Is searching for a more perfect saddle worth it?

[dekindy]

I went to two LBS's on Saturday that had saddles of interest. Both LBS's criticized at length my current setup. My fitter has my Aliante saddle nose angled downard a little over 2 degrees. They said that my saddle was too high and that made the downward angle necessary. I have read a large volume of comments on the Aliante and know that there is no magic formula.

To arrive at my current position I had a 90-minute fitting by a Serotta trained fitter with decades of racing and riding experience. After the initial fitting I gave him further feedback and he tweeked the saddle position so that it is totally comfortable. My only complaint is that I cannot move around on an Aliante. The Arione was a likely candidate to correct this but a demo of it ruled it out immediately because it gave me pain and saddle sores. So the Aliante has been the only saddle I have found that I can ride.

Saturday I rode the Bontrager Inform RL, Fizik Antares, and Selle Italia Thoork for a few minutes each and have decided to test the SI Thoork for a week. The other saddles felt good enough to try also but the Bontrager requires a purchase and my favorite LBS carries Fizik so I would demo and purchase that model from them.

I am wondering if I should just upgrade my Fizik Aliante Sport to a Gamma and forget about searching for a better saddle. I can find no clear information to guide me to a saddle or saddles that Aliante owners have found to be better. I could spend a lot of time and pain testing saddles.

Rather than asking for saddle recommendations, has anyone had a saddle that they were very happy with and then tested some saddles and found something better? I really want to concentrate on riding better this summer and a more comfortable saddle would help some with riding in the drops. But I don't want to waste the summer on testing saddles. Please, any success or horror stories are welcome.

[garysol1]

Obviously no one can recommend a saddle as everyone has there own preferences. With that said there are very few people who have tried one of the 3 sport oriented Specialized saddles and have not liked at least one of them. I ride a Toupe and love it and I am very sit bone sensitive. The Alias works just as well for me.

[1centaur]

Obviously you'll get lots of comments on solving a too high saddle with an angle change. Height and angle are two different questions, with height having a lot to do with leg extension at the bottom of the stroke and angle having a lot to do with how much you like to rotate your hips to get the right balance of power and comfort.

I have tried a ton of saddles on the trainer and always come back to the Aliante. One lesson I have learned is that if you like a certain amount of padding, you like a certain amount of padding, and just because others ride on hard carbon saddles and tell you it's the position that counts does not make that true for you. The Thoork has relatively little padding and thus I found it an efficient saddle, but get a little too much saddle time in and you'll long for the ahhhh of some padding at the start of a ride. I have also learned I like a curved saddle - I ride the Arione in pretty good comfort for an Aliante guy but the Aliante is the only saddle that disappears under me, sometimes.

Most Aliante riders like the saddle flat to slightly nose up (true of most saddles period for that matter). I'd spend more time trying to like it in that position and the seatpost at the right height. I also recommend a digital level so you can recreate the angle that works every time, especially if you get into saddle trying mode. A saddle is not really "tried" if it has not been tried at several different angles close to flat.

[rePhil]

Around 1986 I started riding Turbo's.I have never tried anything else. While not a lightweight they last me a long time. I am embarassed to say how old the one is on my commuter.

[PCR]

I have a ridden Terry Fly Liberator for a number of years, happy with it but a bit warm in the summer. Just put a Brooks B-17 on my Gunnar and the initial ride has been nice. If you want to be able to move around on your saddle, give Brooks a shot. The leather is smooth and breathable. If it does not work out someone here will buy it no doubt.

[Ahneida Ride]

Nothing has worked for me except a Brooks B17 ...

Go Wallbike (6 month return policy) you can't go wrong.

[palincss]

I can always tell who's been seeing Smiley when I run into them on PPTC rides. Black B.17 standard saddles, with the small rivets. And they love them, and can't stop telling me how Smiley saved them from saddle pain hell.

You also see folks like me, members of the iBOB/RBW orbit, and we have B.17s too -- typically, honey Champion Specials with the big hand-hammered rivets.

