sd5782 

I was doing some C&V searching on saddles. Of course it is so very subjective. Was there ever a poll with maybe 10 or 15 forum favorites?We are all different, but just wondered if there was a thread on members faves for various riding disciplines.

horatio 

Can't recall one. Want to get one started?

sd5782 

I am too new to really have much knowledge. Couple Brooks and a newer Selle have been fine, just wondered about a top 20 maybe. With the years the forum has been here, I thought perhaps I missed something.

horatio 

Never let that stop you! After all, this is the internet.

merziac

Here we go, Brooks, old, new, B17, Pro, Colt, Cambium, Imperial, etc, etc. I probably have 15 or so, never had one that didn't work out, they always bring the C+V vibe, cred whatever up a notch for me, love em.

seypat

Avocet Touring series.

due ruote 

My favorites are original Concor and original Flite. Someone will be along shortly to opine that those are both a$$ hatchets, and the best saddles are Brooks, which don’t work for me. We are both right. Believe your rear.
Oh, and +1 on Avocet. Very nice saddles.

microcord

"Selle" appears in the name of a variety of saddle makers -- which isn't surprising, as it's Italian for "saddle".


I can't make a clear recommendation. But I can make some observations:

• My preferences have changed, and rather quickly. I ride one bike A whose saddle I find comfortable, and then make a seasonal change to another bike B, whose saddle isn't so comfortable, but is tolerable. After a few months I've got used to the saddle on B. I make a seasonal change back to bike A. Its (unchanged) saddle is now intolerable.....
• I vaguely infer from the stock of used bike bits in a local (Kawasaki) shop that a lot of people who buy new sporty bikes don't like their saddles -- perhaps because it's the first time they've ridden a sporty bike? -- and buy an alternative and unload the first one. Their looks aside, saddle design today is pretty good. And "used", as-new sporty saddles can be dirt cheap.
• I'd be very wary of any saddle with a thin leather covering over some kind of sponge. I had a thirty-year-old (but hardly used) Selle Italia "Turbo Special" of this kind on my bike when the bike was propped up against a fence ... and the front wheel somehow turned around and the bike fell over. I expected that the saddle would be a little scuffed; I didn't expect that a little chunk would be torn out of it. Ugh. (The bike now has a "Bontrager" saddle that I bought as-new, for peanuts. It doesn't look tacky -- it's black and white and the lettering of the brand name is small -- and it's comfortable.)

This thread in the long-distance subforum is informative and may help you.

sd5782 

My quandary was kind of inspired by a recent purchase. I wanted something suitable looking for my Ironman and bought a fairly cheap Selle Italia Kit Carbonio. It is working out well, looks good, and price was good. It was basically read some online reviews from non C&V members and hope for the best. Just thought a dozen or so might stand out for people searching here, and I know everyone is different shaped etc etc.

BFisher

Believe it or not...

Such a subjective topic. Experiences are going to vary, sometimes widely.

I've had Brooks Pro, B17, B67, and B66 - all of which were comfortable enough to different degrees.

I had an Ideale mod. 45 that was so hard and painful, yet beautiful.

My Assmann mod. 52 is pretty good, and in really nice condition.

There have been pleasures, and torture devices - Avocet Touring II's and Selle Concor knockoffs .

But, surprisingly, the most comfortable saddle I've ever had is the stock unit that came on this bike:



Motobecane logo with "Training" under it. There are no other identifying marks. The shape and flex are excellent for me.

P!N20

If a Concor Supercorsa isn't comfortable, quit bikes.

John E

Brooks Team Pro (2), Pro (1), Serfas ARC, Terry Liberator -- all good.

When I bought my Nishiki in 1971, it came with a padded vinyl saddle, which I immediately swapped with an old Ideale tensioned leather saddle I had. My college pal who took the initial break-in ride with me commented as he watched me do the swap, "All the discomforts of home."

seedsbelize 

Brooks B17 Narrow, my favorite. C15, Team Pro. All three of these are nice, comfy saddles. I keep trying to like my Fujita Belt.

big chainring 

Unica/ Cinelli is my favorite. And I think they make your bike look faster. They have the look.

merziac

+1, Agreed

They are sleek, minimalist, no nonsense and I like Brooks in the inverse, they have a brutish warhorse look to them, both mean business imho.

Slightspeed

Brooks B17 on four of my old bikes. Love them all. I have a Brooks Professional on one bike. I love it less than the standard B17s. Don't know why, maybe I'm just not pro material.

ryansu

I read an article once about a bike tour leader who had a box of saddles in the back of the sag wagon and usually on day 2 someone would come to him complaining that their saddle was the worst and could he help? He would point them to the box and say take your pick. That same rider would come back on day 4 singing the praises of the saddle from the box. His secret was -every saddle in there was a torture device to someone that had been swapped out. Its very subjective. I do love a good B.17 myself but ride what feels good to you.

sdn40

Wasn't it Confucius that said "Asses are like snowflakes."

