Dedicated Saddle Discussion Thread

OK great, thanks.

I havenā€™t tried the non-boost but with the boost I found the opposite. If anything I need to run it further back (with both the Ti and carbon version which has longer rails) than most saddles.

By comparison SMP are renowned for having a really rearward sitting position and needing a zero-offset post to compensate.

Worst saddle for seating position though is berk lupina. Impossible to get it forward enough even with a zero-offset.

This trainer season Iā€™ve been fooling around with my fit/position some and it has struck me how much saddle choice could affect a preferred seat angle. Depending on which saddle I wanted it could change my ideal seat angle by 1-2deg while ā€˜sittingā€™ in the same spot.

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I have a Specialized Power Pro Mirror that is ā€œokā€ but Iā€™m far from in love with it.

Itā€™s a shorter nosed saddle. I have a couple saddles en route to try out that are around 1-1.5ā€ longer.

Should the general starting point be to have the rear of the saddle in roughly the same position as my current, and around the same tilt? With the different lengths, not sure Iā€™d want to start off by measuring the setback from the front with the different saddles.

I started with SMP on the Dynamic, and switched to the Evo on my new bike. The Evo is a little flatter, but still has the typical SMP curve. I can say that the Evo is more comfortable, and I feel more planted in the saddle than I did in the Dynamic.

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fizik has offering a ā€˜custom saddleā€™ that is made to your particular body geometry. Apparently they claim to be able to make a saddle that will be made to our bodies.

I was going to take it up with them, but a saddle that could be made to deal with my scoliosis would be amazing. The service requires a visit to a dealer that has the equipment, and then the dimensions are sent to the factory and a 3-d printed saddle is delivered. Sounds too good to be true.

Has anyone done this? How did it go?

I think saddles are like running shoes - huge variance in what works for one person and what doesnā€™t work for another. Iā€™ve tried a ton of saddles over the years (30+ of riding), but I always come back to Selle Italiaā€™s SLR. Despite being a short, skinny flyweight, I do best with a pancake flat, narrow, hard carbon shell with a thin piece of fabric over it. Donā€™t like bare carbon. Donā€™t like holes in my saddle, either. Shorts have to be considered as well. Itā€™s the right combination of shorts and saddle. Current favorite brand is Pactimo. My criteria - if I can ride 3-4 hours and never think of my nether regionā€¦then I have found Saddle Bliss.

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Sure thing. I tested the SMP once and hated it. Have been a Selle Italia user for years and have in my road bike since 2019 an ultralight full carbon Gelu K4: (Gelu website: https://gelucarboncreation.com/) and I loved it since day one. Just don use Gelu on the MTB and trainer because they are very expensive. My MTB has the Selle Italia SLR XC carbon that I use since 2008 or so :thinking:

I am so jealous of the people who make statements like ā€œthe saddle just disappears beneath meā€ or ā€œI can ride for two hours and never think about my saddleā€. Over 30 years, Iā€™ve been through a few dozen saddles, bibs, chamois cream (or not), expensive bike fitters, rocker/motion plates, etcā€¦and I have never been on a saddle that ā€œjust disappearsā€.

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The biggest determinant for me is seat width. I personally donā€™t like long nose saddles either.
Iā€™ve had good luck with fizik saddles, the Terra Argo x3 on the gravel bike and canā€™t remember the one on my road bike. Just bought a wtb volt for my mtb, we will see if that is comfortable. It has a wider width than the stock sdg saddle. I need at least 150mm to have my seat bones planted properly.
I almost bought a sqlabs seat but couldnā€™t get over the long dong look to it.
If the wtb volt isnā€™t comfortable, I know fizik saddles have worked well for me.

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If saddles are like running shoes, then I propose ISM are like Newtons = not for me.
I wonder what the Hoka saddle will be :grin:

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I run two different saddles at the moment. SLR boost and an Ergon SMP Pro.

The SLR is on the road/gravel/trainer bike. Itā€™s a little narrower than the Ergon thatā€™s on the MTB.

Does anyone here have experience sizing down to the 130mm Power Saddle?

When trying out new saddles, how long does everyone give a new saddle before making a decision? Obviously if something is absolutely terrible, itā€™s a no-go.

I would expect that having a different saddle size/shape is going to put pressure in different areas, obviously. And, just like increasing time on the saddle in general, it takes the body some time to adapt to those changes.

I am trying out a specialized romin right now in lieu of my normal specialized power. I did a 1 hr interval ride yesterday and it was about a 6/10 and todays 1.5 hr endurance ride it was probably a 4-5/10. I would consider my normal specialized power saddle around a 7-8/10 at best. I acknowledge that my body may also take some more time to adapt to the differences. I havenā€™t decided if I need to adjust the setback or seat angle at all. I currently have it set up nearly identical to my last saddle, which I felt was positioned well.

I had a power in my older bike. Itā€™s pretty flat and short. It would not work for me on the new steed. I went with the Romin. Took some time for my under sides to get used to different pressure points. I did have to change both angle and set back to get comfortable. I like to move around when riding and on the trainer is not my favorite place to ride. Itā€™s much better outside.

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Hi all.
Iā€™ve been comfortable on the Selle SMP Blaster although my sit bone width of 120mm suggest I should be using a wider saddle. I was previously using a flatter/wider saddle (Spec Toupe style) and experienced some saddle sores, but with the Blaster they have been very rare over the 3 of 4 years Iā€™ve used it. Just wanted to ask if anyone else uses a narrower than recommended saddle and if itā€™s caused any long terms issues. Thanks.

Iā€™m on the Romin 143mm . According to the experts I should be on the 155mm. However I know what my butt likes and doesnā€™t like. My only issue is on the trainer where I sit in one spot for what seems like an eternity. I get some bunching of the bibs where my legs join my body. Sort of that feeling where you have to pull your underwear out of your crotch.

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Saddle width?

I had my butt measured and was assured that I had the right saddle for my, ā€˜sizeā€™.

How many people have felt they needed a wider saddle, or felt more comfortable with a wider saddle? Wondering if should stick it out with the ā€˜rightā€™ width, per their machineā€¦

Iā€™ve done the butt measuring test and received all four widths from the Specialized tool.

I wish more folks had the pressure mapping tool. I do think it would help identify things.

Been on a SMP FC30 for about a month now. Itā€™s pretty close to disappearing as soon as I correct my hip rotation. Colby Pearce has saddle demo packs on his website for those SMP curious.

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I sat down last year and tried to list out all the saddles Iā€™ve tested and write notes on some of recent ones.

I keep coming back to the Arione classic as basically the only saddle that works for me. Rolling my helps helped make the Arione go from ok for 2 hours to 4 currently. I wish I could find something else as well incase they stop making this saddle