Saddle advice

Domane

Think it's time to try a saddle change. Been using the stock saddle on my Trek Domane for 20 months and despite getting a bike fit, trying all sorts of shorts and cycling standing up every ten minutes or so etc, I still get a numb bum and pain during long cycles. I know saddles are a personal choice and no two bums are the same but there is a bewildering array of saddles on the market and I haven't a clue where to start. I haven't the time or the money to be trying several different saddles and would like to just get one that would at least be an improvement on the current one.

So any pointers, advice, suggestions etc? Btw, I'm 5ft11in, well built (thanks to the gym and weights) and 92kg. I usually do 100km spins at the weekend and 3 x 30km spins during the week at lunchtime. I'm into sportive but not racing.

Thanks

G1032

The Brooks Cambium C17 (Slate Grey colour) is currently on sale on Evans for about €120.
I've no idea what your budget is but I do know that Brooks are built for comfort.

http://m.evanscycles.com/products/brooks/cambium-c17-saddle-ec059278#

http://road.cc/content/review/115982-brooks-cambium-c17-saddle

The same saddle is currently €165 on CRC
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/ie/en/brooks-england-cambium-c17-saddle/rp-prod132534

Cee-Jay-Cee

I use a Prologo Kappa Evo PAS saddle on both my bikes. I find it very comfortable and have done 6hr+ non stop spins on it. It has a rounded profile and semi-firm padding and a cut out to ease pressure on the perenium. I tried 4 other saddle beforehand before settling on it. They're reasonably cheap to buy, you should be able to pick one up for Less than €60 online.

Borderfox

Ism Adamo Prologue ftw, tried loads myself and it's the only one I can live with

pkvader

I've been using Specialized (Toupe,s-words, Romain) saddles for years,always found them comfortable.

jamesd

Went through a few and found the brooks b17 my favourite.

Mycroft H

Another vote for the B17. They'll outlive most bikes too....

smacl

And another for B17 though if I'll probably try C17 on the next bike.

eeeee

There are places like Cycleways where you can test saddles before you buy them. Might be an idea? I'm an Adamo person myself, but saddles are an entirely personal thing and not something you can really recommend. maybe whoever you got your bikefit done by would have some saddles you could try out?

Domane

Thanks for,the recommendations guys. Looks like there's no real "one" to go for. Aidan Hammond did my bike fit so I think I'll give him a call and see what he thinks. The pain in the rear is really getting to me lately. I'm fit enough to comfortably do 100kms+ in 3 and a half hours but the numb rear end and pain afterwards takes away from the self satisfied "I've done a 100km spin" feeling.

Pablo Rubio

Try the charge spoon. After trying a serious amount of expensive saddles I came across this by accident when I got a loan of a bike during a race.
€25 and check out the reviews. I have 4 bikes and all have these. 3 seasons of cyclon cross on one and still in great Nick.
http://www.wiggle.com/charge-spoon-saddle-with-cromo-rails/

Unknown Soldier

When I started having issues with 70km+ spins and then reaching very sore about 90km I instinctively went for a wider saddle.

How wrong I was! I got a Kappa Pas @147mm width and I nearly got off the bike and walked to work after 8km

One factor is how you ride the bike and your sit bone size (not so much your ass size) What is the smallest waist/size you have been in your adult life? I was a 30 for much of mine and would now be 31-32 ish. About 34 when I started cycling.
Your skeleton (although replenishing all the time) doesn't get bigger if you get bigger, weight wise (though bone density can change)

The more you lean forward on the bike the more your sit bones move in towards each other. I would be at about 40-30 degrees when on the hoods or a little more upright when on the top/corners. I'm mostly on the hoods though.