ThermionicScott 

Brooks B17 Narrow is my current favorite shape. More or less flat on top, but narrower in the back to obviate thigh chafing. Used to be found on a lot of racing and otherwise sporty bikes before the Professional came out.

But, a digression: how are you liking these tires @BFisher? I see "Panaracer Competition" when I squint at the labels.

canklecat

Saddles are where I depart from the classic look, at least if I plan on riding more than 10 miles at a stretch.

The usual Selle Italia Turbo type saddle and my butt don't get along. The only classic style saddle I've tried that seemed immediately comfortable was a newish Selle Anatomica. But those have some reputation for being finicky -- stretching, some with bent rails, although at 150 lbs I'm probably not heavy enough to have either problem.

Unfortunately that means no saddles with skirts that hide the saddle rails. I sorta like the minimalist skeletonized look of newer saddles, but they aren't quite as handsome as a Brooks or other classic leather saddle.

Ditto, the Selle Italia @sd5782 mentioned. I have that same Kit Carbonio. Fits my buttbonios perfectly. It's nearly flat, with a very slight up-flare at the rear, and very lightly padded. But it's been remarkably comfortable on my usual rides of 20-60 miles, even with very lightly padded shorts. My sit bones are very narrow so the 130mm size fits me, although I'll ride a 140mm too on a more upright bike. I did 60 miles Sunday with friends and the only thing aching after the ride was my neck (old and more recent injuries).

I liked it so well I got another Selle Italia, the Q-Bik. Ssame shape but more padded with a small cutout -- not quite as comfy, like it's too much padding. Then a Selle San Marco that's very similarly shaped but with a split rear and more flexible shell. I like the current lineup of Selle Italias so well I'd consider buying one of their pricey SuperFlow saddles... after it's been discontinued and discounted. Selle Italia has a habit of revamping it's lineup very slightly every year or two, then heavily discounting the older models that are nearly identical. So they're a very good value.

Then last week I got a Bontrager Ajna gel with generous perineum relief cutout. Same basic shape as the current Selle Italias, but slightly wider in the rear and very slightly shorter nose. Bontrager markets it as a woman's saddle, but it's been comfortable for me on my Univega hybrid with swept bars. I might try it on one of my road bikes.

Giuanin

70s Unicanitor
80s Selle Italia Turbo Bernard Hinault
90s Selle Italia Turbo Matic 2.

bikemig 

Not C&V but I really like WTB saddles. The price is good and they look decent on an older bike. Most importantly I find them to be really comfortable and you can get them in different widths and padding:

https://www.wtb.com/collections/saddle

If you need/want to run a leather saddle (they do look retro cool), I like selle anatomica saddles better than Brooks (and I like Brooks as well).

https://selleanatomica.com/

The bottom line is that you need to find what works for you and that may take some trial and error. The two places I am willing to go modern on a vintage bike are the contact points (saddle and pedals); they make a big difference in comfort.

BFisher

@ThermionicScott, those are Panaracer Evo Competition SX in 25mm width. They are a very supple, smooth tire, but a bit difficult to get centered on my rims. Excel had them on sale and I grabbed one of the last pairs. Very glad I did.

Back to saddles, for those who like the plastic Unicanitor style, the current production Cinelli CMX is pretty good. I have one on my Peugeot.

noglider 

It is very subjective, and since I don't know of an ass-o-meter that will predict which saddle you'll like, you have to try several until you find one that suits you.

I've been reading bikeforums for over ten years now. The saddle that gets the most praise is the Brooks B17. I don't know why, but it is also my favorite. Maybe I have a common butt shape. Who can say? But just as important as this fact is the fact that some can't stand the B17. So refer back to my first paragraph. A B17 isn't a bad place to start. If you don't like it, you can sell it for a very small loss, because there are always people who want a lightly used one. And if it works well for you, it's also economical, because while they do cost a lot, they also last longer than most saddles, so they give you more years per dollar.

I happen to like a few other saddles. Some of them have been women's saddles; go figure. I like the Brooks C17, a certain cheapo Viscount (not associated with the bike brand) and also the Specialized Riva.

davester

This topic is not only ass-specific, but it also depends on what kinds of distances you ride and whether you're primarily and "in the drops" rider or have a more upright stance. My rides are typically over 50 miles (just finished the 130 mile Deathride on Saturday) and I tend to ride on the bar tops or hoods. Brooks B-17 Imperial seems the best for me so far...can't tolerate the Brooks Pro and my modern foam-over-plastic-shell saddles (Koobi is my latest) are only good for about 20-30 miles before they start hurting.