Saddle recommendations

smacl

I'm starting to find on longer spins (>100k) that the sorest bit of me during and after is the behind. I'm already using padded shorts (dhb) and cream, so the next logical improvement would be to consider a new saddle. The current saddle is quite flat, and the soreness is entirely in the perineum, so I'm thinking of a design the places more weight of the cheeks, something like this or possibly this. The bikes a hybrid, and hence my riding style is quite upright (i.e. more weight on butt than hands). I tend to be in the saddle for up to about 8-10 hours, usually on rural r-roads and l-roads with pretty rough surfaces. Any recommendations? Ideally, I'm thinking of ~€50 but would stretch to €100 for something significantly better. I'm not worried about weight or good looks of the saddle in question, just the comfort factor.

As an aside, anyone use padded undershorts with regular padded shorts, or is this a waste of time.

happytramp

Based on reviews and general public opinion I would say.

The 100 Euro option http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Brooks_Saddles_Team_Pro_Saddle/5360023045/

The budget option.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Charge_Spoon_Cromo_Rail_Saddle/5360029530/

I don't own either of these but the reviews certainly make a compelling argument for purchase.

levitronix

Fizik have kinda a rough calculator for what kinda saddle you should ride, you should check it out

smacl

After reading many of the reviews, I finally plumped for this one. Seems to meet all of my criteria, will post again after a few hundred k on it.

ednwireland

i have that saddle its prob v. slightly wide for me (but i do find narrow saddle uncomfortable after 50k)
done a couple of 160k rides on it this year and found it pretty comfortable (it is on a carbon fibre bike with drop bars though )

Raam

Unfortunately, the only reliable way to find a good saddle is to try loads. Some folk love the Fizik ones, I found my one uncomfortable. Others like the Selle Italia one you linked to. I had similar for a while and didn't like it. Right now I am on a Selle San Marco Aspide and so far so good.

smacl

I kind of figured that saddle choice is pretty personal, and can be quite hit and miss. Problem with trying lots out is that I don't usually get sore until the second or third hour of the spin, so I cant see the LBS letting me try many out for that long. Given my current saddle is very flat, I'm hoping something more contoured with different weight distribution will be an improvment, but there is a chance the new one could be on ebay in a few months. I could just be swapping a pain in the nuts for a pain in the ass

Could be a nice little side business for some LBS, second hand saddle exchange, which lets you hire for a week or so before you buy. From the reviews I've read, not many people seem to find their best fit on their first choice so there must be tons of perfectly good unused saddles out there.

RoubX

I read on a US forum that Walbike offer an unconditional 6 months warranty (refund) on Brooks saddles.

6 Month UNCONDITIONAL SATISFACTION GUARANTEE - new BROOKS saddles. Return your new saddle at any time within six-months of the ship date for a full refund of the price of the saddle. Shipping will not be refunded unless there is a manufacturing defect that would make the return a factory warranty issue.

I always wanted to try one, but they are a bit expensive to be just trying out so this is an option.

SurferDude41

Hi There,
Fizik have a test saddle program. these are coloured bright orange, obviously to stop people keeping em:eek:

Last year I bought a Fizik Aliante, very comfortable but too soft and spongy for my liking.
Also tried the Fizik antares, again a good saddle, very firm and quite wide, for a very light saddle. After Three hours, it began to feel a little uncomfortable.
I also tried the The Fizik Arione, very narrow and made me numb, after one hour....A perfect saddle For a skinny climber dude:D

By far my favourite saddles are, the San marco Rolls and Regal.
Just hours and hours of comfort, I just forget I am sitting on a bicycle saddle:)

irishmotorist

Raam wrote: »

Unfortunately, the only reliable way to find a good saddle is to try loads. Some folk love the Fizik ones, I found my one uncomfortable. Others like the Selle Italia one you linked to. I had similar for a while and didn't like it. Right now I am on a Selle San Marco Aspide and so far so good.

I've considered getting a different saddle to the one that shipped with my Cayo, but I can't really justify spending a few hundred euro on loads of different saddles. Do shops lend you one for a month or have you just gone out and bought different ones at different times?

blorg

smacl wrote: »

The bikes a hybrid, and hence my riding style is quite upright (i.e. more weight on butt than hands). I tend to be in the saddle for up to about 8-10 hours

That is your problem. You don't need a new saddle, you need a road bike that balances your position better between saddle, pedals and bars. I can't imagine any saddle making a hybrid comfortable over that sort of length of time (I have had similar issues riding my mountain bike for extended spins in snow during the winter.) Hybrids are fine for moderate distances but 8-10 hours is very very long and well into road bike time.

