Fifty Plus (50+) - Saddle Help Please

Suggestions please on the purchase of a new saddle...

I ride a 2007 Specialized Tarmac Pro (49 cm frame), which came equipped with a Specialized Toupe Saddle. This is pretty much a racing saddle, with little to no padding, and weighing in at 175g. While it does have a perineal cutout on it, it is very uncomfortable on long distance rides.

As for me, I am a weekend rider, usually riding anywhere from 60-75 miles, with an occasional century thrown in for good measure. I am 50 years old, 5' 5" tall, and weigh approximately 170-175 lbs. I have a stocky, muscular build, but I could stand to lose about 15-20 lbs. At the end of my rides, I have extreme soreness in my perineal and sitbones area, as well as pain in my right knee. I need a new saddle!!

I am looking at three possible replacements:

1. Selle An-Atomica Titanico...real leather, with a perineal cutout on it.

2. ISM Adamo Racing Saddle...no nose on this seat; supposedly takes some getting used to.

3. Selle SMP Strike Stratos...unique curved down nose, perineal cutout, rear curves upward to support sitbones area.

While I am not a racer, and weight is not my first consideration, the Selle An-Atomica saddle seems very heavy at 430 grams. It also appears "retro" and looks like it would be out of place on my bike. The ISM Adamo weighs in at 280 grams, and looks pretty cool, but it seems to be one of those "you either love it or hate it" items. The lightest, at 250 grams, as well as the most expensive (although that is not one of my considerations), is the Selle SMP Strike Stratos. I chose the Stratos over the Evolution (230 g) because it has a little more padding.

I am leaning towards the SMP Stratos...any particular thoughts on this saddle? Any other saddle suggestions besides these three that I might want to consider??

BTW...I have ridden about 2500 miles on the Toupe, so I do not think it is going to get any better as far as comfort is concerned.

I started riding a Selle An-Atomica about 3 weeks ago and really like it. I agree with you, though, that the look of the Selle SMP might fit your bike better.

I've also been testing a Topeak Allay that a friend gave me to try. It's extremely comfortable, and a lot cheaper than the others. I have it on my commuter. It is a less expensive way to try out the perineal-cutout style. The one problem I had is that it started to squeak after about 70 miles, but maybe I just got a bad one.

Saddles are like shoes, You wouldn't want to wear my size 13 med. and I wouldn't want to wear your size.

I just changed to a Selle SMP Strike Evolution about 200 miles ago and I really like it. Has some padding and a fairly wide cutout that concerned me at first, but the more I ride it the more I like it. I paid $200 at www.WeKeepYouCycling.com. I missed a couple on eBay as low as $180.
JH Bahn

As for me, I am a weekend rider, usually riding anywhere from 60-75 miles, with an occasional century thrown in for good measure. I am 50 years old, 5' 5" tall, and weigh approximately 170-175 lbs. I have a stocky, muscular build, but I could stand to lose about 15-20 lbs. At the end of my rides, I have extreme soreness in my perineal and sitbones area, as well as pain in my right knee. I need a new saddle!!



I don't think that the knee soreness has anything to do with the saddle. I can see the sit-bone soreness, but it's hard to understand how you are experiencing much perineal discomfort if your saddle set-up, and bike fit, is optimal. Are you sitting on the nose of the saddle? Is the saddle height correct? Is the saddle level? How far below the saddle are the handlebars? The Toupe is a pretty good saddle for eliminating perinium pressure, you're not liable to find much better in that department. Sit bone soreness will sometimes get better with time, and mileage. The tissue over the sit bones will get calloused, just like hands and feet. But if you're experiencing perineal pressure with the Toupe, you might have bike fit issues that need to be looked into.

There are saddles that riders swear at, and those that riders swear by. Often they are the same saddle.
I'm still looking for the right saddle for my road bike-but won't order till I'm ready to ride more often, so that if I don't like it, I'm within the time frame to return it. I've never heard of anyone riding a "hornless" saddle that liked it (but now I'm sure someone will chime it that has liked one!). If I don't try the Selle An-Atomica next, then it might be a Serfas MX-2 Dorado (looks very similar to an old Terry saddle that is on my mtn bike and I would never part with that saddle, but Terry no longer makes one just like it-but the Serfas looks to be close-in design and size-wide-which I like)

I'm also looking for a new saddle. I've bought lots of stuff on line and ebay, but the saddle is something I'm absolutely going to buy locally - and from the shop that has a satisfaction guarantee. I've found that asking others for saddle recommendations is not worth much because of individual differences.

I've found that asking others for saddle recommendations is not worth much because of individual differences.

I've no cycling experience whatsoever to speak of, but I've already seen the truth of that statement.

I've lucked out with the stock seat on my own new bike. The 'Zero Phi' saddle used on the Avanti bikes is an absolutely perfect 'fit' for my bum, to the point where I'd elevate the 'fitness' of the thing above anything else I've ever sat my bum down on, including vehicle seats and furniture. Isn't going to be that way for everybody, though, and others who given the bike a run haven't felt comfortable on it at all.

