With a saddle that fits you properly, you should feel no discomfort at all. That is, you should hardly notice the saddle at all -- with a few caveats. First, anyone new to cycling will probably experience some saddle discomfort until they get used to riding regularly. Second, all saddles need to be properly adjusted and positioned. Even with the best-fitting saddle in the world, you might be uncomfortable if it is too high or too low, too far forward or back, or tilted the wrong way. Third, saddle width is very important if your seat bones are wider or narrower than usual.

Finally, if you find a saddle that fits you just right, get some extras. Saddle makers are notorious for changing designs, discontinuing models, etc. When I found the perfect saddle -- after using about a dozen different models over the years -- I bought extras and installed them on almost all of my bikes, with one extra to spare. You can often buy lightly used saddles for very good prices on eBay. If buying from a bike shop or store, make sure that they allow returns and/or exchanges. It is nearly impossible to determine whether a saddle is comfortable until you have ridden it a few times, including at least one long ride.

Saddle fit is very personal. There is no one brand or model that is comfortable for everyone. A lot of Brooks owners rave about their saddles and seem to assume that everyone will have the same experience, but they are tortuous for many riders. I rode a Brooks B17 for years until I picked up a Fizik Vitesse in a trade. The Vitesse is actually more comfortable for me than a B17, yet it weighs less than half as much. I now have them on all of my bikes except one with my old B17.