Best saddle for comfort

joe14

What is the best saddle out there, Looking for one that Is comfortable.
price range 100-150
road racing...

Brian?

joe14 wrote: »

What is the best saddle out there, Looking for one that Is comfortable.
price range 100-150
road racing...

Not to be facetious, but it's whatever one is most comfortable for you.

You can measure your sit bones and have a guess at the right width.

lennymc

I have several saddles, some more comfortable than others, ranging from full carbon saddles to an old rolls saddle. It really does depend on your personal preference. Some shops have trial saddles - you can fit them and see how you get on before buying, but I dont know of any.

seany15

lennymc wrote: »

I have several saddles, some more comfortable than others, ranging from full carbon saddles to an old rolls saddle. It really does depend on your personal preference. Some shops have trial saddles - you can fit them and see how you get on before buying, but I dont know of any.

wheelworx do that, think they give you a month or so with a trial saddle. They'll also fit you right. Friend had it done, she said it was weird having her sit bones measured.

krissovo

A brooks will form to your @ss with time so I doubt there are more "comfy" ones out there.

A similar comfort was a selle SMP and thats comfy right out the box.

fortis

As others have said think it is a very personal thing. But you can kind of "mould" your ass to a particular brand!

I use Selle Italia SLR's. It came on a bike I bought years ago, I initially found it a little narrow hard and unconformable but only because I was coming from one with loads of padding. I subsequently switched the saddle on my other bike to an SLR also. Now I don't even notice they are there which is what you want principally with bike components.

I have tried Fizik alientes saddle. Could tolerate it for some reason

Lot of racers use the SLR, but again you will probably have to find what is comfortable for you. If you can get a loan of one from a friend or a loan from a shop that is best bet. I would give it more than a 10 minute spin around the block however before you pass final judgement. You would need to go for a few spins really. Once you find one that works buy a few of them! Though they tend to last ages unless you crash and damage them

Wishbone Ash

krissovo wrote: »

A brooks will form to your @ss with time so I doubt there are more "comfy" ones out there.

A similar comfort was a selle SMP and thats comfy right out the box.

+ 1 on the Brooks B17 (if you can bear the 1500km 'break-in' period).

cdaly_

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

+ 1 on the Brooks B17 (if you can bear the 1500km 'break-in' period).

I must have already had a Brooks-shaped ass. Had no break-in period with mine...

Ole Rodrigo

Selle Rolls. Must be my millionth thumbs up for this saddle.

Will probably get booed for this but I believe you can adapt to any saddle, if you're not too heavy on top ( less weight bearing down on sit bones ). If you're heavy on top, you'll find it harder to find the right saddle.

Cee-Jay-Cee

I've a Prologo Kappa PAS on both my bikes. Works well for me, 143 in width with rounded seat area

Wishbone Ash

cdaly_ wrote: »

I must have already had a Brooks-shaped ass. Had no break-in period with mine...

I was in agony for a while. It was like sitting on a large pebble. I was begining to think I'd been conned. Now it's pure pleasure as if my arse is being cupped in the hands of a fair maiden!

Big Eejit

krissovo wrote: »

A brooks will form to your @ss with time so I doubt there are more "comfy" ones out there.

A similar comfort was a selle SMP and thats comfy right out the box.

All good until you so what I did and ruin two brooks titaniium saddles by (for reasons unknown, but I suspect physiological) squashing the saddle to one side such that it's lopsided and uncomfortable.

New2bike

My bike came stock with the selle italiax1 but if the above is to be believed I obviously don't have the right sit bones for this saddle as my undercarriage (the area between to sack and bum) is always killing post ride and my shorts have really good padding badly need a comfy saddle!!

quozl

That's not a good area to be hurting. Important blood vessels and nerves there.

Brian?

New2bike wrote: »

My bike came stock with the selle italiax1 but if the above is to be believed I obviously don't have the right sit bones for this saddle as my undercarriage (the area between to sack and bum) is always killing post ride and my shorts have really good padding badly need a comfy saddle!!

Sounds like it's your position on the saddle rather than the saddle itself.

Seaneh

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

+ 1 on the Brooks B17 (if you can bear the 1500km 'break-in' period).

New brooks cambium saddles don't have a breaking in period, they conform right out of the box and are 100% weather proof.

krissovo

Seaneh wrote: »

New brooks cambium saddles don't have a breaking in period, they conform right out of the box and are 100% weather proof.

Looks like the rail is slightly longer than b17, anyone know for sure?

Wishbone Ash

Seaneh wrote: »

New brooks cambium saddles don't have a breaking in period, they conform right out of the box and are 100% weather proof.

RUBBER?????

How can I go 'hell for leather' in rubber?

Seriously though, looks interesting. They'll have to introduce some proper colours - I won't be seen out in a beige saddle!

http://www.brooksengland.com/cambium/

Seaneh

I haven't been lucky enough to try one yet but I'm considering buying a C17.

