Specialized Avatar Team Saddle....experiences?
 

I've gotten desperate for a new saddle. So, when I saw a Specialized Avatar Team Saddle in my size (143mm) for $60 I went for it. Just wondering if anyone can comment on their experiences with Specialized gear or this saddle in particular.

I've had a Specialized Phenom (143) saddle on my Litespeed for almost 1.5 years. Love it. Very comfy on long and short rides. :thumb:
The specs and the shape of the Phenom and the Avatar are very similar.

Happy with my Avatar 143mm so far. Upgraded from stock seat.

I have Specialized Phenom saddles on my Tarmac Pro, Robouix Expert, Trek XO1 cyclo cross bike and Specialized Stump Jumper Comp 29'er mtb.

I have 2 Avatars in my garage. I took them off 2 bicycles that were OEM issue. The 143 mm saddle is too wide for me. I prefer my Specialized Toupe Expert Plus or my Selle Italia SLR. The SLR Fibra is very comfortable and light, but the leather on it is crap. It scuffs from bicycle shorts and bleeds black dye. Black streaks on shorts that aren't black are visible after a ride. The Toupe is a little heavier, but is just as comfortable and doesn't have a leather cover. A Toupe Pro is closer in weight to the SLR Fibra.

Saddles are awfully specific sorts of things. The three most important thing about a saddle is fit, fit and fit. Your weight is supposed to rest on the ischeal processes of the sacrum (also known as the "sit bones"). The important thing is to know how far apart the ischeal processes are. Some bike shops have little devices you can sit on that will register this. Then it is a matter of getting a saddle whose width allows for your weight to rest correctly on the ischeal processes. Otherwise, saddle selection is a matter of by guess and by gosh.

I tried one for about four days and returned it to the LBS. The nose was too stiff or shaped in an uncomfortable way for when I slid forward. But every rider must pick the saddle that works for him or her. Good luck; hope it works for you.

I ride the 143mm Avatar Comp that came on my Roubaix. It is more padded than I usually like having ridden Brooks B17s for years, but I decided to ride it until it bothered me. 9 months, 3000 miles and a couple of century rides later, it is still on there. I don't really notice it, which is really all I ask of a saddle.

Thanks. I'm looking forward to trying it out. It's got to be better than what I've been riding. Appreciate the feedback.

I just replaced an Avatar 143 with a Specialized Toupe Expert 155 that I recently acquired on sale. According to the fitting jig and the Sales Person, the 143 is the right width for me. However, after putting 1000 miles on the Avatar, the sweet spot where the saddle feels most comfortable felt rather small, which didn't allow for slight shifts in the saddle on long rides, so I started questioning the fit and style of the Avatar.

Then two weeks ago on a different biking forum, there is a thread where some people mentioned they preferred a wider saddle with many enjoying the Specialized Toupe and others the Romin in 155. So far, I think it's working out OK. But I have only apx. 200 miles on the Toupe and still need some longer rides to compare.

The Toupe has minimal padding and that concerned me at first, but I find the saddle is easier to move and spin on then a saddle with thicker padding. And I do like the extra width for comfort and don't feel this has changed my pedaling at all. In fact, I feel a little faster on the new saddle.

Even after writing this and thinking some more, I would have liked to try an Avatar in 155, perhaps all I needed was a little wider saddle in the first place. Also, I'm still a relatively newer rider at 5'9" and 190lbs if that helps.

I tried a lot of saddles before I settled on the Avatar. My favorite saddle. I've got many thousands of miles on both of mine and I'm completely satisfied. I've got a little bony butt though...

I've put on about 1300 miles on the Avatar and it seems to be fine for me.

I prefer the Fizik Arione to the Avatar, but that is not to say the Avatar 143 isn't very good. It is. After 40 or 50 miles the Arione is just better. As others have said, it's a personal matter at bottom line.

Just a follow-up to my earlier post on the Specialized Toupe Expert 155. After a 70 mile ride today in 90 degree weather, the saddle comfort was OK for the first 50 miles, but the last 20 wasn't. I suspect my bibs was part of the reason with the moisture content and a medium quality chamois. But now I'm also questioning the saddle along with my own conditioning. I still like the wider 155 over the 143, but wonder if I'll need to try other saddles again to find that perfect fit.

Honestly, I don't know how anyone can know which saddle fits them best without first trying them all out.

So true. My Avatar came yesterday after my gf and I came back from a ride. I put it on last night and will try it out tomorrow on a 30 mi. ride. I have to say it looks really nice in white on my gun metal gray Masi. It's a Team edition and has less padding than my Flite Gel and just a bit more than my Arrowhead. It will be interesting to see if it works for me.

After a 30 mi. ride yesterday my butt tells me the Avatar is better than the Arrowhead but only slightly. I think some of this is due to saddle set up. I noticed that I wasn't spinning as well and I'm sure it's a matter of the fore-aft saddle placement. I'm 5'9" and 185 lbs, having lost 12 lbs recently, and I think the weight loss has affected comfort on my original Selle Italia Flite Gel saddle. If I can't get this dialed in properly I'll be on to another saddle search.

What width is the new Avatar?

143 mm which is what the sitz bone calculator says it should be.

105 miles on my Avatar 155 yesterday.

Nice!!

How did the saddle feel near the end of the ride?

I got my new Avatar dialed in for saddle height and fore/aft setting. Rode today on a hard 15 mi. TT and it was a non-issue. Hopefully, it will work as well at the end of 2 or more hours.

FWIW...it looks like this Avatar is going to work out just fine. I've done a couple rides with it and it's been a non-issue. Thanks for all the feedback.

+1 for the Fizik Arione! I call it my barely there saddle since I hardly notice it. Which is puuuuurfect!!

Thanks for starting this thread! When I read it, I went to the specialized website and ordered the Avatar Team Saddle (143mm white) it will be a good upgrade from the stock saddle I've got now. So, thanks buce19! I just saved $110.00!!!!

The saddle felt like it always does:D

Also, my derriere felt fine.