Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - My Butt hurts and the twins are sleeping.

I understand selecting a saddle is not a one size fits all but how about a hint? I started with the OEM saddle on my Felt road bike. The saddle was comfortable enough but my twins fell asleep. So then I began my search for a comfortable saddle that would keep the blood flowing. I went to my LBS. They recommended the Specialized Toupe. Well the boys stay awake but after 30 miles I felt like I was sitting on a brick. So what to do? I went to my other LBS, they recommended the Bontrager's Inform RXL saddle and I have gone from bad to worse. Severe pain after 30 miles and the boys are napping. I am half inclined to take the original Felt saddle and cut an insert like the Toupe has but I am worried about reducing the strength of the saddle. I think the 165 pound 20 something’s that have ridden more miles than I have driven in my car at the LBS are suggesting a fine saddle for a Armstrong want-a-be but I weigh in just under 200 lbs and at 50 something these guys could be my sons. Again I understand finding the right saddle is more art than science. Any advice for an old 200 pounded who likes to rack up the miles a few times a week and still wants the vital parts to stay awake?

1) Get fitted for a saddle. Your local Specialized dealer has a meter that can determine the optimal width for your saddle by measuring the space between your sit bones (body size has little to do with it). It sounds like the Toupe fit fine?
2) Wear bike shorts (MTB shorts or mesh shorts over the top if you are modest). The padding in the shorts makes a big difference. Plus, the lack of underwear greatly reduces the chaffing factor.
3) Avoid super-soft seats. The padding and gel squishes between the legs and can shut off blood flow to the boys more easily.
4) 'Split' saddles (ones with a notch down the center) can further reduce the pressure in that region (assuming a proper fit).

I think you may want go back to trying the Specialized Toupe but this time with bike shorts. Work on pedaling constantly and stand up on the pedals every few minutes (to get the blood flowing back there). Do you coast on your bike? That puts a lot of weight onto the saddle and can increase the pain. Increasing core strength and pedaling at higher cadences will reduce the amount of weight you put on the saddle (thus further reducing the discomfort).

I've had the best luck with a Terry Fly saddle. But my experience is that after so many miles on anything, some discomfort wil be present. Centuries are best on the Fly IMO. I did 23 centuries in 2005 on a Fly. A short nap here and there but no sores, that would be the biggest worry in my case.

Heck, If I drive an SUV, pickup or sedan, my legs will fall asleep. It's expected somewhere along the line.

I always wear bike shorts. Don't usually coast. I do stand ocasionally but at the end of 30 miles im really hurting.

I have had good luck with WTB brand saddles. They seem flatter and better padded than other brands- enough so that I put them on all my uprights. My choice for very long days is still my recumbent, but that's another kettle of monkeys.

I have had good luck with WTB brand saddles. They seem flatter and better padded than other brands- enough so that I put them on all my uprights. My choice for very long days is still my recumbent, but that's another kettle of monkeys.


I've got the Rocket V Ti saddle on one of my roadies. I thought it was really comfy till I go the Fly. Just a tad bit wider and a more comfy ride IMO.:D

The WTB has a swoop in it which I find comfy. It has the cutout in the shell but still the saddle cover so it's not visilbe from the top. Like a hammock for the boys!:D

I'm 220-245 lbs depending.:p

Am I the first to suggest a brooks saddle to you?
They are really worth the money. I bought a b17(they even make one with a cut for those parts that taint supposed to be mentioned) and it felt like a glove within a week. Being heavy and sweaty will make it comfortable in a hurry.

Everyone will need a different saddle. Mr. Beanz likes the Fly, it causes me a fair bit of discomfort. I like the Specialized Alias, but others don't. See if one of your local shops has a test program. Then you can try out a few to several and find the one that works for you.

And a big yes to bike shorts! They help a lot.

