Digital Gee

At the LBS the other day, I got to chatting with the guy and mentioned that I've never had any problems with saddles (in terms of comfort). I can go with the stock saddle and have done so on all the bikes I've had in the last three years.

Yet I see lots of threads about saddles, and it seems like most folks do have to go through a series to find what works for them. Then again, people who don't have to try different saddles probably don't bring up the subject, so I'm wondering...

How many of you don't really have issues with saddles and seem to be okay with what comes with the bike?

cranky old dude

I've got the original saddles on all of my bikes. I've been saddle sore
on longer rides (40+ miles) early in the season, but only if I don't
continue to commute during the winter.

I guess I'm just a hard***!

Happy Trails

Burr

No problems here!

I have two Specialize Prostate & one Brooks with the springs on my touring bike.

Has anybody tried the new nose-less saddles I've been reading about?

maddmaxx 

When I started, I changed everything over to WTB. For years, most of their MTB saddles were of the same design and style. Some were harder and lighter, others were softer and heavier but all were pretty much the same basic shape.

After a couple of years, my posterior stopped being happy on WTB saddles. (I had lost a lot of weight by then) That promoted a new search that has never ended.

The TT bike pretty much demanded a TT saddle. If you don't know why, you need to try to ride a TT bike. These saddles fly in the face of tradition by being very soft in the nose area because that's where you ride at times. I actually like this saddle, even on the road bike, but I suspect it is way to soft to survive a century ride.

My saddles on the MTB have become softer as I removed unwanted bits and pieces of suspension. Still haven't gotten the proper balance of comfort/endurance there.

The search continues.

europa

The Europa still rides wearing the saddle she was sold with in the 80s - it works because even though it's vinyl over a plastic base, they understood saddle design in those days. That saddle bears a hole where I leant the bike up against the Corella's cage (large, white cockatoo) and the beloved bird took a bite.

The Jamis was bought as a bare frame. I fitted a Brooks B17 and have had no problems with it.

The Frankenbike was sold with one of the modern, platform style saddles that worked really well ... provided you were willing to wear padded panties. However, I believe that the saddle should do the work, not the pants though I see nothing wrong with padding as an aid to comfort on a long ride. That rotten saddle is agony in half an hour when wearing normal street clothes, so it gathers dust in the shed while the Frankenbike now wears a Brooks B72. The B72 has been good and comfortable but is really designed for a very upright riding position and so isn't quite right on this bike with its modest lean forward. Despite that, it works well, has caused me no problems and is moulding itself to suit a riding position it wasn't designed for.

Richard

BlazingPedals

I never have saddle problems because I don't have saddles. Well, one bike does, but I never ride it far enough to tell.

europa

I didn't mention my bent ... because the story doesn't qualify for this thread. The pad was hard and slippery when new and offered no security on the seat at all until I'd got some good honest sweat into it and wore off the slipperiness (it appears it's not only leather that needs breaking in - it took longer than my Brooks too). That doesn't help the shape of the base though which doesn't quite fit my back and so doesn't offer the support it should. Should I mention that it's a whisker too wide between the shoulder blades? Then there's the shape of the bit where your bottom goes which is angled so that everytime you hit a bump you slide forwards a tad - hit a bump, squirm your way back onto the seat (I'm not joking sadly).

But we were talking about positive experiences weren't we so how about this: I'm positive that I want to take the bike to the local welders and get them to weld up a seat frame that I can stretch some mesh across

Richard

NOS88

Or, perhaps just a numb***? (Really, I'm just kidding, but couldn't resist the temptation).

jppe

There is a lot of difference in saddle comfort on longer rides versus shorter rides. I can also accommodate just about any saddle for anything under 50 miles. It's the 60 to 100+ miles that has a way of letting you know when a saddle is not complimenting your backside........or it's not adjusted properly.

BengeBoy 

+1

europa

Amen brother!

staehpj1

I use the saddles that came on my current bikes. I would not hesitate to do a century on any of them. I would also not hesitate to do another coast to coast tour on any of them.

