Road Cycling - Got a dumb question- is there a Ti saddle tough enough for a Clydesdale?

Hi,
my LBS says 200 pounds is the upper limit for Ti saddles. But I wondering if some enterprising soul didn't make one with heavy duty rails for guys like me. I figure this is just a dumb question; but since I am getting bounced out of the saddle lately; I thought I'd ask.....thanks.

They are essentially correct. I used to bend Ti. rails when i was 175 I am 205 now I absolutely would not use them or reccomend them for a bigger rider.

Hm, I was over 200 on a Flite Gel Ti and had no issues with the rails bending. I'm down to around 185 now, but I've upgraded to a carbon Aliante. At any rate, I'd imagine that you can email or call the manufacturers and see what their maximum suggested weight is for a given saddle. I always take that with a small grain of salt; they'll be conservative on something like that.

I'm over 200 lbs (I think) - 14.5 - 15 UK stone and have no problems with a Ti railed Flite.

Thanks guys,
I would just bet the Flite has short rails. In any case it's too narrow for me. Appreciate the kind responses, thanks again

If you're over 200 lbs (I am), you shouldn't concern yourself with the few ounces you save by a Ti railled saddle. Stick to a Chromoly one and keep riding. The Chromoly are actually cheaper and a wider variety.

L8R

I'm a big boy, 240, and just pulled my ProLink Genuine Gel for a Ti railled Serfas. I have put about 75 miles on it and it seems to absorb the road better than the Prolink and is more comfortable so far. I'll let you know if I bend a rail but I'm usually easy on my equipment, use my legs to absorb bigger shocks when I see them. Everyone knows how that big one has a way of sneeking up on you every now and then.;)

don't forget the brooks swift ti, I sell them some pretty big guys and so far, no complaints.

There no point shedding $$ and a few grammes to get a weaker saddle. Most ultra-light kit is unsuitable for heavyweight riders.

I second the serfas TI opinion although I am only 193.

Late,
Pardon me for saying this. I PROMISE I mean nothing disrespectful by it, since I myself amd a Clydesdale and take my advice to heart...

Buying Ti for any perceived weight benefits is meaningless when you're big like we are. I don't even pay attention to grams right now. Pounds are my focus! Pounds off my middle. Losing 1 pound in weight will have a far more drastic effect than the difference between Cro-Mo and Ti rails on a saddle. Save the money spent on a Ti saddle and then cut some calories. After a few months of riding and stressing about grams on my bike, I decided to shift my focus. Since then, I've lost 10 lbs in a month- a benefit far more important (and healthy) than shaving 50-100 grams off a saddle.

Of course, if you're buying them for some reason other than weight, this is all moot and I apologize for the assumption.

(I'm ducking in case someone throws a bottle at me)

Everyone's right about a neglegible weight difference between cro-mo and ti, but if you want a ti saddle, my point is that you are probably safe in getting one and won't do any damage. The only damage done to my saddle rails was due to my wife running the car into a tin roof, not to my then over 200 pounds sitting on it. (The bikes were fine, folks, and we're still married. The car took the brunt of the blast.)

I agree with CJS wholeheartedly, though. Better to shave weight off of the body than off of the bike. Well, maybe both.

I tip the scales at a rough 270 or so... the new bike I bought has a specialized Ti Pro seat and after the 11 miles I rode tonight it is still in one piece :)
I hope I don't crush this thing and have the seat post head towards my head via my arse......
:)
Doug

Oweeee

Originally posted by MichaelW
There no point shedding $$ and a few grammes to get a weaker saddle. Most ultra-light kit is unsuitable for heavyweight riders.

Often saddles only come with Ti-rails - the ubiqtuous Selle Italia Flite for example. I believe that the manufacturers claim that Ti transfers less shock than steel, but I can't vouch for the science behind this. I don't know that Ti railed saddles are universally weaker - I've not come across weight warnings on saddles, but I wouldn't be surprised to find some. I must confess when I bought a Flite I didn't consider my weight, and haven't had any problems.

www.sdgusa.com. Made in the USA, had great luck with their saddles. Their Satellite model is their XC racing/road saddle.
The Serfas saddles were also a big hit at our shop.

I was 235 (now 195) and my Avocet 02 w/ Ti rails is holding up just fine. But I do sometimes notice a bit of extra flex that shouldn't be there.

Originally posted by a2psyklnut
If you're over 200 lbs (I am), you shouldn't concern yourself with the few ounces you save by a Ti railled saddle. Stick to a Chromoly one and keep riding. The Chromoly are actually cheaper and a wider variety.

L8R

Excellent advice. It is silly to be a "gram weenie" when you weigh right around 110,000 of them!

I would say, in my defense, that the weight of a saddle has never been an issue for me. My favorite saddle is the B17, and I am trying to get my seatpost modified so I can go back to it. What I wanted was the shock absorbtion.
When I ride agressively I regularly bounce right off the saddle on bumps.

flight gel user, 215-220 lbs. this saddle is on my MTB and I do not baby it, nor have I bent the SOLID ti rails. there are some hollow ti railed saddles that I certainly wouldn't consider.