Can all you Road Cyclists recommend a new saddle?

[Canman]

You guys are really good at helping me spend money on audio, so why not for non-audio items?

Considering biking season is here, I need a new saddle on my road bike that is more comfortable. I typically ride 20-30 miles at a time on your average not so smooth New Jersey pavement. Sometimes I ride longer, but rarely more than 40 miles (unless its the MS150 ride). I ride a K2 Mod 3.0 with the stock Selle Italia saddle. I have about 800 miles on the stock seat since last season and my ass and perenium are sore every time I ride.

I am looking for something light, but it doesn't have to be a race seat. I don't need to shave the last 10 grams by using pure carbon fiber.

Any suggestions from all the road bikers out there? I know its a personal thing but you guys tend to give good advice. Thanks!

 

[damitamit]

(im a mountain biker thou do a few road miles)

I was gonna suggest one of the various Selle Italia Flites as many people swear by them. Thou seeing as you dont get on with your current selle italia you may not fit a Flite.

Ive got a Specialized BG S-Works. Quite narrow, and hard, but very supportive and has the body geometry cutout down the middle. I like it.

Also my Selle Italia Octavia was very comfy. Softer than the flites, and a bit wider. Until some scally bent it while trying to steal my bike in town thou.

Saddles are very personal. Ive tried quite a few before getting one reasonably comfortable on long rides. But im still not entirely happy.

Im sure some other cycling headfier will come along with some better suggestions...

 

[reeseboisse]

I know it isn't intended to be a road saddle, but I use a Salsa Zona Tres, and it is hella comfy. It looks a little MTB, but who notices that when you're sitting on it? It's also a little bit heavier than some road saddles, but I'd say it's worth it for the comfort.

Adjustable firmness too.

 

[aerius]

Despite working in a bike shop and trying out every single seat on the market, I still haven't found one that fits my butt. The closest matches so far were the WTB SST and Bontrager Race Lite. Right now I'm using the Salsa Zona Tres (Ti rails) to go with my Salsa Shaft seatpost, and while it's not as comfy it ain't too bad.

Saddles are really individual, everyone at my shop swears by the Selle Italia seats but I hate the damn things since they hurt my ass. You best bet is to find a large bike shop where they have tons of bikes with different seats on them, then go sit on them and see how they feel.

 

[fyrfytrhoges]

i'd recommend a brooks racing saddle, i own two, but your poor ass would hurt even more than it does now, until you break it in which takes a very long time.

 

[Spent&Bent]

Ever since about 1988 or so I have had san marco rolls saddles almost constantly, only once I had a selle italia for a few months,and after getting it wet a few times the leather just cracked everywhere.
I have tried so many for short while I cannot count, but where the rolls saddles just fit perfectly I had some pain with others so maybe you will like it too, at least its shaped a bit different and they last forever, even when you treat them a bit poor.

Aside from that particular type saddle it also has to be black, for some reason the gold and the black just looks great to me, no matter what the rest of the bike is colored.

a few reviews / opinions here

 

[djgustashaw]

Saddles are WAY too personal, so you'll have to try a few for yourself... with that said, though, I ride a Selle Italia Proliknk Trans Am. Long name, huh? I dont know how to describe the shape... flat, I guess, no slumping on the back edges, and it has a cutout which really does help me with the pressure issue. Most people in the local club have been switching in droves from whatever they've been using to the relatively new fizik aliante. I've used it a bit and it was definitely comfy... kinda like a hammock for your soft spots

. I'd definitely need to ride it for a while before I could reallly recommend it, but they're happy with it.

 

[ls20]

i dont have any problems with any newer seats (the old 70s brick ones are too hard, tho)...

any discomfort i experience is positioning related... and cured with the proper fore-aft and nose-tilt adjustment

 

[reeseboisse]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fyrfytrhoges i'd recommend a brooks racing saddle, i own two, but your poor ass would hurt even more than it does now, until you break it in which takes a very long time.

I forgot about those. He's right. They take a long time to break in, but once they do...

 

[Canman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by djgustashaw ... kinda like a hammock for your soft spots

That's what I'm talking about. Thanks for the suggestions guys, I'll have to go down to some of the local bike shops here and check out the market.

Has anyone tried this saddlco flow? Looks sweet.

 

[usc goose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fyrfytrhoges i'd recommend a brooks racing saddle, i own two, but your poor ass would hurt even more than it does now, until you break it in which takes a very long time.

i second that. brooks swift works great for me.

 

[aerius]

Quote:

Originally Posted by djgustashaw Most people in the local club have been switching in droves from whatever they've been using to the relatively new fizik aliante. I've used it a bit and it was definitely comfy... kinda like a hammock for your soft spots .

That saddle is known as the "prostate scratcher" at our shop for reasons which can't be explained here. It's light as hell but no one around here is buying them for comfort, rather they're doing it to shave the last few grams off their road bikes.

 

[fyrfytrhoges]

goose, i'll tell ya, your privates will be screamin at ya for awhile but after you break it in it's like sitting in your favorite leather chair, the swift is a great seat, that's why i bought two, i'm always afraid that they're going to discontinue them for some reason even though they've been around since the beginning of time. pricey, but worth it if you can get through the "burn in" period....

 

[fractus2]

I've pretty much stuck with Selle Italia's Flite (non-gel). Never had any problems at all with comfort, excepting after a few long rides in a row when any saddle feels like a rock.

Www.mtbr.com has a good mix of reviews.

 

[giff07]

I recomend trying to adjust your saddle position, or your riding position before ditching the saddle, you can check out some wed sites like www.roadbikerider.com, or www.ultrafit.com as well as google for lots of websites about proper bike fit, you may not need a saddle it may be your stem, or maybe even wider handlebars that you need. Another thing you can try is to adjust your riding postion often during rides (stand, ride in the drops, or shift your weight in the saddle), this becomes more important as you start clocking in the 2-3 hour rides. Another thing to consider is to see if there is a local bike club in your area, I live and ride in the central jersey area and there are a couple of clubs from that area like the Jersey Shore Touring Society or East Coast Bike Club, if you search the internet you can find their web pages, I dont have them with me right now, I ride 6 hour rides on my selle italia flite, non gel and have not had problems, granted after six hours in the saddle anyones butt hurts.

Chris Gifford