[jmeloy]

Obviously no one can recommend a saddle as everyone has there own preferences. With that said there are very few people who have tried one of the 3 sport oriented Specialized saddles and have not liked at least one of them. I ride a Toupe and love it and I am very sit bone sensitive. The Alias works just as well for me.
I've read a lot of good comments on them and then I go look and come away thinking "just too 'minimal' for my posterior". I'm good size at 190 lbs and have heard several stories about the Specialized not holding up well. I can ride most anything for a reasonable distance andthen it is my sit bones that start bothering me. Thoughts?

[jmeloy]

Anyone have enough miles on one of these to give a solid review?

[Dekonick]

I can always tell who's been seeing Smiley when I run into them on PPTC rides. Black B.17 standard saddles, with the small rivets. And they love them, and can't stop telling me how Smiley saved them from saddle pain hell.

You also see folks like me, members of the iBOB/RBW orbit, and we have B.17s too -- typically, honey Champion Specials with the big hand-hammered rivets.

Ayup. I ride nothing besides B-17's now. I even put one on my LeMond Revmaster trainer.

Best damned horse saddle made. Best vike saddle too! (for me - at least.)

Give one a try - you may be suprised (unless you ride with major drop - in that case, a swallow may be better)

[dekindy]

Anyone have enough miles on one of these to give a solid review?

I did a Google search and searched the Serotta, Bikeforums.net, and Roadbikereview website and read Roadbikereview products reviews. The comments are very favorable. There also seems to be a consensus that it takes 3-4 weeks to adjust to the saddle. One reviewer gave it a negative rating after a week and then entered a new review after a month to correct his original review. If he only had ridden it a week he would have hated it but after a month he loved it. Bontrager does not say anything about a break-in period but does give a 90-day unconditional money back guarantee.

[chakatrain]

The perfect saddle is worth the quest, imho. You'll spend hours and hours on the thing.

Funny thing...the new model Selle Italia Flites fit perfectly. I really should buy up a few before they change again.

[garysol1]

I've read a lot of good comments on them and then I go look and come away thinking "just too 'minimal' for my posterior". I'm good size at 190 lbs and have heard several stories about the Specialized not holding up well. I can ride most anything for a reasonable distance andthen it is my sit bones that start bothering me. Thoughts?

Thoughts....at 190 pounds your not huge by any means and weight has nothing to do with what width saddle will work best for you. The Toupe is the most minimalistic saddle made by Specialized. I was speaking to Dr Minkow just the other day. He is the guy who has developed and designed the Specialized BG saddles. I asked him the very question about saddle lifespan and he said that typical light weight saddles such as his should be trashed after about 10,000 miles. Body weight and use will also effect saddle life. Many pros will replace there saddle after one long stage race due to the minimal padding packing down.

[Dekonick]

A brooks will outlast you.

[GBD]

I have been on the Aliante carbon version for years. Tried many saddles, but always returned to the ONE. I ride it 2 degrees nose up. After about a year, the leather stitching in the mid section started digging in. I took a few saddles yesterday from LBS, Aliante Gama and two Prologos.

The Gama is soft in the middle compared to the carbon version, so you will sink in deeper, (I do @ 200 lb.) Put in about 15 miles on each and the best of 3 is the Prologo Scratch Pro. I am going to put in another week on it before final decision.

Regardless, I plan on taking the Aliante carbon to a auto upholstery place to have them re-upholster it and see if that would help.

[regularguy412]

I'm one who needs a little padding on my saddle,, not a lot,, but a little. I loved my old model (very old) Concor saddle. They stopped making them in the mid-90s. I tried the replacement, Concor Lite. It was too minimalist -- practically no padding and the shape just wasn't the same. Back then, there was very little padding IN shorts.

I have finally found a saddle that actually 'works' for me. It's Selle Italia SLK, or the SLK Gel. Both have enough padding, but it's more about the shape and how I tend to sit on the bike. I now own 2 regular SLKs and 1 SLK Gel. The center cut out works very well and each 'side' of the saddle is independently supported with its own set of little shock absorbers. The installed width of these saddles at their widest point is 127 mm.

When you find a saddle that works, protect it well. I have a 100th Anniversary Selle Italia saddle that I put on my CSI in 1997. That particular saddle worked for me. I put a waterproof saddle cover on it. It's now on its second saddle cover and still just as comfy as day one. It's the saddle that I finally landed on after my old Concor turned into a rock due to all the salt water that migrated into it. The water evaporated and left the padding filled with solid salt.

