Saddle Honeymoon

[purpurite]

I used to rid exclusively Selle Italia Flite Ti saddles on EVERYTHING I rode, and with my most recent CX/gravel build, I tried to find a new saddle that gave me maybe a little more width and compliance. I went with a female Fizik model (Vitesse) and after about 150 miles, I can't say that I am adapting to it very well.

It used to take me about 10-14 days to get my butt used to being in the saddle and not feel any soreness. I'm well into my 6th week now, of riding 30-45 minutes a day, 5-6 times a week. I should have gotten more comfortable by now, but I'm just not.

How long do you guys and girls give any new saddle before you throw in the towel and look for something different? One ride? Ten? Thirty? I'm thinking I'm ready to throw in the towel on this one to try something else in the Fizik lineup, or hunt down an old Flite Ti.




It's almost like there needs to be a 'trade' thread for stems and saddles as we all go through the hunt & peck process of finding the "right one."

[drewellison]

I have Flite saddles (the old original style - nothing with cutouts - blech!) on almost all my bikes, too. They just fit me well.

You may want to look at old Avocet O2 saddles - very similar shape, a tad wider and a tad more padding in my experience.

[gmcampy]

I used to rid exclusively Selle Italia Flite Ti saddles on EVERYTHING I rode, and with my most recent CX/gravel build, I tried to find a new saddle that gave me maybe a little more width and compliance. I went with a female Fizik model (Vitesse) and after about 150 miles, I can't say that I am adapting to it very well.

It used to take me about 10-14 days to get my butt used to being in the saddle and not feel any soreness. I'm well into my 6th week now, of riding 30-45 minutes a day, 5-6 times a week. I should have gotten more comfortable by now, but I'm just not.

How long do you guys and girls give any new saddle before you throw in the towel and look for something different? One ride? Ten? Thirty? I'm thinking I'm ready to throw in the towel on this one to try something else in the Fizik lineup, or hunt down an old Flite Ti.




It's almost like there needs to be a 'trade' thread for stems and saddles as we all go through the hunt & peck process of finding the "right one." Have you had your sit bones "fitted" When I got my bike fit last year I discovered the WTB saddle that came stock on the Fargo was too WIDE. New saddle installed and now more issues!

[cdn_bacon]

went through 10 separate saddles within a year. Sitting comfortably on a Fizik Aliante. shape suits me. I'm not a drops rider nor am I insanely upright. But the carbon mesh basket underneath takes all the pain away.

I do however second the motion of a saddle trade. Across the hall has one, not sure why it wasn't instilled here.

maybe a minimum 100 substantial posts and you're good to post a saddle trade.

[jmoore]

Dump it. 6 weeks is too long to try something out. Someone out there will love it.

[SpeedyChix]

I've gone through a couple patches where I've wanted/needed to change saddles after years of no issues. Some of the trial saddles were OFF the bike after a single short ride. At most I'll give one a week (at least five significant rides) for a trial. If it's not working for me after two weeks and some adjustments it's off the bike and the next possibility gets tracked down and process repeated. Hopefully it only takes a couple rounds to find a good fit.

[eippo1]

It's usually 3-4 rides for me. Sometimes I can tell it's a no within 10 mins of a ride because it will completely eff up a tendon and then I'm not riding for about a week.

[DRZRM]

Yeah, a week/five rides with some adjustments is about as long as I'd go without a switch.

For what it is worth SSM Regalé on the road, and either WTB Silverado or SSM Zoncolan on MTB/CX bikes. Wide, flat and comfortable.

[benb]

I think there are a bunch of reasons you can feel like you're "not getting support" that have nothing to do with the width of the saddle.

I've been riding mostly Specialized Avatar 130mm saddles on both my bikes for roughly the last 5 years.. the one on my MTB is fine, the one on my road bike is shot (padding is very very soft compared to new). They've worked extremely well for me other than maybe being too squishy which can lead to some chafing on 3+ hour rides.

I started thinking it wasn't providing support and tried some wider saddles, including a Flite I already had, a Prologo Nago Evo (134mm), and most recently an Aliante.. that all basically resulted in me ending up with a saddle sore outboard of where I would normally expect any saddle pressure. (Importantly I haven't had a single saddle sore since about 2009 when I got the Avatars)

Put the Avatar back on.. very easy to tell no pressure on that sore, and the sitbones are very much fitting on that narrower saddle. When I try to measure them I get roughly 100mm.. so I think trying to get more "support" with anything wider just means my thighs pull me off to one side cause the saddle is too wide...

