Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Best saddle for UBER Clydes?

For those of us closer to or above 300, the "UberClydes" of the forum, what saddles have you found best/worst?

My experiences are as follows (all from when I weighed 290):

Best (for ROAD bikes ONLY - where you're seriously bent forward while riding):

Specialized Milano

Best (for cruisers & MTBs - where you're relatively upright):

Wide, padded cruiser saddles WITH springs

Worst (for ANY bike):

ANY Brooks saddle (I've pancaked them to the point of ruin within two weeks of riding)
Hard little ass-hatchet saddles made for racers who weigh less than their bikes

If you aren't an Uber, then consider that what works for you probably WON'T work for us. "Cyclists of substance" make significantly different demands on equipment than others even 50 lbs. lighter. I've heard from LOTS of cyclists between 230 and 260 who just love Brooks products. I've never heard from a SINGLE cyclist of 300 lbs. or over who had a good Brooks experience. Any out there???

I have the Avatar 143 seat and its surprising comfy for how small it is

Best (for cruisers & MTBs - where you're relatively upright):

Wide, padded cruiser saddles WITH springs



Ummm. Can you link to a specific brand/model? I have a Hybrid (Trek 7200) and while the stock seat is bearable, after an hour or so my sit bones start hurting.

I'm not "Uber". Came close, but never was either. In any case, I will note that one of wierdest parts about significant (well north of 50lbs) weight loss is how my saddle tastes changed.

Ran across this:
http://www.bicycleseats.org/bicycle-seats.htm

For those of us closer to or above 300, the "UberClydes" of the forum, what saddles have you found best/worst?

My experiences are as follows (all from when I weighed 290):

Best (for ROAD bikes ONLY - where you're seriously bent forward while riding):

Specialized Milano

Best (for cruisers & MTBs - where you're relatively upright):

Wide, padded cruiser saddles WITH springs

Worst (for ANY bike):

ANY Brooks saddle (I've pancaked them to the point of ruin within two weeks of riding)
Hard little ass-hatchet saddles made for racers who weigh less than their bikes

If you aren't an Uber, then consider that what works for you probably WON'T work for us. "Cyclists of substance" make significantly different demands on equipment than others even 50 lbs. lighter. I've heard from LOTS of cyclists between 230 and 260 who just love Brooks products. I've never heard from a SINGLE cyclist of 300 lbs. or over who had a good Brooks experience. Any out there???
In red.... + 1000! When I was weighing in at 450 and restarting riding, I put a Bell Comfort Gel saddle on with a rubber bushing suspension under it. Best thing I ever did! It was on a MTB, so I was in an upright position. It helped me keep riding in the early period instead of quitting because my tail couldn't take it!:D

I'm "only" 210 lbs but the Specialized Alias is the most comfortable saddle for rides over 50 miles I have tried.

At 350lbs my sprung brooks was an arse saver.
Now that I'm under 290lbs I'm sporting a brooks B17 and love it.

My wife is in the Uber-"Athena" class and is happy with her recumbent seat. Much more area to spread her mass over. The 20"x2" wheel under her is not as happy.

My brother is Uber (300ish 6'4") and he's on a Brooks 73 and it's held up for a year now. He likes it. But he's know for putting up with anything without complaint. Next time I see him I'll get him to give me a review of it.

I popped a "Specialized Expedition Comfort Deluxe" or some such foolishness onto my MTB today (the model with springs!). So far, so good.

Whatever is stock on the '07 Hardrock, it's GREAT. I need to get some different shorts, but the saddle is amazingly wonderful. I think it's one of the higher-end BG saddles.

As a member of the Uber Clydes (lol...love that name...so much better than fat....), I am looking at purchasing a new bike. Looking at the Comfort types. Sounds like I need to kind of get ready to get a new seat regardless because the stocks aren't up to snuff for us Ubers.

Not necessarily, VolnTitan - sometimes the stock seats can surprise with how comfy they are. At least TRY the stock seat. Usually, the shop that sold you the bike will allow "trade ins" on seats until you find one you like. As bdinger said in her/his post, Specialized often has very good seats even on their inexpensive bikes. The Kona I bought once had a WTB brand seat on it that was excellent, too.

One of the bikes I am looking at is the Specialized Expedition. Like the bike, not nuts about the store. Also looking at Giant Sedona and Trek Navigator 300, but that one is out of my range I think. Going to look at another bike place here in Nashville at lunch. Didn't know there were so many choices!