Koobcam

I have a couple of Ergon saddles. On my road bike, I have the SR3 Pro (http://www.ergon-bike.com/us/en/product/sr3pro)
I find it really comfortable (Plenty or 6-7 hour spins on it with no issues), though I haven't tried enough different saddles to be able to say if it's an amazing improvement over anything else. Somethign else to consider though. In terms of price, I think it's about €150 or maybe a bit less if you buy from one of the online German retailers.

New2bike

quozl wrote: »

That's not a good area to be hurting. Important blood vessels and nerves there.

It used to affect the perinenium which made my wee man go numb for hours after a ride but had this fixed with a bike fit so now I'm thinking it is defo the saddle as it has at least a few thousand kms at this stage

denismac

I changed to an ISM saddle last year. Definitely much more comfortable to ride on for long spins as the important bits can sit in the space between the fore-end arms.
I have this one: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ism-adamo-typhoon-saddle/

New2bike

denismac wrote: »

I changed to an ISM saddle last year. Definitely much more comfortable to ride on for long spins as the important bits can sit in the space between the fore-end arms.
I have this one: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ism-adamo-typhoon-saddle/

Hi Denis I have read loads of reviews of this saddle over the past few hrs a lot seem to indicate that the saddle is more suited to a TT bike but also it seems to aliviate a lot of the problems I have with my current saddle did you find there was a big adjustment period??

njburke

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

RUBBER?????

How can I go 'hell for leather' in rubber?

Seriously though, looks interesting. They'll have to introduce some proper colours - I won't be seen out in a beige saddle!

Black might just be way too kinky for the market. Waterproof is good though.

Have a b17 myself, about 8000+ KM of cycling with it, thats about 400 hours at my average pace, no pain, numbness or serious discomfort to report, did 8 hours or so on Saturday on it. I checked it the other day, some of the black is beginning to wear off, there are noticeable indents in the load bearing part,a match for the separation of my sit bones.

I do shift around a bit on it when I cycle longer distances, I assume we all do.

ZiabR

New2bike wrote: »

My bike came stock with the selle italiax1 but if the above is to be believed I obviously don't have the right sit bones for this saddle as my undercarriage (the area between to sack and bum) is always killing post ride and my shorts have really good padding badly need a comfy saddle!!

This sounds like it could be saddle position or even saddle height. The amount of people that have their saddles too low which will cause increased pressure on the soft bits.

What is your inseam length?

New2bike

logik wrote: »

This sounds like it could be saddle position or even saddle height. The amount of people that have their saddles too low which will cause increased pressure on the soft bits.

What is your inseam length?

Not sure of my inseam length however I did recently have a full pro bike fit done with Gerry at the edge in Cork with video analysis ect so fairly happy with the overall setup

paulgs

Charge spoon, if you want to go for a sexy one it can be got with Ti rails and a leather cover about 60euro. Have a charge a scoop on the way myself.

Unknown Soldier

I pulled the trigger today on an http://www.fizik.com/saddles/versus-x/antares-versus-x-kium/

I've tested a few saddles recently due to a certain issue I have (which now seems to be down to genetics and exercise)

I think the gap in the saddle helps relieve certain pressures.

After doing 150km on a test saddle yesterday (thanks to my local LBS), I didn't even notice it under me bum. I did have the usual getting out of the saddle stuff that is normal with a long distance ride.

I don't know if it is the best saddle out there for me but I can't test all of them.

It's probably important to get one that suits your basic "sit bones" I.E. S/M/L

ZiabR

Let me know how you find the saddle will you? Was looking at one of these myself.

CamperMan

brooks b17, worth the money, so comfy I keep switching the saddle between by other bikes...

El Hamos

I have had some serious issues with saddles and sores, and cannot recommend the Selle Italia Flite 1990 Saddle enough (available on CRC and probably wiggle). I wouldn't call it a comfortable saddle but I had no issues or sores with this saddle (its a dream). I had considered the Brooks but a couple of old cycling heads, recommended the Flite.

smacl

cdaly_ wrote: »

I must have already had a Brooks-shaped ass. Had no break-in period with mine...

Same here. Have a Brooks B17 on the road bike and a Brooks Flyer on the hybrid. Both comfy from day one, both still super comfy now and will put a B17 on any new bike I get future.

happytramp

I like a good b17 as much as the next guy but the OP says he wants it for road racing!! You're not all suggesting he set up his racing rig with gentlemanly like Brooks are you? What next? suggesting he buy an Oakley Monocle?

brownian

I'm currently trialling a cambium c17. See the "I did something to my bike today" thread. Bottom line it's not as comfy out of the box as a worn in b17 but it's not very uncomfortable. I expect it to improve a lot over time.
It does look a lot cooler on my super six evo than the b17.