bomb proof saddle
 

I am looking at replacing the saddle on my commuter but I really have no Idea where to start. I realize that many of you will recommend a brooks, but I a concerned about dealing with caring for the leather.

I have a 20 round trip commute and ride the occasional weekend tour, usually less than 75 miles at a time.
I am a student with a full time job, so I ride from my house where my garage stays in the garage to campus where it is parked outside for several straight hours, then to work where it stays outside for another 6 to 8 hours. The exposure is the main reason for my concern about the Brooks

I ride a cross check with a fairly aggressive posture so I am leaning towards a road saddle, but I need something That I can sit in for 50 or 60 miles if I head out on a long weekend ride.

I am trying not to let price influence my choice so I am game for just about anything that will fit my needs.

I almost forgot I am 6'3" and 250 lbs, I don't know if that has anything to do with saddle fit, but there you go.

Brooks. I coated mine in sno-seal last summer and have done nothing since. ALl this leather care stuff is a fraud, I think. Another poster on here, I forget who, posted theirs that has like 20k and no leather care.

well, then maybe I should be asking which Brooks saddle?

Take a look at the Brooks B17, I use the B17 Narrow and love it.

Get a saddle that fits. Test rides help. So do the various sit bone measuring devices. A saddle that is too wide, too narrow, or the wrong shape will hurt or cause chafing. Everyone's body is different, and there's no saddle that suits 'em all.

For me, it's a B-17S. I keep meaning to Proofhide it (especially after it spent two weeks locked up in the rain after I whacked my knee last fall), but I still haven't gotten around to it. Still comfy. If it's staying outside in rain, I do put a plastic bag over it. That keeps it reasonably dry. Since it's the most comfortable saddle I've used, I'm ok with babying it a little. Besides, sitting on a wet saddle isn't very comfortable.

I can't stand brooks saddles. My arse is not compatible and I am uninterested in them.
My favorite is the sella italia flite.
http://www.excelsports.com/wdisplay....ium+New+Saddle

I plan on picking up another saddle in white.

However, ride what fits you.

I'm with Datajunkie, I find the Brooks to be an arsehatchet. Personally I run WTB Rocket V Pro's on two of my bikes, getting ready to switch a third. On my pure road bike I run a Fizik Arione

As always, Sheldon has the answer:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/real-man.html

I have an older Flite Ti on my road bike and love it.
I was considering picking up another one for my cyclo/tour bike and was watching one on eBay today.
It was used and I figured it would go for about $50.
The d*amn*d thing just sold for $132.50!!!:eek:

I believe they changed the saddle a few years ago. However, the new version is perfectly comfortable to me and I never tried the old one. When I combine it with my new Sugoi RS Flex bibs it feels more comfortable than sitting in my recliner at home.

$132? egads!

brooks and specialized, alias are my top picks.

I never had a Brooks, and probably never will. But leather saddles in the rain aren't that big of a deal. I have a leather Specialized now and rode it through a cold wet winter - no probs, no special care. As far as I know I've always had leather saddles, and unless you leave them outside in the weather for years on end, they hold up pretty well.

Here it is:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=320352305887

I have the identical saddle on my road bike.
I just think it is a much cleaner-looking design than the newer ones.
And I wish the heck Selle Italia would quit using the same name for different designs.:mad:

I'm a big fan of the WTB saddles as well. Not sure what it's like after 60 miles, but the first few are glorious. Maybe try the Specialized Alias.

WTB Silverado comfy even without padded shorts and has been really durable pretty much no wear after a year of heavy usage on my cross bike which does all.

Now that I've been riding a Brooks for a while, I may have to stay with them. I'm pretty sure my sitbones are crooked. My Brooks is considerably lower on the right, and when I ride on a plastic saddle, it feels like the right side is higher.

Brooks have a good reputation for durability, lasting many decades of regular use and in most cases, outlasting the rider. Check out some of the really old vintage bikes, they are usually equipped with the original leather saddle. If you leave the bike outside in wet weather, use a plastic bag saddle cover. I use on on plastic saddles to sit on something dry.

Since I began riding bicycles I have had over two dozen saddles. I finally found one that fits me perfectly, so I bought four of them (right after my purchases the company discontinued the model).

Any spot where a human contacts a bicycle (hands, feet or butt) is a spot where only the individual can decide what will work for them. Advice about particular saddles, gloves or shoes is utterly worthless. All they are telling you is what works for them. Good luck in your quest and when you find what works for you, buy several.

I've only found one Brooks saddle to my liking and that is a Swift. At the price that this thing cost, there is no way I'd leave it outside to get rained on or stolen. On my road bike I use a Specialized Avatar. Seems ok. Still, I don't think I'd want it sitting in the rain for hours either. I would go cheap if I was you. Find something from Nashbar or Performance that works ok and then just carry a plastic grocery bag with you to cover it. If someone steals it, you're not out much.

Not sure what you define as bomb proof. However, I would be more concerned with comfort. This is a difficult thing to tell someone else what would be comfortable to them. Since our arses are not all built from the same mold, you'll need to try a few saddles and determine what feels right to you.

I personally have 2 Brooks B17s and they are very comfortable. I massaged them with Proofhide when I first bought them and haven't had to do a thing since. When rain is expected, I cover it with a shower cap to avoid soaking the leather. They look classy and fit the definition of bomb proof in my book!

They still make the classic Selle Italia Flite, but I don't know if they sell them in the States. I found a good price on PBK.

I have a few Brooks saddles, and I don't like how they sag when they are left out in the rain repeatedly. The WTB Rocket V I've been using is more comfortable anyway. I'm anxious to try the WTB Silverado.

It's true that everybody is shaped differently. There are some products that work well for a wide range of people though, which is why recommending a specific product is appropriate. Enough recommendations signify that a certain product does work for a number of people, and that it may work for you.

WTB Power V. It's a downhill saddle: long, wide, lots of support. I've bought four and put them on road and mt. bikes. And I've got one to trade if you're interested. I've been buying B17's lately, but they don't work on all bikes (e.g. my touring bike), or for all people.

if i leave by bike outside for prolonged periods i cover the saddle with something, usually a plastic bag i carry with me, keeps the UV rays off of it in the sun and the rain when it comes down. i leave the bottom loose to let it breath all day. IMO leaving a good saddle exposed to UV rays day after day is a good way to kill it.