Sasquatch16

Been getting some numbness in the lower regions when riding longer distances. been wanting to try the Selle SMP Pro but price is a little scary. I see they have a model that seems to be new the Selle SMP Trk. It is about a third of the price. Main difference I see is it is not leather. Has anyone tried this saddle?

Thanks

cplager

Hi,

Two general pieces of advice:

1) Try and find a place that will let you borrow saddles. Different people like different things.

2) If after you've tried several different types and nothing is working for you, go to the dark side (recumbents).

Good luck,
Charles

goldfinch

https://www.cervelo.com/en/engineerin...-saddles-.html

This is a good article on the things to think about when choosing a saddle. The four and a half rules:

1. Wide enough
2. Flat enough
3. Firm enough
4. Maybe a cutout
4.5 T or pear shaped
These four and a half rules have helped many riders improve the comfort of their saddles. First, if you choose a saddle that’s wide enough to support your sit bones, and second, it’s flat enough (side to side) that it doesn’t wedge up in the middle and flat enough (front to back) that you don’t slide forward; third, firm enough that you don’t sink in and squish the saddle’s padding up too much in the middle, and fourth, decide whether you need a cutout or not, and finally, consider how “T” or “pear” shaped you prefer, then you’re probably most of the way to enjoying riding your bike in better comfort.

vesteroid

read that link from GF read it all...do the test on the bench or low table they suggest, it made all the difference in the world to me.

One more thing, get out of the saddle frequently. Many clydes dont stand, or stand very little. I make it a point to get out of the saddle every 15 minutes for a couple of minutes.

CliftonGK1

One thing to check into is also your position on the saddle. If all else is properly selected (width, shape, length, etc.) you could be rolling your hips forward and putting to much weight onto your squishy parts instead of perching it on your sit bones as you ought to.

I tried a Selle SMP Pro saddle and it took me all of 10 seconds to know their stuff isn't for me. While the Pro is a wider model, it's also one which is highly peaked and drops off steep at the rear edges. It was like sitting on a wedge.
I prefer a flatter profile for a wider sit bone structure; so I use a Brooks B-17 Imperial on my distance bike and a Selle Italia Diva gel flow on my CX racing bike.

I bought my SMP saddle from Bike Tires Direct (in PDX) and they have a good return policy.

Homeyba

Before you go spending money on a new saddle, make sure you have yours adjusted properly first. Especially the tilt fore/aft. btw, what are we conscidering a long ride, 50miles, 100 miles, 100+miles?

Daspydyr 

I traded my Selle in for a Specialized Talus. Not perfect, but better.

tpy2010

It was this issue, multiple saddles, numerous articles, several LBS's fittings and adjustments and the concern that this may become irreversible that drove me into the seat of a catrike recumbent. I got feeling and can still get out and ride. My son inherited the CF DF a lot earlier than I intended.

sstorkel

I own two Selle SMP saddles: a Selle SMP Extra (~$100) and the vastly more expensive Selle SMP Lite 209. They're both nice saddles. The SMP Extra, available from Performance Bike, isn't a bad place to start if you want to give SMP a try. Especially true if you can buy during one of their 20%-off sales. I rode my Extra for several years before finally upgrading to the Lite 209. The Lite 209 has quite a bit less padding and a slightly larger cut-out as a result. I find the Lite 209 better for long (50+ miles) rides than the Extra. I used the Lite 209 when I rode from San Francisco to Los Angeles and it worked great; wish I'd upgraded sooner!

One word of caution: both of these Selle SMP saddles will put quite a bit of weight and pressure on your sit bones. Long-term this is what you want, but if you're not used to it you'll find the saddles uncomfortable initially. It took me a week or two to get used to the SMP Extra when I started riding it.

Edit: both SMP saddles have held up very well. The Lite 209 looks almost new after two years of riding (3000-4000 miles/year). The graphics on the SMP Extra are starting to rub off, but the synthetic saddle cover is still in good shape.

BTW, the only saddle I like better than the Selle SMP Lite 209 is the ISM Adamo Road... but it has so little padding it isn't for everyone. The ISM Typhoon or Century might be better bets if you're not used to a minimally-padded saddle.

Sasquatch16

Thanks that was info I was looking for. I am going to try the $70.00 version to see if it works for me. If it works then I will consider upgrading to leather.

CraigB

As mentioned previously, get up and move from time to time. Stand to pedal up a hill or just for the hell of it every now and then. Road and terrain conditions give you all kinds of opportunities to be a little more dynamic in the saddle. The only time I get numb anymore is when I'm on the trainer.

sstorkel

I wouldn't spend too much time worrying about the cover. Even the synthetic cover on my Selle SMP Extra has held up pretty well. The big thing to worry about is fit. The Extra and TRK are both relatively large saddles with lots of padding. If you need a narrower saddle, or less padding, you can only get that by moving to one of the more expensive SMP saddles.

If you're worried about the price, ISM Adamo saddles are quite a bit less expensive than Selle SMP. Despite looking very different, I find that they feel pretty similar when riding: both saddles concentrate all of your weight on your sit bones, have a cut-out to reduce soft tissue pressure, and short (or non-existent) noses to prevent problems when you're in the drops.

Yo Spiff

12 posts in a saddle thread and nobody has suggested a Brooks yet? There, I fixed that oversight.