Raam

irishmotorist wrote: »

I've considered getting a different saddle to the one that shipped with my Cayo, but I can't really justify spending a few hundred euro on loads of different saddles. Do shops lend you one for a month or have you just gone out and bought different ones at different times?

I tried each one for about a year. At approx 120 a pop, it's not too much in the grand scheme of things, and you can always sell it on for a few quid.

AvidIrishReader

There's always a Selle Italia, Regale or Brooks for sale on eBay. Sometimes professionals offload their 'free' stuff. Good to keep an eye there too.

You could try the Selle Italia Flite classic, Selle Gel Flow or Brooks Swallow Chrome.

High Nellie

As pointed out above, none of these saddles are probably designed for an upright position.

blorg

In Brooks the B17 is designed for an upright position, the Swallow is for a racing position. But I still think the OP should vbe considering drops if he is doing 10 hours in the saddle. That is an extremely long time by any measure.

smacl

blorg wrote: »

In Brooks the B17 is designed for an upright position, the Swallow is for a racing position. But I still think the OP should vbe considering drops if he is doing 10 hours in the saddle. That is an extremely long time by any measure.

Thanks for the response, while I'm very attached to my hybrid, changing to a road bike certainly seems like the route to take going forward once the funds are available. I only really started cycling this spring, and there is a fair chance the missus would strangle me in my sleep if I were to lash out a grand on a new bike, having just bought a new bike six months a go. If I can get a reasonable relative improvement on the current situation, it should keep me going for another six months and I'll probably look at a new bike next spring. Only got 7 hours in on saturday, and I'd say the spins will get shorter over the winter.

Lumen

smacl wrote: »

...there is a fair chance the missus would strangle me in my sleep if I were to lash out a grand on a new bike, having just bought a new bike six months a go...Only got 7 hours in on saturday, and I'd say the spins will get shorter over the winter.

With a half decent road bike and a bit of fitness, 5 hours should be enough to cover 120km or so, which IMO is enough for anyone.

So just explain that the new bike will have you back a couple of hours earlier. Unless she wants you out of the house.

smacl

Lumen wrote: »

With a half decent road bike and a bit of fitness, 5 hours should be enough to cover 120km or so, which IMO is enough for anyone.

So just explain that the new bike will have you back a couple of hours earlier. Unless she wants you out of the house.

Unfortunately the dad lives 175km from the house and the sister in-law about 135km, and these tend to be natural destinations. Also planning on the W200 next year so want to keep the distances up and throw in some extra hills between this and then. I have a mental target time of 10 hours for Wicklow on the hybrid, which might become 9 on a road bike, hence the longer spins.

But a road bike and a cunning plan to get it into the house are definitely on the cards as soon as the opportunity arises. And yes, there will be yet another thread started looking for advice on which bike when the time comes

C3PO

smacl wrote: »

Unfortunately the dad lives 175km from the house and the sister in-law about 135km, and these tend to be natural destinations.

Am I reading this right ..... you regularly ride 175kms to your Dad's or 135kms to your sister in-law on a hybrid ..... bloody hell - massive respect! I'm almost afraid to ask the next question but how do you get home (after the cup of tea of course!)?

smacl

RPL1 wrote: »

Am I reading this right ..... you regularly ride 175kms to your Dad's or 135kms to your sister in-law on a hybrid ..... bloody hell - massive respect! I'm almost afraid to ask the next question but how do you get home (after the cup of tea of course!)?

My very wonderful, beloved, and under appreciated wife (yup that's the same one who may just strangle me in my sleep some day soon) drives down with the kids and car with bike rack. I've yet to cycle the return trip the next day, the ol' undercarraige being a bit sensitive

blorg

@OP- there comes a time when you need to move to a road bike. You are at that point. A saddle is not going to fix your problems if you are riding those distances in an upright position with all your weight on your arse. The root cause is your riding position not the saddle. An upright position can be comfortable over shorter distances but not IMO those lengths.

I hope you have padded Lycra shorts too incidentally.