I popped a "Specialized Expedition Comfort Deluxe" or some such foolishness onto my MTB today (the model with springs!). So far, so good.

But not for long... The "bent over" position on my Rockhopper (even with a Nashbar "Comfort Stem") makes the sprung Specialized seat just too wide for comfort after about 30 minutes of riding.

Instead, I retried my old fave - The Specialized Milano. WOW - what a difference! I rode for an hour this morning and could have ridden more. I think I'm retiring from the saddle-go-round and settling down with the Milano. Your bootie may have different preferences... :p

One of the bikes I am looking at is the Specialized Expedition. Like the bike, not nuts about the store. Also looking at Giant Sedona and Trek Navigator 300, but that one is out of my range I think. Going to look at another bike place here in Nashville at lunch. Didn't know there were so many choices!

Again - At least TRY a Electra Townie if you can. They've LOTS to offer! Also, the store you buy from IS important - you want a continuing relationship with them, not a wham-bam-thank-you-maam. I bought my most recent bike (my second choice as to model) because I liked the store better.

I found another store that sells the Townie. The REI I went to was horrible. No help at all. My only concern with the Townie is to get a bike with atleast 7 speeds, it really gets pricey. I would assume for normal riding, I would need more than 3 speeds.

I have found that saddle comfort is, at least in part, determined by how much riding you do. Last year was my first year back from a long layoff of cycling. My Turbomatic 3 Gel was killing me on 20 mile rides; so much that I decided to look for another saddle. It felt like I was sitting on a cinder block. In the mean time I kept riding it while looking for another.

Fast forward to this year and I realized a few weeks ago that I have not thought about my saddle AT ALL lately.

Brooks saddles are hardly "little saddles made for racers who weigh less than their bikes". Fact is most racers won't touch them because they are too heavy. They do seem to need a longer break-in period than most.

The Townie big wide comfort seats are extremely comfortable to me and my girlfriend and we are both pretty big. Then again I ride on a b17 brooks (still breaking in) on my road bike and that's quite comfortable for that position, and I'm weighing in at 220 today.

It's all about what feels good to you...definitely gotta try as many as possible to find the right saddle. It is a bummer that one doesn't fit all, but when you find the right seat for your bike you'll be all smiles :D

Okay, I went home and checked over lunch, the saddle on my Hardrock is a Specialized Rival. Which is downright impressive that they put a $65 saddle on a $350 bike, but hey :).

Anyway, I love it. It's absolutely perfect. Most of my rides are in the 20-25 mile range, and I'm never sore due to the saddle. I do, however, need some sort of different undershort.

I highly recommend the Rival. I'm also going to give the Milano a shot, my favorite LBS has 'em for $25.

...Brooks saddles are hardly "little saddles made for racers who weigh less than their bikes". Fact is most racers won't touch them because they are too heavy. They do seem to need a longer break-in period than most.

Hi Dial_tone!

I wasn't implying that Brooks saddles are racing saddles. The Brooks line is one saddle group that I feel is inappropriate for Uber-Clydes. Hard little racing saddles are a different genre that I also feel is inappropriate for us. The "longer break in" period you mention for Brooks saddles was less than two weeks for mine - it pancaked completely in less than 300 miles! :mad:

I've had a lot of luck with WTB saddles.

My suggestion is to stick with a saddle with chromoly rails. Forget about all the exotic materials manganese, titanuium or whatever. They don't last. Good old Chromoly.

My current saddle on my mountain bike is an Azonic Hot Seat. It's a bigger saddle and designed for abusive riding. I bought it on sale for about $35.00.

Hard for me to believe the Milano would be that comfortable for someone 300+. It just looks too small!

I'm 290 down from 305, and all I ride are Brooks. B-17 and a sprung B-66, like them both for different reasons.

Hard for me to believe the Milano would be that comfortable for someone 300+. It just looks too small!

Looks are deceiving... :D

I had the bike shop where I bought my bike switch out the seat from the stock one one to one that was on a Trek cycle, Bontrager, I think. It is supposed to be the Suburbia, but there are not shocks, metal or rubber on it, so I am wondering if he put the wrong one on there. It is cushy enough, but not so comfortable. I know I don't want to try a Brooks because I don't think I would give it time to "break in". What others should I look at. Has there been a concensus on the most comfortable cruiser/comfort bike saddle for a 330+ guy?

