Saddle Comfort Question

[Rebel_Biker]

I am still searching for that perfect saddle. The most comfortable saddle for me to date is the new Regale, with the standard Regal a second. Has anyone been decent on the Regal and found a different saddle a lot more confortable? I know we are all different, but I am willing to try multiple saddles in an attempt to find the perfect one for me.

My stats
6'0 190 lbs
CAT 4, I only occassionaly race

Saddles tried
SLR - not even close
Arione - not too bad
Aliante - wound up with a damaged perineum after a 70 mile ride
toupe 144 - comfortable on rides under 2 hours, then a decent bit of saddle sore
Selle An-Atomica Titanico - presently working on it - playing with fore aft and tilt to find sweet spot - might work out
Regale - most comfortable so far
Regal - good not great
Flight - not too good

any advice is appreciated

[19wisconsin64]

maybe look into Selle SMP - Glider version. i ride this, and now can't ride anything else. i'm 6 feet and weigh 180... it's not cheap, and takes some getting used to, but now everything else is uncomfortable. good luck in your saddle quest!

[dave thompson]

If the 143 Toupe works somewhat for you, the 155 Romin may be just the ticket for longer rides.

[DRZRM]

I am a bit bigger, and we are pretty similar for saddle choice, I like Regale, An-Atomica, and tried to like the Arione, but finally gave up. The other seat I like is the San Marco Zoncolan. Flat and wide at the rear, narrow up front.

[Rebel_Biker]

thanks
The 155 Romin is definitely on my list to try. I will now try the Zoncolan as well. I did see that some of the bigger guys on tour used the Zoncolan.

[rpm]

I had an Aliante go bad on me. It didn't look like anything was wrong with it, but it was old and soft and must have been distorting under load, giving me back pain.

I had tried a 143 Romin comp gel as a replacement since the Specialized buttometer suggested that was the correct width. I didn't like it. Following Forum advice, I then tried the 155 Evo, and that did the trick. Took me a few days to get used to the feel of my sit bones on it, but now I like it. It provides a very solid platform for pedaling.

[thedude]

I liking my new Romin saddle

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Rebel_Biker

I am still searching for that perfect saddle. The most comfortable saddle for me to date is the new Regale, with the standard Regal a second. Has anyone been decent on the Regal and found a different saddle a lot more confortable? I know we are all different, but I am willing to try multiple saddles in an attempt to find the perfect one for me.

My stats
6'0 190 lbs
CAT 4, I only occassionaly race

Saddles tried
SLR - not even close
Arione - not too bad
Aliante - wound up with a damaged perineum after a 70 mile ride
toupe 144 - comfortable on rides under 2 hours, then a decent bit of saddle sore
Selle An-Atomica Titanico - presently working on it - playing with fore aft and tilt to find sweet spot - might work out
Regale - most comfortable so far
Regal - good not great
Flight - not too good

any advice is appreciated

Have you had a really good bike fit? That has a bigger impact on saddle comfort than saddle design.

[ultraman6970]

The bib or the shorts are a factor also. I have find out that some bibs and shorts are really uncomfortable no matter the saddle you are in, and in other cases after ride #10 the bib starts getting more comfortable.

[zap]

exactly, diapers such as the Assos I recently saw and De Marchi (I have one) can be very uncomfortable.

My favorite right now are Sugoi with FX chamois. Still shaped but thin.

[Black Dog]

Don't forget that for some saddles a slight adjustment in tilt can take you from hell to heaven. When I switched to an Aliante this was the case. The saddle was terrible until I found the sweet spot and then it disappeared and I have never looked back.

[benitosan1972]

Important saddle/fit factors:

-Width/length of saddle
-your riding position
-width of your sitbones
-Fit of your bike in general
-type of riding targeted

Get fit on your bike, test/fit saddles,
find your favorite saddle according to
above criteria. Sounds like you prefer
or need something wider, padded, softer
in the rear like the Regal, doesn't seem like
low profile, race, aggressive saddles agree
with your butt, setup, or riding style. Try a
Rolls or Turbo too, maybe also a Brooks or Ideale.

[jonnyBgood]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Have you had a really good bike fit? That has a bigger impact on saddle comfort than saddle design.

Can't say much more than that...

...I good bike fitter will also measure your sit bones and allow you to try a few different saddle while doing the fit.

[Ralph]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Have you had a really good bike fit? That has a bigger impact on saddle comfort than saddle design.

I've come to believe this also. After going thru about 25 saddles...and none of them being comfortable. Finally decided to learn how best to sit on a saddle, where to sit on it, how high up it needs to be for me to sit on it correctly, how tilt needs to be for way my butt is presented to saddle surface (saddle to bar drop and set back are huge factors here), angle my hips make with saddle, how long my stem needs to be to allow this (wound up going shorter on stem and raising bars slightly), get set back right, and other fit factors.

Now, after getting this understood, I think if width is OK, I could ride about any saddle OK.

[fuzzalow]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Have you had a really good bike fit? That has a bigger impact on saddle comfort than saddle design.

Originally Posted by Ralph

I've come to believe this also. After going thru about 25 saddles...and none of them being comfortable. Finally decided to learn how best to sit on a saddle, where to sit on it, how high up it needs to be for me to sit on it correctly, how tilt needs to be for way my butt is presented to saddle surface (saddle to bar drop and set back are huge factors here), angle my hips make with saddle, how long my stem needs to be to allow this (wound up going shorter on stem and raising bars slightly), get set back right, and other fit factors.

The points made here are IMO the keys to the kingdom. Specific to saddles alone, the answer is not to endlessly buy saddles in the search to find one that fits perfectly. The only choice to be made is between a flat and a curved saddle profile as it is more important to dial in the fit. Any more features offered in saddles beyond the basics are differences without distinction.

I will add that dialing in the fit with a saddle is done in very small increments: setback in course measurements of 3mm or less, fine tuning in increments of 1mm. Saddle tilt in the smallest the seatpost allows or 1/6 turn. Both setback & tilt interplay with each other when finding the correct, pressure free balance point for the degree of pelvis tilt desired. Have a target for the amount of handlebar drop desired before beginning dialing in the saddle as this will effect pelvis angle and as consequence the amount of setback required. Always set the saddle based on riding the drops - if the saddle is not comfortable in the drops then the setup is not yet correct.