Road Cycling - fi'zi:k Arione appropriate for Clydesdale?

Being 6'6" and 210 pounds sucks. Not only is it a pain in the neck to find a proper-fitting bike, keep from bending parts on it, and watching scrawny little mountain goats fly by you on the hills, but it also rather limits saddle choices, I've found.
My original seat that came on my Fuji Ace was a complete POS, so I tossed that in favour of a Specialized saddle, which made everything down south go totally numb after a mile or so. So I ditched that in favour of a WTB Laser V MTB saddle, which was okay, but not great. After 10 miles or so, there would be serious pain in my taint, and I would have to stand periodically to allow blood to rush back in.
A week or so ago, I traded that saddle to my riding partner for his Quintana Roo saddle (old, no model name on it). It's hard as hell, but feels fine for about 12 miles.
I also have a Selle Italia Flite gel saddle on my Cervelo Eyre TT bike, which is comfortable as hell on that bike, but awful on my Ace. I wonder if it's not because so much greater a % of my weight is on my arms on the Cervelo, but I dunno. Could it be my frame giving me this pain? I'm considering stuffing some rubbe tubing inside my seatpost to see if maybe I can dampen some vibrations or something. Any ideas about this?

Anyway, I've been looking around, and I think what I need is a wide, flat, hard saddle. The saddle would need to be wide enough for my spaced-out sitbones, and the fi'zi:k looks like it fits the bill. Any opinions on this?
I'm also considering the Aspide and maybe the SLK, any thoughts on those?

Thanks!!

Cole

will be testing a host of Fi'zi:k 's 2005 range from September through to may next year but judging the brand by the comfort of my Alliante, I'd say you can't too far wrong with the Arione.
Not the narrowest and not the widest either so suits my fi'zi:k :0

Forget the SLK or Aspide unless you have narrow hips.
i found them both terribly uncomfortable and I only weigh 166lbs with a 32" waist.

Just to give a sense of proportion, I tried a Flite Geniune Gel and it was too wide near the snout. I just got an SLR XP and it fits like a glove. I'm 130# with a 29-30" waist.

I weigh 215 and ride an Arione - works for me.

Jim

If you are more upright on the Fuji, your saddle problems might have more to do with your position than anything else. It's tough and expensive to play around with different saddles, so you might put that Selle Italia saddle from your Cervelo on your Fuji and play around with its position and tilt, making small adjustments until it feels as good as you can make it feel. You could also try flipping your stem. Of course, many forum members will tell you to get a Brooks saddle.

200lbs on the new Arione TRI saddle. Better "road" saddle than all other road saddles I have had.

Check trisports.com

Hey all, thanks for the replies!

I did some fiddling on yesterday's ride with the QR saddle on there, but I still had numbness, so I'll be fooling with the Flite from the Cervelo today. We'll see. I'll keep you posted.

Thanks again
Cole

I just took the Arione off my bike today after about 175 miles testing. I can't stand the thing. After 20 miles I get the same, "ok gotta stand up now and let the blood rush back in" Good bye to that garbage for me. It's so funny to b/c it got such great reviews. Finding a saddle has become the single most important thing to me at this point. When I find the right one I am going to buy 3 of them for future use.

Finding a saddle has become the single most important thing to me at this point. When I find the right one I am going to buy 3 of them for future use.

That's my problem as well...I need to find that special "one" that fits so right and you can do a century in w/o any major discomfort...then buy two of them so I have one on each bike.

Man nothing like thinking about spending several hundred $$$ in just saddles for the bikes. :(

I have an Arione, Alliante', and Pave'. I find that the edges of the flattish Arione dig into my legs and cause some chafing. While I don't hate it, I'm not crazy about it. The pave' is better, but a little heavier. The alliante' is the most comfortable saddle I've ever ridden, but kind of pricey. The leather is also thin and subject to damage along the edges, however it hasn't hurt the saddle after about 16 months of use. Don't know about the others you mentioned. YMMV.

I tried Arami, SLK and Arionne, I'm sticking to the arionne coz it fits me, I'm 5'6" 160lbs.

SLK

The most comfortable saddle I've tried in terms of shock absorbing, its like you're sitting on a active suspension. But the thing is very flat and it support my sit born very well, only problem is I get chafing,

Arionne

I curse when I first got it, its so stiff and the sitting area are different from my SLK, so it was a pain in the butt. But after 1000km all my problem went away, no more numb crotch, this thing is built for hill climbing (seated), more sitting position, better power transfer due to stifness I think, and no more chafing.

I guess saddles are very personalize thing, something that works for some will not work for others. Good luck with your search.

BTW forget about arami, the hole is a gimmick gives more pressure in the end!

the arione is a great saddle for bigger guys (like me)

it feels different than any other saddle i've ridden, but has been comfortable from the start and it really does offer a variety of positions

i'm not sure it has increased my "power"...but no chaffing either..thats a plus

no numbness problems even on 50-70 mile rides (often with no stops)...that's the biggest plus...i do wear nice assos bibs and that undoubtedly helps as well

I'm one of the rare folks who didn't like the Arione - it felt like a wedge up my a$$ -- not enough pressure on the sit-bones, and too much pressure right in the center. I'm 5'10, 170, with wider than average sit-bones.

I'm currently happy with a Koobi Au Enduro- it's a little wider than the Flite, and pretty flat. I've done a couple Centuries on it with no complaints. Koobi
may have a model with firmer padding too. (www.koobi.com (http://www.koobi.com)) They have
a money-back guarantee.

G'day,

Ok...you've talked me into it. I just rang the LBS & ordered the Arione. Its available in white (which will suit my bike) with world championship stripes on it!. Who won a world championship riding the Arione?.....anyway, i've ordered it site unseen & without riding it.....hope it works out, I'm getting desperate for something comfortable. I'll let you guys know what I think,

cheers,

Hitchy

I tried Arami, SLK and Arionne, I'm sticking to the arionne coz it fits me, I'm 5'6" 160lbs.

SLK

The most comfortable saddle I've tried in terms of shock absorbing, its like you're sitting on a active suspension. But the thing is very flat and it support my sit born very well, only problem is I get chafing,

Arionne

I curse when I first got it, its so stiff and the sitting area are different from my SLK, so it was a pain in the butt. But after 1000km all my problem went away, no more numb crotch, this thing is built for hill climbing (seated), more sitting position, better power transfer due to stifness I think, and no more chafing.

I guess saddles are very personalize thing, something that works for some will not work for others. Good luck with your search.

BTW forget about arami, the hole is a gimmick gives more pressure in the end!


Thats sort of what I am affraid of. I only put 200 miles on it and I understand that the sloteed wings are actually suposed to micro crack the plastic to break it in. But since it was the most uncomfortable 200 miles of my life I have to give it up. I also understand that most modern saddles don't really require a break in so anyhoo the struggle continues...

I just ordered a Selle San Marco Aspide Arrowhead Gelaround Saddle from Performance, I'm gonna see how that one goes. $89.99 - 20% off w/ the coupon.

I wanted to try a fizik, but they are on hiatus until 8/15 so you can't order from their website. If I were to try one, I'd want to custom color it to match my bike...too cool :)