It's a clear case of don't broke what isn't already broken except Specialized in their infinite wisdom seems to have cancelled the 130mm width of this saddle.. and most of their current lineup seems to wide for me. Even the Toupe 130 is effectively too wide since it's so flat.

Most of the ones I tried I could tell pretty quick they weren't working. The Nago Evo I rode 3-4 times before it gave me trouble on a 3 hour ride. The Flite just a couple rides. Seemed fine on the trainer but not on the road. Toupe 143 I adjusted a couple times and new it didn't work in one ride, Toupe 130 same thing.

[OtayBW]

How long do you guys and girls give any new saddle before you throw in the towel and look for something different? One ride? Ten? Thirty?I'm thinking distance, not time. Go at least ~100mi. You never know until you go a little longer, and there is where it really makes a difference. I ride a 130 mm saddle as well with just a slight amount of give - it's perfect for me. Fortunately, I quit having this conversation with myself a long time ago.

[purpurite]

All great suggestions. I think it's time to move on from the Vitesse. I thought it would work, and it just isn't. As much as I'm a slave to fashion, I'm going to part with my white & pink Fizik.


I'm thinking distance, not time. Go at least ~100mi. You never know until you go a little longer, and there is where it really makes a difference.

Yeah, almost 200 miles on the trainer, I think I have determined it isn't working. I usually can get past the pain and general soreness of a saddle, and this one just hurts still.

Time to look for a new Fizik.

[OtayBW]

Yeah, almost 200 miles on the trainer, I think I have determined it isn't working. I usually can get past the pain and general soreness of a saddle, and this one just hurts still.I'd say forget the trainer - it's static compared to what you'll do on a long ride. Every bleeping saddle hurts on a trainer, AFAIK. Not a good way to judge, IMO.

[Keith A]

...
It's almost like there needs to be a 'trade' thread for stems and saddles as we all go through the hunt & peck process of finding the "right one."I think this is a great idea...let's put this in the classified section. Let me know if you want to start this and then I can stick it.

BTW, some LBS's will let you try out difference saddles. I know my local one has a couple of brands they will lend out.

[purpurite]

One step ahead of you, Keith... we're already off and running! :bike:

[smontanaro]

I used to ride a Flite which my wife got for me back in the early 90s. I loved it, but it no longer seems to fit me well. I currently have it on one of my commuter bikes. I really begin to feel it (not in a good way) just about the time I get to work (14-ish miles). I discovered Brooks Pros. Even hard as a rock I find them quite comfortable.

Long story short, don't discount the possibility that you've changed...

[Hilltopperny]

Have you tried a nice leather saddle? I run brooks and berthoud on all my bikes and have never had a saddle sore or any real discomfort with them. Even the cambium line is pretty good. I used to use other saddles but they would ended up hurting me 20-30 miles into a ride. My brooks saddles dissappear on 100 miles rides. Good luck with your search.

[Rpoole8537]

1+ on the Aliante by Fizik. I have them on three bikes. Local shop allowed me to try one for a week, with a deposit, and I loved it. I also rode Flights for many years. Either the Flight saddles got harder or my butt became softer???

[stien]

All great suggestions. I think it's time to move on from the Vitesse. I thought it would work, and it just isn't. As much as I'm a slave to fashion, I'm going to part with my white & pink Fizik.




Yeah, almost 200 miles on the trainer, I think I have determined it isn't working. I usually can get past the pain and general soreness of a saddle, and this one just hurts still.

Time to look for a new Fizik.

You're saddle testing with a trainer? IME that's a terrible idea. We have toupe 143s that we LOVE on the road but after a 3hr z2 trainer ride we are ready to be off. The trainer is a very different environment and I'd recommend the road for new saddle testing. I can tell within the first 10 minutes what's an ass hatchet and what's going to work.

[benb]

I think the road is by far the better place but ironically for me at least for ~1 hour trainer sessions I can ride some saddles that I know I hate out on the road. Some saddle discomfort for me seems to be from the angle changes of going uphill/downhill/around corners, riding into a crosswind, and hitting bumps.. none of those happen on the trainer.

[purpurite]

My thought has always been, if it works on the trainer, it'll be fine on the road. If it hurts for 30 minutes in the saddle in a stationary position, there is no way it will work on a trail somewhere.

If a saddle hurts for a half hour on a mag trainer, how is it possible that it would be better on a gravel trail somewhere?





And there is no chance in hades that I will ever spend 3 hours on a trainer. I'd rather stick a fork in my eye in a dentist's chair while having a root canal.