Finding a Selle SMP that fits

22camels

I'm trialling some SMP saddles - have been through two - Dynamic and Drakon (same family) - and although their shape seems to fit me really well, I get too much sit bone pressure after about 50km. I tried changing the angle but result was the same. I am determined to find an SMP that fits but am prepared for it to take months. I am going to trial some others, but I'm not sure if I should just go for one of them, to spend longer wearing it in / getting my sit bones used to it, trouble is they are expensive and it's a risk. Having ridden a saddle before that took 1000km to wear in, I am used to the concept of saddles not feeling right straight away, but for the trial I am borrowing each saddle for 2-3 weeks and the max I have time for at the moment is one 75-100km ride /week. Although the first one I trialled (Dynamic) I went on a tour and rode 750km in one week - it wasn't terrible but it didn't get any more comfortable.

I am looking for a saddle mainly for touring, so hoping to try an Avant/Plus/Glider or Lite 209 next which are less performance oriented. I really like the look/sound of the SMP's so far, firstly from my personal experience (the shape feels right), secondly they are meant to and I think they do encourage more hip rotation which I think is good for me (a very upright touring position is bad for me as I tend to end up hunching my back and hurting my neck), and they are supposedly more healthy (or is it just their marketing hype).

Has anyone had any similar experiences with Selle SMP's - perhaps persevering with one and it becoming more comfortable after a few weeks? I know saddles are extremely subjective and there are so many interrelated factors and you have to be a bit lucky..

My previous saddle was a Brooks standard (B17) which after being worn in, was very comfortable on the sit bones, but very uncomfortable in other ways - wrong shape I think.

on-yer-bike

Check out Steve Hogg website find page on SMP saddles.

22camels

Thanks, have read and reread it about 10 times now .

kingrollo

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19617166#p19617166]22camels[/url] wrote:

Thanks, have read and reread it about 10 times now .

Does have to be an SMP ?

Ive finaaly found comfort with a brooks b17 imperial (cut out) - Im a total convert.

Yes it looks daft my kuota - but at least I can ride.

22camels

The B17 imperial is effectively what I had before (except it was the sprung model). Didn't get on with it.

Will give another Brooks a go. But I really like the SMP's I've tried so far. They just look right - right shape but too much sit bone pressure (perhaps cos I'm sitting too upright). So hoping to eventually converge on an SMP that works.

handful

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19617009#p19617009]22camels[/url] wrote:

I'm trialling some SMP saddles - have been through two - Dynamic and Drakon (same family) - and although their shape seems to fit me really well, I get too much sit bone pressure after about 50km. I tried changing the angle but result was the same. I am determined to find an SMP that fits but am prepared for it to take months. I am going to trial some others, but I'm not sure if I should just go for one of them, to spend longer wearing it in / getting my sit bones used to it, trouble is they are expensive and it's a risk. Having ridden a saddle before that took 1000km to wear in, I am used to the concept of saddles not feeling right straight away, but for the trial I am borrowing each saddle for 2-3 weeks and the max I have time for at the moment is one 75-100km ride /week. Although the first one I trialled (Dynamic) I went on a tour and rode 750km in one week - it wasn't terrible but it didn't get any more comfortable.

I am looking for a saddle mainly for touring, so hoping to try an Avant/Plus/Glider or Lite 209 next which are less performance oriented. I really like the look/sound of the SMP's so far, firstly from my personal experience (the shape feels right), secondly they are meant to and I think they do encourage more hip rotation which I think is good for me (a very upright touring position is bad for me as I tend to end up hunching my back and hurting my neck), and they are supposedly more healthy (or is it just their marketing hype).

Has anyone had any similar experiences with Selle SMP's - perhaps persevering with one and it becoming more comfortable after a few weeks? I know saddles are extremely subjective and there are so many interrelated factors and you have to be a bit lucky..

My previous saddle was a Brooks standard (B17) which after being worn in, was very comfortable on the sit bones, but very uncomfortable in other ways - wrong shape I think.

I've tried lots, from Dillglove and ended up with a Dynamic. That still isn't perfect and I'm ready to get off on rides over 60miles but my comfort levels prior to that was around 40 miles before genuine discomfort set in so it's the best I've had so far. I may continue my search again one day but was getting a bit pi$$ed off by the time I decided on the Dynamic! I think I have a sensitive @rse or something, most of my friends seem to get on with whatever saddle their bike comes with which I find a bit frustrating! I've tried loads, most of the Fizik and Spesh BG ranges and quite a few others.

