Saddle hunt! Aliante's peers?

[rice rocket]

I know everyone on bike forums looooves saddle threads, but I figure maybe someone can throw in a few cents at me.

I've tried all the mainstream Fizik stuff (mainly because I like their ICS clip so I can move my tools/spares between bikes easily :)). Arione didn't really work out in any way, shape or form. Antares didn't agree with my sitbones, although I liked the feel of the saddle. Aliante is what I'm on now, and it works the best of the 3. Sit bones are okay, but I feel like it's not exactly correct. I need to do a lot of shifting on the saddle after 45 minutes and can endure, but it's never "comfortable". It's also almost too plush, I felt with the Antares I could generate more power out of the saddle...if that makes sense.

So what next? Anyone else come from an okay fit on an Aliante to find their one and only?

[rustychisel]

hmmm, yeah, I sympathise. Arione for me, but the Antares is very firm and I 'can' handle it, just. Aliante is a different beast entirely, being a cradling saddle. Maybe try a bit of nose-up or other angling if you haven't already, or maybe see about an older Pave (cheap, nice shape, got to me after 60km or so).

[WickedWheels]

I liked the Aliante and had good luck with the Selle Italia ProLink. The most comfortable, though, is the San Marco Regal. Basically, these are all saddles for... um... wider-hipped-riders as they have wide tails. ;)

[AngryScientist]

i second the regal rec. they seem to have a bit less padding, but similar overall shape as the aliante. that said, you really need to try it to "know".

Also, i really, really like the looks of this saddle. i've been fighting the temptation to order one, though i definitely dont need it.

http://tfe.me/image/480_345/SA6208.jpg

[ahumblecycler]

Perhaps the Aliante Versus. The padding is firmer than regular model, and the channel cut through the nasty nose bump. I have one sitting on my shelf at home (1 bike, too many saddles). We can work out a deal if you are interested.

[Pegoready]

My butt likes the Aliante too.

My butt also likes the Prologo Scratch:

https://www.cambriabike.com/Images/product/prologo_scratch_saddle.jpg

[MadRocketSci]

special-ed's romin has also been compared to the aliante...no experience here yet...

[dekindy]

I liked the Aliante and had good luck with the Selle Italia ProLink. The most comfortable, though, is the San Marco Regal. Basically, these are all saddles for... um... wider-hipped-riders as they have wide tails. ;)

Does the Regal give you multiple comfortable positions instead of just the one that the Aliante offers? I would like to be able to move around on the saddle. I have been hesitant to experiment because all my other attempts have either ended in saddle sores or at best very uncomfortable. At least I know with the Aliante that it is perfect as long as I stay in the sweet spot.

[bigman]

Ever try a Rever Profile - by Selle San Marco - does not look it but somewhat similiar to a Regal. Could send you one if you want to try it out.

[PaulE]

I like the Alliante and ride it on 4 different bikes. I've also tried and like the Sell San Marco Regal. Serotta Pete set me up with a Selle Italia Gel Flite with the cutout for my HSG. I like that one too.

[Idris Icabod]

I rode the Aliante exclusively for about 4 years and gradually it started to make my boys numb after about an hour on the bike. I tried a new Aliante saddle thinking that the padding had broken down, but still numb junk. I have been on an Selle Italia SLR flow now for a couple of years. Took a few rides to get used to as it doesn't have as much padding. Luckily my riding buddy has the largest collection of near new discarded saddles outside of a bicycle shop, so I just borrowed one at a time from him. The SLR was a surprise as it is very flat compared to the Aliante.

[vpierce1]

If you think you can handle something a little narrower try a Concor. I was initially turned off by the narrow width, however once I got it set up properly it's great. I set up both the Aliante and Concor with the middle to nose flat and the back a bit kicked up. Works for me but YMMV.

[dekindy]

Based upon riding the 143mm demo saddle for 20 minutes on the trainer, except for the slot, the Specialized Romin is the exact same as the Fizik Aliante. One caveat, the Romin is firmer than the Aliante, except for the base model, Comp Gel. I am not sure if the saddles get progressively stiffer as you go up the line, but the Pro Model might be. Riders report that the saddle gets gradually better so that may be the adjustment period for the firmness and having their weight slightly more concentrated on their sit bones. I can definitely feel my junk protruding through the slot, if I poke my fingers from underneath, but there was no pinching in any position.

