Wondered if there are Pro Stealth users that have the same experience with this saddle.
To begin with, the pro stealth is my “go to” saddle on most of my road bikes. I really like the wide nose, which gives me the opportunity to shift positions while riding, even though the saddle is quite short in overall length.
However, I find that minor adjustments make a HUGE differnece in how the saddle feels. The anlge/tilt of the saddle as well as setback make a huge difference and even half a centimeter setback change or half a degree of saddle tilt can make or break comfort.
Im still playing around a little bit but find that a bit more setback is nedded to make it comfortbale. I think this is due to me having my sitbones more on the middle part of the saddle than on the back. Concerning the angle of the saddle I find it best when the front part of the saddle is level. When hammering along in the drops I can shift forwards and sit comfortably on the nose.
I have a fairly aggressive riding position, with it slammed way forward and pointed down -3.5 degrees. Previously I found myself sitting on the nose a lot so moved it forwards more underneath me and felt a lot more planted, but suffered with numbnuts a fair bit until I tilted it down. Down tilt as much as you need to alleviate discomfort in the drops. Had a bit fit recently and the orientation was left unchanged (though I did end up with a fair increase in saddle height).
I like the wide nose too - its inevitable that you end up there sometimes if you ride hard. Just bought a second one for the winter bike.
I had one and liked it, but it ate bibs. I switched to the Specialized Power Arc and I think that solved the problem.
I find that both saddles are VERY finicky. I like them and feel like I’ve found a good position, and then a month later I have issues and tweak a bit. Like you, I naturally want to ride on the nose, which leads to numbness, so I push back, which leads to sit bone discomfort. I definitely have to angle mine down more than fitters want me to. I’ve been fit 3 times (by 3 different people) in the last 12 or so months and every time I’ve ended up adjusting the nose angle once I got it home on the trainer.
Was riding Normal power great general comfort From the flat back apart from when the wings pinched my flesh. Went to power arc which solved that problem but too much of a kick at the back and relief channel much smaller, pro stealth found a bit to big everywhere and also a bit soft. This week I’ve been on selle italia superflow, different feel , narrower but with the biggest cut out , think I really Like it for now , but going for another fitting this weekend
I have 130 sit bones so use the wider models on all.
Have you checked that when you put bike on trainer the two axles are exact same distance from ground, as it would be normally be. I have had to mess around with that making sure it is level.
Does anyone have comparisons of setback numbers comparing “normal” saddles and the pro stealth?
I had the pro turnix (275mm length) before at around 7cm setback and ride the Pro stealth (255mm) with around 8,5- 9cm setback. So setback difference equals almost the difference in length.
What do you mean that it ate bibs? I have the same saddle and I’m finding wear marks (and holes in one situation) on either side of the bibs on my upper hamstring/lower glute area. Is that the same place you had issues? I’d be interested to know if changing saddles would solve this.
My Power/Stealth experience differs. For me the power ate bibs (though one of them was too wide). Plus holding one of each right the Power is noticeably softer than the Stealth.
Work out where you sit on a particular sadldle and measure to there. It’ll vary differently to the length. Also re-measure saddle height as there can be big discrepancies.
Mine is dead flat/horizontal, worked like that on 2 different bikes. But enduro geometry so a pretty relaxed position. Good for double centuries with pretty much zero discomfort. Just a slight rub since narrow is still a bit too wide for me. I did spend quite some time tweaking fore/aft position, seems important for long distance comfort.
I love love love my stealth. I definitely run it a little further back than my other saddles; when it was more forward, I’d get pain at the inside of the thigh. I also have the nose flat, so the back is tilted up a bit. And I’m ordering the MTB version for this spring!
I absolutely love my stealth.
I went through a bike fit, and suffered from some numbness when we made the saddle level and I was in an aggressive position.
After going back, we tilted my saddle forward about 1.5* and that made all the difference.
An update on another short saddle I tried yesterday, Selle Italia slr boost superflow. Didn’t like at all, very flexible bit soft, cutout larger than power arc but not as large as stealth or normal slr superflow.