Hello, looking for advice (saddle)

[zombie222222]

Hey, its my first post here but i got serious reason to do so. I got hybrid/trekking bicycle wich i am using for longer distance rides(75km+ without stop every few days), and im planning to go on some 300km-500km trip in few weeks. I know that those aint greatest distances but im still training and getting used to bike. In fact im still chainging lot of things at my bicycle like aerobars or saddle position. And this is my biggest problem. First of all i need to change saddle - im using some cheap gel stock one wich came with bicycle - its great for 25km but after that it just hurts more and more. Second, im using aerobars and i need my saddle to be working with it pretty well. It took me lot of time to find satisfying position for me on aeros but once again saddle is weakest point so its defintely thing to exchange...

I know that most of people would like to answer that i should check all saddles by myself and pick one im enoyoing(and thats what im going to do anyway) but i would like to hear opinions of people who have more experience, especially ones with saddles from my 'pre want list'.

I dont have working hi quality camera atm except some crappy phone cam, but i made few pictures of my bicycle. As you can see saddle is at similar position as handlebar, but when i catch aeros, they are below saddle. It took me lot of time to find it out, i tried different aeros, sterns and handlebars but this combination is somehow working for me, not to mention that im using aeros mostly to give my hands some break or to fight vs wind, not really interested in beating speed records :bike2: :roflmao2:

Saddle pre choices are:

Selle SMP TRK/TRK-Extra
Brooks B17
ISM Adamo Typhoon

Any sugesstions?

[zombie222222]

I got some attachment problems, cant upload most of pictures but here is most important.

[Bacciagalupe]

I recently started using a Brooks B17, and I'm digging it.

However, that particular model works best with somewhat upright positions, and may not be optimal when you're using aero bars.

If you're doing 500km in a day, using aero bars is an excellent idea. If you're doing 500k spread out over 4-5 days, though, that's really more of a tour. Aero bars are still OK, but you can definitely do without, and other methods may actually work a little better. If you have a flat-bar hybrid, either bar-ends or trekking bars will be more than sufficient.

[zombie222222]

If you're doing 500km in a day, using aero bars is an excellent idea. If you're doing 500k spread out over 4-5 days, though, that's really more of a tour.

500km per day sounds kinda hardcore ;) im planning to do it in 3-4 days!

If you have a flat-bar hybrid, either bar-ends or trekking bars will be more than sufficient.

i have flat bar hybrid with bar ends and aerobars, going to upload another picture in few minutes

btw take a look at this bicycle, front looks really nice: http://www.koga.com/us/bike.asp?id=6284166

[zombie222222]

here is front of my bicycle, im still fixing it so most of stuff(like mud guards) aint there, also still checking various positions but this one seems to be fine(besides fact that elbows are very wide its very enjoyable and allows some of muscles to rest without stop)

[CliftonGK1]

I recently started using a Brooks B17, and I'm digging it.

However, that particular model works best with somewhat upright positions, and may not be optimal when you're using aero bars.

I agree. I have a B-17 and a B-17 Imperial (test model) and neither one is really good for "in the drops aero" positioning. The only way I think an aerobar would be comfortable with a B-17 saddle is if you had really tall elbow stanchions, the way I've seen some of the ultra racers set their bikes up. The aeros at that point are less for aerodynamic position, and more to move weight bearing off the wrists.

[kamalster]

Part of your problem is likely just saddle adjustment. It sounds like you're still working on finding the right saddle position, but your next experiment should be to raise the nose of the saddle so it's level with the rear. With your saddle adjusted the way it is in the picture, you'd tend to slide forward on the saddle and end up sitting not on your sit bones but right on the tenderest part of your tushy, which will definitely cause pain and discomfort after an hour. If you sit on the actual sit bones, not only will your butt hurt less, but you'll be putting less weight on your hands in order to avoid hurting your butt, so your wrists will probably hurt less, too.

[Staggerwing]

Started with a B-17, on my commuter, but as my fitness level ramped up, and my position got lower, it didn't work as well. Not horrible, just too wide in back and too narrow in front. I've also had a B-17n (the slightly more narrow, but harder to find, variant) and like it better. For my racier bikes, I've run classic Selle Italia Flites and a Storika, and neither is good for more than a couple of hours.

