Comfy saddle recommendations please

sonypc100

Hi

Looking to buy a Christmas present for someone.

They've asked for a saddle which is fairly comfy but doesn't look like an "old persons saddle"

Not sure what they currently have but they have said it's rock hard and they want something softer.

Any suggestions please?

To go on a mountain bike which is used on the canal towpath and the odd trek.

Thanks.

LimitedGarry

Quite honestly, I'm scared to buy a new saddle for myself. Probably wouldn't be if I was downright unhappy with the one I currently have, but still. I'd never even consider buying a saddle for someone else, hoping it will suit them.

Saddle comfort is a very individual matter and finding the right one can be quite a pickle. People can give you many suggestions but at the end of the day, you're still just picking a saddle that "hopefully will be right"

So I'm not going to give a saddle suggestion, rather a way out of the situation:

A - If said person doesn't use padded underwear while riding, getting them some might make them change their mind about their saddle.

B - If said person has a favourite shop or if there's simply one nearby that sells gift vouchers, buying a voucher will probably do more good than trying to pick a new saddle without rider's input.

C - Tell said person the truth about Santa, take them into a shop and pick a new seat together. Don't forget to go through the cheer-crushing "It's a Christmas present, you're not getting it straight away."

And if you're still insisting on getting seat suggestions, it might help others help you if you specify what seat does the rider currently have, and what's the price-range you're looking at.

cooldad

Impossible to say, one person's comfortable is another person's torture.
Soft saddles are comfy for a few minutes as they don't support the bony bits. A comfortable saddle fits their sitbones and backside.
Riding toughens the butt up.

eric_draven

^^^^ What the two above have said,if you have a decent LBS you should be able yo get the said persons seat bones measured,and the the shop should be able to recommend a saddle,or they might have some test saddles,I always thought I would need a slightly larger saddle being of heavier build,but was really surprised when I found out I had narrow seat bones,and was recommended a slimer saddle

poah

a soft saddle doesn't equal comfy - the person needs to measure their sit bones like the guy above has mentioned then they can narrow down their choice. The other point to make is that saddle position can make a comfy saddle uncomfy.

The Rookie

They don't ride a Giant do they, I think their low end saddles were designed by the Spanish Inquisition who decided not to use them as they were too brutal. I've seen grown men (regular cyclists) reduced to literal tears after 3 hours on one.

rockmonkeysc

I liked my Giant saddle.

poah

RockmonkeySC wrote:

I liked my Giant saddle.

thats cause you've got a giant ass

rockmonkeysc

POAH wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

I liked my Giant saddle.

thats cause you've got a giant ass

Curvaceous booty

The Rookie

You wouldn't be seen dead (or in severe pain for that matter) on a low end bike though, I'm talking the Rincon hardtail and Roam hybrid.

The midrange bikes have much better saddles, the problem with the low end ones is you can't stop sliding forwards due to the shape and then end up balancing on your perineum, not a good place to be after more than an hour!

Danieljephcott

I had the same issue. Seats are an individual thing but how can you try out lots of seats?

So after soon research I found that generally the Maddison flux is considered a very good, comfortable seat. It's the same as the spoon charge but cheaper and better made. It is very highly rated also.

I've had my seat for about a month and it's so much better than my sdg circuit I had before.

At £15 it's worth a shot:

https://www.cyclebasket.com/m9b102s441p ... dison_(New)_Flux_Mens_Saddle/RS_GB/7685

sonypc100

Thanks for all the replies everyone.

This is to be posted so I can't go into a bike shop with them, perhaps I can suggest they go into a bike shop and try some and let me know or I just post them a Halfords gift voucher! Not ideal I know!

mattyfez

I replaced my crash damaged saddle on my carrera with a madison flux, which I hear is the same as the popular charge spoon.

As it happens it's exactly the same saddle as the stock carrera saddle but with different trim!

I would put money on all three being made on the same production line, and then just trimmed with different trim depending on who's commissioned them.

Which is fine by me as I like the saddle anyway, the only thing is the flux is quite a slick finish so you can slide around on it.. I haven't decided whether that's a good or a bad thing.





One thing I will say, as above, softer or wider is not better, I can do 6 or 7 hours on the above before I get uncomfortable, my dad's wide soft gell padded saddle in is commuter cripples me after about an hour, I seriously can't walk properly and have serious discomfort.

If you're buying blind a flux or spoon is probably a sensible choice as they are vey popular.

Are you sure the problem they have is the saddle, and not just lack of hours riding, yes saddles should fit, but if you don't ride a lot, you may simply be not used to it, which can also cause discomfort until you 'toughen up'.

donboogie

I recently picked up an Ergon SMA3. Not overly soft but seems to support sits bones really well and is therefore comfortable. SMC3 is also worth a look. Highly recommend the GA2 grips too.

mattyfez

Another thing to consider is riding style, if it's a hard tail bike and they are riding like a sack of potatoes, as in over cobbles or tarmac that's broken with underlying tree roots, or stony mud rough surfaces fully seated, you're gonna get a lot of vibration straight up from the back wheel, up the seat post and into your butt.

Taking some of your weight off your butt and putting a bit more on the handlebars (make those suspension forks work, that's what they are there for) and pedals will help prevent getting your back doors smashed in.

mattyfez

And I'll also throw saddle height into the mix, to high and your gonna have a bad day, too low and you'll be tempted to ride in a 'sit up and beg' position and not move you're bodyweight forward a tad and get 'bucked' by the saddle over lumpy ground.

The Rookie

mattyfez wrote:

I replaced my crash damaged saddle on my carrera with a madison flux, which I hear is the same as the popular charge spoon.

As it happens it's exactly the same saddle as the stock carrera saddle but with different trim!

That photo isn't of a stock Carrera saddle though (unless it's a very high end model or they've changed them recently)....I've had a fair few (and they are a Merida saddle as you see the same on Boardmans and others) and they are nothing like that.

cycleclinic

you have to buy try and if you dont like it lump it or sell then get another.

We all have had to do this until we find a saddle shape we like and then we can always be surprised that something we had never considered works. I recently found the Brooks B17 is really comfy.

Ignore all saddle recomendations, this is personal to you no one can be any help but before you buy something new try this/

Ensure your saddle is level. check that you are sitting at the back of the saddle. If not move it. If you have to change saddle set back to move the saddle enough then you may need to change stem length, of course this might mean you have the wrong sized bike. Half of the saddle discomfort issues I see are down to improperly positioned saddle.

mattyfez

The Rookie wrote:

mattyfez wrote:

I replaced my crash damaged saddle on my carrera with a madison flux, which I hear is the same as the popular charge spoon.

As it happens it's exactly the same saddle as the stock carrera saddle but with different trim!

That photo isn't of a stock Carrera saddle though (unless it's a very high end model or they've changed them recently)....I've had a fair few (and they are a Merida saddle as you see the same on Boardmans and others) and they are nothing like that.

The one with the red bits on it.. its off a carrera vengeance, 2013 I think, I bought it new. Maybe they change the saddles some years, but im definitely not imagining it

cooldad

thecycleclinic wrote:

you have to buy try and if you dont like it lump it or sell then get another.

...random words...

Um you really should read the thread before offering random information.

sonypc100 wrote:

Hi

Looking to buy a Christmas present for someone. ...