MIke in AR:beer:

[rugbysecondrow]

Opinions are like @ssholes...but here is mine (opinion that is).

I love my Brooks Saddles. I have 4 now, 2 newer B-17s that are being broken in (at 225# that happens a little faster) an old and neglected B-17 that I got at a garage sale that is ugly as sin, but like a catchers mitt. I also have a Pro on my 29er that is comfy, but I have not put serious time on yet to give a review. I would choose the B-17, and forget about it. It was comfortable enough from the get go and has only gotten better. Not to say it is better than everything else out there or that it will be the absolute best option for you, but I also think there is something to be said for making a decision, committing to a good product and moving on. You can get caught in "Paralysis by Analysis" and really ruin the fun of your rides if you are constantly thinking that there might be something better.

Anyway, pick the B-17, put your @ss in the saddle, and have a great time.

Cheers,
Paul

[peanutgallery]

The perfect saddle is worth the quest, imho. You'll spend hours and hours on the thing.

Funny thing...the new model Selle Italia Flites fit perfectly. I really should buy up a few before they change again.

+1: Find what works and buy a couple. For some reason, I too like the original Flite, got a bulk deal long ago and wouldn't sell one for anything at this point.

Always wished I had the posterior for a Regal, though. Worth the journey to find what works, but you must know when to stop looking. You will drive yourself crazy and pass up what might be best. The B-17 is an appealing concept, but I found what I want don;t want to invest in a change

[rounder]

My opinion is that saddle preference is personal and that it matters (i never tried a Brooks). My basic feeling was that the guys who spend every day riding their bikes had a much better idea than me what the saddle should be. Greg rode a Regal. Davis Phinney rode a Rolls. Miguel rode a Turbo. I rode all of them and liked the way the Rolls looked best, but liked the way the Regal felt. I used to get a new saddle every year and replaced them when they were beat up, but they were 35 each. Now they are 100 - 300+ per saddle. My recommendation is to experiment on the shape first and then try to find something you like.

[WadePatton]

Buy all the saddles you can find with a six-month return policy and try those. ;)

And remember that there are different widths. Try as I might I couldn't get fully comfortable on the Swift, but do dandy on the 17. The Swift is narrower.

For the moment and reasons way beyond the scope of a saddle discussion, I have an Italian plastic (the catchall term for shell/padding/cover construction) saddle on my roadie right now. It's a genuine pain and I find any excuse to ride a different bike for that single reason. Situation will be remedied soon.

It's quite personal, but there's a reason or two why some very old designs are still with us.

[bozman]

I have been on the InForm RL for the past 12 months on my bike and I love it. I was intrigued by the Toupe Gel saddle since the shop that sponsors my cycling club is a Specialized showroom but I hated it.

The InForm program has an unconditional comfort guarantee that gives you 90 days to try it. If you don't like it you can return it for full refund. Bontrager dealers also have an InForm a$$-o-meter so you can be sized correctly.

[WadePatton]

... an InForm a$$-o-meter so you can be sized correctly.
Now that's a step in the right direction-plastic or leather.

[Climb01742]

I have been on the InForm RL for the past 12 months on my bike and I love it. I was intrigued by the Toupe Gel saddle since the shop that sponsors my cycling club is a Specialized showroom but I hated it.

The InForm program has an unconditional comfort guarantee that gives you 90 days to try it. If you don't like it you can return it for full refund. Bontrager dealers also have an InForm a$$-o-meter so you can be sized correctly.

i've been riding the RL for a few months now and really like it. saddles are so subtly frustrating because there are so many variables: width, length, flat or hammocked, cut-out or not, level or tilted. trying to find the right combo of all those is hard, time-consuming and can be expensive. that said, what are you gonna do? nothing ruins riding more or faster than a PIA saddle. i went through an evolution: aliante (which eventually felt too soft) to a bunch of narrow harder saddles (which felt too narrow and hard) to a regal for a long time (which ultimately felt just a bit too wide) to now the 146 inform RL. for me, just the right width seems key to supporting my sitbones, but also just the right padding (which the RL has, enough but not-aliante-too much) and its flat (and i have it dead level) which lets me slide a bit during rides. i'd very much recommend trying different widths. it was eye-opening for me how much difference widths make.

searching for the right saddle_is_a huge PIA...but so is not finding it. it's riding's catch 22. :crap:

[keno]

I like a saddle that gives me lots of choices as I tend to move around quite a bit depending on riding circumstances. The San Marco Regal has proved reliable over the years and I keep coming back to it.

