Problem with my Arione saddle

[darrylm]

Recently switched to the Arione. Comfortable for the first twenty miles, and then it feels like riding a board. i've tried some of things you guys suggested with a slight downward tilt. This helped with the front part of the saddle and numbness I was experiencing, but this thing is killing me on centuries. Has anyone else had similar experiences with this saddle?

I just ordered a new Ottrott ST and am now perplexed as to what saddle to try. HELP!! :confused:

[Kurt]

Recently switched to the Arione. Comfortable for the first twenty miles, and then it feels like riding a board. i've tried some of things you guys suggested with a slight downward tilt. This helped with the front part of the saddle and numbness I was experiencing, but this thing is killing me on centuries. Has anyone else had similar experiences with this saddle?

I just ordered a new Ottrott ST and am now perplexed as to what saddle to try. HELP!! :confused:

I know a number of people that went from a std flight to the arione and love it, maybe consider the reverse. I have been using a flight for years and would not consider switching unless something profoundly changed in my body – the arione looks similar to the flight with a flatter area on the top rear and more room to move around, its would seem to be a great saddle if it hits the sit bones right. You have tried it totally level, right?

[Samster]

I've been riding a Specialized Toupe for about 2 weeks and it's absolutely the best fitting saddle for my behind. The Specialized Alias is a close second. I've also have the Selle Italia SLK (split rails) which is also good for less than 40 miles or so.

Have also used:

1. Selle Italia Flite (good)
2. Selle Italia Flite Gel (bad)
3. San Marco Aspide (bad)
4. Selle Italia SLR (fair/good)
5. Selle Italia TT (Instant E-D...! :butt: )

But in the end (no pun), the only way to find the right saddle for your particular bum seems to be trial and error...

--sam

[Argos]

Yeah, I'm a big fan of the flite or the San Marco Era/Era Luxe, but currently all my road bikes have aspides. I love them.

[davids]

I hated the Flite, am pretty happy with my Arione, and have had good luck with a variety of San Marco saddles - Era, Rolls, and Regal in particular.

All this is to say - saddles are way too personal for our advice to matter. You need a shop that will let you try some out.

Good luck!

[RichMc]

Maybe an Aliente? I had the Arione on three bikes and absolutely loved them. After 5 days in the Ride the Rockies they started to hurt my butt. Even after a weeks layoff they still were a tad uncomfortable so I went back to Alientes on two bikes. Seems to be a bit better so far. The Selle Italia Signa seems pretty interesting too.

[PanTerra]

i went through several saddles a couple of years ago and found the Selle San Marco Aspide Arrowhead to fit my butt. Later tried the Arione which cause great pain where the narrow stiching went under me. Returned it and stuck with the aspide.

[NateM]

I tried the Arione and found that as long as I was hammering it was great.I set it up with a slight downward tilt to the nose.After 50 miles when I started to get tired and put a little more weight on it the problems set in. The Arione is very flat.I sold it to a racer friend who loves it.I am trying a Gobi right now and find it comfortable but a little hard to slide around on due to its dual texture cover.This design has a hammock unlike the Arrione.The Alliante also has a hammock and is worth a try if you can arrange it or afford it.

[67-59]

I tried the Arione (as well as the Flite and others) and it didn't work for me. I have now switched to the Aliante, and won't be going back....

Costly? Yes, but certain, um, parts are worth spending more to protect.

[11.4]

I've yet to see anyone who can't be really comfortable on an Arione, but you have to throw away most of your preconceptions about saddle position. First, the nose REALLY needs to point south, and I don't mean eastsoutheast. Keep tilting it until it's comfortable and don't be surprised if the bubble on a level laid across the top goes all the way to one end of the vial. I saw a side view of Simoni riding one that was tilted down a good 20 degrees. You my expect to slide off the nose, but the saddle takes quite a bit of tilt without sliding. Try it.

The other key adjustment is fore-and-aft. It's not too hard to push the saddle too far back, given the setback capability of its rails. And the saddle is so long that you can't use the nose of the saddle as any measure. You may just not be sitting in the right place, or you may be creeping forward a bit as you get tired or your legs tighten up. Like with seat angle, don't be afraid to make pretty big steps -- like a centimeter at a time -- and don't be concerned about making more than one.

Finally, this is a saddle that rewards good hip rotation as you ride. If you allow your lower back to curve forwards (so you look slightly swayback), the saddle won't be good for you. But that's a position you really need to correct anyway so you can use your core body strength properly. Your hips should be rolled under you so you're sitting on your hipbones. The saddle was designed with that position in mind, but has trouble delivering its potential if you don't train your hips to an efficient position.

[Ray]

Finally, this is a saddle that rewards good hip rotation as you ride. If you allow your lower back to curve forwards (so you look slightly swayback), the saddle won't be good for you. But that's a position you really need to correct anyway so you can use your core body strength properly. Your hips should be rolled under you so you're sitting on your hipbones. The saddle was designed with that position in mind, but has trouble delivering its potential if you don't train your hips to an efficient position.
One of the things I think I like so much about the Aliante is that the upswept back allows an excellent position with your hips rotated for aggressive riding, but the dip in the middle allows you to untilt at times also. I ride quite a bit with my hips rotated, but there are times I sit up somewhat and just ride along. I also had problems with the Arione on long rides and it may be because I didn't keep my hips rotated all the time.

-Ray

[spiderman]

Recently switched to the Arione. Comfortable for the first twenty miles, and then it feels like riding a board. i've tried some of things you guys suggested with a slight downward tilt. This helped with the front part of the saddle and numbness I was experiencing, but this thing is killing me on centuries. Has anyone else had similar experiences with this saddle?

I just ordered a new Ottrott ST and am now perplexed as to what saddle to try. HELP!! :confused:

it became progressively worse
to the point i tried everything
and either needed to cut back
or change saddles.
i love my brooks swallow.

[darrylm]

I will try a few of these things right away!!

[Dave]

I've tried a lot of relatively flat saddles and never liked any of them. Last year, rather than the popular Arione, I tried the Fizik Gobi. Fits me perfectly. This saddle rounded from side to side , with a kicked up tail and the same extra long rails as the Arione. To set the angle, I place a small level on the tail of the saddle, hold the level in a level position and set the nose about 1cm, or maybe a bit more, lower than the tail. At first I just eyeballed the nose area to be level, as I'd done with many others, but the kicked up tail will give you a sliding forward sensation with that setting.