I need some saddle recommendations...

[bulliedawg]

But don't recommend a Koobi. The rails on my third warranty replacement Koobi broke, so I ain't going with another one.

I'm looking for something with about a 139 to 155 mm width. It doesn't need to be anything fancy, but I am seriously confused.

For example, Sella Italia has about 44 saddles in varying degrees of complexity.

I am considering the Max Flite Gel Flow, Max Flight Basic, Flite Gel Flow, and Flite Turbomatic.

Does anyone have any opinions on these or other saddles for less and $100.

Thanks and sic'em

[Dr. Doofus]

Find a LBS that will let you demo saddles.

I'm a big fan of the Flite Gel Flow (what used to be the Flite Trans Am, with some goo in it now): My prostate is a bit sensitive, and the center cut out is just the ticket. I just haven't warmed up to the Flite Gel on my CSi...the Flite Turbomatic is excellent, though...almost as nice as my all-time fave, the long extinct Flite Mythos.



The only banana I like is the clip for my AR-14,

Robert

[dnovo]

I find the Selle Italia Prolink Gelflow (Transam cutout) to be the most comfortable of all. Nearly the same shape as the Flite, but a hair different-shaped and the Prolink 'suspension' (very mild, you can't feel any actual movement) does improve comfort on a mid to long ride. The Fizik Pave and Poggio are also fairly comfortable. Of course, I REALLY like the Aliante, but that is far more expensive than the others listed. Dave N.

[Johny]

Hard to go wrong with the plain Turbomatic 4 (please, no gel). But again, it is your butt... You have to find the sweet spot for yourself...

PS. I also like san marco strada...

[Kevan]

Of the Selle Italia saddles I think I would consider one of those SLK models. With their 3/4 cut out you save you tenders and this model saddle has little or no stitching which can become a sensitive issue to your tissue. Their other saddles go overboard patching the covers.

As for myself, I'm close to purchasing a Brooks as I'm beginning to believe that's the final answer to posterior bliss.

[JohnS]

I like the plain Flite Gel.
Dr. Doofus, do you mean the AR-15 or the Mini-14? I thought that only csm and I were allowed to bring up guns?

[Climb01742]

ah, the first mention of guns. feels more like home every minute.:p

[JohnS]

I defer to Dr. doofus, Climb. Happy Holidays! :)

[Len J]

In addition to sit bone width, consider space between the thighs.

And then do you want a flat saddle or a "swayed" saddle.

If you don't mind a swayed saddle, the Prolink Tran am is muy comfortable. But I hate swayed saddles.

If you like the Max flite T/A, gelflo will make it better.

Also, believe it or not, I find the SLR the most comfortable of all the T/A. It's flat, it has minimal but enough padding & it gives slightly. I never would have believed it but it works.

Just remember, a small change in angle makes a big difference in comfort, experiment.

Len

[D-Squared]

Spongy Wonder

I'm starting to really like my Spongy Wonder Saddle.

www.spongywonder.com

It has no nose so male pattern numbness isn't an issue and the two pads that you sit on are adjustable in width. It took a while to figure out the angle for the pads and the width that work for me but not that I've got the saddle dialed in I can do a century on the saddle without any problems at all. I spend a good deal of my time on aero bars and numbness was a problem so I was primarily looking for a saddle to fix this problem. I tried Koobi, Terry and the Aliante and all of them ended up causing numbness on longer rides but without the nose on the Spongy Wonder this is a nonissue.

Pros - The saddle is cheap only about $50 and they have a trial period where you can return it if you don't like it.

Cons - It looks pretty unconventional on my Serotta and I'm still not quite used to not having the nose when riding no-handed. Also it is primarily made out of stainless steel and is somewhat heavy. I can't remember exacly but I think it was about 450 grams. But like I said I can do a century with no complaints so that makes up for a lot.