Hello, I'm a newbee on these boards. I recently started cycling - about 2 months ago. I'd owned bikes here and there over the years, but living in San Francisco, mine seemed to get stolen constantly - even with u-locks and keeping them indoors.

Anyways - i'm 6'4" and 300lbs. I've gone through a couple of saddles, and I happened to find a Specialized Body Geometry MTB saddle that has worked out great. I ride about 90-100 miles a week right now (12 mile commute) and it's been great.

I always thought the squishy gel saddles would be more comfortable, but that's not the case for longer and more frequent rides. As soon as I got rid of the super huge gel seat that came on my Trek , my rides became much more comfortable.

thanks...do you think that that saddle would work equally as well for shorter rides? Right now I am not taking long rides since I am just getting into cycling. Is there a particular model?

I am well 300+, and ride a '07 Hardrock with a Specialized Rival saddle. It's... wonderful. Both for my short (.5mi) ride to work, and the across-town nightly ride to my fiancee's house. I'm going to give a Milano a shot, along with some spandex to narrow down some annoying minor pain I've had. But really, I went from a huge cushy Bell suspension saddle to this, and love it to death.

So definitely +1 on Specialized.

It's very comfy for short or long rides. I think the really cushy squishy gel saddles are only comfortable for short rides - and not for very frequent use. I'd recommend not using them if you plan on trying to increase your ride distance over time.

I paid $8 for mine used in good condition at a LBS. :)

Yeah, the problem for the gel saddle for me was distance. Anything under an hour or under 15 miles, and it was great. Comfy as hell for those first miles, but after that downright painful. Overall I was slower, and the hip pain from not being able to properly move my legs was horrible after 35 miles on one. I didn't think I'd make the last mile, but somehow managed.

My Specialized BG, OTOH, is great. I am pretty positive I'm not faster just because of the bike, the smoother motion of my legs thanks to this saddle helps LOADS. I'm a HUGE fan of this thing, it's great.

Anyway. Specialized and Brooks. My favorites :)

I recently got rid of the stock saddle on my Trek 7300 and got a Selle Royal Royalgel. Not a prized possession by any means, but as I fit the Uber ranks, 328 and 5'-10", I have found it very comfortable on short or long rides. Cost about $35.00 if I remember right.

Brian

Worst (for ANY bike):

ANY Brooks saddle (I've pancaked them to the point of ruin within two weeks of riding)
Hard little ass-hatchet saddles made for racers who weigh less than their bikes

If you aren't an Uber, then consider that what works for you probably WON'T work for us. "Cyclists of substance" make significantly different demands on equipment than others even 50 lbs. lighter. I've heard from LOTS of cyclists between 230 and 260 who just love Brooks products. I've never heard from a SINGLE cyclist of 300 lbs. or over who had a good Brooks experience. Any out there???

Thank you for posting this....I'm just over 300 and have heard so many great things about Brooks have considered getting one many times....but never quite took the plunge. I'm glad now I didn't.

My saddle experiences so far have been happy with the stock saddle that came with the bikes. My first bike was a comfort and I killed the seat after a year. I thought....I'll get a bigger seat for my fat butt. So I got a saddle one notch wider....and I HATED it! I learned the lesson that bigger isn't better with seats. I took it back and got the next size smaller (which was identical to my original stock seat) and it was perfect.

Then I got my road bike last year....much smaller seat and it terrified me to look at it...but with the more bent position, it turned out to be just fine. I'm still using it after 9 months.

Which Specialized Milano is the good one?

I did a quick search and it seems they changed slightly over the years and there is a gel version and some other version. Any links to buy one or pics of it?

Which Specialized Milano is the good one?

I did a quick search and it seems they changed slightly over the years and there is a gel version and some other version. Any links to buy one or pics of it?

I've got several versions. All are equally comfy for me.

OK. I really hope I can find a comfortable one for my brother. Thats the only thing holding him back from enjoying his bike (Road Bike). Another thing I have been reading about is how that the seats are very specific to people and we can only get a generalized idea on what seat to get but it is best to measure your sitbones or other parts of your rear.

Anyone have a link that shows how to do this?

I have heard something about sitting in a big pile of flour/sugar/powder and measuring your imprint but would like to see if anyone knows anything about this.

