some with Carbon rails, some without - Totally comfy for ME, even on 6 hour rides.

German sites are often pretty cheap for them, although I did get a couple of bargains from Ribble IIRC.

secretsam

Is there any way you can 'test' a Fizik saddle? My local dealer here in the UK offered me a test ride to try one

mugensi

Have the Prologo Kappa PAS on both my bikes and love it, very comfortable saddle for me.

hetkyckling

SecretSam wrote:

Is there any way you can 'test' a Fizik saddle? My local dealer here in the UK offered me a test ride to try one

Absolutely no way to test Fizik in Sweden unfortunately.

daniel_b

hetkyckling wrote:

SecretSam wrote:

Is there any way you can 'test' a Fizik saddle? My local dealer here in the UK offered me a test ride to try one

Absolutely no way to test Fizik in Sweden unfortunately.

VERY easy to sell on though, so why not pick up your most likely candidate second hand, and then if it works keep it or sell it on and buy a new one, and if not then just sell it on.
I picked up a brand new one off here for £49 (Black and blue), and one from Ribble (White) for £45.

kirkee

try one of these- Fzik esque but low cost, well comfy
http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/SAPXSL/pla ... eam-saddle

fortyone

As mentioned it depends on the individual - I tried a Fizik Arione which killed me (sold it on Ebay). Then the Charge Spoon worked well; now using a Prologo Scratch (which is firmer than the Spoon). The Arione has a straight top whereas the other two were curved, so that's what probably suited me.

passout

Impossible to say with certainty - we are all different. I've never liked Fiziks (the ones I tried anyway) but love WTBs and especially Selle SMPs. A good starting point is to work out what width saddle you want - I did this based on experimentation with different saddles over time but you can measure sit bones.