FlashBazbo

I like the fit of my Brooks Team Pro for long hauls, but I don't like its weight. It adds 2/3 of a pound or more to the weight of the bike. The total width of a Team Pro is 160mm -- but total width isn't the relevant measure. Width between the "pressure points" for the sit bones is the relevant measure, but even Specialized sizes their saddles by total width rather than by the relevant measurement.

So, here's the question . . . since there is no "between the sit bones" standard measure for saddles, would anyone (with experience) suggest a plastic saddle that seems to have an equivalent sit bone fit to a Brooks Team Pro?

FlashBazbo

Any Fizik Aliante or Specialized Toupe 143 (or 150) riders out there? Have you compared these to the Team Pro or, for that matter, the Fizik Arione? These are my leading suspects, at this point. They aren't 160mm wide, but they're wider than most.

Ygduf

go to a specialized dealer. sit in the measuring thingy, get a saddle in the suitable range.

No one will be able to tell you that a saddle is comfortable to you. It's preference, down to the individual.

GP

I use an Aliante on my road bike and a Pro on my commuter. The Pro was uncomfortable until I raised the bars to level with the nose of the saddle.

As far as comparing the two, they're both fine with me. I don't ride the commuter as far as the road bike though.

Have you thought about Rolls or Regal?

FlashBazbo

No. Rolls is much too heavy. Regal is also heavy, plus looks like a "pretender" -- imitation Brooks.

I like my Brooks, but don't like its weight.

knobster

Then get a Brooks Sparrow or a cheaper Swift. Ti rails. Not terribly heavy.

Eclectus

If you're racing and need minimal weight, be willing to experiment. If you just want comfort for lots of miles, daily, Brooks saddles work. I wish they were lighter, but c'est la vie.

GP

On a road bike, I'd try one of these before the Pro. I ride with two guys that use Swifts. They're both 12 hour double guys.

FlashBazbo

Swift and Sparrow are heavy, plus -- far worse -- Swift and Sparrow don't fit me. (Experienced Brooks riders understand well why they make them in different widths -- it's not for weight or just for styling.)

Fit, plus lightness, are what I'm looking for. The topic is about a suitable sub-200g plastic saddle. Suggestions?

merlinextraligh

I have no idea how it fits compared to a Brooks, but I do find Fizik Aliante's to be comfortable. For me the Aliante is about the perfect balance of padding and weight. With the Kium rails, its maybe 50-75 grams heavier than a uberlight a**hatchet, and much more comfortable.

Of course it completely depneds on how it fits you.

knobster

Ok, it hasn't been said yet, so I'll say it. Lose it off your body. 2/3rds of a pound would take like a couple of days to lose. It's not rotational weight, so it shouldn't affect the bike at all. Comfort is more important than a light saddle. Unless you're a professional rider. Are you? Even they don't necessarily chose the lightest saddle.

Brooks Sparrow: 360 grams
Brooks Swift: 370 grams
For comparison: Fizik Aliante Carbon: 239 grams.

That's not enough difference for the typical rider. But I understand about the sit bone issue. I couldn't ride the wider models because of my narrow ass. But if you have no experience with them, how do you know? I'd recommend getting each, one at a time from Wallbike.com and try them. If they don't work for you, return it. They have a 6 month return policy. No questions asked. Great company.

Edit: FYI, I ride the Brooks Swift Ti model.

merlinextraligh

Why do people continue to make this argument. The two proposals are not competitive, i.e. one can lose weight and buy a lighter saddle. One has nothing to do with the other. Also some people (not myself) are as light as they can be without losing power.



Ironically, a light saddle is less important to a professional racer than an amateur racer. Today, you can make any pro level bike weigh in at the minimum 14.9lbs, even with a 350g seat. Thus there is no advantage to a rider that has to comply with UCI regs to have a really light saddle. Hence you see some pros riding heavy, older, saddles.

For someone not subject to UCI reg's there is a small advantage to a lighter saddle.

merlinextraligh

You're talking over $400 for the Sparrow Ti. A fairer comparison from an economic point of view would be the Aliante with Carbon rails, which can be had for $240, and weighs 199 grams.


And I'm asuming you must be a professional racer. Otherwise the extra $200 to save 125 grams going from the Swift saddle with chrome plated rails, to the Swift with Ti rails would clearly not be justified.