D2

[Phil Selisker]

I just switched to the Fizik Aliente after riding a San Marco ERA for a couple of years. I also tried the San Marco Aspide, it had a nice shape and was comfortable for about 25 miles, but it was just to hard. So far I really like the Aliente. :) :beer:

[Climb01742]

i'm a big aliante fan, too, but yes, it's pricy. their new arione(sp?) is supposed to be nice and much less expensive. but hey, your butt's worth it.

[Dr. Doofus]

AR-15, John....


Actually, I had to give that one up years ago to appease to wife-to-be. My old favortites, actually, were WWII combat rifles. I had an Enfield (corrosive ammo my butt), a Spanish 8mm Mauser, and a good ol' Springfield-made M1.

The M1 is in the attic (don't tell the wife)...the others are long gone....

Personally, I kind of like the banana because its a moving target.

[Smiley]

Try real leather dude ! The B17 N is 152 mm wide and its flat on top , I just put this one on my Hor's untill my new Swallow arrives, I have the 170 mm wide B17 on the tandem. Yes you need some break in time ( mine were about 4 rides or approx 200 miles) . Buy from www.wallbike.com with a full satisfaction warranty within 6 months and the saddles were talking about are $ 65.00 . Leather saddles with a 10 year life span if you show them some southern love. Forget the weight thing Bullie its not a factor with the Brooks, love them or hate them.

[larryp2]

the aliante is far away the best fit for me and well worth the extra $. I got mine on eBay for a Large discount....ljp

[dnovo]

nm Dave N.

[pale scotsman]

The Turbomatic 4 is worth looking into. I went through a flite gel, prolink gel, brooks swift - which I thought was it, and now turbomatic 4. The 4 is wider than the prolink/flite offerings and to tell the truth the gel model doesn't have that much gel. The shell gives in the right spot and the suspension bumpers adsorb a good bit 'o road shock.

[Kevin]

bulliedawg,

We are all built different in that area of the anatomy. As a result what is a comfortable saddle for one, may be torture for another. Finding a comfortable saddle is trial and error. It would be nice to find a lbs that allowed you to test ride saddles. Unfortunately, I have never had such luck. As a result I have a box full of old saddles. I personally find the Fizik Alliante to be extremely comfortable. In fact, I like the saddle so much that I have two of them sitting on the shelf in case they get discontinued.

Kevin

[bulliedawg]

I tried a Fizik about four years ago and it wasn't for me. It just wasn't wide or flat enough.

Honestly, I'm looking for a non-Koobi Koobi. I had two Xenons and the PRS. They fit me well, but they all broke under my 180 lbs. I ain't giving them anymore of my hard-earned scratch.

So, basically, I'm looking for a the same shape and size as the Koobi but a different brand.

sic'em

[CarbonTi]

Throw another vote in for the Fizik Aliante. Arione is also good if you don't like a mushy-er saddle like the Aliante, but you can get used to that too.

I've tried 3 Fizik saddles: Pave, Aliante and Arione. There is little commonality between these 3 saddles as far as characteristics go. Try 'em and see. If you want a Pave, you can have mine. That saddle and me have irreconcilable differences.

[Kevin]

bulliedawg,

The Alliante saddle has only been available for about two years. The fizik saddle that you tried four years ago must have been a different model. I weigh about 175 lbs and have never broken the Alliante. Its a great saddle. I know that it is not one of the saddles that you were originally considering, but it is a great saddle.

Kevin

[dave thompson]

I'll second Smiley's recommendation for a Brooks saddle. I use a B-17 standard on my Kirk, Calfee, Guerciotti and tandem. And I've got a couple of spares for the next bike or two that I buy. For me, they are literally 'all day saddles'. Since I've discovered the Brooks, saddles have become a non-factor in long, long rides.

I've purchased from Wallingford Bicycle <http://www.wallbike.com/index.php> Another source is <http://www.bicycleclassics.com/saddles.html>

[Jay Torborg]

I'll add another vote for the Alliante. Particularly with the carbon rails.

- Jay

[Too Tall]

Only available as NOS. Something about the dip in the middle makes these good. Also, they are wide in the back.

