Jynx

1. I know saddles are very personal and everyone is different but there are better choices to stick to that obviously have way more success.

2. This is in the racing section because I want to hear from people who actually ride their bike.

Anyway I want to stick to the classic tried and true saddles so I don't waste my time and money. Here is what I am looking at.

Selle Italia SLR (or some variation like Genuine Gel, Gel Flow, ect..)
Selle Italia Flite (or some variation like Genuine Gel, Gel Flow, ect..)
Selle San Marco Concor Light
Selle San Marco Regal

I chose these four saddles because I would guess a majority of the peloton are on these or fizik (which I have tried). On Selle Italias site they list all the sponsored teams, all the riders, and every riders saddle. 95% choose either the SLR or Flite.

Any other suggestions feel free to add. I have already tried the Fizik Arione, Fizik Aliante, and Specialized Alias as well as some other non popular saddles. I am looking for something better. Where I can put in hours a day and be fine. Input on what you have tried relating to these will be great. Thanks

RichinPeoria

Selle San Marco Regal (in Ti if you want to spend more)

Sinn

I've got the Sella Italia Flite. After broken in, it is real comfy. No problems with circulation or deadness in the legs.

ridethecliche

The new flite looks flatter than the old one.

I loved the SLR but started getting weird sores on one side for no 'real' reason (it was comfortable, but I just had sores after the ride). Since then, I've been unsuccessfully looking for a new saddle. I'm guessing it was something to do with the width of the saddle, which is weird because I used my old one for a year with 0 issues.

Here's something Selle Italia has to say:

https://pronetcycling.com/choosing_a_saddle.htm

I found it interesting that they say that you should raise the nose if you experience soft tissue pain and lower it if you experience sit bone pain. For some reason that sounded counter intuitive, but it makes sense and reminded me that I'd never quite thought about it. So that might help me out as well haha.

botto 

i've been on regals, flites, san marco titanio/strada, and aliantes.

in recent years the aliante was my main saddle, but i've recently gone back to the titanio/strada.

the only saddle i'm vaguely curious about, but have not tried, is the concor light.

^oZ

Pick the one you like the looks of, or try to narrow down wat width you need. They're all tried and true like you say so our opinion doesn't matter

ridethecliche

I'm still hoping that the titanio/strada works out for me.

I'm trying the flite out right now.

I think I've been moving the saddle the wrong way when issues strike, i.e. moving nose down when soft tissue hurts instead of moving the nose up. I'll try what you suggested with having the saddles 'level' with the 'hammock' in the middle and see where that takes me.

Jynx, the advice above is for the 'classic' saddles which aren't completely flat. The new flite, however, seems to conserve the shape of flite but is flat instead of being slightly rounded.

I think that not taking the time to make small adjustments also leads to giving up on a saddle that's right for you. I think if you start with the saddle 'level' (in the old or new style) and then adjust nose up if you have soft tissue pain or nose down if you have sit bone pain, you can find something that works.

My issue with the titanio was that certain angles would cause it to rub into my left thigh (only the left) while the SLR would give me saddle sores on the right side (only the right). Looking for a happy medium with the titanio because I used to love it, but I ran much less drop earlier than now. Then again, pros run it with tons of drop so I figure that I'll find a sweet spot if I play with the angle. I feel like the winter's the best time for playing with saddles since you're not really racing or doing too much and you can stop along the way and make adjustments.

Jynx

Thanks for all the responses so far. Another concern is also when looking at Selle Italia saddles is that they have so many versions of the one saddle. If I look at the SLR is it worth it to look at the SLR XP, gel flow, or kit carbonio or just look at the regular one?


I am really liking the regal but how does it compare with a flite. They seem to have a similar shape besides the width. Even though the regal is 150mm wide I have heard that is misleading because of the width at the back and with the rivets and all you are really only sitting on the 130mm or so section in front of the rivets. Does it feel much wider then the flite?