If you overlay the saddle top to top, the dimensions appear to be almost exactly the same with the Romin having a barely slightly longer nose. Comparing the profiles there appeared to very little difference to my untrained eye. I am not sure if I could have told the difference by sitting on them blindfolder except for the difference in stiffness, which is noticeable but difficult to gauge what difference it would make on a century ride, and the slot. I might try sitting on the Comp Gel to compare but they do not have a demo saddle for that model so it would involve mounting a brand new one which they might do if I asked nicely.

The LBS stocks the Comp Gel Cromoly, the Expert titanium, and the Pro carbon railed models. There are two other models, the Romin and the Romin SL, listed on the Specialized website but the LBS did not have those. I am not sure of the differences between those models.

If you are looking for an Aliante alternative and feel that the slot better for your junk, I would highly suggest it. I tested the Fizik Antares and a couple of Selle Italia on their test program and did not find anything even remotely as comfortable as the Aliante, until the Romin.

Ideally I would like a summertime road test before rendering a final verdict, but it looks promising.

[jednjen42]

I've gone through lots of saddles. I ride double centuries and found the Terry Liberator saddle to be the most comfortable for me. It's by no means a light weight saddle, but I don't care, comfort is way more valuable then a 100g while on the bike for 12hrs.
http://www.terrybicycles.com/saddles/mens/detail/2154800/current/liberator-race-gel-saddle

[dekindy]

I spent about 30 minutes total riding the Romin today, getting off several times for adjustments. From this session and a previous sessions of trying different adjustments I have arrived at a position I want to test continuously

I have not altered the height that my Aliante was adjusted and the fore/aft adjustment seems to be the same. However my Aliante is angled slightly nose down but the Romin seems more comfortable slightly nose up.

I will try to ride a longer session tomorrow but trainer riding is tedious. If I do purchase this saddle I will wait until Spring so that I can have the 30-day money back guarantee period to verify if it is suitable for hours of riding. The center channel does seem to be designed well since it seems to give relief but no pinching. Not that the privates feel squished on the Aliante but I think that is due to the padding and flex which the Romin test saddle has neither.

With each adjustment the saddle seemed to disappear under me but we know that the proof of the pudding is many hours of sustained riding which is just not going to happen indoors or even outdoors during an Indiana Winter.

[Benjamin]

I bought a Romin SL in September, I have about 1000 miles on it so far and I really love it. I haven't really owned a ton of other saddles that I've liked - an Arione, various Flite models, and most recently, a couple of other Specialized saddles.

I had an Alias on my commuter for a couple of years (very comfy), and a Toupe Team on my road bike. I found the Toupe comfy, but a little too flexy, and it had these plastic flanges at the back that would hit me in a funny way sometimes.

The Romin was getting some good reviews, so I gave it a shot. I like the extra length, the wider nose, generally flatter profile (though a little more curve than the Toupe and Alias), and cutout. The raised tail gives you a nice bit of support, and I'm extremely pleased at the stiffness of the saddle, it doesn't flex, yet isn't harsh at all. Excellent product.

[Rueda Tropical]

The Romin looks good. I'm on a Regale and love it. Now I'm curious about the Romin. Pic has a white Romin superimposed on red silo of aliante. Top view is aliante and romin.

[dekindy]

Do all the examples beside the Romin have a flex feature? Does this explain the longer vertical side area in the side view picture of the non-Romin models? If not, what is the significance of that additional area? Thanks RT for the comparison pictures since it is much more accurate than eye-balling it especially using my untrained eye.

[dekindy]

I jumped on the trainer today and rode rhe Romin saddle for 20 minutes without any saddle adjustment or moving around on the saddle. Saddle felt comfortable except I was very aware of the pressure points that my weight was focused on that I don't feel with the Aliante. It did not hurt or create numbness but is consistent with the adjustment to this saddle that some have reported. The lack of saddle flex and focus of your weight is initially uncomfortable but can be dealt with and once the adjustment period is over the saddle is very comfortable. At least those are the reports. I will defer final judgment until when and if I purchase one in the Spring and am able to put some long rides and several rides behind me, pun intended. Winter storm is forecast for this weekend so I will be returning the saddle tomorrow.

[Hawker]

Seems like a lot of people either love or hate the Specialized Toupe. I test rode the more padded version last week and liked it. Of course most anything feels good for the first ten miles. My current go-to saddle is the Aliante.