Gee, the only thing about an M16 I really liked was slamming the butt against the ground when cartridges failed to eject....oh what fun. No, I'll only endorse rifles that have built in bottle openers thanks :)

[bulliedawg]

Thanks guys. But I can't bring myself to spend close to 2 bills on a saddle (Aliante). And while I'm not a weight freak, according to Rivendell, the Brooks weighs 550 grams, which is almost 1.25 pounds. I know, I know, I'd do better to drop 1.25 pounds from my self, but that still seems heavy for a saddle.

sic'em

[Ray]

The Aliante and various Brooks models are my saddles of choice. I've been ok on others, but the Aliante, the B-17 (standard and narrow, depending on the bike), and the Pro are my personal version of heaven. I bought a couple of Aliante ti saddles when they were "only" $140 and would spend $180 or whatever they cost now if I need to replace them in the future. Too expensive, but just remarkably comfortable over long miles. They seem to have captured the hammock-like feel of a Brooks by using carbon and at about half the weight. They also look good, even on a classic bike, but that's a VERY secondary consideration.

-Ray

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . with my Legend two years ago and it was very comfortable, but the nose was wide and my abductors (inside of thighs), pretty well-developed from years in the gym, kept rubbing and rubbed all the yellow color off (the seat, not my thighs!).

So I picked up an SLR on eBay and I have been VERY pleasantly surprised. The lower edges of the nose do not roll under, which I thought would be a problem, and the edges therefore fit right into the notch right at the crotch where the abductor hooks in to the pelvis. Turns out to be very comfortable, though a smidge more padding would probably not hurt.

I would recommend it, but not without a test ride. It’s not for everyone.

BBDave

[Kevin]

The saddle is not the place to economize. It is one of the most important components for an enjoyable long ride. I understand that the Fizil Aliante is expensive, but keeping your manhood from going numb is priceless. Don't let the Aliante's price scare you. It is the best saddle that I have ever owned.

Kevin

[victoryfactory]

All you can hope for when sorting through a bunch of saddle suggestions from a wide and varied collection of "asses" is to narrow it down to 3 or 4 to try. As mentioned above, find a dealer who will let you buy one and swap until you find a winner.

Having said that, I love the Terry fly

Victory Factory, bigass

[Climb01742]

bulliedawg, i second kevin's post. many saddles have "graced" by hindquarters and none beats the aliante. and yes, butts are very personal but may be well worth a try.

[Jay Torborg]

You can spend a lot of money buying saddles that you're not happy with. Bulliedog, I had the same concern about spending so much on a saddle, but after spending several hundred on a few other saddles that I just wasn't happy with, the Alliante seems like a great investment.

But as Victoryfactory infered, one man's bliss is another's torture. If you can find a dealer that will let you try a few, that's your best option.

- Jay

[Too Tall]

How many saddles do you have that are out of favor/on hold or otherwise collecting dust? I'm sure mine are 10+ Infact I'm sure that number is a lie as I can put on just about any saddle to suit various stokers. Not surprisingly the Fizik, Fly and 02 pretty well cover everyone's needs.

...and than there are the new saddles I own that will NEVER be used because I thought it was the best and had to keep a couple "just in case".

Conspicuously consuming on a low order?

[Johny]

Originally posted by Too Tall
How many saddles do you have that are out of favor/on hold or otherwise collecting dust? I'm sure mine are 10+ Infact I'm sure that number is a lie as I can put on just about any saddle to suit various stokers.

Too Tall,

May I join the club? I seem to be qualified (without checking my stocks). Maybe we can swap with our members... :)

[Too Tall]

Did you really say that?

[bulliedawg]

Umm...uh...I was just looking for some saddle advice, man.

sic'em

[Jeff N.]

The Selle Italia Turbomatic saddle is the best out there, IMO.

[djg]

I'm running an Aliante on one bike and I definitely like it--I just haven't decided how much.

I also like the Avocet O2 Air 40. Good saddle. Not expensive.

Butts are--if not exactly like snowflakes in most regards--different from each other (as are our ways of sitting on the saddle).

