Fifty Plus (50+) - Saddles, Saddles and more Saddles

It just never seems to stop for me.

Got a red one coming in today to go on the Madone. The Specialized Toupe is headed to eBay. It's great saddle for rides up to 60 miles but I seem to have lost some cushioning in my butt!! Trying to do 100+ miles on that saddle just isn't worth the additional discomfort!!

Besides, I kinda like the red color on the Madone.

And no, a Brooks is just not in the mix for me..........

Somehow, saddle problems fail to bring out my compassionate side.

It just never seems to stop for me.

Got a red one coming in today to go on the Madone. The Specialized Toupe is headed to eBay. It's great saddle for rides up to 60 miles but I seem to have lost some cushioning in my butt!! Trying to do 100+ miles on that saddle just isn't worth the additional discomfort!!

Besides, I kinda like the red color on the Madone.

And no, a Brooks is just not in the mix for me..........

We'll need a pic of the new saddle on the Madone:)

I've never liked any of the saddles that came on my Treks. I gave all of them a fair chance but the Bontrager saddles just aren't comfortable for me. I switched to a Terry on one and a Specialized on the other. Is it just me or do others have problems with the Bontrager saddles?

Is it just me or do others have problems with the Bontrager saddles?

Don't care much for the Bontrager that came on my Lemond either. Haven't switched it yet (because I haven't decided what to replace it with, and haven't had much time for riding this season), but will be replacing it in the future-maybe with a Terry Fly-have heard good things regarding them, but we all know that saddle preference is one of the most discussed topics!

After prostate surgery- I had real problems with saddles. Now it has settled down(It took 6 years to do it though) I have settled on 3. All similar shape

San marco "Aero"

Fizic Aliante Sport

Selle italia Gel Flow.

And the one that came as standard on the Giant was not too bad either.

Have had enough of saddle problems for the last 6 years and just glad that it is sorted now.

And I am just the opposite, the only saddle I have been really comfortable with is the Bontrager Race Lux saddle. This is good because they are cheap saddles but somewhat hard to find.

Is that a Selle Flite?

The famous saddle merry-go-round. Don't read too much, spend some time actually riding. Then, when you do, make sure your bike position is properly tweaked so that you get a good balance of weight distribution between your butt and your hands. Don't rely on short rides of less than an hour to judge this.

Sometimes I think that there is no ideal saddle that solves any problems. What there is... buying a new saddle, putting it on, and accidentally arriving at just the right saddle position (height, fore-and-aft and tilt) that happens to feel good (because each saddle will vary a bit in how it ends up just because the rails are different). Then go on Bike Forums and rave about that saddle.

And I am just the opposite, the only saddle I have been really comfortable with is the Bontrager Race Lux saddle. This is good because they are cheap saddles but somewhat hard to find.

I'll bet you could get a deal from lots of the posters in this forum!:p

I just ordered my 3rd Brooks saddle (a Swift this time) to go onto my go-fast Klein. The guys that I work with have accused me of slipping farther and farther down into the black hole of retro-grouchdom. Is there any hope?

BROOKS BROOKS BROOKS

Sorry, I could not help that one. I find that bike accessories, and easily changeable items like saddles, bar tape, bottle cages and the like are just begging for me o change them out. I don't really know that I ever really make anything better, but I make it different. Some of us are fiddlers, some aren't. Oh. BTW, I have settled on a BROOKS B-17 and a BROOKS PRO, but I change them back and forth 'cause I cannot decide which I like better.

Sometimes I think that there is no ideal saddle that solves any problems. What there is... buying a new saddle, putting it on, and accidentally arriving at just the right saddle position (height, fore-and-aft and tilt) that happens to feel good (because each saddle will vary a bit in how it ends up just because the rails are different). Then go on Bike Forums and rave about that saddle.

Maybe in some cases but when I try a new saddle I am very careful about my adjustments even taking into account the difference in padding on the saddle. I have found that my rear end needs a more squishy saddle, I am not very well padded back there and riding directly on the sit bones is agony for me. I have tried the various Specialized BG saddles, been measure correctly etc. I give them up to 300 miles of riding to get use to, but in the end I will sacrifice OCP for no pain.

I do concede that butts vary in width and natural cushioning :-)

I've always found that I absolutely cannot ride any padded saddle for more than a few miles. I use an old made-in-Italy Avocet Air O2 Racing saddle with leather cover. I once rode the same saddle but the wider recreational model. That was fine too. Leather cover is essential, in my opinion, otherwise I tend to "stick" to artificial covers and this makes everything worse (it just encourages blisters). Many of the "classic" Selle San Marco models, like the Regal, or a Rolls Due, are my favourites, but I don't happen to have one at the moment. A Brooks is way too hard. I would be dead and buried before I could ever break it in.

