Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Clydesdale Saddle

I've just had it with the stock saddle on my LeMond Buenos Aires. I knew it was a bit hard and uncomfortable when I bought the bike, but after the last time I rode, it has to go. I'll spare you all the gory details, but it has to go.

I saw the Selle San Marco Azoto TriathGel (http://www.sellesanmarco.com/products/azoto_triathgel.asp) saddle on a Tri bike at my LBS. It looked far more comfortable, and I've read a few good reviews online. It especially interests me since I spend a lot of time both sitting and cruising on group rides with friends, time down in the drops, and like to sit toward the front of the saddle and spin at times -- all things that would bring the gel-padded nose of the Azoto TriathGel into play.

So, I am asking for your honest experiences with that or other saddles, especially if you are a larger-than-normal cyclist. For the record, I am 6-0, 230 lbs and ride a 51cm LeMond Buenos Aires. (It's that small because I have short legs: 30-inch inseams.)

I can't believe you're 6ft tall and have a 30" inseam.

We're not talking about your pants size here, get your wife or whoever and measure it properly. Stand feet appart a foot or so, against a wall, wack something up between your legs and put a mark on the wall. Measure it. THAT's your inseam.

If you really do have a 30" inseam, you're a total freak and will never, ever fit on a stock bike. That's insane.

I'm over 230# as well. I've been using a WTB saddle on my roadie.

Good point about the inseam...but if he is riding a 51cm he probably is about right. And actually the LeMond geometry (with longer TTs) would be a good place to start. Most of my pants are a 30" inseam, but I measure out for a bike around 31.5-32". I ride a 56cm Trek with a standover of 31".

5'10" measured 29" inseam at my bike shop, and yes I am funny looking.

Any Brooks saddle.

I am a bit funny looking proportionally:
- buy tall mens' shirts but regular slacks
- tails of shirts still constantly come out
- my 5'2" mother still doesn't get it that I can drive her car without moving the seat back ... but I have to drive stooped over since I cannot sit up straight in her Saturn :-P
- speaking of Saturns, I've stuck my head through (yes, through) sunrooofs of at least two ...

dtrain, you are dead on target about the LeMond. I tried a Trek 5200 when looking to buy, but could not get comfortable on it. The fellow helping out at my LBS (Revolution Cycles in Georgetown, FYI) immediately suggested I test ride a LeMond due to the geometry. Even on the LeMond, I cannot really stretch out, but I can ride comfortably. Now, about that saddle ...

... and I was far from shocked to see a Brooks Disciple pop up in this thread. Those saddles inspire Macintosh-like devotion. There's probably something behind it.

Any other saddle-related comments? I am still looking for more input. :-)

Specilized BG Road saddles...

Brooks B67

6'1" - 220 lbs. I use and and have had success with following saddles:
Fizik Arione
Specialized Toupe
Selle Italia SLR Carbino Kit
Selle Itallia SLR XP
E3 Form Titanium

I have found that sit bone width really matters for my choice of saddle, hence I need a wider saddle, however that probably isn't dependent on my qualifications as a Clydesdale (6'3" 250). I didn't have luck with an Arionne as it was just to narrow, but I have been riding a Selle Italia Max Flite Gel, that is 18-20 mm wider than the Arione with no problems (Arione was 135 mm, Max Flite is 153 mm, if I remember correctly). I just added a Brooks B-17 to my commuter and must say that it has also been comfortable straightaway. I have previously used a Specialized BG saddle circa 1999, and that worked well for several years too.

I would recommend getting your sit bones measured, or finding the online directions to doing it yourself, (using a bag of flour or powdered sugar or something). That certainly helped me hone in on fit. There aren't many saddles of the plastic/carbon/racing design that are over 145 mm in width, so if you have 150 mm or wider sit bones your choices are limited. Good Luck!

6'0 225, and I second the coment about the Brooks. Yep, I'm a loyal convert and I use a B17 standard. Mine was comfortable out of the shoot, now it's perfect. Rode 150 miles~ last weeknd and no problems.

I'm 250#- had a selle flite at first, but found the fiziks arione to be much more comfortable for me- in the standard seated position, the selle was fine- but after 20 miles or so, it started getting pretty uncomfortable. With the arione, I can change positions a bit and that allows me to go on longer rides now.

5'11", 218, medium build. I have two B17s, one on a commuter and one on an XC mountain bike. Both were mostly comfortable out of the box (nowhere near the torture devices they are rumored to be). I have ~500 miles on the commuter saddle, which has had nothing but Proofide used on it. It's getting broken in nicely and is very comfortable for long rides. The saddle on the MTB has about 100 miles on it. I used baseball glove oil on that one and I'd say it is, if anything, slightly more comfortable than the other saddle.

