Seats n stuff
10-14-13, 12:31 PM
#1
Brown Bear, Sqrl Hunter
Thread Starter
Seats n stuff
I know picking a saddle is mostly a trial and error thing, but I'd like some suggestions to try out first that you guys prefer.
After making my position more aggressive on my track (and road) bike, my position seems to be way more uncomfortable (hip angle different?) and need to hunt for a new seat. Any suggestions on where to start, with rental saddles, from you guys?
After making my position more aggressive on my track (and road) bike, my position seems to be way more uncomfortable (hip angle different?) and need to hunt for a new seat. Any suggestions on where to start, with rental saddles, from you guys?
Last edited by Jaytron; 10-14-13 at 12:37 PM.
10-14-13, 01:40 PM
#2
Elitist
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I would suggest eliminating any that don't have steel rails. Breaking rails is sorta common on the track. Usually happens in turn four at full speed when the rider pulling up hard on the pedals. I've seen riders of all sizes break them at DLV.
Also, the versions with steel rails are usually cheaper than those with carbon or Ti rails.
Some like long saddles (like the Arione) in order to move back and forth to activate different muscle groups for different pedal styles.
I suggest getting a butt-width test. Any Specialized dealer should have one. It's a tablet with sand. You sit on it then measure the distance between your sit bones. This is how I learned that the Arione was too narrow for me.
Also, the versions with steel rails are usually cheaper than those with carbon or Ti rails.
Some like long saddles (like the Arione) in order to move back and forth to activate different muscle groups for different pedal styles.
I suggest getting a butt-width test. Any Specialized dealer should have one. It's a tablet with sand. You sit on it then measure the distance between your sit bones. This is how I learned that the Arione was too narrow for me.
10-14-13, 01:47 PM
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I'm currently running the Fizik Aliante on my track bike and Bontrager Paradigmon my road bike. It's truly going to be a try all you can thing. The Paradigm has been great on my road bike but I don't think I'd like it on my track bike as much. When I did they fitting for my road bike they had me sit on the sitbone measuring tool, as Carleton mentioned. Every little bit helps. Get what fits and what's comfortable.
10-14-13, 03:20 PM
#4
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I find the Specialized Romin an awesome sprinter saddle, I had it on my road bike but it was kind of unconfortable for long rides because I couldn't move around that much, then I changed to a Arione on the road bike (and it's awesome for the reason that Carleton mentioned) and fitted the Romin on the track bike and I loved it. It fits me so well and it holds me tight in place at speed on some of the horribly maintained local velodromes.
10-14-13, 03:24 PM
#5
aka mattio
I like a selle italia flite, 'cause I can get forward and all proctological on it.
Right now I use a Specialized TTS. It's really shortnosed and soft - kind of weird, but it works, and I need it to comply with the saddle setback rule.
Right now I use a Specialized TTS. It's really shortnosed and soft - kind of weird, but it works, and I need it to comply with the saddle setback rule.
10-14-13, 05:06 PM
#6
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I got measured at the lbs for the Specialized seat. I now swear by them . The Specialized Toupe is my personal choice.
10-14-13, 06:16 PM
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Im a fan of the San Marco Regal. I like the wide back, fits my wide ass. Its pancake flat which allows me to move forward and back, and the nose shape allows me to get way out on the rivet- which was great before the UCI moved my TT position into the back seat...
what comes into play with this saddle, and some others- is clampable area. A 75deg seat post angle can put the seat post clamp too close to the bends in the front of the rails- rendering them way weakened.
I broke 3 steel railed Regals in one season on my Tiemeyer (on Thomson post)
I hesitantly switched, first to the ProLogo Scratch with solid Ti- no breaks- but i never liked the feel, then i switched to the Aluminum railed S.M. REGALe, which has a much more forward clampable area, also no saddle rail breaks..
now i have changed frames to one with a 74.5deg seat angle- this moved the clamp back relative to saddle position and allowed me to go back to my classic steel railed regal, clamped well inside the clampable area.. so far no breaks
10-15-13, 06:02 AM
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Specialized Romin Evo for me (have it on my road bike too) it is pretty well suited for an aggressive position. It is very similar to the Romin but with a thinner nose (the regular Romin was comfortable too but i found the nose rubbed my shorts slightly).
Specialized do a demo saddle programme (i think other brands do as well) so worth while getting measured and then trying a few and experimenting.
Specialized do a demo saddle programme (i think other brands do as well) so worth while getting measured and then trying a few and experimenting.
10-15-13, 09:45 AM
#9
Brown Bear, Sqrl Hunter
Thread Starter
Sounds like I need to get my sitbones measured at some point in time.
10-15-13, 10:02 AM
#10
what.
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I'd also look at the profile of a couple different saddles. I tend to like saddles with more of a trough or dip in the middle IE Aliante, Turbo, Scratch, etc. Saddles with a more flat profile like a Flite, SLR, Arione, etc aren't for me.
It's all marketing and stuff but a good starting point could be figuring out what "animal" you are according to Fizik and go from there.
I started on a Turbo which led me to the Aliante which led me to the Prologo Scratch.
As far as where to start, just scour CL and eBay and get some cheap used saddles and see what shapes you like. Off season is the perfect time for this.
It's all marketing and stuff but a good starting point could be figuring out what "animal" you are according to Fizik and go from there.
I started on a Turbo which led me to the Aliante which led me to the Prologo Scratch.
As far as where to start, just scour CL and eBay and get some cheap used saddles and see what shapes you like. Off season is the perfect time for this.
10-15-13, 11:31 AM
#11
aka mattio
For example, I've found out that flat saddles are great for me on the road, but are terror on track, cx, or commuter bikes. This goes both for saddles that have a flat top profile, as well as ones that are a flat shelf with an edge - like the Fizik Antares, Selle Italia SLR, or Specialized Toupe. Whatever it is about how I ride road bikes differently than other bikes, those saddles work on my road bike, but on the others, I need something with a skirt down the sides.
10-15-13, 01:56 PM
#12
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I REALLY like the Romin, but I've broken 2 of them and my 170lb teammate broke maybe 4 between his road bike and track bike.
They develop cracks in the plastic in the middle of the saddle where the saddle bows under weight.
This was in 2011 and 2012. Maybe they have improved it since then.
I would definitely recommend that people try it. The good thing is that a specialized dealer will (or at least should) replace it over the counter if it cracks on you. That's how my teammate and I went through so many of them.
I eventually went to the Fizik Aliante which has a similar curve. My current saddle is the Selle Italia Max Flite Gel Flow. I like it better than the Aliante. It's nice and comfy for use on bumpy track or grinding hard in the saddle. But, this is after LOTS of trial and error.
They develop cracks in the plastic in the middle of the saddle where the saddle bows under weight.
This was in 2011 and 2012. Maybe they have improved it since then.
I would definitely recommend that people try it. The good thing is that a specialized dealer will (or at least should) replace it over the counter if it cracks on you. That's how my teammate and I went through so many of them.
I eventually went to the Fizik Aliante which has a similar curve. My current saddle is the Selle Italia Max Flite Gel Flow. I like it better than the Aliante. It's nice and comfy for use on bumpy track or grinding hard in the saddle. But, this is after LOTS of trial and error.
10-15-13, 02:49 PM
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try out as many as you can - borrow from mates, and any demo models you can. One man's meat is another man's poison - saddles are such a specific personal thing, its hard for anyone to recommend you one, beyond from a basic quality perspective (imo)
10-15-13, 06:16 PM
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I REALLY like the Romin, but I've broken 2 of them and my 170lb teammate broke maybe 4 between his road bike and track bike.
They develop cracks in the plastic in the middle of the saddle where the saddle bows under weight.
This was in 2011 and 2012. Maybe they have improved it since then.
I would definitely recommend that people try it. The good thing is that a specialized dealer will (or at least should) replace it over the counter if it cracks on you. That's how my teammate and I went through so many of them.
I eventually went to the Fizik Aliante which has a similar curve. My current saddle is the Selle Italia Max Flite Gel Flow. I like it better than the Aliante. It's nice and comfy for use on bumpy track or grinding hard in the saddle. But, this is after LOTS of trial and error.
They develop cracks in the plastic in the middle of the saddle where the saddle bows under weight.
This was in 2011 and 2012. Maybe they have improved it since then.
I would definitely recommend that people try it. The good thing is that a specialized dealer will (or at least should) replace it over the counter if it cracks on you. That's how my teammate and I went through so many of them.
I eventually went to the Fizik Aliante which has a similar curve. My current saddle is the Selle Italia Max Flite Gel Flow. I like it better than the Aliante. It's nice and comfy for use on bumpy track or grinding hard in the saddle. But, this is after LOTS of trial and error.
10-15-13, 07:43 PM
#16
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My next Specialized Romin Expert saddle lasted about the same length of riding time as the previous one. As at this morning the saddle had done 549 hours (04/04/2011 to 26/01/2012). I left this saddle on a little too long though as the saddle body snapped today. It wasn't catastrophic as the internal reinforcement and saddle covering held it together. I've got close with a few Specialized saddles but this is the first time that one has actually broken properly.
This other thread is from 2011-2012. Again, maybe they have improved the design since then. It's a GREAT shape. They just need to beef up the supporting plastic underneath.
10-15-13, 07:46 PM
#17
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Then the guy writes...
The replacement saddle snapped too. It lasted from 26 January 2012 to 10 May 2012.
It snapped in exactly the same place as before but in a more dramatic fashion. I was riding up a climb when there was suddenly a loud cracking and snapping noise from the saddle. The saddle body had snapped, fortunately it was saggy but held together by the saddle cover so I was able to ride it home.
This saddle had only done 193 hours riding too, far less usage than the previous saddles before they broke.
Pictured below: Specialized Romin Expert 143 saddle snapped in the same place as before.
It snapped in exactly the same place as before but in a more dramatic fashion. I was riding up a climb when there was suddenly a loud cracking and snapping noise from the saddle. The saddle body had snapped, fortunately it was saggy but held together by the saddle cover so I was able to ride it home.
This saddle had only done 193 hours riding too, far less usage than the previous saddles before they broke.
Pictured below: Specialized Romin Expert 143 saddle snapped in the same place as before.
10-15-13, 08:33 PM
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Sort of related:
Has anyone got a link to the youtube of the guys saddle failing and coming off during sprint qualification (I think at London Olympics)?
JMR
Has anyone got a link to the youtube of the guys saddle failing and coming off during sprint qualification (I think at London Olympics)?
JMR
10-16-13, 01:05 AM
#19
The worst.
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Last edited by Slavic; 10-16-13 at 01:08 AM. Reason: Yup, Uria indeed.
10-16-13, 01:14 AM
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10-16-13, 11:54 AM
#21
Senior Member
Eh, you softies should try a Kashimax!
They actually work for me, somehow.
They actually work for me, somehow.
10-16-13, 02:01 PM
#23
Brown Bear, Sqrl Hunter
Thread Starter
Had a shop finally measure my sitbones. I have 155mm wide sitbones, no wonder the Arione wasn't really doing it for me.
They put me on a Romin Expert Evo. Not that bad of a price on a saddle. I'll check back in a few days with how it feels.
They put me on a Romin Expert Evo. Not that bad of a price on a saddle. I'll check back in a few days with how it feels.
Last edited by Jaytron; 10-16-13 at 03:14 PM.
10-16-13, 03:28 PM
#24
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Both those saddles have a similar issue with the UCI/USAC interpretation of the definition of a "level saddle". Most people level the Kashimax and the Concor on the long nose section, leaving the rear as an up-slope. At recent National's and Worlds they were placing the level across the entire length of the saddle- which results in a slight rise of the nose section..
Its all good if that's how you ride the saddle... but can be a real issue if uou find yourself changing saddle position at bike check..
Totally Off Topic:
Whats up Baby Puke??? Missed you at E-Nats this year! Me and Dixie-Flyer were holding it down for the old men!!
10-16-13, 05:29 PM
#25
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That really could have ended uncomfortably for him!
JMR