Thanks

For road bikes, I've had good luck with the old, tried-and-true Selle San Marco Rolls, especially with the titanium rails (not for the weight savings, but for the slight extra shock-absorbency). Rolls are often available on eBay (sometimes in truly appalling colors- stick with black)), and one or two on-line stores may still stock them new. They have enough padding to be comfy right away and are firm enough to stand up to many miles on the bike - assuming, of course, that your sit-bones line up with them.

FYI - I'm 6'3", 285 lbs. I also probably have somewhat less space between my sit bones than thoise numbers might suggest, as I happily rode a Flite for three of four years before I discoverd the Rolls.

I was surprised how comfortable the stock saddle was on the Giant Cypress bikes. Also on their Suede crank-forward model.

For a very cushy, wide saddle, the Planet Bike Cruiser Web Spring fits the bill. Quite wide, cushy, and with springs. Around $35. Not quite as large as a exercise cycle seat, but close.

And they made a smaller model, which is just a bit wider than a fairly typical hybrid bike seat, which also is well-padded and with springs, called the Comfort Web Spring. Same basic design as the Cruiser model, just not as wide.

Avenir also mades some extra padded saddles. These are stock on some of the Raleigh bikes. They have a Cruiser Saddle that has metal springs, and an Extra Comfort Saddle with elastomer springs. These are also around $30-$35.

All of these may be too big for distance riding, but they sure are nice and comfy for recreational rides.

A narrower saddle with some nice padding is the Planet Bike ARS saddle. A couple of my friends have it and love it. I see it on an increasing number of bikes in bike racks around Madison.

I'm getting back into biking again and my slightly used Vetta VSA gel saddle has been killing me. Didn't used to do that. So I strapped on one of the Bell Gel cushions and that has helped a lot. Enough to keep me in the saddle while I check out other alternatives.

I'm 250 lbs and ride a Brooks B-67. Nice and wide. I spend 8 hours a day doing bike patrol and the Brooks is the only reason I can do it.

I'm down just under 270 (hope I can stay there finally!!!) and I my Terry Liberator Y Gel Saddle is sagging on the left sit bone. The rail isn't broken but the seat apparantly is.
Oh well it was nice while it lasted. I bought it since it was a touring saddle for my touring bike. I was thinking Brooks until this thread gah.

270 lbs here originally and have used a selle italia flite gelflow for road since day 1 and love it still 20 lbs later

Worst (for ANY bike):

ANY Brooks saddle (I've pancaked them to the point of ruin within two weeks of riding)
Hard little ass-hatchet saddles made for racers who weigh less than their bikes

If you aren't an Uber, then consider that what works for you probably WON'T work for us. "Cyclists of substance" make significantly different demands on equipment than others even 50 lbs. lighter. I've heard from LOTS of cyclists between 230 and 260 who just love Brooks products. I've never heard from a SINGLE cyclist of 300 lbs. or over who had a good Brooks experience. Any out there???

I have to disagree with you about the brooks. I'm over 300 now(damn you, Eggnog!), I have a b-17, and it is a marked improvement over the original saddle that came with my Sequoia, which was good for about 3 hrs or so before my butt would go numb.

For touring I wouldn't ride anything other than a brooks. I rode it when I was 355 and I ride it now at 230. No padded shorts for me and that leather has the perfect amount of cushion. To each their own I guess.

Leather, being a natural material, differs from saddle to saddle. I have two B-17s -- one black and one honey -- and though I've put more miles on the honey (approx 400), the black one is much softer and more broke-in at less than half that distance. I was 290-ish over the summer and had no problem with "pancaking." I love my Brooks, but it's a personal thing, like briefs vs. boxers.

Hi Dial_tone!

Brooks saddles. The "longer break in" period you mention for Brooks saddles was less than two weeks for mine - it pancaked completely in less than 300 miles! :mad:

At 250 pounds the Brooks B67 I have had for 4 months now has needed only one tensioning to undo the slight "pancaking" that had started. At that rate I should have the saddle for years before I run out of tensioning bolt length. So far Brooks saddles are the only ones that don't cause the dreaded numbness for me.

I bought a Giant Sedona DX last year-end of season and had the seat swapped to the Cloud 9 seat

http://cloud9seats.com/cloud9-11-bicycle-seat.htm

I started riding it this year in May at 350 lbs. I am now over 700 miles and have lost 45 lbs. It has been a life saver for my back pain and riding. I still have pain but the seat really supports my sit bones well and reduces the severity of the pain. It is a big/heavy seat, but at the weight I was/am I am more concerned with comfort more than anything. Hope that helps.

-w00die