Recently, for aesthetic reasons (wanted white), I bought a Flite Gel Flow and a Max, I think their names. The look is great but don't do it for me in the ride department. Will sell both of them.

Bought a bike with an Arione on it. Seems to have some possibilities, but I haven't tweaked much.

My general conclusion is that if you find something that works well, it's not worth the chase. It's like that new putter that sinks a few and ends up in the closet.


keno

[R2D2]

I ride an Aliante on one bike.
Slightly nose up to have my weight back on my hips.

The only saddle I've found to be more comfortable is a Brooks Swallow with
Ti rails. Again slightly nose up so back of saddle is flat.
Unfortunately they are way pricey now.
I've ridden the Brooks 24 hours straight with no pains at all.
And it gives a little retro touch to the bike.

A big advantage of a Brooks is the leather is tough as sheet.
Almost as tough as the original Bisson hide Turbo's.
The Aliante wears out on the back and sides.
YMMV

[rockdude]

I am the odd ball with the Aliante. I have them on two rode bikes, one cx bike and one MTB bike. I always set them level but end up lowering the nose just a hair off level. They all feel great level until I hit the three hour ride then they tend to bother me.

[Der_Kruscher]

Saddle threads always result in lots of suggestions for Brooks B17's which I think is sort of funny. B17's a great saddle for some folks, sure - but it's also a niche saddle in a way...one, they look goofy-as-hell on a lot of modern bikes and two, they weigh almost a pound more than a lot of good (& comfortable) saddles and they're also probably best for someone with an upright position on the bike. Fine on a touring bike but you don't have to be a weight weenie to cringe at adding a lb to the highest point of your bike. So while I think that the B17 is a fine suggestion for some, it needs to be considered what the OP is comparing to. If an Inform RL is the reference saddle, a B17 most likely isn't the answer.

[Dekonick]

Saddle threads always result in lots of suggestions for Brooks B17's which I think is sort of funny. B17's a great saddle for some folks, sure - but it's also a niche saddle in a way...one, they look goofy-as-hell on a lot of modern bikes and two, they weigh almost a pound more than a lot of good (& comfortable) saddles and they're also probably best for someone with an upright position on the bike. Fine on a touring bike but you don't have to be a weight weenie to cringe at adding a lb to the highest point of your bike. So while I think that the B17 is a fine suggestion for some, it needs to be considered what the OP is comparing to. If an Inform RL is the reference saddle, a B17 most likely isn't the answer.

So try a swift or swallow.

I agree the B-17 is more of a rando option - but for my arse, there is NO other.

[jmeloy]

I have been on the InForm RL for the past 12 months on my bike and I love it. I was intrigued by the Toupe Gel saddle since the shop that sponsors my cycling club is a Specialized showroom but I hated it.

The InForm program has an unconditional comfort guarantee that gives you 90 days to try it. If you don't like it you can return it for full refund. Bontrager dealers also have an InForm a$$-o-meter so you can be sized correctly.
measured over lunch today. Did yours break in much over time (the saddle I mean!).

[dekindy]

measured over lunch today. Did yours break in much over time (the saddle I mean!).

What size Inform was recommended? What model and size saddle do you ride now?

[bozman]

measured over lunch today. Did yours break in much over time (the saddle I mean!).

well, that is a good question. It was pretty comfortable from the get-go. I have not had any numbness or discomfort even after taking it for rides up to three hours right after I got it. It replaced an Arionne and the difference between the two is night and day (according to my opinion.)

It is on my commuter/cross/winter training bike (pics coming this week.)

I just ordered the RXL model as part of the Strong rebuild.

