Saddle buying advice (to cutout, or not to cutout?)

Holmesy321

I've been riding my first road bike for about 18 months now and have recently started experimenting with saddles as I couldn't seem to find a comfortable position on the one that came with the bike.

I tried a specialized power, on recommendation, and it's 'okay'. The soft tissue relief is welcome.

I bought a Fizik Kurve (the Aliante shape) recently and have been riding it for a few days. The general comfort of the saddle is great (it seems to absorb road bumps much better than the Spesh) however after using a cutout saddle it feels a bit like I'm sitting on a pole on 'the soft bits', rather than fully supported on my sit bones.

Is it worth me trying a flatter saddle in the Kurve range? Or sticking with this for a bit and seeing if I can get the position to my taste?

Or sacking it off and finding something else with a cutout (looking at SMP's but gawwsh they're expensive...).


Cheers

gethinceri

I have a Brooks Cambium C17 Carved on my Al bike. It's like sitting on feathers.

Jerry185

Find a bike shop that will loan saddles - which you then must ride a lot straightaway to make sure it's the right one before buying the real thing. Or, the shop may have the 'magic plastic' (sit on it to show the sit bones width) and then buy the right saddle with a buy-back guarantee. I did the latter at my LBS with a Bontrager and no problems since.

coops1967

The SMP's are great - and it seems like any shop that stocks them should also have 'loaners'... maybe because they are pricey and a bit weird looking for an impulse buy... try them snd give it several days...

and read this too - don't be fooled into thinking that a sit bone measurement is going to give you a magic number for selecting the perfect saddle for you... ( unless you're on a sit-up-and-beg shopper bike.... or a Harley).

https://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/bi ... bout-smps/

It covers the SMP range but has useful info on saddle fitting generally...

dinyull

Don't want to come across as a d*ck, but how often are you using your bike?

I might be one of the lucky ones, but I've used 3 or 4 totally different saddles and have never had a problem with comfort - aside from the initial getting used to it.

A family member messed about with saddles he didn't get on with when he first started cycling - but he was only riding his bike once a month at most. In my opinion he just wasn't letting his body (ar$e) get used to any saddle. Since upping his time on the bike the problem seems to have disappeared - but tbf that could be because he's found the right saddle.

Holmesy321

I would like to find somewhere that loans SMP's so if anyone knows anywhere in London I'd like to know!

I commute about 15 miles a day, so I get that it's early days yet - but I want to ride it as little as possible in order to be able to resell it if I don't get on with it.

I'm sure my bum would become more accustomed to it, but relative to the specialized it definitely doesn't feel as good on the soft bits... which, surely, can't be a good thing.

kajjal

If the saddle is becoming painful on your soft tissue in the middle this suggests it is either too narrow or the cutaway is not enough or both. I am tall and find standard sized saddles too narrow and very painful within an hours riding. Bought a specialized avatar saddle in the widest fitting and now ride pain free for hours. My riding position is fairly normal and no issues riding in the drops.

jameses

Fizik do a "vs" version of their saddles with a pressure relief channel, might be worth trying out if the saddle is otherwise comfortable?

mercia_man

JamesEs wrote:

Fizik do a "vs" version of their saddles with a pressure relief channel, might be worth trying out if the saddle is otherwise comfortable?

This sounds a good idea if you already like the Aliante shape and padding. I have an Aliante vs with carbon braided rails and find it really comfortable. I see you can pick them up with the carbon rails for £94.95 from Drake's Cycles of Leeds.

Fizik says the Aliante is designed for "bulls" - inflexible people who can't touch their toes. I am flexible and can easily touch my toes, yet the Aliante vs is my favourite saddle. It was fitted to a Legend I took out for a test ride when I was in the process of ordering a new custom bike. I liked the saddle so much I ordered one with my new bike. Fizik also do a vsx version with a deeper channel than the vs.

kingrollo

Dinyull wrote:

Don't want to come across as a d*ck, but how often are you using your bike?

I might be one of the lucky ones, but I've used 3 or 4 totally different saddles and have never had a problem with comfort - aside from the initial getting used to it.

A family member messed about with saddles he didn't get on with when he first started cycling - but he was only riding his bike once a month at most. In my opinion he just wasn't letting his body (ar$e) get used to any saddle. Since upping his time on the bike the problem seems to have disappeared - but tbf that could be because he's found the right saddle.

I road regularly for over 20 years on any old saddle - never a problem.

One day riding home from work, got a slight twinge in my backside - next day rode in total agony - was then off the bike for 3 years and around another year finding a saddle that suited -( Brooks B17 Imperial - doesn't look great on a CF road bike - but the comfort is to die for.)

These saddle problems can just flare up from nowhere !

Holmesy321

Interesting insights.

I've ordered the Antares version of the kurve saddle. I like the way the saddle is made, but I think it's more the Aliante's shape that I'm not enjoying. To my mind the curve is a little too steep (or my sit bones are too wide), so I'm being supported in the middle rather than on the sit bones.

I've read quite a bit about people with varying degrees of flexibility using saddles they're 'not supposed to' (referring to fizik's fit system) - so maybe I just need to decide if I like a flat one or a curved one and work from there.


Interestingly I did read that fizik's new line of saddles were going to have regular and large (wider) versions, but haven't seen any online yet.

Whyscotty

Holmesy321 wrote:

Interestingly I did read that fizik's new line of saddles were going to have regular and large (wider) versions, but haven't seen any online yet.

https://www.mantel.com/uk/fizik-arione- ... AuSx8P8HAQ

https://www.mantel.com/uk/fizik-aliante ... RhcnQxMw==

Holmesy321

Whyscotty wrote:

Holmesy321 wrote:

Interestingly I did read that fizik's new line of saddles were going to have regular and large (wider) versions, but haven't seen any online yet.

https://www.mantel.com/uk/fizik-arione- ... AuSx8P8HAQ

https://www.mantel.com/uk/fizik-aliante ... RhcnQxMw==

Ta!

Alex99

Holmesy321 wrote:

I would like to find somewhere that loans SMP's so if anyone knows anywhere in London I'd like to know!

I commute about 15 miles a day, so I get that it's early days yet - but I want to ride it as little as possible in order to be able to resell it if I don't get on with it.

I'm sure my bum would become more accustomed to it, but relative to the specialized it definitely doesn't feel as good on the soft bits... which, surely, can't be a good thing.

It really depends on what/where the discomfort is. If it's on the sitbone area, then you can expect to 'toughen up'. If it's soft tissue numbness or burning, then, toughening up is not something that you want to happen. You want to avoid this discomfort as much as possible.

Regarding SMP test loans, a quick google finds at least one option:

http://www.dillglove.co.uk/test-saddles/