Tandem Cycling - John Cobb Saddle update

Since we are getting a new tandem (Pearl White Calfee that is supposed to ship tomorrow) I wanted a new saddle. I have been using a Bontrager "R" saddle that I have put about 6,000 miles on, 2,200 on our current tandem. I have a slightly enlarged prostate (many of us over 60 have this condition) so for years I have been cutting a relief in my saddles with a utility knife. The urologists approved and said it should not aggravate the situation. Strictly for appearance and hopefully weight reduction I have been trying new saddles, I tried the Specialized Toupe and it was only good for 10 miles, I sent it back. Was debating on what to try when I saw the John Cobb ad in Bicycling magazine so did a bunch of reading and decided to give one a try. I called John Cobb Cycles and talked to Warren, he suggested the SHC170. I initially thought it was a winner but the more I rode it the more I knew it was not the right saddle, it was putting to much pressure on my prostate. I called them today and talked to Ginger Cobb, after explaining my situation she told me to ship the saddle back and to talk to John, she gave my his cell number. John listened to my story and said that he would not have recommended the SHC170 but rather the Plus model. I sent the old one back and they have already sent me a new one to try. I am very I pleased with their customer service. Now I hope I am just as I pleased with the new saddle. If I did not have an enlarged prostate I think the SHC170 would have worked great, the slot in the saddle was not wide enough.

Wayne

Thank you for the update. I have been considering one of the Cobb saddles.

Sheldon

Thank you for the update. I have been considering one of the Cobb saddles.

Sheldon

I would suggest that you talk to Ginger or John if you do decide to order one.

Let us know how the new one works

Wayne, Saddles are very personal and everyone has one that seems to work for him and many that don't. If you find that the John Cobb doesn't work for you, I have had good success with the Terry Fly (men's, obviously). I had been using a Flite on all of my bikes for years. I put up with numbness, etc for years, because it was comfortable in most other ways. After a bout with prostatitis, I started to try different cut-away saddles. I've been using an Arrowhead on my single, but it didn't work for me on the tandem, where I don't get up off of the saddle as often. The Fly solves my problem.

Semi-OT:

Competitive Cyclist has a great deal now ($89, list $130) on the very comfortable (in Mrs. R's opinion) 2010 Fizik Vesta k:ium Women's Saddle (http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE=BUY_PRODUCT_STANDARD&PRODUCT.ID=6871&MODE=SPECIALS).

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/images/products/fizik/2010/13433_i_1.jpg

Thanks Steve, I will certainly keep that in mind.

Hmmm...Somehow the ideal of a cob saddle just doesn't seem very appealing..

Can you post a picture?

Can you post a picture?

There are good pictures on the John Cobb website: http://www.cobbcycling.com/

Those would be horrible for me. Much too wide where my legs go down during the pedal stroke. I have to have a very pear shaped saddle. That's my big problem with saddle shapes: if the slot is wide enough, too often the whole saddle is too wide. It's simply not necessary to make the saddle so wide where one's sitbones aren't. Or else they don't make the transition from top so side smooth enough, leaving a ridge for my legs to rub on.

I now have nearly 200 miles on the new Calfee with the John Cobb saddle. I can report that I am going to keep it. I have adjusted it several times and finally got it dialed in this afternoon. I now have the nose tilted up 1 degree and have adjusted the height so that I have good leg extension but it is not to high, that is one thing that I had to do, get the height right. We rode 23.5 miles this evening at a nice pace (17MPH) average and had no pain in my sits bones or in my prostate area. I was able to concentrate on riding not on my butt.