Choosing between saddles and helmets, please help.

DavidUK

I've not ridden my Boardman MHT 8.6 as much as I hoped. Mainly because the original saddle is uncomfortable. I looked at some reviews and have come up with three to choose between, all cheapies around £25, for road, trail and gentle off-road use:

1/ Fabric Scoop Radius Elite - See https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/saddles/fabric-scoop-radius-elite-saddle-review (NB. Can't work out whether the "Gel" model is better than the standard one.)
2/ KranX Base 145 Road and Commuter - See https://road.cc/content/review/kranx-base-145-road-and-commuter-saddle-black-300141
3/ Selle Royal Float Athletic - See https://road.cc/content/review/271877-selle-royal-float-athletic-saddle

I'm 6'1", 15st, 63 years old, well proportioned medium build. I'll just be peddling for exercise and want a comfy saddle.

My helmet is crap, damaged, 20+ years old, so which cheapie out of these two around £25-30 please, both reviewed here: https://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/6-best-cheap-cycling-helmets-200582

1/ Raleigh Mission Evo
2/ Oxford Raven

Or... suggest something else entirely. My budget for either is around £25 each.

Many thanks!

Defblade

Saddles are ridiculously personal for comfort, so it's pretty much impossible to guide you I'm afraid, except to say - you are using padded shorts? And will almost always be a period of getting your sit bones used to the pressure, even on the nicest saddle in the world for you. The search for the perfect saddle is endless; some have devoted their life and a large box full of rejects to the hunt.

And on a similar note for helmets, heads are all different shapes, as are helmets... there is no substitute for going to a bike shop and trying a few on.

gomezz

I have a Selle SMP TRK drop nose saddle, I'm 77 with prostate probs and I have used this type for 6 years. suits me fine but they arn't cheap, around £50 but work well for me.

DavidUK

Thanks guys.
Do bike shops have test posts/rails to fit different saddles to? I'm guessing they do.

steve_sordy

SADDLE
You need to know what your sit bone width is and then you can buy a saddle with confidence.
The intuitive method is to place some corrugated cardboard on a flat surface at normal sitting height, like a flat chair. Then sit on it for 5-10 seconds or so. When you get off you will see two large depressions. Draw a line around each of them and then estimate where the centre of each circle is and place a dot there. Measure between the dots and that is your sit bone width. Your saddle width, measured across the wide parts (shoulders) is 15-20mm wider than your sit bone width.

The non-intuitive method is to measure the circumference of the wrist of your dominant hand. What? No, I didn't think so either, but it worked on me - to the millimeter!

Take a look at this from ex World Champion DH rider Rachel Atherton speaking on behalf of WTB (Wilderness Trail Bikes), who make saddles, tyres and other stuff for mtbs. Note: my favourite saddle and rear tyre are by WTB.

https://www.wtb.com/pages/fit-right-system

If you persist with the link, right to the end, it takes you to the recommended saddle for you. But the key thing is to know your sit bone width. Not knowing is like buying a pair of shoes without knowing your shoe size, painful at worst and a waste of money at best.

HELMET
Try on as many as you can, go into a bike shop and spend some time there. If you don't find what you want, go to another shop! They will stock helmets by different manufacturers. It is important to realise that the manufacturers all use different lasts. Consequently, some manufacturers make helmets that will fit you perfectly, others not. Once you find a manufacturer you like, stick with them. Buy a helmet that fits you! It has to be comfortable when riding, not just stood up in the shop. So, no matter how silly you feel, bend over and assume your riding position. You may find that the flesh at the back of the neck rides up and presses on the helmet. This may be uncomfortable on the neck, but it may also push the helmet down over your eyes! Or it will push your glasses down onto the bridge of your nose, painful!
Also, buy a helmet that you like the look of and that you don't believe that you look like a knob when wearing it.
On my very first helmet buying expedition, 15 years ago, I went into a shop prepared to spend up to £80, after spending ages in there I came out with one that cost £27! It fitted me perfectly was very comfortable and it was a smart black colour, good shape and I didn't feel like a knob when wearing it. It was made by MET and I wore MET helmets for years. In fact, I still have a full-face helmet bought only a few years ago also made by MET. Warning@: a MET helmet may be uncomfortable for you, or it may not!

Take your time with your purchases, they are both important to your comfort and safety.

DavidUK

Thanks Steve. That's a great help.

mully79

Merlin's have got quite a few helmets on sale plus a sale on Fabric saddles.