Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Saddle saviour needed

I'm training for my first century in November and this past weekend I rode 35 miles on Saturday and 65 on Sunday. The feeling of accomplishmentwas tremendous but one area of my body does not agree. My arse. It hurt so bad the last 15 miles Sunday that I thought I was going to stop and not continue. But I grit my teeth and bite my tounge and made it the rest of the way. I'm using my factory seat which is on a 09 Giant Defy. First 25 miles its fine, but after that OMG :eek: !!!! So now I'm looking for a more long term comfortable seat for a 6'2" 250lb Clyde. I see that Brooks are getting high reviews and others high priced seats but are they designed for our lighter cyclists? Seems those tiny narrow seats get lost when I sit on them and they feel like a rock. Is there something out there for larger guys like us or is it a grin and bare it issue? I found on ebay a seat that claims to be very comfortable but cannot find many people using it here. Its a TOPEAK Allay Sport saddle and has some interesting information about it.

Item number: 180286978626

So if you've been there like I am and found relief someplace please share and save my oversized rear end. :rolleyes: Which is rapidly shrinking I might ad.:roflmao2:

You should go to a shop which sells Specialized saddles, because they should have the Specialized Ass-O-Meter fit system. Get fitted for the proper saddle width, and that will help you determine why your current saddle is uncomfortable.

Since you mention Brooks, I'll address your 2 concerns:
- Are they meant for lighter cyclists? Heck no. I weigh around what you do, and I've put thousands of miles on my Brooks saddles.
- Are they rock hard? Sort of. They're not padded, which makes them feel hard to the initial touch. Rather, contact with the sit bones is very comfortable as the leather 'gives' slightly at the contact point while overall the saddle is supportive of even a heavier rider's weight.

Don't just count on buying a Brooks and magickally solving your problems, though. It's all about the proper saddle fit. Get that width checked out, and then look at saddles which will fit your properly. From there, decide if you want to go with an unpadded leather saddle or if you'd prefer a more modern design.

I considering a new saddle. My LBS offered to sell me a saddle and then as long as I keep the packaging and don't tear up the seat I can return turn it for a different model until I find right one. I don't mean to say they don't try to fit me with a saddle first or leave me to fend for myself. They did inquire to what I have and where the pain is then suggested a couple of choices.

I did adjust my stem length and that may have cured the saddle issue.

I've done the ass-O-meter, and while interesting, it didn't provide an accurate result. I've also ridden stuff that worked great for many other people but me.

What I suggest is you patronize a store with a generous return policy and keep on trying them. Competitive Cyclist even has a program (http://www.competitivecyclist.com/road-bikes/demo-saddle)where they ship you a whole box of 'em.

Also, no saddle, no matter how perfect for you, will deliver the goods if it isn't adjusted correctly and on a properly fitted bike.

My son's Giant Yukon stock saddle was to narrow for him, he was actually sitting on his tail bone, not sit bones. After having sit bone width checked, and new saddle he has been very happy.

If you ride with bars and seat at about same height the Brooks B17 or likely style should be checked out.

I have a Brooks B17 Imperial on upright Hybrid, and did 50 mile plus rides with no complaints or ghost saddle effect when completed.

Moved the B17 I to my road bike and experienced same comfort, found a B68 for hybrid, since I do ride more upright and it does the job as well.


If bars are dropped more than a few inches below the seat, a Brooks may not be best choice.

I'm training for my first century in November and this past weekend I rode 35 miles on Saturday and 65 on Sunday. The feeling of accomplishmentwas tremendous but one area of my body does not agree. My arse. It hurt so bad the last 15 miles Sunday that I thought I was going to stop and not continue. But I grit my teeth and bite my tounge and made it the rest of the way. I'm using my factory seat which is on a 09 Giant Defy. First 25 miles its fine, but after that OMG :eek: !!!! So now I'm looking for a more long term comfortable seat for a 6'2" 250lb Clyde. I see that Brooks are getting high reviews and others high priced seats but are they designed for our lighter cyclists? Seems those tiny narrow seats get lost when I sit on them and they feel like a rock. Is there something out there for larger guys like us or is it a grin and bare it issue? I found on ebay a seat that claims to be very comfortable but cannot find many people using it here. Its a TOPEAK Allay Sport saddle and has some interesting information about it.

Item number: 180286978626

So if you've been there like I am and found relief someplace please share and save my oversized rear end. :rolleyes: Which is rapidly shrinking I might ad.:roflmao2:

I tried the Allay and it was a "no go" for me. I'm 220 6' 3'. Went through NUMEROUS saddles. What works for me is the Fizik Arione. I can move around on the saddle which gives some relief on long rides.
I suggest that you just start trying various saddles until you finally find one with the "AHHHH" factor.
Most LBS will work with you regarding saddles.
Good luck and happy hunting!

The best saddle I've tried so far is the Selle SMP Strike Extra. It's 100g heavier and $160 cheaper than their top-of-the-line saddles ($109 vs $270 @ Performance Bike). The huge cut-out in the middle of the saddle means no pressure on the more sensitive parts of your body. On the other hand, it does mean that all of your weight is concentrated on your sit bones. If you're not used to this, it will take a while to get used to it. I still get some discomfort after 40-50 miles in the saddle, but nothing like the pain caused by the other saddles I've tried.

As others have suggested, in addition to finding the right saddle you also need to make sure that your bike fits properly. I noticed that I had a tendency to slide forward on my saddle, which increased my discomfort. I made the changes necessary to keep my butt in a consistent spot, then went looking for the perfect saddle.

Just to make sure, you are wearing bike shorts with a pad, right? And commando?

Just to make sure, you are wearing bike shorts with a pad, right? And commando?

Yes I am......:thumb: