Originally Posted by
WorldIRC
How do you guys choose / shop for a saddle? What are some key things to look for?
Some stuff to think about
:
- width at the back
- width of the tip
- length
- overall shape
I went through several saddles before I found the one I liked. Started with the stock saddle on my Univega Modovincere, then found a Specialized somethingaruther in a discount bin, then a Bontrager stock saddle when I got a Trek Madone, then a Selle Italia Max Flite, then a Selle Italia SLR, then a Terry Fly, then finally a Selle Italia Flite. I have the Flite on all my road bikes now. It's a process; for me, one which took the better part of a decade as I started riding more and more, and as my riding style changed for commuter to sport touring to racing. So it's not just something I just went out and did all at once. In fact, I rode the SLR for two years and over 10k miles before I figured it was a bit too narrow for me and giving me saddle sores.
I would suggest figuring out if you need a narrow or wide saddle, a good shop should be able to help with that. Then just try something. Expect to pay about $100 for a good saddle. There is a world of difference between stock saddles and "good" saddles.
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"If you’re new enough [to racing] that you would ask such question, then i would hazard a guess that if you just made up a workout that sounded hard to do, and did it, you’d probably get faster." --
the tiniest sprinter