MTB saddle recommendations

[Michael D]

Originally Posted by avalonracing

Probably depends on the bike's geometry. I have a short-nosed Specialized Power saddle on my Epic Evo and the front of the bike stays down just fine. On my former Santa Cruz Chameleon, I had to ride the nose of a long saddle and the front still wanted to pop up on the steep stuff no matter how much I leaned into it.

Yeah, depends on different things. I'm wary of bikes like the chameleon with short chainstays at my saddle height because the front is gonna be too light. Anyway Selle italia boost saddles are nice too, and have a little more real estate for sliding forward than the powers do.

[EB]

Originally Posted by Michael D

Yeah, depends on different things. I'm wary of bikes like the chameleon with short chainstays at my saddle height because the front is gonna be too light. Anyway Selle italia boost saddles are nice too, and have a little more real estate for sliding forward than the powers do.

Absolutely true that it's geo dependent. Also height dependent. I tried that saddle on an Evil Following v3, which is notorious for having a much slacker effective seat tube angle than advertised for those who need their saddle above 800 mm.

It's possible it could still work - I kept it around just in case. But I also tried it on the Forbidden Druid, which actually has the seat tube angle claimed, and it was still not long enough for the occasional 28% grade climb we have here.

[lorenbike]

WTB rocket!

[tellyho]

I like Ergon SM3 for mtb (assuming your position is modern upright). WTBs have a little too much curvature for me, but I generally like flat saddles.

[Peter P.]

Originally Posted by Loren090

WTB rocket!

I think that's the most comfortable narrow saddle I've ever ridden!

However, I initially bought it for my ATB and I found the narrow Rocket uncomfortable with the more upright position on my ATB. I thought I wasted my money.

Then I got the bright idea to swap it onto my road bike. Wow.
But I had an older version with the plastic sewn on back panels. When the plastic panels started to break away from the stitching, the saddle started wearing holes in my shorts.

I replaced it with a newer version Rocket, still wanting that narrow saddle and the softer version (they have two different padding options). Well, they changed their construction and the newer soft version wasn't so soft.

I currently have a WTB Pure on my ATB. Wider than the Rocket but still with that softer, more generous padding which I like even though I only weigh 130lbs.

The WTB Vigo or Volt look like good, narrow substitutes for the Rocket.

I'd suggest benb scour eBay. I buy my saddles used from people that try something and don't like it; you can always find a deal there without being silly stingy.

[Ken Robb]

Originally Posted by Loren090

WTB rocket!

I think These are what I have been happy with for years but they must be wider than 130mm.

[benb]

Hah. Just did a search and found my own thread.

I have been muddling through on a series of WTB saddles on my MTB for a while now. Same thing as the Bontrager one I can get through a 1-2 hour "real" MTB ride because I get out of the saddle so much, but otherwise have not been comfy. I got a really bad saddle sore last week when I rode 10 miles down a flat dirt trail with my son where I didn't get out of the saddle much.

I ordered an SMP Glider today, someone recommended it above.

I realized I had a Glider on a road bike back around 2010-2013 and Selle SMP says they are OK for MTB. That made it easier to get one despite the price, and to decide on one since they have like 50 models that are really hard to tell apart.

If it works on my MTB I'll try it on my road bike too and then maybe order another one. I haven't been super crazy about the saddles I've had on my road bike the last couple years either, though that bike still feels 1000x better than my MTB has.

Somebody mentioned the WTB saddles being too soft.. I think that's definitely an issue for me.

[Jaybee]

Since we're resurrecting this discussion, I'll add that I also find a difference in what saddle works depending on the ride time, pedaling position and shorts/chamois situation. In general, the same saddle as on your road bike advice has not worked for me.

For my XC bike, a narrow Ergon SR Allroad is working out pretty well. I'm long and low on that bike and wear bibs for every ride longer than an hour. It has a dropper, but the saddle doesn't get super low and the head angle is steeper so being able to get behind it is pretty important. I find it to be comfortable getting forward on long climbs too.

A new (short) version 135mm WTB Silverado is on my trail bike. I'm comfortable on that bike in a more upright position, almost never wear a chamois, and have no issues moving around it with it dropped.

Just for reference, I'm riding a Power Mirror on my drop bar bike, which I don't love on either MTB.

[benb]

We'll see, if this one doesn't somehow work on my MTB I'll just try it on the road, and I know it works for me there since I rode one for a few years.

I can't even remember what happened to the one I had, the bike got destroyed in an accident, but IIRC the saddle was not damaged.

For MTB one thing is weird for me.. I crave a lower position like on the road or an XC/gravel bike, but my bike is really in the trail category. It's a funny thing. As long as I'm just pedaling along I feel too upright and it might contribute to discomfort. It's just so tough because as soon as things get technical it is about right.

I wear the same shorts for everything. I have tried baggies a couple times but have never gotten comfortable with them and always just go back to wearing bibs. So there is no different variable there, and that means I don't need to buy two different types of shorts.

[EB]

Have you tried the SQlab ergowave mountain bike saddles? They come in 13cm widths (among many others) and have a cool tunable stiffness feature with different inserts. I run the 611 on my hardtail and the 60x on the long travel bike.

[Likes2ridefar]

I just use the same saddle I’d use on my road and gravel bikes. I had an Antares 00 for awhile on my full suspension mtb but when I changed droppers the new one wasn’t compatible with oval carbon rails. Now I use the metal version.

[benb]

I got the SMP out for a ride yesterday. It felt weird putting it on my mountain bike. In any case I got it dialed in pretty close and then rode it up and down the driveway and moved it back some.

It’s astonishingly good. I thought it might seem hard at first on a hard tail but no it’s just really comfortable. And the beaked nose makes it almost impossible to snag on it getting in and out of the saddle. I’d dare say it’s so comfy I could ride a decent distance without bike shorts.

The glider is 136mm. It kind of tells me it’s more about the shape than the width as it’s like 7mm wider than the WTB I took off but has no chafing like the WTB.

I had a great ride. Probably the first time I’ve ever rode my Trek Farley with the saddle staying comfortable the whole ride. And the saddle seems to set up comfortable in a position that the bike really likes in terms of fore-aft balance.

[tellyho]

I have Ergons on both of my mtb - their shape seems to work really well for my ass in an upright mtb position. Though honestly I can ride most any flat saddle. I don't like WTB's curve.

[benb]

For me it’s not the fore-aft curve that seems to be important it’s the lateral curve across the saddle in the wings. The older steeper profile works better for me than the newly popular flatter lateral profile.

Obviously a lot of the older saddles like the classic flite and arione do put you at more risk of pressure in the plumbing but their more rounded profile works better on my sitbones.

[thermalattorney]

If that's the case then I'd say add the Specialized Power Arc to your list. It's got an very rounded profile for a modern saddle.