Originally Posted by
Paul Barnard
I have done a good bit of searching and reading here on the forum. The vast majority of you use Brooks or other stretched leather saddles. I'll spare you the details as to why Brooks don't work for me. What other saddles are you using for your touring or distance rides?
I just bought a Brooks B17. Not because I needed it, but mostly for the romance of the leather saddle. I'm not impressed. Now before anyone jumps in to turn this into a "Brooks vs Whatever" thread... stop. Please. I'm going to keep the Brooks, even though the thing is slippery as hell, and I don't know if there's a seatpost made that'll get it back far enough for me. But it is comfortable enough and maybe I'll find something to put it on someday.
My All-Time Favorite saddle is the Specialized Phenom -- it's like they used my ass to shape it. I highly recommend you investigate Specialized's Body Geometry saddle designs, there is something for just about everyone. You want flat? They got flat (Toupe) You want curved? They got curved (Romin) Wide? (Power) Padded? (Avatar) etc. They all feature a cutout, some of them pretty large. No, they're not cheap, but they're well built and my one warranty claim was handled quickly and painlessly (cover pulled away from an edge).
Best saddles not made of leather (IMHO).
-Kedosto