I have now found that a thinner saddle suits me better. A few weeks ago I went back to my Selle Italia X1 @ either 135mm or it might be 132mm. They come in different widths and are quite cheap too. I can do 100km on it with no issues. I won't be changing saddles anytime soon though urge to buy and try "Charge spoon" mentioned above is strong...cos I'm a sap

Civilian_Target

What Unknown Soldier says! It had the same problem with my new bike this year - it just turned out the saddle was about 1 cm to narrow for my sit bones.
When I replaced the 138mm E7 Sync saddle that came with my bike for a 155mm saddle with a similar shape and hardness, the problem went away.

seanin4711

Domane wrote: »

Think it's time to try a saddle change. Been using the stock saddle on my Trek Domane for 20 months and despite getting a bike fit, trying all sorts of shorts and cycling standing up every ten minutes or so etc, I still get a numb bum and pain during long cycles. I know saddles are a personal choice and no two bums are the same but there is a bewildering array of saddles on the market and I haven't a clue where to start. I haven't the time or the money to be trying several different saddles and would like to just get one that would at least be an improvement on the current one.

So any pointers, advice, suggestions etc? Btw, I'm 5ft11in, well built (thanks to the gym and weights) and 92kg. I usually do 100km spins at the weekend and 3 x 30km spins during the week at lunchtime. I'm into sportive but not racing.

Thanks

charge spoon for comfort and value for money
IMHO
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Charge-Spoon-Cromo-Rails-Saddle/dp/B009KL99XE

http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Charge-Spoon-Saddle_65215.htm

Luxman

funny that, I don't get on with my Spoon after about 80k. I think a sit bone measurement would be a good starting point and lots of try before you buy spins

cajonlardo

Unknown Soldier wrote: »

When I started having issues with 70km+ spins and then reaching very sore about 90km I instinctively went for a wider saddle.

How wrong I was! I got a Kappa Pas @147mm width and I nearly got off the bike and walked to work after 8km

One factor is how you ride the bike and your sit bone size (not so much your ass size) What is the smallest waist/size you have been in your adult life? I was a 30 for much of mine and would now be 31-32 ish. About 34 when I started cycling.
Your skeleton (although replenishing all the time) doesn't get bigger if you get bigger, weight wise (though bone density can change)

The more you lean forward on the bike the more your sit bones move in towards each other. I would be at about 40-30 degrees when on the hoods or a little more upright when on the top/corners. I'm mostly on the hoods though.

I have now found that a thinner saddle suits me better. A few weeks ago I went back to my Selle Italia X1 @ either 135mm or it might be 132mm. They come in different widths and are quite cheap too. I can do 100km on it with no issues. I won't be changing saddles anytime soon though urge to buy and try "Charge spoon" mentioned above is strong...cos I'm a sap

That is sound and informed advise.

I don't believe anyone, despite best intentions, can recommend a saddle because what one rider swears on another will think is torture.

If you sit on a folded soft towel ( or in wet concrete ) you should see two indentations. These are your sit bones. As unknown soldier said above, you will need to lean forward - something the shops don't always mention when they are using those measuring devices. Lean to aprox angle you ride at.

Measure the Centre - Centre of those indentations.

That is the width saddle you require. Now you need to decide what shape. Some like the "hammock" shape of their Brooks, Some like a rounded nose and some like a flat saddle.

Do not make the assumption that more padding is better - it will likely be the opposite. If you sit on a flat hard surface you will sit there longer without discomfort than if you sit on a cushion where you'd be fidgeting after a moment.

I spent a small fortune on saddles until I figured out the above and then bought a few 2nd hand on ebay to check. Sold everything else then and now know what works.

Cee-Jay-Cee

cajonlardo wrote: »

That is sound and informed advise.

I don't believe anyone, despite best intentions, can recommend a saddle because what one rider swears on another will think is torture.

If you sit on a folded soft towel ( or in wet concrete ) you should see two indentations. These are your sit bones. As unknown soldier said above, you will need to lean forward - something the shops don't always mention when they are using those measuring devices. Lean to aprox angle you ride at.

Measure the Centre - Centre of those indentations.

That is the width saddle you require.

Sort of correct, you need to add 15mm onto the width of your sit bones to get saddle width.

Another way of measuring is get a piece of corrugated cardboard, place it on a hard surface (window sill or wooden uncushioned chair) and sit on it leaning forward as if on a bike. Then, as above, measure distance between the two indents.