clydesdale saddle
 

I know this is a rerun but, searched with no luck. @ 215-235 lbs. I have loved and hated several saddles. the B17 works for a while then sags the tension nut seems like puling a cable up the crotch- tilting forward slides me off the nose. latest love a cheep serfas cosmos worked nicely until it broke down in the middle, then the ft. pressure doesn't work, I have tried SMP's, terry fly, velo plush& others, seems that about 140 mm wide flat with a lot of tant relief would be good if it would be strong enough ??

terry liberator. nuff said.

after trying 14 or so saddle i bought a specialized lithia comp gel. yes it is a womens saddle but looks like mens saddle . its basicly a romin with more padding and abit more surface area

I've been on a Romin for a two years now, as low as 213 and as high as 240 and it's holding up like a champ.

Saddles... what works for you probably won't work for me etc. Just keep trying. :) Find a shop that has loaners.

They're expensive, but Koobi saddle sounds like it would work for you. I'm 230 and mine have held up fine. They have a 100% refund within 30 days if you're not satisfied, so you don't have much to lose. They custom tune your saddle to your riding duration per week and your weight.

How often are you turning the tension nut on the B-17? You should be able to go many, many miles before messing with the tension nut. Even then a quarter or half turn is usually enough. They are suppose to sag. If you are seeing the center of the seat raising up, you are over-tightening the tension nut. If taint is the problem, look at a B-17 Imperial with the cutout.

I have a standard B-17 on my touring bike and a B-17 Imperial on my road bike. Both have over 3,000 miles on them and I've yet to turn the tension nut. Heck they're just getting broken in!

My previous B-17 probably had 40K miles on it and I probably only turned the tension nut a little bit every 10K miles.

You weigh how much?

Specialized Avatar is my saddle of choice for recreational and distance riding. The Specialized Toupe is also great for comfort.

I weigh 270 and have had good luck with the Serfas Dual Density and the WTB saddles, most currently the Speed V Progel. The WTB replaced the Serfas after I very slightly bent a rail riding the Seattle to Portland classic last year.

+1. Got mi first one ages ago for my X-country tour. I never tour on anything else.

^ That!

210 to 220 range. I'm at 217 right now.

I have 2 of these they have worked great for me
for the last 3 years.I have over at least 15 saddles
including 8 saddles that cost over $135.00 each that don't work for me
Also I weigh 255 lbs.
but it appears they don't make them anymore

http://ecom1.planetbike.com/5022.html

OP, can you clarify that you're saying SMP didn't work because it didn't hold up?

I'd be surprised by this, just based on the rail construction and weight of the saddles (SMP line, anyway, not TRK), but especially given my own experience at 230lbs and nearly 1.8k miles on a Dynamic.

If you are asking me, I never said the SMP didn't hold up. If anything it would be indestructible.

Ok, it was unclear from your original post, so thanks for clarifying. Which SMP model, or models, did you try? Some are swoopier than others, but the Lite209 is a flatter one, and at 139mm wide, very close to your mark. I ask about the model because if you're looking for a saddle with "a lot of tant [sic] relief" SMP has more than any saddle I can think of, and as such may be worth taking a closer look at if you haven't already.

Selle San Marco Mantras also have a sizeable cutout-- if placed further back than ideal for me-- and nail the 140 width requirement while being fairly flat.

Maybe it's a longshot because they measure in at 135mm wide, but the Selle Anatomica Titanico X is on sale from SA this month for just $99, which if fits and you like the old style leather design, is a great price. The TX is rated up to 250lb riders, so no problem there, an maybe with the cutout it would feel less like the Brooks B17.

Fizik Antares Versus (142mm) or Aliante Versus? Kium rails, not braided. The "versus" versions all have a channel.

I'll second the Avatar.

^^this

You can also adjust the elastomers (go look at the website) by weight. http://www.koobi.com

I would recommend an Koobi Alpha PRS. It's got a great cut out and it's firm enough that you won't smash the padding down to the point where it's ineffective. I'm in the same range as you and I've gone to these on all my bikes - love 'em. Also, don't hesitate to call them up, you'll wind up talking to Phil who's a wealth of knowledge on saddles. Excellent company, smart guys and great saddles.

Incidentally, I found them after trying probably $1000+ in saddles: SMP, Fizik Versus (my second favorite), Selle Italia, etc... Everyone is built differently down there, but having the right cut out and done correctly makes saddles a lot more general purpose.

J.

I'm about the same size as the OP, and I've been pleasantly surprised by the WTB Speed V. Also, the Velo Orange Model 3 is similar to the Brooks B-17 but has a synthetic lining under the saddle that seems to keep it a little stiffer (even riding bumpy MTB trails) and it also has slightly longer rails.

I have an avatar on my mountain bike... got up to 3+ hours ride with no problem (230is lbs on 5'11") and a fizik aliante R3 on my road bike... but it's just too soon to say something.

If the B17 is comfy for you, consider punching and lacing the skirts on it. I have a B17 Imperial and a B17 standard both with laced skirts, the Imperial has been on my distance bike since the beta test in 2008 and I have about 25,000 miles on it. I've turned the tension bolt about a quarter turn every couple of years.

Lacing the skirts really helps to keep the center tension up, even on the cutout Imperial model.
Don't use leather lace, because even treated well it gets dry and cracks. I use 2mm accessory cord from the climbing department at REI. A bootlace would do just as well.

You scared me with the 135mm width on the selle anatomica , I have a titanic X on order the 135 is set bone spacing not the total width. they have several videos that were interesting.

I really dig the comfort and cost of the Charge Spoon saddle. I'm 205 pounds, and the 140 width is perfect. $28 bucks ain't bad either.

Kurve by Fizik.