But whatever the saddle, proper tweaking of the saddle and handlebar position can work wonders.

I'm using a Brooks now. (it looks good on my bike) and I may start like it. But for years I used Specialized Body Geometry saddles. I didn't like their build quality or the fact that could not get a high end one in a wider width, but I found them very comfortable.
Saddles as it has been said are, different for everyone. I've always thought if I open a bike shop, I would mount saddles on a long rail, where, people could sit in them for a period of time.

Not only is there great variance between saddle designs, I have found there are variances within a single model of saddles. A few months ago when I was checking out some Terry saddles, and the dealer had 4 of a particular model, I noticed that the cushioning felt different between them. In this particular case one was noticeably softer, another was somewhat softer, and the other two were harder.

Since them I've found the same type of differences on two other occasions, once on a Selle saddle and the other time on a Bontrager model.

I have been using a Selle Italia Max Flite since June. It is more difficult to get dialed in just right, but I think, in the long run, I will like it better than the Bontrager my Trek 1500 came with.

Is that a Selle Flite?

It is the Selle Prolink Light, I believe. I have a similar model on my 5900 and it is perfect plus a brand new one on the shelf but it is not red!!!! Because of the color you would think I had eyes in my butt or something............I guess the OCP just can't stay in hibernation.

I am a firm beleiver in that saddle comfort starts with proper bike fit. If your riding postion is wrong a $1000 worth of new saddles will not solve the problem. Fizik Aliante works for me.

It is the Selle Prolink Light, I believe. I have a similar model on my 5900 and it is perfect plus a brand new one on the shelf but it is not red!!!! Because of the color you would think I had eyes in my butt or something............I guess the OCP just can't stay in hibernation.

Glad to hear that. I presently use the original prolink gel on the road bike and now that it has 2 seasons on it (thats one season for you regular roadies) I'm going to move it over to the MTB and try the light.

I have always liked this saddle because it has a wide back end. :D

Purchased a Selle italia Gel Flow on ebay and loved it. When I got a new trek I purchased a new Selle italia Gel Flow and after 40 miles my sit bones and soft tissue said I'd screwed up big time. Worked for days trying to get the new Selle dialed in. Never happen. I was so frustrated I tossed it in the trash.

I rode my Giant with the San Marco Saddle round to my daughter's house this afternoon. This is a comfortable saddle for 60 mile rides and I don't even feel the saddle afterwards. I just jumped on the bike and rode the 1/2 mile to her house. Within 200yards- I had pain. Not much but enough to get me out of the saddle. Reason was a pair of Trousers with a seam in completely the wrong place. Don't always blame the Saddle. Could be the wrong trouser's- Grommet.

The famous saddle merry-go-round. Don't read too much, spend some time actually riding. Then, when you do, make sure your bike position is properly tweaked so that you get a good balance of weight distribution between your butt and your hands. Don't rely on short rides of less than an hour to judge this.

Sometimes I think that there is no ideal saddle that solves any problems. What there is... buying a new saddle, putting it on, and accidentally arriving at just the right saddle position (height, fore-and-aft and tilt) that happens to feel good (because each saddle will vary a bit in how it ends up just because the rails are different). Then go on Bike Forums and rave about that saddle.

I think I have trouble judging the balance between butt and hands. Apologies for opening the door to a thread hijack, but can you share any rules of thumb you might have for this? Pressured butts want to know!

Road Fan

I just ordered my 3rd Brooks saddle (a Swift this time) to go onto my go-fast Klein. The guys that I work with have accused me of slipping farther and farther down into the black hole of retro-grouchdom. Is there any hope?

No hope. Enjoy the ride!

Road Fan

I recently purchased an E3 Form Titanium saddle. I was a little wary buying a $40 saddle - but if one is to believe the research in the E-Book (from RoadBikeRider.com) there are some design elements in this saddle that are not tied to conventional asthetics and seem to make sense. I read some other's thoughts about this before trying it. I've got a 30 miler in so far - but it seems OK at this point.

I recently purchased an E3 Form Titanium saddle. I was a little wary buying a $40 saddle - but if one is to believe the research in the E-Book (from RoadBikeRider.com) there are some design elements in this saddle that are not tied to conventional asthetics and seem to make sense. I read some other's thoughts about this before trying it. I've got a 30 miler in so far - but it seems OK at this point.


I've been using an E3 for a year now (roughly 4K miles). It's not saddle nirvana, but it's as least as comfortable as the Specialized Avatar Gel that I have on the other bike. The only real knock on this saddle is that it doesn't have much room to move around (like one of those long Fizik Ariones, for example). I definitely have had no "numbness" problems with it.