[d_douglas]

and I was looking at a Prologo model (Scratch likely) in a shop one day. I noticed that the form of the shell was virtually identical to the Aliante. This might be a good choice.

Otherwise, I ride an old Regal and it is super comfy too.

[SpeedyChix]

The Romin looks good. I'm on a Regale and love it. Now I'm curious about the Romin. Pic has a white Romin superimposed on red silo of aliante. Top view is aliante and romin.

Which Pro Logo is that in the lineup?
Nice job on the overlay of the two saddles too!!

[rice rocket]

Keep in mind that the Aliante foam is rather soft, so the effective height is probably closer to the Romin than that picture shows.

At least I hope that is the case...I have an ISP. :rolleyes:

[dekindy]

Keep in mind that the Aliante foam is rather soft, so the effective height is probably closer to the Romin than that picture shows.

At least I hope that is the case...I have an ISP. :rolleyes:

Does firmness matter when it comes to maximizing energy transfer. If firmer is better that would be a good reason for me to try the Romin.

[rice rocket]

I haven't done back to back comparisons on a Powertap or anything, but a stiffer saddle does *feel* faster. I had the Antares for 2 or 3 rides, and I felt like I had better power.

I really wanted to like the Antares, but I had too much perennial/pubic bone pain.

[alias320]

I tried the new style SI Turbomatic and actually went back to an aliante. While the saddle is accommodating to wider hips, I found that the saddle was a bit too firm for my tastes. Since it seems as though you find the aliante a bit soft- this may be an option to consider. Just my 2 cents.

[marques]

I road an Antares for a while, too hard for me, but i liked the width. I ended up getting an Aliante. I think its a great saddle, but sometimes all of that cushion got to me.

After a crash in June, i replaced a few things, one of them being the newer Antares VS. The versus edition. It is a decent compromise between the Antares and the Aliante. I love it. The groove down the middle avoids any pressure problems and the small amount of added padding, compared to the Antares, feels great on high mileage rides.

Also, I wear Giordana laser bibs and the chamois/saddle combo is the best I've tried.

Good Luck!

[ahumblecycler]

FWIW, I rode the Romin SL for several hundred miles after too much perennial pressure caused by my much beloved Aliante. I found the 130mm Romin to the same as the Aliante.

[dekindy]

FWIW, I rode the Romin SL for several hundred miles after too much perennial pressure caused by my much beloved Aliante. I found the 130mm Romin to the same as the Aliante.

Did you try the 143? Did you get measured by the Assometer and what did they recommend? Did you think that you needed a narrower saddle before you switched or had you tried narrower saddles before and liked less width?

Several Saxo Bank pro riders chose to go wider with the Romin, some using the 155. Based upon this revelation I was tempted to try a wider width since I weigh 200 pounds and even some skinny pro riders preferred a wider width.

[old fat man]

i just swapped out my aliante for a prologo scratch. i raised the seatpost about .5cm thinking the prologo was not as tall of a saddle but i pretty quickly realized the post should have stayed where it was.

i'm really liking the prologo so far and find it to be comfortable in many of the same ways as the aliante. it's definitely stiffer but seeing as how my other favorite saddle is the SLR, i don't mind the added stiffness.

i'd say for those looking to swap, the prologo scratch is a close substitute with a slightly stiffer (in a good way IMO) padding.

oh, i also run the prologo with slightly lower nose.

[ahumblecycler]

Did you try the 143? Did you get measured by the Assometer and what did they recommend? Did you think that you needed a narrower saddle before you switched or had you tried narrower saddles before and liked less width?

Several Saxo Bank pro riders chose to go wider with the Romin, some using the 155. Based upon this revelation I was tempted to try a wider width since I weigh 200 pounds and even some skinny pro riders preferred a wider width.

I went by Velonews saddle shoot out, which listed "usable" width. The usable width of the Aliante matched up very closely to the 130mm Romin, and my butt confirmed this fact.

Past experience on Toupe 143mm, which I was measured for, was too wide as evidenced by the abrasions I had on my thighs from my peddle stroke.