[82Picchio]

I rode Brooks B-17 Champion Special for about 8 years, then discovered Selle An-Atomica (made in Wisconsin) and now have it on three bikes. An-Atomica is much more pliant than B-17 (though you can make it as tight as you like by tightening the screw) and has very long rails -- much, much longer than B-17's -- to allow plenty of room to shove the saddle as far back as you'd ever want. Unlike B-17, which you have to set up nose-up, set up your An-Atomica pretty much level.

P.S. There is a whole bunch of these on eBay at very good prices right now. I'm not affiliated with An-Atomica in any way, though I know the owner.
http://shop.ebay.com/items/selle%20an%20atomica?_dmd=1&_sop=12

[swt]

Do the CC saddle demo thing.

[Johnny P]

The saddle demo program at CC helped me find one I like.
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/road-bikes/demo-saddle

You may want to give it a try.
JP

[dekindy]

P.S. There is a whole bunch of these on eBay at very good prices right now. I'm not affiliated with An-Atomica in any way, though I know the owner.
http://shop.ebay.com/items/selle%20an%20atomica?_dmd=1&_sop=12

I just e-mailed SA to find out what is going on. They replied within minutes and pointed to their warranty and return policy that does not cover any Ebay sales. Very curious how the Ebay sellers acquire these saddles and sell them for $50 less per unit.

[dekindy]

Do the CC saddle demo thing.

I was considering it but now can demo all but the Selle San Marco models locally for free and for more than 7 days.

[dekindy]

Since I was sick yesterday and unable to ride, I rode the Selle Italia Thoork for a few miles this afternoon. It is too small and firm and my Aliante felt good when I rode it after the Thoork. That one is defiinitely not a candidate.

My fitter is going to verify my saddle position in the morning and I hope to ride my Sport, and the Gamma and Carbon Aliante models back to back. Hopefully the service manager will have his bike there and I can ride a Selle Anatomica also. They may also still have a Cannondale touring bike that comes standard with the SA.

[rugbysecondrow]

Saddle threads always result in lots of suggestions for Brooks B17's which I think is sort of funny. B17's a great saddle for some folks, sure - but it's also a niche saddle in a way...one, they look goofy-as-hell on a lot of modern bikes and two, they weigh almost a pound more than a lot of good (& comfortable) saddles and they're also probably best for someone with an upright position on the bike. Fine on a touring bike but you don't have to be a weight weenie to cringe at adding a lb to the highest point of your bike. So while I think that the B17 is a fine suggestion for some, it needs to be considered what the OP is comparing to. If an Inform RL is the reference saddle, a B17 most likely isn't the answer.

True, but there is something to be said for it being one of the most highly rated, recommended and used saddles. I guess the conversation evolves (or devolves depending on your position) into the B-17 discussion because so many people swear by them. That has to be worth something.

To answer the original question, no, it is not better to constantly strive for "Perfection" in your seat. Why would you want to spend you free time on rides where you are constantly evaluating and reevaluating your bike seat? Of course, I like by B-17, but whatever you equivalent is, get it and be happy with it. Stop worrying about your seat until the winter time where you can test it on an indoor trainer where thinking about a bike seat would actually be an improvement.

[Lifelover]

I find that when I'm thinking about the saddle I don't like any of them.

When I'm thinking of the ride, I can tolerate any of them.

If you don't spend anytime thinking about you current saddle, than stick with it.

If you find yourself thinking about your saddle, than ride harder

[Ray]

I find that when I'm thinking about the saddle I don't like any of them.

When I'm thinking of the ride, I can tolerate any of them.

If you don't spend anytime thinking about you current saddle, than stick with it.

If you find yourself thinking about your saddle, than ride harder
Some saddles won't LET you think about anything else. Others you find yourself forgetting about pretty quickly and thinking about the ride instead. I get your point that we're better off not obsessing about the saddle, but when you're on one that doesn't work, there's nothing else to think about. Pain focuses the mind that way. :cool:

I'm lucky in that I tend to find a lot of saddles immediately uncomfortable. So, I'll adjust the position a couple of times to be sure, but usually if a saddle hurts right away its not gonna get any better. So its easy to rule a lot of them out without much effort. The hard part comes in distinguishing a saddle that's OK from one that's REALLY GREAT. This take a lot of miles to figure out. To see which ones disappear and which impose themselves on my consciousness. I can ride any OK saddle for 30-40 miles, but longer than that is when the really good ones stay gone and the pretenders make themselves known. Knowing my approximate sitbone width from the ass-o-meter is a helpful starting point.