I thought the one that came on my touring bike might not work out, but after a few hundred miles decided to use it on the TA. It worked out fine for all 73 days and 4244 miles of it with no saddle complaints.

I suspect that this is a bigger deal for folks who "sit" more upright or otherwise put more weight on their butt. I really don't "sit" on the saddle; I tend to carry most of my weight on my legs, not my bottom and think that probably helps a lot.

Kai Winters

I'm lucky I guess. Have ridden/tried most saddles since starting with an old Brooks around 23 years ago. Never had a problem though some were more comfortable than others. I currently use a Fi:zi:k and find it quite comfortable and it wears well. I had worn out several Flites over the years and while I found them very comfortable they just did not last long enough...wore out the leather on the sides and it would start wearing my shorts...yikes.

2manybikes

How far do you ride?

Timtruro

For the most part, I have been fine with the stock saddles on my bikes. Only exception was swapping out an original gel saddle on my comfort bike. Other than that the originals seem of for me. However I have been thinking about trying a Brooks B17 on my Peugeot road bike, mainly just to try one out, after reading how comfy they can be.

Timtruro

I purchased a nose-less saddle for my comfort bike and after a little getting used to, it is comfortable. The breaking in really had to do with my own sence of balance. I never realized how much the nose meant in terms of sort of gripping and taking some weight of of the arms, wrists etc. Once you get used to not having that aspect of stability, it is fine.

Cone Wrench

None of my bikes have their original saddle.

My Trek Madone came with a Trek saddle that was accurately described over in the Road forum as an a**-hatchet.

roadfix

Although I can pretty much ride most any saddle out there, including long distances, I use Brooks saddles of various models on most of my bikes mainly because I think they look cool.

Beverly

+1000

The saddle was the first thing to go on my Madone

I also replaced the Bontrager saddle on the Trek touring bike. The original saddle is still on the Trek mountain bike but I don't have too many miles on it and it's used for shorter rides. I've come to the conclusion I don't have a Bontrager butt

Allegheny Jet

I have kept the original saddle on most of my bikes. My first real road bike in 1972 came with a Brooks B-17 Narrow. That took some getting used to since I didn't ride with bike shorts back then, didn't know about them either. I was able to help the situation some by taking a wash cloth and putting it between me and the leather end. The wash cloth would stay right and nice even when getting out of the saddle on hills.

On a Cannondale I wore out the original saddle after a couple years. After a while it started to feel like the seat post was trying to probe me due to the plastic backbone of the saddle breaking down. I put a Brooks B -17 N on it and with padded shorts had no issues until I bought a Preformance Classic saddle to save a little weight on the 22 lb bike.

When I got my new Roubaix, last year, I decided within 12 miles the Toupe Gel and me were not a match. I put the B 17-N on the bike for a while but felt guilty putting a 1 and 1/2 lb saddle onto a 16 lb CF bike. That's just not right! I then purchased a Specialized Phenom saddle, a MTB design, and have been a happy camper for the past 6,000 miles.

charles vail

I think I'd just loose the 1 1/2 lbs. of 'saddle worry fat' and live with a comfy backside. I equate lightweight, non leather saddles, to wearing flip flops instead of leather work boots on the job site. I get the uber lightweight thinking but it really makes no difference, unless you are in the top three in the TDF.

Digital Gee

98% of my rides are under 50 miles. Perhaps that's why I have been so fortunate with stock saddles.

Allegheny Jet

fixed it.

roadfix

Probably true for 99% of bike forum members, including myself...

Tom Bombadil

I've loved the saddle/seat of my recumbent from Day 1.

However on my Fuji bike, when I purchased it after taking a couple of test rides, I told the LBS to keep the saddle when I picked it up. There were other bikes where I had to cut short 10-15 minute test rides because the saddles were so uncomfortable (read that every thin and hard'ish saddle that I tried). However I have found some stock saddles to be fine.