Should I Buy a New Saddle if I'm Comfortable with my Current One?

I have a Fizik Antares on my current bike and have had no issues with it. I’ve had it for about 5 months and recently did a 120mi / 8.5 K climbing gran fondo on it. Historically, I don’t get saddle sores, even if the bike fit isn’t perfect. I’ve been training for a couple of years without a professional bike fit with another bike and lower end (< $100) saddle with no complaints. Rare issues (I think I may have had them before, but I cannot remember) with numbness or pressure on groin areas.

I’m not sure if it’s just been luck as I know saddle “fit” is very personal.

Researching Fizik saddles, my riding profile is that of a snake (a more flexible rider who can easily bend over and touch his toes), and Fizik’s website suggests the Arione series for me. In case it matters, I’m a smaller rider, around 140 pounds / 5’6 (64 KG / 167 CM).

Is there a significant reason for me to get an Arione? I do prefer to ride in the drops, a lower position, and some comments about the Arione suggest I can move myself all over the saddle a lot easier. I’m not sure if I care about that. Ultimately, if I don’t need more comfort, but I can drive more power (especially in sustained climbs) out of a different saddle, I’m all for it, but I don’t know how the saddle impacts that.

If you can find a saddle that doesn’t give you problems there is no need to change in my view.

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It sounds like you are looking for a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. If you are happy with your current saddle then stick with it. I personally run the same saddle on all my bikes (road, gravel, mtb) and they all vary in price from the cheapest model to the most expensive model (only difference is weight). I once heard a pro cyclist say he found a saddle that “hurt the least” and stuck with it. Get a professional bike fit and see where your pressure points are on the current saddle and go from there.

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As a fitter, and one that has done the saddle hunt for myself and many others… don’t break what ain’t broke.

As stated above, be happy that you are comfortable with your current saddle and setup. Not everyone is and the search to solve related issues can be a lengthy and expensive one.

I’d suggest sticking with your setup.

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I consider myself lucky and found a saddle that works great when I started riding in '90. When it was discontinued, I bought saddles off Ebay and such until no more were to be found. Luckily, the Flite 1990 was brought back.

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NEVER.

NO!

No way!

Uh uh.

Nope!

I’ve been through 5 saddles in the last year and still am not 100% happy.

So I might be a little biased…

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I love the Arione but if you’re having zero problems, don’t fix what isn’t broken!

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I would say that rather than look for an alternative saddle, if you are happy with this one, buy an exact copy of it. I know people that have done this. (They have also done it with shoes they really like).

Saddles do wear out. Otherwise you may be hunting around for another comfortable saddle all over again.

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When you can ride 120 mi with no issues, the saddle works for you. Stick with it.
Don’t make too much of the Fizik fitting/rider classification thing. I test “bull” and ride an Aliante - on my road bike - and an Arione, at the opposite end of the spectrum, on my cross/gravel bike - and, go figure, both work fine for me. And I can get on saddles that look pretty darn close in size and shape to either of the two and might as well be sitting on a hatchet. If it works, stay with it.

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Thanks everyone! It sounds like at best, I should buy a lighter version of the saddle, or more for my other bikes.

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Stick with what you’ve got and buy a few spares and keep them in storage. One day they’ll stop making the exact model you like you can keep on rolling with the saddle you love.

Specialized have now stopped making my own personal favourite and it’s a struggle to find newish ones these days for all three bikes.

Mike

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Having kept eBay going almost single handed looking for the elusive perfect saddle, my advice would be buy another Antares in case they bring out a mk2 version and yours breaks

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