El Diablo Rojo

I you are considering the SLR you might want to check out the Selle San Marco Aspide FX. I have the carbon FX on my bikes now and if you'd like to try one out I've got the one with the Ti rails for sale. 50 buck shipped. Carbon railed version weighs in at 119g and I found it (both the carbon and ti version) to be more comfortable than the SLR.

ridethecliche

Here's the aspide FX:

https://www.wekeepyoucycling.com/en/p...fx-saddle.aspx

EDR: What did you think that the difference was? I might also be interested.

El Diablo Rojo

Between the Aspide and the SLR? The SLR has slight crown to the top of the saddle while the Aspide doesn't. The SLR put pressure on the ol'e taint the Aspide doesn't and in Ti form is about the same weight. I've put in several 4-5 hour rides on the Aspide and felt great while the SLR was good for about 2 hours and I was done. So much of this is personal preference of course, I bought the Ti version to sure I liked it as the carbon version ain't cheap.

ridethecliche

Are the widths about the same?

I had a little bit of chafing/saddle sores from the side of the aspide. I'm trying an old school flite right now, so give me a couple of days and I'll let you know!

ridethecliche

This is going to sound ridiculous, but I think I want to try one of these:

https://www.performancebike.com/bikes...00_20000_26503

I figure that there might be something to it, and since it's performance you can return without issue if it doesn't work for you.

Ever thought about these jynx?

mollusk

The saddles on my two main road bikes are a 135g SLR and a Fizik Arione. I have ridden each saddle on 200 km rides and both are fine for me. I keep telling newbies that these things are saddles and not seats. Ride hard enough and it doesn't matter that much what is on the end of your seatpost.

Fat Boy

I picked SLR, but really I think the SLC or SLK saddles are a better option. My opinion shouldn't matter F-all, though. You have to pick what works for you.

Jynx

My LBS has a demo program with all of those saddles. They charge you full price for the saddle and refund the full price when you bring it back. I have not tried it yet although maybe i'll give it a shot.

Anyway looks like I may be trying the SLR first.

ridethecliche

Truth, but the coach makes me do silly things like recovery rides, and go at aerobic threshold while I'm not doing intensity. That's what hurts.

Honestly, the SLR is the most comfortable saddle I've ridden. I just had all these weird saddle sores at the end of the day to the point where it hurt to walk sometimes. I think it was a width issue. Funny because I'd never had that issue before with it...

Jynx

did anything else change? seat height, shorts, ect?

ridethecliche

Shorts maybe?

I played with saddle height/angle a bit, but I did that a TON on my old frame too and had no issues. I honestly had 0 numbness/taint issues with the SLR, just weird sores that happened out of the blue. I honestly didn't feel any pain on the bike, and then I discovered that it hurt to walk and then I found I had sores in the shower. Took a week off, sores went away, and then tried saddle again and back they came.

Swapped saddles, and other issues are there, but no sores.

/me=annoyed.

Jynx

how old is the saddle? maybe it is worn out or has a crack. Honestly it is risky but i would try a new SLR and see.

ridethecliche

It's brand new. It was a warranty replacement for one that cracked.

It's a team issue and looks hawt.

admcptch

Not to hi-jack the thread, but there were a couple saddle threads in the 41 this week, especially Toupe vs. Arione. Seemed that the Toupe is for those who have pressure on the 'soft tissue,' which is why it has the cutout, and that the Arione was for those who needed relief for their sitbones. I am in the sitbone category. I have about 100 miles on this San Marco Ponza and it has gotten to the point where my sitbones get so sore I can barely sit on the bike, let alone head out for a long ride. I don't put any pressure on my soft-tissue, I sit totally on my sitbones, think I should go for the Arione? If it doesn't work out then I'll just sell it back on eBay.

ridethecliche

Buy one on ebay, if it doesn't work, then sell it back.

botto 

it's been so long that i can't remember.

kensuf

real men ride the real man saddle.

Seriously though, why would you buy something like a saddle based on what any of us tell you? Go try them and choose for yourself.