A classic that you may want to add to the checkout list is a Selle San Marco Regal. While not of the same heritage as a B17, it has been made for some time. Nicely contoured shape, minimal padding, but a little give to the support structure, and wider in the nose. I also like how the nose is rounder, and drops slightly. I would occasionally catch my bottoms on the nose of the B17 on remounts. Not an issue with the Regal I think I've finally found my saddle. Of course, one persons nirvana is anothers ass hatchet.

Also, more padding is not a good thing in a saddle; that is what the chamois in your bibs is for.

Just for sizing reference, I'm a borderline clyde.

[spokenword]

as others have said, saddle choice is a highly particular preference.

I've used a Specialized Avatar for all of my rides and it's been great for me over the last few years with more than 7500 miles on it. It's a rather firm saddle (and again, generally, the more time that you'll be spending on the saddle, the firmer you'll want it to be) and it has an ergonomic cutout so that the boy bits stay happy.

In general, try out a bunch if you can. Your shop should have a pretty good return policy for saddles and should let you bring one back within a week or two if you don't like it (if they don't, then go shopping elsewhere)

[Pinyon]

What saddle type you like, mostly depends on your body build. That is why you get so many answers. Lots and lots of variables to deal with.

I have chunky and long legs, a normal torso, and wide hip-bones. So, I don't like to sit up that high, because my long legs smack my forearms if I'm too upright and still leaning far enough forward to engage my hamstrings. I'm the most comfortable with the bars just below the saddle height, and stretched out a little bit further than most people. Thus, I really don't like Brooks type saddles (too wide and flat). I prefer saddles with a pretty narrow front, but pretty wide in the back, a cut-out in the center (better for my stretched out position), and pretty minimal on the padding.

Saddles that work for me include Specialized Alias and Avatar (I ride a 155 cm), several saddles made by Terry (Fly, Hawk, and the non-gel Liberator on my mountain bike), and I really like a Fizik saddle that a freind of mine has. I forgot the model, but it has a center cut-out, and the rails flex indipendently of one another as you pedal.

[zombie222222]

thanks for feedback :)

Part of your problem is likely just saddle adjustment. It sounds like you're still working on finding the right saddle position, but your next experiment should be to raise the nose of the saddle so it's level with the rear. With your saddle adjusted the way it is in the picture, you'd tend to slide forward on the saddle and end up sitting not on your sit bones but right on the tenderest part of your tushy, which will definitely cause pain and discomfort after an hour. If you sit on the actual sit bones, not only will your butt hurt less, but you'll be putting less weight on your hands in order to avoid hurting your butt, so your wrists will probably hurt less, too.actually i dont have such a problem, i started with raised saddle nose and it didnt work - this is most comfortable position i could get for riding(and riding with aeros) yet, althro its still far from perfect... my guess is that its saddle causing problems, even when i raise handlebar high above saddle and not using aeros, butt hurts after 1 hour of riding - that saddle might look good on picture but its far from comfort(its actually called selle royal, i dont know model but its looks like its pretty low end saddle that came with bicycle)

also relating to other posts, i asked about b17 because i heared that leather is kinda adjusting itself to owner after some time and many long-distance riders are using it sucessfuly - i was worried about nose and i guess that it will be very hard to use it on bicycle with (low) aeros sucessfully and most of comments made it clear - im going to test it in few days anyway but this gives me good info already

did you look at other saddles i posted? ISM Adamo and Selle SMP TRK/Trk Extra... watch what they did with saddle noses there, this is also related to my problem on aeros, i tried already one triathlon saddle wich was suposed to be good for long distance and had extra gel on nose and well... didnt work at all not only in front but also at back(they recommended to switch position)

maybe there are some leather saddles with lower nose/no nose out there? leather opposed to synthetic materials allows to sit on saddle for long time without any problems but in aero position nose is problem on b17

http://www.blackwellresearch.com/p_seats.htm
http://www.bikemania.biz/Selle_SMP_Strike_TRK_Racing_Saddle_p/selle_strike_trk.htm

[gparvan]

Check out the Specialized Toupe'. I've got several thousand miles on it and I love it. The longest ride on the saddle to date is about 132 miles.

[benajah]

Give tri saddles like Profile Design a look. They are designed for riders who will be in an agressive position, but will generally have real thin chamois or maybe none at all (swimsuit). They are not designed for distance riding, but I have found that I really like my tri saddle for long distance riding and for commuting without cycling shorts.

[BlueJay66]

I highly recommend a Selle Anatomica. Especially if you are looking at the SMP's. I just finished my first 600 km brevet and had no issues with my saddle. This was with less than 300 miles on it before the 600 km ride.

BlueJay66