Just to show I'm not a Brooks bigot and that there are other alternatives for big guys out there, my Merlin has an E3 Form gel saddle on it that has been very comfy for longer (40mi) rides. Looking at it you wouldn't think so given that it's very mimimalist, made of hard plastic, with thin gel padding on top but if you adjust it dead level with your sit bones right on the widest part of the saddle it really sort of disappears. It's sort of like sitting on a padded 2x4, not at all the hammock like sensation of the B17, but it works really well.

The only thing that matters in a saddle is whether its width fits your sit bones (Ischial tuberosities (http://www.gla.ac.uk/ibls/fab/glossary/ischialtuberosity.html)).

Soliciting opinions from other cyclist is useless unless their sit bones are the same profile as yours.

Start as wide as you can find then try progressively narrower saddles to find the right fit.

I might as well chime in, being 6'2" and weighing in at 238 lbs. I too ride a Brooks, and to my great pleasure it's the most comfortable saddle I have owned. It's a Swift btw.

I'm uncomfortable with the phrase "...the saddle disappears". I understand what you are saying, but...

I'm uncomfortable with the phrase "...the saddle disappears".

As am I. :eek::eek::D

I'm uncomfortable with the phrase "...the saddle disappears". I understand what you are saying, but...

You guys must have some really big butts :eek:

Take it from a big Clydesdale. Get a Brooks B-17. You won't regret it.

Yep, I've tried many, many different saddles. The Brooks is the way to go.

Brooks indeed has a Macintosh-like following. Any Brooks devotee will tell you that while the saddle is extremely painful at first, when it breaks in after time, it fits like a glove. Eric Vanderearden used to race those saddles, and I belive he had one on his Paris-Roubaix-winning bike in 1985.

There are about ten thousand-hundred saddles out there, and while you are most likely going to want to stay away from something like a carbon-shell time trial saddle, something like a WTB saddle might be a good idea. Also, check out some of the different saddles from Fizik. Granted, I might be a scrawny 5-9" cyclocrosser, I've been relatively happy with my Fizik Poggio. San Marcos are good, but only if you're a little guy like me.

Ahhh, Lagavulin 16. Nothing like it at 10:00 on a Saturday morning...

So for you big guys that bought a Brooks...did you buy a standard or narrow model?

I'm over 230# as well. I've been using a WTB saddle on my roadie.

Which WTB saddle? I test rode a Giant OCR3 and found the WTB LASER V COMP very nice. I just ordered a WTB WTB Speed V Comp from PB.com as the LASER V COMP must be a bike MFG only model or something...impossible to find.

well my experience with saddles are that they are personal.

Used a selle bassano boxster, fizik arione, selle san marco aspide triathgel and fizik aliante ti. Personally now i prefer the aliante but that is due to proper adjustment of the saddle.

My question to you is where do you hurt? At the seatbones area or right in between? If you hurt in between you are either sitting on the wrong part of the saddle most of the time, tend to slide forward as you pedal, or having some abrasion. I figured that out by trying to sit further back and i felt i was slipping forward with each pedal stroke. Using some chamois cream helped a bit. Tilting my saddle slightly upward helped it even more that and now it all feels good. If you tend to hurt at the seatbones area you could try a slightly cushier saddle or get shorts with better padding.

I have big customers and they ride on any saddle or stock saddles just fine given the adjustment is correct. There are the rare cases that need to ride with an extreme downward tilt of the saddle, or use a radical saddle like the selle smp. My opinion is try what you can with the stock one, and if that does not work go back to your local bike shop and see if they can put you on a trainer while you try different saddles. Best is go at a time when they are not busy, like weekdays.

asking for saddle advice is fruitless. everyone is different and for every saddle recommended there are people who think the same saddle is some kind of medieval torture device. personally a gel saddle makes me numb from my waist to my knees in about 30 minutes.

in my opinion testing out a saddle on an indoor trainer will also prove fruitless. every saddle makes me numb on an indoor trainer. also some saddles feel great for 30 minutes but 2 hours into a ride they can make you feel miserable. and other saddles feel painful for the first 15 minutes and then they feel comfortable thereafter.

take $500 out of your bank account. start buying saddles one at a time. you'll be lucky if you find one that you like before running out of money. after you buy your first saddle you might want to try the for trade thread at the top of this forum to find someone to swap saddles with.

Check at your local LBS. A lot of them will let you try out a saddle and if you don't like it you can exchange it for another as long as it isn't damaged. Mine does here and it is a big help. I am down to 272 and I ride a WTB Speed V Comp. I just finished my first fifty miler and the only thing not hurting was my rear. You can find them pretty cheap on the net.

It really is the width of your bone structure that matters more than your weight, so somebody else that weighs 230lbs telling you what seat they like is not going to be that much help. (unless you want to measure and compare sitz bones) You just have to try them out.

