Picking A Saddle
 

Hello everyone.

I'm trying to pick a saddle for my new bicycle.

I will do more of my riding on the hoods than anywhere else, and want something more for comfort than speed. Weight isn't a big issue to me, but I'm ok if it's an added benefit.

I will need my seat all the way, or most of the way forward, and at around 200 pounds, I don't want the seat to bend, so that is important.

I will be measuring my sitbones. Is it true that you measure the middle of the sitbones, then add 25-30mm to find your optimum saddle width?

This might help understand and help answer your "is it true"

https://www.cervelo.com/en/engineeri...f-road-saddles

Measuring sit bones never did anything good for me. I just had to try seats until I found one that worked.
If there's one near you, Performance Bike has a great return policy and will let you buy and return seats until you find one that fits you.
Even though they may not have a brand you like, I found it to be a good way to find a general shape and padding that worked for me.

I go to various websites' Returned merchandise" and "Closeout" pages and buy $10 and $20 saddles,. I look for saddles (if they say anything) which say they are for riders who stay stationary on the seat by and large, because that is my riding style. I try different saddles and keep the ones I like. If I lived near a Performance Bike store, I wouldn't have to buy them first, which would be nice.

That Cervelo page linked above is pretty good. The basics I got from it is that you should determine if you are wide-bottomed or narrow. I have saddles with different stated "widths" that work the same despite their stated differences ... not sure how the companies measure. overall width is one way, but how about supported width? Anyway .... unless you are really wide or really narrow, hit-or-miss might be your only option.

I am a Clydesdale, and never found saddle flex to be a big issue. Don't buy a saddle at Wal-Mart and you should be fine with that.

If you need the seat all the way forward, is that because your bike frame is too large? Reach too long? Hard to find a comfortable saddle if the rest of the bike isn't set up right, because you won't get good weight distribution.

Sorry I cannot really help, but you have enough knowledge to make the right choice already. Fare well with your venture.

Research, here in the forums and other online resources, and then find what you want on eBay. It took me a while to find the right seat, and if one didn't work I re-sold it back on eBay (and made a nice profit on a few, buy low, sell high...) Like I said it does take a while, but it worked for me.

You might want to take a look at seat posts too. Most seat posts have a couple of inches of set back. Some have none at all. If you think that you need your seat all the way forward and you're concerned about bending your seat rails, I'd opt for a seat post with no set back at all.

Check with stores near you, many have a saddle loan program where you get to try a few saddles until you find the one that's best for you.

Saddles are like holsters. For the serious/those who care....there's "the box". I've been fortunate with saddles. Box is a lot smaller than my holster one.

Measuring for a saddle is kinda like checking out driver seat/compartment dimensions when buying a car. Could tell you what will not work but will not tell you what will work.

I'm 6'1' and a not at all out of shape 200 pounds. My go to these days is Selle Anatomica NSX. Usta be Avocet Touring, back in the day. B17 is back up, sitting on top of "the box".

Good luck in your quest!

IMHO- saddle comfort is a component of bike fit. On the surface of limited info provided, the bike fit may not be optimal. Not sure what the OP is asking ?

I can't believe I'm going to be the first one to say it!

Just get a brooks and be done with it.

Sorry, just wanted to be the first one to say it. I realize Itxi sorta mentioned Brooks with a nod to the B-17. In all seriousness, see if you can try a few saddles at a store. Some fitters have a collection of saddles to try. It'll take some time to find the right one for you, and for the riding you do. I know I've tried out several several saddles over the years. My three favorite, in order of preference...
1) Brooks B-17 Standard - I freaking love this saddle. (I'd like to try a B-17 Imperial, as I think it would be even more awesome)
2) Late 90's cheap Specialized Split rail saddle. It's very nice on my mountain bike
3) Stock Bontrager saddle on my trek DS 8.4 - i was going to change it... but.... well.... it seems to be really nice to me. No idea how that happened.