[rice rocket]

i just swapped out my aliante for a prologo scratch. i raised the seatpost about .5cm thinking the prologo was not as tall of a saddle but i pretty quickly realized the post should have stayed where it was.

i'm really liking the prologo so far and find it to be comfortable in many of the same ways as the aliante. it's definitely stiffer but seeing as how my other favorite saddle is the SLR, i don't mind the added stiffness.

i'd say for those looking to swap, the prologo scratch is a close substitute with a slightly stiffer (in a good way IMO) padding.

oh, i also run the prologo with slightly lower nose.

I may try this. Prologo's are <$40 @ Realcyclist.com

[dekindy]

Thanks everyone for the information. I took the Romin demo saddle back and reinstalled the Aliante. I don't know how to evaluate whether the Romin's slot is beneficial enough to go to the effort of adjusting to the Romin's firmness and focus of weight on the sit bones. Maybe the Romin gel version would be worth trying? I guess I will decide in the Spring. I have gone through the process of trying to find something better than the Aliante the last couple of years without success. Maybe I will just ride the Aliante until I am forced to change.

[John H.]

Take a look at old school saddles. Problem with too many new saddles is that they have flatter profiles and sharp corners where the base ends. Older saddles wrapped around much more and were rounder in shape.
Try a Rolls, Regal, Turbo (back in production), also Turbomatic. None of these saddles are sexy or light but one of them might fit your backside.

[dekindy]

I may try this. Prologo's are <$40 @ Realcyclist.com

Which model or models are you considering? I am 200lbs with a wide bottom.

[dekindy]

Well, at 75% off I took the plunge and ordered the Scratch Pro. I needed some Assos cream anyway so the total order was over $50 qualifying for free shipping. Prologo has a u-clip that has to be ordered separately if you want to use their saddle. I found those at Art's Cyclery and will consider if the saddle fits my behind.

[John H.]

Romin might have a similar front to back curve as an aliante, but the saddles could not be more different.
Romin is hard as a rock. Also Romin has a very wide nose and sharp corners like the toupe. It could still work for you- it is just one of those saddles that works (if it works) because of the shape, not the cushion.
Romin is a "sitbone" saddle like a toupe.
Aliante is more taint, soft and shape.
I still say old school saddles have it for the shape and cushion.

[dekindy]

I received the Prologo Scratch on Friday and mounted it on my trainer bike today.

The saddle firmness is not uniform like the Aliante. There are numbers marked on various parts of the saddle that I can only interpret as being firmness indicaters. The back third of the saddle is firmer than the Aliante, the middle third is the same firmness as the Aliante, and the front third is softer than the Aliante. When I say the back is firmer, I don''t mean hard. There is padding.

First sitting on the Scratch felt really good, better than any other saddle I have tried except for the Aliante. Some have described the saddle as slick. I found it easier to slide forward and backward but not slick. With the saddle positioned level when the level is placed lengthwise, there is a sensation that you have to keep sliding forward on the saddle. It feels downhill. So I angled the saddle nose upward until this feeling went away. I would have to look to verify but I believe it was about 1/2 a bubble. Other than not feeling like I was sliding forward, the saddle still felt the same as the initial position. What I mean is that it is not sensitive to having the exact perfect position like I perceive the Aliante requires to be comfortable.

I rode the Scratch for exactly an hour on the trainer. The first 25 minutes was steady state pedaling and I absolutely did not move on the saddle. It felt good. For the rest of the session I rode on the saddle for 3 minutes and then 1 minute standing. While sitting I was aware of very slight pressure on the sit bones, but nothing even close to the Specialized Romin that I tried recently. The Scratch feel is close to the Aliante in spreading the pressure but not exact as I already explained that the padding in the back is firmer. The Romin has been described as requiring an undetermined amount of time to adjust, dependent upon the individual, and I would agree with that wholeheartedly because a large percentage of your weight is focused on the sit bones. I don't anticipate that being much of an issue with the Scratch.

Everyone knows that it takes an 80-100 mile ride in actual Summer conditions to know if a saddle is right for you. But the Prologo Scratch is the only saddle that I have tried so far that feels like it has a good chance of being better than the Aliante. It makes me wonder how great the Aliante might be if they changed the padding firmness on the Aliante to match the Scratch and made the nose slightly longer and slightly wider. Food for thought for Fizik to consider.

At the Real Cyclist discounted price, I would recommend anyone that really likes there Aliante; but like me wonders if there is something better out there, to give the Prologo Scratch a try. It does not hurt that the color scheme goes great with my bike.

http://www.realcyclist.com/prologo-p....4-full-saddle