In general, I've had good luck with a variety of saddles from the following companies:

Fizik
Specialized
WTB

I also had an older Selle Italia "Future" that was surprisingly comfy. In general, features I find useful include the perenial cutout, a narrow nose to reduce thigh-chafing, and at least some padding on the sit platform.

My posture on the bike makes a world of difference in what saddle feels good, though. On my road bikes and touring bikes, the above mentioned saddles were all fine. On my MTB, however, I seem to be sitting more upright and am seeking a wider, more padded saddle.

I don't see clyde as something that impacts saddle much. its all about sit-bones, which don't vary based on weight.
And as a tourer, i must suggest a brooks. I love my b-17. You might need something wider. BTW, if you order from Wallingford (http://www.wallbike.com/), they will let you return no questions
Also for the record, I'm 6'4" with a (real) 32" inseam.
Before that, I ran (and still do on my MTB) a Sefas Cosmos.

I use a Terry Liberator, liking that cutout! I toyed with the idea of getting a Brooks, haven't pulled the trigger yet.

ps. I'm 6'2" with a 30" pants inseam and 31" inseam as measured for the bike. Yeah, I ride a custom bike (56.5) after a stock 520 didn't work for me.

Take it from a big Clydesdale. Get a Brooks B-17. You won't regret it.

+1

Anyone used the Forte Pro SLX saddle?

Brooks all the way. B67's on my Trek 830 (road morphed) and on my 520. Both also have North Road bars to compliment the posture. My new Sequoia has a B17 because the posture is a bit more aggressive with drop bars, although it's not really a "racing" type of roadie. If I were to buy that type of bike, I would have a Pro on it.

I've done The Quest. My shop is littered with failures. Brooks saddles get you a true custom fit in no time. And, leather gets you long range comfort.

I have a Brooks B17, it was/is hell. I am at over 3000K on it with no treatment other than some Kiwi neutral I put on it now and then, especially in the hot months. It has some vague shape to it now with cheek creases in the leather but its still as hard as a tank.:p

I am 5' 11.5" :) @234 and I can manage about 20K on it before I want to get an ass transplant :)

I have a Brooks B17, it was/is hell. I am at over 3000K on it with no treatment other than some Kiwi neutral I put on it now and then, especially in the hot months. It has some vague shape to it now with cheek creases in the leather but its still as hard as a tank.:p

I am 5' 11.5" :) @234 and I can manage about 20K on it before I want to get an ass transplant :)

Just curious: What type of bike do you ride? Do you have an upright posture or more road type. Some clydes have trouble with B17's because they are relatively narrow and the ischials tend to get forced apart. That happened to me when I used a 17 on a bike that was setup for a less aggressive fit. I find a 17 is great on my Sequoia, though. My 225lbs seem distributed around the bike better.

At 3000km that 17 should be very comfortable for almost unlimited miles in a day.

BTW, I also use Kiwi neutral. Keeps the slickness so you stay dry and cool.

I don't see clyde as something that impacts saddle much...

Hi nm+!

I must respectfully disagree. The "pounds per square inch" pressure that a true clyde puts on a saddle is significantly greater than that imposed by a lighter rider. This additional stress is often beyond the design parameters of the saddle. Saddles that aren't exceptionally robust will break down under the weight of a clyde. I speak from experience on this issue since I totally pancaked a Brooks B17 in two weeks of riding!

How to tell what saddles will "hold up" and which won't? In general, any saddle intended to conform to the rider (Brooks leather saddles, Fizik Arione, etc.) are NOT going to hold up under uberclydes. They may be OK for the average clyde, but for rider weights approaching 275 and above, forget it!

Finally, not only should seats be carefully chosen, but seat POSTS should also be looked at. During my last accident, I was thrown up a few inches and came down on the seat. The stress sheared the single-bolt of the seat post, and the seat (and I) were deposited on the pavement. For uberclydes, TWO BOLT SEAT POSTS should be considered mandatory, IMHO.

You're free to disagree with the above paragraphs. I post from my personal experience, and others may have different histories.

+1 for the Brooks B17, but +5 for it being an individual thing. we've all got different definitions of pain and comfort.

i have a couple b17 saddles, but my favorite saddle of all time has to be


selle san marco strada with the crmoly rails-

i started riding them some time ago, it just fits in all the right places.

nothing fancy, just a real workhorse of a saddle, though the one i now ride has ti rails, i rather the heavy crmoly rails for more weight.

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/glorycycles_1913_24166170

Just curious: What type of bike do you ride? Do you have an upright posture or more road type. Some clydes have trouble with B17's because they are relatively narrow and the ischials tend to get forced apart. That happened to me when I used a 17 on a bike that was setup for a less aggressive fit. I find a 17 is great on my Sequoia, though. My 225lbs seem distributed around the bike better.

