Saddle advice needed

[700 x 23c]

Years back, I had a problem with numbness where I did not want it while riding. I switched to a saddle with a "hole" in it and everything was great.

I am in between bikes and waiting for my new frame. I am getting some chaffing on my inner thigh and it got me thinking about saddles (I have a feeling the chaffing is from the bike set up as I did not have this problem on my old bike [sold] before I got this "new" bike [too big])

1. How do you know how wide your sits bones are? (I imagine mine are not wide...male, 140 lbs, 5'6", with a 31 waist, and a small butt).

2. Try going with a saddle without a "hole" in it? And if so, Arione or do I dare consider a Brooks? (I am looking to be comfortable and ride up to 100 miles at a nice/good pace....not flying around a 0.5 mile crit, so I don't think weight is that much of an issue).

Thanks for your time and thoughts....I can handle jokes now too :D

[Kevin]

Saddles are a very personal thing. Each persons body is slightly different and therefore the saddles that people find comfortable also differ. Personally, I like the Fizik Alliante. I have 2 bikes with the Alliante and 2 new Alliantes on the shelf in case it is redesigned. I also have a box of saddles that did not work for me. Best advice is trial and error.

Kevin

[Climb01742]

another vote for the aliante. for me, most comfy ever. but it all depends on two shapes: da butt and da saddle. ;)

[dave thompson]

There are more than a few users of Brooks in this group myself included, that swear by that 'hard leather saddle', particularly for long rides. They are a tad heavy, but are also quite inexpensive as saddles go.

[Big Dan]

Hey 700...forget about them holes and fancy saddles, look at what Boonen was riding today...
a white San Marco Regal..go for the good stuff your behind will thank you later...... :D

btw..VanPetegem was using a San Marco Rolls........sweet... :banana:

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . seems to be the rule. But at least now you can do it a bit more cheaply by using eBay. They have a whole category for seats and there are literally hundreds. Seems lots of other people have converted their “errors” into cash. They buy one, use it for a few rides and when the family jewels go numb they switch and put the old saddle up for auction.

BBDave

[Trouble]

Besides saddle choice (mine is an Aliante) is bike fit. I learned that if the bike doesn't fit correctly then saddle style/type makes little difference.

[wwtsui]

I've read somewhere that Specialized's new Alias line of saddles comes in different widths and that dealers have some kind of memory foam covered board that you sit on so that they can measure the width of your sit bones. Haven't tried the saddles, but it sounds interesting.

As everyone says, saddles are a very personal thing. fwiw, I've had good luck with Selle Italia Prolinks and am one of the few that actually liked the Selle San Marco Era Luxe that came standard on Treks & Lemonds for the last few years (you can usually find them cheap on eBay). I did finally switch to a Terry Fly Tri Gel last season after we got a tandem and love it -- we're still working on standing jointly on a tandem, so in the meantime, we're sitting a lot more...

Good luck!

[Bradford]

we're still working on standing jointly on a tandem


My wife and I had trouble at first two because I was trying to hold the tandem steady. Once I started to rock it back and forth like we do on our half bikes, standing was easy. Also, make sure you say standing and sitting so you get up and sit down at the same time.

You should also do some TBones rides. They are tandem rides throughout Mass and RI; you can learn from other riders.

[vaxn8r]

My wife and I had trouble at first two because I was trying to hold the tandem steady. Once I started to rock it back and forth like we do on our half bikes, standing was easy. Also, make sure you say standing and sitting so you get up and sit down at the same time.


Yeah, I would recommend first practice standing on the flats in a bigger gear, then work up to shallow grades and then on to steeper stuff. Start with slower cadences at first. It just takes some time on the bike and communicating on when you're ready to stand and sit.

I love tandeming. Love it!

[davids]

Unfortunately, the saddle-sitbone interface is rather personal, and what works for one person (or even most people) won't necessarily work for you.

I've been pretty happy with the Fizik Arione (last season's hot saddle), more so than I was with the Terry Fly I rode for a year. On the other hand, a Selle Italia Flite (which may be one of the most popular saddles around) was like an instrument of torture for me. I've found that my @ss feels better on Selle San Marcos' products, and I'm continuing to experiment with other saddles. Right now I'm using a San Marco Regal, and I think its curves may suit me better than the Arione. But I need a couple long rides to be sure.

Good luck.

[Kevan]

have Sandy break one in for you? Sorry, but without a stain is not an option currently.

He's working on that...

[Richard]

My LBS has the Specialized sit bone measurement foam. I does work. I tried it and the measurement confirmed that the width of the saddle that I've used for years was right (no surprise, I am comfortable on it). It would have eliminated a lot of saddles from the trial and error period, though. If a Specialized dealer is nearby, give it a try.

[tinear10]

Specialized Alias. Have your local dealer measure you. They have 3 differnt widths.

[keno]

how can you go wrong with this? Send me your address and I will send you a practically brand new San Marco era that I bought on ebay, no cost to you. It's pretty narrow and may help with the chafing problem.

Myself, I ended up with the San Marco Regal; have one on each of my bikes. I experiment from time to time but come right back to the Regal. There is no predicting, I have found, how a saddle will work for me regardless of what others may say or how it looks. You have to try them. Tougher yet is that some saddles take many miles to break in.

keno (keno@blast.net)