Old 08-02-10, 01:55 PM
  #11  
sstorkel
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 5,428

Bikes: Cervelo RS, Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Pro, Schwinn Typhoon, Nashbar touring, custom steel MTB

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8 Post(s)
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Originally Posted by cliffmat
Saddles I’ve tried include:
Specialized Alias
Brooks B17*
Specialized Toupe (&Gel)
Selle SMP Trk
Selle SMP Strike
Selle Italia Gel Flite Gel Flow
Many of these saddles seem very similar. The Alias, Toupe and Selle Italia are all relatively flat with minimal padding, IIRC. The Selle SMP Strike also has minimal padding, while the TRK is overly padded. Based on what you don't like, I'd suggest looking for a saddle that's somewhat curved and has a moderate amount of padding.

My experience with saddles is that long saddles don't work for me, nor do flat saddles. I like a saddle that has a bit of a curve (like the Selle SMP or most WTB saddles), and some amount of padding. My current favorites are the Selle SMP Lite 209 and WTB Rocket V. Both work great for rides up to about 80 miles. For rides in excess of 80 miles, I find that shorts, chamois creme, etc. start to become more important, especially if you're sweating profusely.

Also, think about the problems you're having with your current saddle and use them to adjust what you buy next. Sit bone pain? Try something with a bit more padding. Chafing? Try something a bit narrower. Numbness? Try something with a bit less padding. And so on...
sstorkel is offline