[dnovo]

Got the new Arione for Christmas. Still way too new to tell (only about thirty miles on it) but it sure feels very comfortable without being 'mushy.' It took a few miles for the larger overall area to feel normal, but it may have some promise. Stay tuned. Dave N.

[dnovo]

Well, 56 miles on the Aegis Victory with the Christmas present Fizik Arione. Not able to get comfortable at all. The bike is a comfortable ride despite the fact that it is the race layup and shod with a set of Rolf Prima Vigors and Maxxis tires. Just couldn't get to feel right. Came home, switched it out for a Aliante, and a quick 21 more miles. Felt very much at home.

Sorry, perhaps it is just me, but I am not going to be an Arione user. Different strokes, different folks, and while there is a seat for every a**, and an a** for every seat, this a** will not be on one of these seats again. Dave N.

[Kevin]

Dave,

The Aliante is a very tough saddle to beat.

Kevin

[dnovo]

When I pulled the Arione off and put the Aliante on the Aegis, I sat down and played with the two of them for a while. (The two saddles, not the bikes.) I think I have figured out why one seems to work, and the other was just a pain.

The Aliante flexes down the middle, with a fair amount of give without being 'cut out' at this area. So, support without that much pressure and the 'sit bones' having support at the outside areas of the saddle (like the 'Trans Am' cut out on another saddle I like, the Selle Italia Prolink Trans Am Gelfow.) The Aliante shell has some flex in it, much like the 'suspension' in the Prolink seat rails.

Fizik's new Arione is fairly rigid down the middle, with the flex on the sides. While this may work for some, offering 'cush' for the outer area of where you sit, it is the opposite of the effect on the Aliante, hence my lack of liking.

Sounds like a better rationale than, 'different pains for different butts' which was about all I could think of before. Does this make sense to anyone else?

Dave N.

[Ahneida Ride]

I vote with the Capt. Try a Brooks.

[Ray]

Didn't work for me either. Didn't feel as supportive on the sit bones and I've gotten completely used to the swept up rear end of the Aliante. Any flat saddles I've ridden lately have been a pain in my lower back, and the Arione is much much flatter (front to back) than the Aliante. Seems the swept up section of the Aliante lets me rotate my pelvis in a way that's good for both my back and my pedaling and I can't do that comfortably on the Arione (or many other saddles, for that matter). In addition to the Aliante being the perfect combination of firm enough and flexible enough in the right places, as many have mentioned.

-Ray

[CarbonTi]

Both the Aliante and the Arione work for me. But this may be due in part to being a San Marco Era user for a few years - which the Arione is much closer to than the Aliante.

The Arione is very different than the Barco-lounger effect felt when saddling up with the Aliante.

[MartyE]

I personally like either a Brooks B17 for all around use
or a Selle San Marco Regal, which looks similiar to the brooks
(large rivets) but is a plastic/padded type of saddle.

Marty

[Too Tall]

dnovo, ray

Fellahs, can I talk you into letting me give that saddle a try. I'll pay shipping and if I like it I'll give a good price....if not it comes back in good shape with a batch of homemade cookies?

[dnovo]

Sorry, mine is already on its way back. I have a very understanding dealer -- who likes it and is going to use it himself. Dave N.

[pbbob]

second the regal. rolls works also. ti flite works. want to give the brooks pro a try even though I couldn't get a b17 to work, even after a 1000 miles.

[Ray]

My aliantes are both already on bikes, dialed in, and in use. So, no can do there. My arione is packed and ready to return to Performance (they of full refund fame). Probably best bet is for you to order one from them (whichever you're asking about) and have the option to return if it doesn't work for you.

-Ray

[slowgoing]

buy the Aliante.

[Too Tall]

....you'd have to have some farm experience to get that one.

Thanks guys. I sometimes forget about the Performance "shameless" return policy. I'll check them both out.

[PBWrench]

I agree with above posters re: Fizik Aliante. Expensive, but a great, great ride if it works for you. Try one out first before purchase if you can!