At 3000km that 17 should be very comfortable for almost unlimited miles in a day.

BTW, I also use Kiwi neutral. Keeps the slickness so you stay dry and cool.


I have a Norco Kokanee of 01 Vintage but its well mongrelized :)

Handmade Mavic 36H Real on XT, 32 Tioga XC on the front. The absolutely "Stop on a Dime" Avid BBDB, cant say enough good things about it. Michelin Transworld City (go to 90 psi + very fast) and the boiler plate saddle. :) Tiagra 39/52 Chainset for blasting past poseurs on road bikes that are weekend warriors ;)

http://www.shouri-knife.com/assets/images/Bike.jpg

http://www.shouri-knife.com/assets/images/B17.jpg

double post

Hi nm+!

I must respectfully disagree. The "pounds per square inch" pressure that a true clyde puts on a saddle is significantly greater than that imposed by a lighter rider. This additional stress is often beyond the design parameters of the saddle. Saddles that aren't exceptionally robust will break down under the weight of a clyde. I speak from experience on this issue since I totally pancaked a Brooks B17 in two weeks of riding!

How to tell what saddles will "hold up" and which won't? In general, any saddle intended to conform to the rider (Brooks leather saddles, Fizik Arione, etc.) are NOT going to hold up under uberclydes. They may be OK for the average clyde, but for rider weights approaching 275 and above, forget it!

Finally, not only should seats be carefully chosen, but seat POSTS should also be looked at. During my last accident, I was thrown up a few inches and came down on the seat. The stress sheared the single-bolt of the seat post, and the seat (and I) were deposited on the pavement. For uberclydes, TWO BOLT SEAT POSTS should be considered mandatory, IMHO.

You're free to disagree with the above paragraphs. I post from my personal experience, and others may have different histories.
I crossed the country (mostly) starting at 280 (now 250ish) on my brooks. I ahve absolute faith in it. Yes, it may not last 30 years like for lighter riders, but hell, 5 is more that I'd need.
Yes, the PSI issue exists, but brooks makes some wide saddles.
The seatpost thing is important though. A light seatpost is just dumbe as is one way to close to the min ,line.

I can't say enough good things about the Selle Italia Strike SMP TRK. This is the lower-end model that costs about $75, but it's a bit wider and has a bit more padding than the $200 Strike saddles. The biggest difference is that this one isn't real leather. But it still has that Strike SMP design, and I'm telling ya, it works great.

SimonEd:

Cool bike. And, more than a little upright in the setup. As I thought. The pic of the saddle clearly shows that your ischials rest perfectly spot-on for a B17. I will posit that you simply need a wider saddle due to the down pressure caused by the setup. You have effectively created a comfort bike - albeit a fast one. If you're going to sit up and back that far, get yourself a B67. I very much doubt you'd regret it. They don't have the cross-sectional arch of a B17 because they are wider and therefore, flatter. More give right from the get-go. You will not pogo on the springs, no matter what some people may say. The gage on those springs is .093" and are not made by Huffy.
http://i9.tinypic.com/47tbntc.jpg

Thanks JCM, she is pretty fast even with an all up weight of over 260lbs.

I like the look of that saddle!

I actually tend to ride with my ring and little finger over the bend of the bar ends (distal end) I find this gives me a little less of an upright position.

Brooks B17 and Specialized Avatar.

Koobi works for me .

Add my voice to the Kobbi! I have the Au Enduro and love it!

I might as well chime in, being 6'2" and weighing in at 238 lbs. I too ride a Brooks, and to my great pleasure it's the most comfortable saddle I have owned. It's a Swift btw.

That's a somewhat atypical outcome for a Clyde. When negative reviews for Brooks saddles do come about, they usually involve the Swift, which was really designed for racers in the 130-160 lb. weight range. The Swift certainly looks more comely, but the cut-away profile was designed for weight-weenie concerns, not comfort (the Swallow is worse yet). Most Clydes would benefit from the additional support of a full leather skirt as featured on the B-17. The titanium rail version provides a compromise between support and weight for those who have an extra c-note weighing their wallets down.

It's the width of the saddle that counts to me and the cushioned support that will suit you best. My saddle is 7 inches in width and the cushion is firm dense foam, it's the best saddle I ever found so far, a Viscount saddle that came on REI mtb bikes. Believe me I have gone through countless of saddles before I found the one I am using now. Finding the right type of saddle is a personal endeavor that you must approach with constant trial and error until you find the one that make sense to you at all cost. You can't ride when you're suffering every time you get on the bike. The thing I've learned is that the position, the posture you are riding mostly in on the given bike you are riding will determine the type of saddle you will need.