The suggestion to ride harder just kicks the ball down the road. When you ride harder, you're putting less weight on your butt so, yeah, any saddle will feel better. But you can't ride hard all the time, so you need something that feels OK when you're actually SITTING on it.

-Ray

[William]

+1: Find what works and buy a couple. For some reason, I too like the original Flite, got a bulk deal long ago and wouldn't sell one for anything at this point.

Always wished I had the posterior for a Regal, though. Worth the journey to find what works, but you must know when to stop looking. You will drive yourself crazy and pass up what might be best. The B-17 is an appealing concept, but I found what I want don;t want to invest in a change


Ditto for me. The original Flites fit me well. I've been riding them since the mid 90's and I horde them now. Some folks are surprised that I like them due at my height + weight (a fairly lean 255). What can I say, they just feel good to me. When you find something stick with it.



William

PS: AR has been trying to get me on a Brooks for years.....na...gonna... dewit. :no: :D

[-dustin]

I was on an Aliante for a few years and never had any real complaints. It worked...didn't hurt. After trying various other saddles for the sake of something new, I gave Speccy's Toupe a shot. Love it. I now have Toupes or Phenoms on my bike (I consider the Phenom to be the mtb version...)

I went and rode with an Antares this weekend...no thanks.

[Ray]

I was on an Aliante for a few years and never had any real complaints. It worked...didn't hurt. After trying various other saddles for the sake of something new, I gave Speccy's Toupe a shot. Love it. I now have Toupes or Phenoms on my bike (I consider the Phenom to be the mtb version...)

I went and rode with an Antares this weekend...no thanks.
We may be the same guy. I rode Aliantes for years and liked it a lot. The only problem was that I like the part of the saddle that supports my sitbones to be level and that meant keeping the Aliante's nose waaaay up. I also tried the Specialized saddles and now ride Phenoms on both road bikes (didn't like the hard but flexy feel of the Toupe, but loved the shape, which the Phenom has with a stiffer shell and a bit more padding). The Specialized is about the same width as the Aliante and similarly crowned, but is pretty much flat front to back, without the Aliantes hammock. I'm also about to try the Antares but if I don't like it, I'm good with the Phenoms.

-Ray

[giordana93]

Since I was sick yesterday and unable to ride, I rode the Selle Italia Thoork for a few miles this afternoon. It is too small and firm and my Aliante felt good when I rode it after the Thoork. That one is defiinitely not a candidate.

My fitter is going to verify my saddle position in the morning and I hope to ride my Sport, and the Gamma and Carbon Aliante models back to back. Hopefully the service manager will have his bike there and I can ride a Selle Anatomica also. They may also still have a Cannondale touring bike that comes standard with the SA.

there's a little problem with your method, in that any new saddle, even if it is destined to be "perfect," will, in the beginning, hurt your butt, unless it puts pressure on your sit bones in the exact same place as your old saddle and you've been riding that (doesn't your butt hurt the first time out in the year if you've been off the bike any length of time, even if it's your old faithful saddle?). so you can't be too dismissive just because it hurts sit bones. sometimes "small and firm" ends up being perfect. otoh, saddles that cause crotch pressure, even through a series of saddle angles, will likely never become acceptable. third, if the only problem with your aliante is your having to angle it down, then it's not that bad. I've read in a few places ridiculous statements like: "your saddle should be dead level. period." everyone's anatomy is different, and if you're comfortable with a couple degrees down, AND you are not sliding forward and putting weight on your hands because of the tilt, then don't worry about not conforming to the norm. most saddles in the old days weren't flat like the arione, so setting it up level meant you chose an arbitrary place to measure the level along the curve, and that's pretty much the case with the aliante. if you happen to sit in the exact middle of that saddle with the tip and tail level, then fine, but you're not a freak if that's not your sweet spot. there may be another saddle whose shape allows you to set it up level and find that spot, but don't be a slave to these "laws" of fit. radically up or down probably signals sth. askew, but not a couple of degrees.
finally, to repeat about your search, don't forget the breaking in period of adjustment for a modern plastic saddle: the saddle doesn't break in, your butt does. if you try sth. like the toupe, you will likely find it uses a totally different place of your sit bones for support (usually a bit more forward along the bones) and that you don't sit at the exact same point on the saddle anyway (i.e. the fore-aft position could well be 2cm different for the saddle even though your personal fore aft stays the same, if that makes sense) and that, yes, it hurts, for a good hundred miles or so. reject the saddles that hurt your perineum but give the others a chance, assuming that for some reason you want sth. different than the aliante (but not because the latter is pointing down a degree or two). the butt meter thing is a good start too, but use your aliante itself for that: figure out where your sit bones leave an impression (or just mark where you sit along the saddle) and measure that width. it's a better "in-situ" measurement, unless you sit on the bike like you sit on a chair (or like those guys on the Brooks sit! :D kidding of course!)