I understand selecting a saddle is not a one size fits all but how about a hint? I started with the OEM saddle on my Felt road bike. The saddle was comfortable enough but my twins fell asleep. So then I began my search for a comfortable saddle that would keep the blood flowing. I went to my LBS. They recommended the Specialized Toupe. Well the boys stay awake but after 30 miles I felt like I was sitting on a brick. So what to do? I went to my other LBS, they recommended the Bontrager's Inform RXL saddle and I have gone from bad to worse. Severe pain after 30 miles and the boys are napping. I am half inclined to take the original Felt saddle and cut an insert like the Toupe has but I am worried about reducing the strength of the saddle. I think the 165 pound 20 something’s that have ridden more miles than I have driven in my car at the LBS are suggesting a fine saddle for a Armstrong want-a-be but I weigh in just under 200 lbs and at 50 something these guys could be my sons. Again I understand finding the right saddle is more art than science. Any advice for an old 200 pounded who likes to rack up the miles a few times a week and still wants the vital parts to stay awake?

It sounds like the Toupe is a good fit for you, just hard. I like them, but not for long rides.

Don't go get a soft saddle, but there are some with a little padding that takes the edge off. A good one is the Specialized Alias, formerly one model below the Toupe. For that try the same width as your Toupe. If your width is 143, I have a few Alias, and could certainly part with one if you want a used one to try out.

I've lately found two that I really like: the Selle AnAtomica and the Brooks B17Narrow Imperial. They are one reason there are spare Alias' in my parts box.

I'm 56, I sympathize, but I'm concluding that some youthfulness returns with fitness. I also have the same problem relating to the college-age LBS staff.

Road Fan

I had a Selle Italia Flite on my Lemond that I liked pretty well. Right now I'm using a Cannondale something or other (it was in the take off bin) it's not bad but I still get some napping. I have a new bike on lay-away and it has a Brooks swift on it. I rode it a few miles on a test ride and liked it so far.

I like Greg_R's suggestion of getting fitted at a Specialized dealer. Of course they will steer you towards Specialized products, but that's not such a bad thing. You might also see if they can set you up on a trainer as they may be able to point out different things you were not aware of.

Also remember some other factors come into play such as saddle height in relation to both the pedals and/or the handlebars, saddle tilt, and fore aft positioning. On my commuterized mountain bike my saddle height is slightly above the handlebars whereas on my LHT my saddle is slightly below the handlebars. I have a Specialized Sonoma on my mountain bike and a Brooks Flyer pre-aged on the LHT. My Sonoma is level while my Brooks is tilted slightly back. If you do make changes, don't make them all at once.

Hope this helps

I thought the Specialized Toupe was the worst saddle ever. The Phenom worked slightly better for me, but still wasn't perfect. I could get comfortable when riding on the hoods, or in the drops but not both. I didn't bother to try the Alias or Avatar, but many people like them and they offer a bit more padding that either the Toupe or the Phenom.

For mountain biking and commuting, I like WTB saddles. I've tried and liked both the Rocket V and Speed V.

For road bikes, the Selle SMP saddles seem to work for me. I started out on the affordable, heavy Extra (http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1032458_-1_46500_20000_46504) which worked well for rides up to around 60 miles. Recently upgraded to the Lite 209, which costs as much as a decent piece of furniture, and it works even better. A bit less padding and a larger cut-out makes it even more comfortable than the Extra, which has almost too much padding for use on really long rides.

I have a SelleItalia SLR gel flow and at 220lbs it's worked great for me. I always wear cycling bibs but with this seat I do not have to use chamois creame for anything under 100km. I will admit thou you will likely take awhile to find just the right one. I tried 4 others till I found the right one. Plus even with the right one there will still be times when some discomfort will happen, remember this is exercise not sitting on couch.

I like the Selle Italia Flite, and am looking at the SLR for a rebuild on one of my other bikes in the next year. You can also try playing with the angle (tilt) of your seat. Try a little adjustment one way or the other. You might start by bringing the nose up, putting more weight on your sit bones. Seems counter intuitive, but it made a difference when I had problems with a new saddle. Remember, go a little at a time. Look for a seat with a cut out, but start by adjusting the New Specialized you picked up.

I had a problem with that, even when the saddle was overall quite comfortable, a few rides and adjusting the saddle tilt got it all worked out. When a found the sweet spot between "feels like I'm sliding off forward" and "numbness" I had found it (of course getting the height right as well). The best investment I made was in a two-bolt seatpost, as this allows for much finer adjustment than a single bolt style...even a sixteenth of a turn (each bolt, one in, one out) makes a difference.