The only Brooks I've tried is a Cambium which I really wanted to like but didn't get on with although I wouldn't mind trying the narrower version some time. I've no experience of the leather ones but would be tempted if it was the answer to my long search.

With the Dynamic I've had to experiment a lot with angles and find tilted down by 4 degrees seems the best for me which fits in with Steve Hogg's advice.

djaeggi

I ride composits exclusively. SMP make great saddles! Three points worth making:

1. If I'm off the bike for any significant period (e.g. last summer saw me sit out about 6 weeks), then it takes about 3-4 weeks for my sit bones to get used to the saddle again, and I can feel definite bone soreness. This goes, and when it does, then you simply don't think about the saddle any more (and this includes long days 6hr+). Persevere! It sounds like you're not over the hump yet.

2. They're angle sensitive, I find about 3-4 degrees nose down works best for me (use a hardback book and a mobile phone inclinometer app). Further nose up leads to discomfort.

3. I tried a few before settling on the Composit. Other models were too wide and I could feel pressure on the inside leg; the lack of padding on the composit actually works really well for me. Try a couple of models out. They hold their value well on ebay so buying/selling secondhand till you find one at little to no cost is very feasible.

djaeggi

PS What shorts are you using? I find I can ride with very little padding but in the "getting over the bone soreness" phase, a pair of plush shorts might help smooth the process.

ptlk66

I know some folk appear to be on a constant search for the perfect saddle. A reputable bike fitter said to me saddle discomfort largely comes from poor bike position rather than the saddle. I really feel for the guys who can't endure 50+ miles because of saddle discomfort, no saddle I have tried has caused me that level of discomfort, and would recommend it you suffer that severly across a range of saddles you should get your bike fit reviewed.

I would say the my SMP Dynamic is far more comfortable than my Arione (but my Arione does not cause me discomfort that borders on pain).

22camels

Will persevere, thanks!

I could easily ride 100 miles on some of these saddles - I did on the Dynamic - just the comfort level is not ideal - maybe I expect too much and just need to ride more to get my sit bones to toughen up.

Agree entirely that a lot of saddles debates boil down to fit issues. There are a number of variables at stake and you cannot just isolate a single factor.

Funnily enough I got the Dynamic (to try) as part of a bike fit which I had for reasons other than saddle discomfort but it was suggested it (or perhaps other SMP's) would help encourage me to adopt a better posture, which was deemed to be key (actual adjustments to the positions of contact points on the bike were minimal). Anyway I did a lot of riding afterwards and am much happier with my position but the saddle is still not ideal.

P.S. shorts, yeah, that's another thing, I have been alternating between pretty well padded Specialized lycra shorts and a more thinly padded old pair of triathlon shorts, but ultimately I think I'd prefer not to rely on shorts - as in one of the saddles which felt comfortable with the padded shorts felt like a knife edge without and I would not be able to ride it for very long - that did not seem good.

handful

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19623817#p19623817]ptlk66[/url] wrote:

I know some folk appear to be on a constant search for the perfect saddle. A reputable bike fitter said to me saddle discomfort largely comes from poor bike position rather than the saddle. I really feel for the guys who can't endure 50+ miles because of saddle discomfort, no saddle I have tried has caused me that level of discomfort, and would recommend it you suffer that severly across a range of saddles you should get your bike fit reviewed.

I would say the my SMP Dynamic is far more comfortable than my Arione (but my Arione does not cause me discomfort that borders on pain).

I had a bike fit to try and resolve my comfort issues a full retul with a well respected fitter and it did help in a number of areas including saddle comfort but didn't end my discomfort completely. I got the fit done on the Dynamic becasue that was the one I'd identified as the most comfortable I had tried previously. I think I must have unusual sit bones or something like that?? Who knows, I just know my @rse is the limiting factor for me doing very long (+80 mile) rides. The Arione was like sitting on a metal rail to me, just awful.

gaffer_slow

http://www.thebikewhisperer.co.uk/

they are from the steve hogg school of thought / fit (found them linked from his site)

they hire out test saddles (£5 last time i enquired) and advise on what might work for you.

cswitch

I used the SMP Dynamic for a couple of years. It took a good couple of months before 'I'd' been worn in - once my backside had turned into something as tough as leather it was very comfortable. Good saddles but for me no more comfortable than Selle Italia Superflow or a Spesh Romin - though the SMP was much more expensive and heavy. Also it was a bugger for increasing the wear to shorts / bibs I think due to the raised leather stitching.