I've had several other saddles over the years. (Including my most expensive saddle, a Fizik VSX, which is OK... but not in my top 3.)

I have a Cane Creek Suspension seat Post it takes the jolts out that May Bend the rails,

On What ever saddle you back side Likes ..

Go to the saddle garden and pluck whichever one is ripe ....

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I'm going to be taking my bike out for the first time this week, as the weather will be nice.

This will help me to get a feel for the issues surrounding the fit of the bike. I have also been reading articles to help me figure it out.

As far as saddle preferences for road bikes, what models do you guys like? I see a preference of Brooks. Do most people around here like it? Would anyone like to share of a bad experience with buying a Brooks? I will be doing most of my riding in the hoods, but will probably be in the drops for about 15 percent of the time. Is the Brooks still a good option, with that in mind?

Saddle preference is a highly individual affair. I have found that I need more padding than most. Specialized Sonoma saddles had been the best I have ever tried. I recently bought an Adamo Century. I am still acclimating to it, but I think it is going to end up being the one for me!

Agree that saddles are very individual, and what works for me, may not work for you.

That being said, I needed a saddle with a cut-out, because the Oval saddle that came with my Fuji was starting to cause numbness issues in the perineum area. I ended up getting a Selle SMP Pro. All of the Selle SMP's have a very large cut-out.

GH

I have ridden for years and years and only recently have I realized that, for me, proper width is the key. Give me just about any saddle that is 130mm wide and I will be
comfortable with almost no pain.

I spent a small fortune on a 100mm gel Sella Italia that hurt like the dickens after 20 miles, then I bought a bike that had a less expensive 130mm saddle and did a century the first week, no issues.

It was an eye opener for me and I could not believe no one ever stressed proper width to me.

Good luck with it my friend, really, a good feeling seat will solve so many problems.

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

I got my sitbones measured at a LBS and they said I'm at 125mm. Do you think a 143mm saddle will be too narrow? Should I go with the next size up?

Here are your choices:
BROOKS ENGLAND LTD. | CATALOGUE AND SHOP | FULL RANGE

I love my B17 standard. Loved it so much I bought a C17 Cambium when it came out. Didn't love it as much as it is a little narrower then the B17. The B17 is just there and I am not really thinking about my saddle during rides. Even after 4 or 5 hours. The C17 would announce its presence after an hour or so. Not terrible, but not great. YMMV.

Great information.

I may go with a standard Brooks B17. If I don't go with Brooks, though, would a 143mm suit me at my 125mm measurement, or should I get something wider?

Is sit bone measurer a college degree? Probably more useful than some college degrees these days. :)

Might I add all this work and worry about a saddle being painful (they all are) is not a worry if you ride almost any bent.

I use an ISM saddle. They make ones for various riding styles (mountain, cycle, etc). I had tried a lot of different bike seats and the ISM (once you get it at the right angle and figure out how to sit on it) was night and day difference. If you look them up you'll notice that they are shaped different than standard seats. They are more expensive then just a seat so that's a bummer but my biggest grip on riding was my butt so it was worth it for me. I bought a few different versions from Amazon.com, picked the one I liked best, and returned the others.

Brooks saddle's do not work for everyone.
I bought one and gave up on it after 400 miles.

I have a degree in Metrology, which is the science of precision measurements. Do I qualify as a sit bone measurer?

Depending on what she looks like, a sit bone measurer might not be a bad job. Might take me a while to get a good measurement if she a nice sit bone cushion :D I've seen some nice sit bone cushions out on the trails :D

Did you Proffide the top and bottom one time before doing your 400 miles?
A guy 200lbs will break in that saddle with in 400 miles a 160 lb. guy will take twice that.
You also need to back off the tension bolt one possibly two turns it provides just a little slack while breaking in.
After its broken in you can retention.

A Brooks takes a little sacrifice in the beginning, but by getting through the break in as I described above the rewards are awesome comfort for the life of the saddle and they do live a long time.