I'm surprised the more respondants haven't harped on about saddle angle, position and height. Even with the right saddle, if you don't have the aforementioned right you'll suffer. It sounds to me like the toupe isn't a bad starting point. Start looking to saddle height, fore/aft position and perhaps most importantly tilt. As mentioned by barturtle, a two bolt post (like a Thomson but there are plenty of others) makes a great tool here.

+1 on the B17 Imperial Narrow

The problem with asking a question like this is you get 100 different answers from 100 different people.;) I think the suggestion of getting fitted for your saddle is right on. It's not just the saddle but it's position. Is it too nose up or nose down, etc. For people who've had problems the saddles that have helps the most people (that I know of) are the Brooks saddle and the Selle Anatomica. Both are similar but the Selle Anatomica has a cut out in it. I don't own either one. My saddle works great for me. Just trying saddles isn't going to help you, you need to get a little scientific to solve your problem.

The problem with asking a question like this is you get 100 different answers from 100 different people.+1. No one here knows what your butt looks like. Get measured... that will determine the required width for your saddle. Notch / no Notch and narrowness of the front of the saddle are personal choices. Finally, note that proper placement of the saddle (amount of tilt, height, etc.) will affect the amount of pressure on the boys. There should be little to no pressure there, everything should be on the sit bones.

+1. No one here knows what your butt looks like...

Um, no pics please!

What parameters are there to a saddle fitting? Is there anything besides ensuring the saddle is wide enough to support you by the sitbones?

I had one of the Terry saddles on my single (Tri Fly Gel maybe). Didn't work well on the single, but is very comfortable on our tandem. Body position certainly has an effect and if you don't have a seatpost with a two-bolt adjusting system I would certainly recommend you get one. Very small changes in saddle tilt can make a big difference. I've since moved the original tandem saddle to my single and with the help of a two-bolt post it's pretty decent. Shorts make a huge difference as well. I've got two pair of Aerotechdesign shorts at two slightly different price points. The less expensive pair is maybe good for 30 miles. The extra $10 I spent on the other pair lets me ride for 6+ hours in relative comfort.

Since making sure the saddle is positioned properly has already been mentioned, I'll just toss a couple more saddle selections out there.

1: I love the hell out of my Specialized BG comfort plus saddle. So much comfy for so little cost. It's not sleek or light, but I'm not even close to caring about a few grams (or even kilograms) here and there.

2: I'm trying a Rido R2 saddle right now. If perineal issues are at the top of your problem list, this is the saddle for you. It's a bit harder on the booty than the BG, but you get used to it pretty quickly, and there is essentially zero taint pressure.

Brooks B17 Narrow for anything over 15 miles.

+1 on the shorts, even though my brooks is buttery smooth for the first twenty miles wihtout padding.

I had the same issue. I had a Felt with the Selle Italia seat and I had everything south fall asleep. I tried buying member friendly seats, gel covers you name it. What eventually worked was buying my first pair of Sugoi bib. The padding is second to none and they have a section in the front that keeps the bait n tackle in place without putting them to sleep.

Make sure your seat is positioned correctly and then try a pair of the shorts or bibs. I am 270+, 6'5" and thanx to the guys at my LBS for suggesting the Sugoi brand I have been able to double the daily ride without any issues.

What parameters are there to a saddle fitting? Is there anything besides ensuring the saddle is wide enough to support you by the sitbones?

You can get measured for the correct sit-bone distance, but all the other factors are personal preference:

- suspended leather or padded hardshell
- cutout or no cutout
- amount of padding/placement of padding
- for hardshells; covering material
- width at midsection and nose
- length/shape of nose, including new noseless and drop-nose saddles
- length of rails for optimal adjustment on post

i use a drop nose seat called, The Seat. years ago i was in a car crash. my pelvis and right hip were fractured, and i separated my Pubic Symphysis (ouch). as much bicycle riding as i did after the crash (alot) i could never find a comfortable saddle. that is until i found The Seat. it's awesome.

Am I the first to suggest a brooks saddle to you?
They are really worth the money. I bought a b17(they even make one with a cut for those parts that taint supposed to be mentioned) and it felt like a glove within a week. Being heavy and sweaty will make it comfortable in a hurry.

I too used to use a Bontrager and it worked well on my Trek 2.1, but not so much on the Portland.
so I've ordered a Brooks B-17. I'll let ya know more when I can.
B-17 won't be in until next wednesday or so :)