[RPS]

Rather than asking for saddle recommendations, has anyone had a saddle that they were very happy with and then tested some saddles and found something better? I really want to concentrate on riding better this summer and a more comfortable saddle would help some with riding in the drops. But I don't want to waste the summer on testing saddles. Please, any success or horror stories are welcome.For me it’s more about avoiding the wrong saddle than finding the “perfect” saddle. I’ve tried some that I couldn’t ride for 10 miles and others that I can adapt to with little effort given a little time.

Having said that, I’ve been riding Avocet O2 saddles almost exclusively for well over 10 years and prefer the original over the anatomical design. I have O2s on both tandems and all singles except for beater bikes; and won’t look for replacements unless they stop making them or I start having problems (beyond the normal of what should be expected when increasing mileage by 400 percent in a week or something similar :rolleyes: ). Maybe not perfect, but good enough for me. I find the risk of creating saddle problems by trying something new just in case there is something better is not warranted at this time.

[dekindy]

I went to my fitter today and got my seat post adjusted back to the correct position and picked up a carbon railed Aliante to demo. I still have the option of borrowing the store manager's spare Bontrager Inform RL saddle but I don't know if I am going to or not.

I have just about decided to stick with the Aliante. I rode a few laps around the strip center and the carbon Aliante feels good. I will put the Sport back on and compare the two once I have completed a long training ride, hopefully this evening if the rain stays away like it is supposed to.

My conclusion is that unless you are having a specific problem, searching for something that might be marginally better is not worth it. There are just too many variables and it is too much work for only a small increment in improvement. Since many of the options that I am considering would require me to purchase a saddle that my fitter's LBS does not offer, I am obliged to stick with the saddle and service combination that keeps me a problem-free cyclist.

My buddy was impressed with the Selle Anatomica saddles that we sat on at NAHBS. He has a Specialized saddle and is not having any problems and is not going to do anything different until he is required to make a change. He is not even tempted to purchase a new saddle now for as he puts it "an small incremental improvement", which I think is what most people on the forum are telling me.

I forget who suggested it, but I think relegating this to a winter time decision is a good suggestion. Trying out saddles on the trainer makes a lot of sense. That way I would be in total control and it would not detract from enjoying outdoor rides. Pretty good advice I think.

[dekindy]

The more saddles that I test the better the Aliante feels so I am sticking with it. My fitter adjusted my current Aliante Sport and gave me a Aliante carbon and a loaner seat post so I could switch them back and forth easily. The Carbon saddle felt good but not that much better that I am willing to part with cash for a new saddle until I absolutely have to.

I also tested a Bontrager Inform saddle. The Bontrager saddle felt really good almost to the point of disappearing beneath me when I got on it. After riding several miles around the neighborhood I felt a slight twinge of pain. Considering I did not fiddle with the adjustment and the saddle usually takes several weeks to adjust to because of it's different design, I found this encouraging. If I had not already found the Aliante it would be an excellent candidate and worth long term testing and tweaking especially since there is a 90-day money back guarantee. I think Bontrager may be on to something when I also take into consideration the many positive comments I have read about the Inform saddles. The 146 is almost the exact same size and shape as an Aliante but is flat instead of hammock shaped. The Inform profile is much lower so to get the proper height the seat post had to be raised significantly compared to the Aliante. I recommend anyone searching for a more comfortable saddle to test the Bontrager Inform models.