Saddles

[slowandsteady]

I'm looking around for a few new saddles to try and hence the following thoughts:

I was just thinking about all the saddles we buy, sell, trade and swap every year and was wondering if we could, as a group, buy maybe 20 saddles and start our own saddle demo group. We'd have to come up with some rules and costs etc. but all in all do you think it could be done. We'd be working on the honor system for the most part. I think it could be an incredibly helpful assets to the forum members, especially newbies who have not dialed in a saddle preference...

[akelman]

I just bought a Fizik Kurve. I'm confident that I'll hate it, as I do all saddles. Still, it's worth a try, right? Anyway, when I do hate it, I'll be happy to pass it along to someone who wants it.

[Kontact]

Our saddles have a 30 day refund period. That's fairly painless.

[dekindy]

http://www.velocipedesalon.com/forum/f3/saddle-swap-o-roo-22921.html

You could check this out or possibly get involved right away if someone can vouch for you.

[GPrince]

Here in Seattle, the Seattle Randonneurs have started such an exchange. Seems like something other clubs could do. Personally, I have way too many saddles.

[oldpotatoe]

I'm looking around for a few new saddles to try and hence the following thoughts:

I was just thinking about all the saddles we buy, sell, trade and swap every year and was wondering if we could, as a group, buy maybe 20 saddles and start our own saddle demo group. We'd have to come up with some rules and costs etc. but all in all do you think it could be done. We'd be working on the honor system for the most part. I think it could be an incredibly helpful assets to the forum members, especially newbies who have not dialed in a saddle preference...

Most decent bike shops either have a test ride program(like we do with Fizik and SMP) or will let you try and if it doesn't work, replace with a new one or refund.

Much tougher with most MO but LBS 'should' have some sort of 'program'.

[mike p]

I've been on flite saddles for thirty years. Why change, they feel and work great. I did start to stock up on them when they stopped making them. Fortunately there plentiful on the bay and back in production.

Mike

[pinkshogun]

if going Brooks, Wallbike.com has a 6 month return policy on saddles

[FixedNotBroken]

I know people aren't a huge fan of Specialized here but they make some of the best saddles. They have a testing program too. You purchase a saddle and you keep trying them till you find the perfect saddle..I started with a Toupe and ended up with a Romin Evo Expert Ti (my seatpost clamp doesn't support carbon rails) and it's the best saddle for ME.

[jpw]

I know people aren't a huge fan of Specialized here but they make some of the best saddles. They have a testing program too. You purchase a saddle and you keep trying them till you find the perfect saddle..I started with a Toupe and ended up with a Romin Evo Expert Ti (my seatpost clamp doesn't support carbon rails) and it's the best saddle for ME.

Does that saddle have stitching on the top surface?

[FixedNotBroken]

Does that saddle have stitching on the top surface?

No it does not.

[93legendti]

I've been on flite saddles for thirty years. Why change, they feel and work great. I did start to stock up on them when they stopped making them. Fortunately there plentiful on the bay and back in production.

Mike

Same here, except I use the last edition of the Flite Gel Flow. I probably have 10 backups. If I see new ones on eBay for cheap, i pick them up.

[likebikes]

I've been on flite saddles for thirty years. Why change, they feel and work great. I did start to stock up on them when they stopped making them. Fortunately there plentiful on the bay and back in production.

Mike

flite saddles have been around for 30 years? i'm not so sure about that

[martinrjensen]

An excellent example of a "positive negative"I just bought a Fizik Kurve. I'm confident that I'll hate it, as I do all saddles. Still, it's worth a try, right? Anyway, when I do hate it, I'll be happy to pass it along to someone who wants it.

[EricEstlund]

flite saddles have been around for 30 years? i'm not so sure about that

22, or roughly 30 when exaggerating for emphasis.

I think I'm now down to one 94-ish Flite. I'm excited to try a couple saddles designed this decade. I think I'll try a Nago Evo 134- seems to split the SLR/ Flite balance.

[jpw]

I measured my sit bones today with a square of foam as a 'seat' with a sheet of aluminum kitchen foil on top. I came out at approximately 140mm wide. I'll be changing my saddle based on that outcome, and looking for a 'split' style top for good blood flow. The search begins in earnest - sigh.

What is the most durable rail material?

[ultraman6970]

You should check out the Kontact saddles, we started a pass around testing with one of those saddles.

[mike p]

My wife always tells me I exaggerate!

Mike


QUOTE=EricEstlund;1129151]22, or roughly 30 when exaggerating for emphasis.

I think I'm now down to one 94-ish Flite. I'm excited to try a couple saddles designed this decade. I think I'll try a Nago Evo 134- seems to split the SLR/ Flite balance.[/QUOTE]

[FixedNotBroken]

You should check out the Kontact saddles, we started a pass around testing with one of those saddles.

Sweet saddle but just doesn't fit my arss, not very comfortable for ME. I hope it works for someone though.

[AngryScientist]

I know people aren't a huge fan of Specialized here

i would just like to refute this point. I personally think just about everything Specialized brands and sells is pretty much excellent. I've ridden Toupes for years and love them. beyond that, Specialized accessories are awesome! their helmets fit me better than any others and they are reasonably priced, and their line of shoes suit my feet better than Sidi, they are all i ride now. even their base layers are excellent.

though i've never owned one myself, i've not heard any owners say a bad word about the bikes themselves.

count me in on the Specialized accessory fan club!

[ultraman6970]

Got my 1st ride yesterday and the saddle is something else, so far so good to me. Hoping today to get a long ride as soon as it heats a little bit more.

Sweet saddle but just doesn't fit my arss, not very comfortable for ME. I hope it works for someone though.

[Cloud]

Probably my favorite saddle so far has been the least expected as it looks like a razor blade; Selle Italia SLR carbino. A local bike store was going out of business and dishing these out for $50 so a figured, why not? I should have bought them all.

[Kontact]

I measured my sit bones today with a square of foam as a 'seat' with a sheet of aluminum kitchen foil on top. I came out at approximately 140mm wide. I'll be changing my saddle based on that outcome, and looking for a 'split' style top for good blood flow. The search begins in earnest - sigh.

What is the most durable rail material?

Measuring the widest part of your sit bones like you have isn't going to tell you anything about saddle width. We don't sit on that part of the sit bones on road bikes. It's like measuring your ears for helmet size. While it has been a great marketing campaign for Specialized, it isn't predictive of anything for other saddles.

Here's a video with our designer - it's about saddles and anatomy, not Kontact:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-wdfEcedq8

[MasterOMayhem]

tune speedneedle for me. its what fits.