Hey guys, so im on the never ending hunt for a new saddle. Now I know saddle preference varies wildly from person to person, but Im just looking for some suggestions to try out.

My saddle was a Selle Italia SLR Kit Carbino Flow. It was amazing and i loved it, however it was just too narrow for me (131mm), however i loved everything else about the saddle. Did a 150 mile ride on it and my back end was killing me for days after.

Based off the 131 being just a bit too narrow, i went looking for a ~140mm saddle and came across a Fizik Antares Versus at a great price. Hated it the moment i sat on it. The padding along with how much the sides curved down made it feel smaller than the 131mm.

As im typing this i also remember i had a Selle SMP Extra that i rather liked, however had way too much padding.

So basically Im looking for suggestions for a saddle thats ~140mm, isnt overly curved on the sides, some padding but i dont like a lot, and is <$150.

Thanks!

155 Specialized Romin.

Selle Italia :: Q-bik « Selle Italia

I like and use the Q-BIK FLOW myself (same site).

PRO Falcon AF by Shimano


Specialized Toupe Expert

You're probably looking for something a lot racier/lighter/pricier but about a decade ago I tried a Serfas Dorado and it was a revelation. I now have them on five different bikes. YMMV.

https://www.serfas.com/products/view...rmance-saddles

- Mark

Flite Flow for me. After trying many.

Selle Italia :: FLITE « Selle Italia

Brooks B17; it will change your life...

This.

Brooks C17 Carved .... made for touring

comfy straight out of the box.... 100% waterproof and comes with a 10 year guarantee when you register it online on the Brooks website

I have one fitted on my fast bike (Giant TCR) .... I'd love to get another for my daily commuter, but I lock my bike up in the city, and it will get stolen



on my Surly LHT, I have a Gilles Berhoud Aravis saddle .... very comfy but not waterproof as it's leather



if you want something a lot cheaper that is very good, look at the Charge Spoon:

See this thread a bit down the page from yours:
https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycli...ese-years.html

Anybody with experience with the Specialized Power saddles know if they fall into the above criteria? Found a rather good deal on one.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far, im putting a list together right now and will be ordering some off amazon for easy returns lol

Yea, i was looking through that one, but figured id look for people with some experience within the specific criteria im looking for to try to get a bit smaller scope while on the hunt.

Thanks though!

Don't get hung up on a brand or model. Save yourself money and grief and find a shop with a decent selection that has a demo program or a return-it-for-another-if-you-don't-like-it program.

Since you liked the Selle SMP Extra - SMP Forma, Dynamic, Pro, Drakon - all about 140 mm in width with less padding than the Extra. Maybe hard to find for $150, but if the difference is ride in comfort or ride in pain, the budget becomes less important. At least IMO.

saddle choice Bike Forums - Search Results

I have used the SI Turbo, SM Rolls and Brooks team pro on my drop bar bikes .

(cheap asian copy :' TaiBo' out of SOMA/Merry sales imports..)

150 miles? I would have taken a couple days maybe 3 ! sonny




./.

I think Specialized Toupe 143 or 155 might be a good fit. The shape of Toupe is somewhat similar to the Selle Italia SLR. They are both flat saddles with a cut out in the middle. If you generally like this kind of shape, a wider Specialized Toupe saddle may work. I have a Toupe Expert Gel 143mm myself and I like it a lot. As another post suggests, Specialized Romin may also be a good choice. The difference is that Romin has more curvature and it is suitable if you don't move back and forth much on the saddle. Given that you like the shape of an SLR, I think Toupe is more similar to what you have liked.

I have an SMP Hell saddle and totally love it

The Fabric Scoop "Shallow" is a great saddle. I love mine. $75

The Brooks Cambium is comfortable but the covering material is odd, and it fades or gets very dirty if you get a the light color and will destroy your shorts.

The Scoop rules.

The Carbonio is such a sweet saddle. No help from me since the Carbonio would be my recommendation (or the TI version). I have a Fabric ATM saddle (142mm) and hate it. The edges don't curl under and are not rounded off. So while it may be comfortable to sit on, it hurts after peddling for a while.

What's the plan for the Carbonio?

Before Power saddle, I used Romin 155 for 2 years, it's acceptable but not for long rides. So I ordered the 143 and 155 version of Power saddle just to try which one is best and I end up using both on my bikes. The best thing about Power saddle is that it doesn't rounded much towards the edges so it really does support my wide sit bones

First, I agree with some others that it's not necessarily a good thing to get hung up on brands or models. To find the right saddle, you have to try and try again with a lot of failure mixed in between.

Generally, the leather saddles and touring saddles with a deeper "hammock" will have a much different feel than a flatter, racing style saddle. Try both.

After a lot - and I mean a lot - of trial and error, I came across Cobb Cycling's saddles. They're not for everybody, but they do make unique and high quality products. Their Randee JOF was my holy grail. No matter what yours is, it's a wonderful feeling when you find it. Happy searching!

Honestly, i loved the hell out of the saddle, if it was wider it would have been my dream.

I actually just sold it, hence the reason for the budget lol.

"...never ending hunt for a new saddle"

Sounds like you're suffering from SDS (Saddle Derangement Syndrome)

Opinions vary, but the most likely cause is too much reading of posts/reviews that say things like, "The most comfortable saddle imaginable!"..."It disappeared under me!"..."I couldn't even tell I was sitting on anything - it was like I was floating on air!"

Such arrant twaddle leads to unrealistic expectations and people going on "...never ending hunt(s) for a new saddle" with the notion that sooner or later they'll find one that feels like a barca-lounger but won't chafe their thighs.

Pick one, get some iron in your ass and ride.

I was asked to report my findings on the Cobb Randee, so I did this writeup with a brief comparison to the Selle Anatomica X: https://www.bikeforums.net/long-dista...l#post18993432