You can't argue that 125 grams don't matter when you diss the Fizik saddle and turn around and spend hundreds of dollars to get a lighter Brooks saddle. You obviously believe that saving 125 grams from a seat is worth a fair amount.

knobster

Merlin, you missed my points. What I'm saying is most cyclist that I've come across that complain about this weight or that weight are the same riders that simply ride around their neighborhood or do the infrequent organized ride. What I mean is weight may not be as important as comfort. That's all.

As far as the Aliante, I wasn't dissing it. I was comparing it to that one because it's a well regarded saddle and a typically fairly light one. I was just showing that the Brooks saddles aren't THAT much heavier than a pretty light plastic saddle.

In regards to the other comments, no I'm not a pro rider and I know how to find deals. My Swift w/Ti rails only cost me $120. Scanning return bins can sometimes net some good deals.

chipcom 

If the swift and sparrow are too narrow for you at 152mm, I doubt that you're gonna find a suitable sub-200g plastic saddle that is going to be wide enough for you. An Alias or Toupe at 155mm might be worth trying. You can get a Team Pro with ti rails too, if you want (the Euro being weak the time might be right price-wise too).

If 160mm is as narrow as you can go, you're gonna have to make up your mind what is more important to you, your butt or ~100 grams of weight.

FYI, A team pro is the right width for me, but I am also OK for century+ distances on a swift, as well as a 155mm Alias.

FlashBazbo

Although it isn't part of the original topic -- Yes, I have thoroughly tested the various Brooks models. Wallbike is an excellent shop/resource. I wanted the Swift and Swallow to work and I gave them lengthy, extensive trials, but they were torture for me. I have also tried a number of the narrow plastic saddles over the years. The Team Pro fits just right.

And, also off-topic -- I'm as light as I can get without losing more muscle/power. This is the first year I can say this with scientific testing to back it up. And I've lost another two pounds since I committed not to lose any more weight. Very frustrating. (And a problem I've never had before.)

So, now it's time to drop grams -- Brooks Team Pro at 530g vs. Fizik Aliante at 199g. My saddle is the only weight extravagance I have allowed myself in recent years, but 331g is a pretty substantial difference -- too big to ignore anymore.

FlashBazbo

You missed the original post. Although outside measurements tell you something, they really aren't the relevant measure. On a Brooks, especially, your sit bones rest some distance inboard of the edges. Same is true on other saddles -- narrow or wide. But nobody measures saddles from standard pressure point positions (probably because it is impossible to standardize).

If outside width measurements were determinative, this thread would not exist.

noisebeam

I found the Aliante to have a very similar fit as the Team Pro and with more comfort, plus it offers a greater range of front/back adjustment vs. the mid to front only adjustment of the T.P.

The advantage to me of non-Brooks is not the weight, but the stability/consistency and ease of care in all types of weather.

The only thing I miss about leather is the moisture wicking breathability it has.

chipcom 

I didn' t miss anything, including you stating that a swallow/swift doesn't fit you.
Swift width = 152mm, Team Pro width = 160mm, Alias width 155mm.
Now using the brain the good lord gave you, I'm sure you can figure out that your sweet spot is somewhere between 152 and 160mm total width. The Alias & Toupe come in 155...you can try one or you can try a lighter Team Pro with ti rails or you can just continue to chase windmills.

FlashBazbo

Gee, I hate to take this another silly round -- but, no, my plastic saddle sweet spot is not necessarily between 152 and 160mm total width. Plastic saddles are shaped differently than leather saddles. Leather saddles have extra material on the outside edges (rail & rivets) that you don't sit on. Plastic saddles don't need the extra material, so more of the total width is useful area. My GUESS is that a plastic saddle of 140-145mm total outside width may be about right -- but I was seeking experienced input about my guess.

Based on the above recommendations, I'm going to give the Aliante a shot. I have used the Arione in the past, with pretty good results (especially for distances of less than 50 miles), so the wider Aliante may be what I need. Time and testing will tell.

fatallightning

if you have a fizik dealer near you, demo them. the antares is a bit wider/flatter.


perhaps a max flite? 150mm, 20mm up on a normal flite.




or if the shape of the regal works, the regale cuts a lot of the weight. 148 width, 220g.


selle san marco skn. 200 grams, 150mm wide.