I changed saddles 5 times on my first bike. Saddle no. 5 was a Terry Fly and it was the one. I switched bikes and of course kept the Terry and put it on the new bike and suddenly it wasn't the one anymore. I put another on and it was better, but not just right. Then I got another older road bike and put the Terry on it and I liked it again. I think it may be an adjustment problem for me more than the saddle. Even though you have put quite a few miles on your saddle have you tried lots of little adjustments? 1/4" forward or back can make a lot of difference.

Have you tried a really good pair of shorts or bibs with dense padding in the sitbone area? The toupe is a pretty comfy saddle when combined with say the specialized (rbx?) shorts. You might want to try the saddle just a touch nose-down to relieve pressure on the perineal area.

I had similar issues with the Toupe. I almost gave up on it. I spent a lot of time fiddling with adjustments fore, aft and tilt. I finally lowered the saddle height and found comfort. I guess using the same BB to top of saddle distance for every saddle just doesn't work. I would say try it and see how it feels.

Figure out how wide a saddle you need; then take a look at the Selle San Marco Arrowhead Gelaround series. They come in different widths.

M dirst priority is comfort. My LBS will lend out any saddle he sells for a week or so. I tried several before landing on a Brooks Team Professional for my Roubaix.

One thing also occurs to me. Getting a noseless saddle--particularly with a compact frame--eliminates the one point you have to stabilize the bike by clamping it between your legs while standing going over a bump.

There's no reason to worry about how a saddle looks on your bike. When you're riding, people can't see much of it anyway. It's your behind, and your comfort.

Maybe I'm an oddball but my best'est saddle of all time for me is the old Ritchey Vector. I've got three of them on my bikes and just set them up slightly nose down so that the weight is on my sit bones. They are the most comfy saddles I have of them all.

I've still got one more in the parts bucket and it's going onto my new Soma Double Cross buildup.

You might look into this demo program at cc:

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/road-bikes/demo-saddle

Unfortunately, no brooks saddles, although they do have regals.

I've always had success with brooks saddles when set up properly...been riding on them since the '70's.
Some are made of thicker leather than others, some have springs, some have holes in them...If you can't find a brooks that works for you, then you probably have a bike set up problem. A proper fitting is essential before you start looking at changing saddles.

Thanks to all who have responded.

Just to clarify, I had the bike fitted by my LBS when I first purchased it last year. I had the saddle readjusted by the them after riding a few hundred miles. Maybe BikeWNC is right...I should just keep adjusting the Toupe until it feels right. Then again, other riders say they hate the Toupe and never got used to it.

I realize that a saddle is a very personal choice for riders, and comfort is a very subjective subject, but I was just trying to gauge what others have experienced. I think I'll check with my LBS and see what he has that I can use on a trial basis, and see if anything improves with a different saddle. As someone posted, changing out saddle after saddle to find the one that is right for you can be a very expensive, if not trying, dilemma.

On my Sirrus, I have and original equipment Specialized Sonoma. It is one of the most comfortable saddles I have ever used. Not leather, but then again it probably won't cost $200.

I was just reading this saddle thread on the Touring board:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=401188

You need to get a recumbent trike. It will solve all your saddle problems, along with back, knee, allergy, marital, weight, income, weather, height, fashion and acid reflux problems.


;)

I have rode my Specialized Toupe for about 30 miles and it feels pretty damn hard IMHO, I have bought a Specialized Alias on Craigslist and am waiting on it to arrive, it looks like quite a bit more padding than the toupe but still is a split seat to help with the Prostate. I will post after I try it out, I have not thrown in the towel on the Toupe yet!!

Check out this recent thread: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=393481

The reports are not in yet on this saddle but it looks to be oriented to the issues you have. The air bladder is adjustable for frimness.

I have made contributions to the following compaies bottom line:
Fizik - Arione, Aliante, Aliante Gamma
Terry-Fly
Selle Bassano- Boxter
Velo - Carbon SLR, Gel Pronto SL.Z3
Selle Italia - Thoork

I had a Toupe that was comfortable for about 45 minutes, then became just too hard to sit on. I switched to an Alias, very similar shape, but with a little padding. I like that one.

You think you have saddle problems? No you don't---You just haven't emptied the wallet often enough to find the right one.

Read this about knee problems: http://www.cptips.com/toc.htm#table

I also went through five saddles and settled on an old timer, the Brooks B17 and it solved all my perineal problems pronto. If one feels this saddle it is hard as a rock, but I think the reason it works for so many people is that the leather acts like a hammock between the front and rear supports. I didn't have to wait for a breakin period. It was fine from the first ride.

Get it from Wallingford bike parts, for they give you a six months trial - don't like it, return it for a full refund.
http://www.wallbike.com/

There not getting my B17 back. Good luck. One other thing, as others have said, minor adjustments can make a huge difference in comfort.

Billy