Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

Saddle Durability

Search
Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Saddle Durability

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 06-05-17 | 08:35 AM
  #1  
Barrettscv's Avatar
Thread Starter
Have bike, will travel
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 12,286
Likes: 317
From: Lake Geneva, WI

Bikes: Ridley Helium SLX, Canyon Endurance SL, De Rosa Professional, Eddy Merckx Corsa Extra, Schwinn Paramount (1 painted, 1 chrome), Peugeot PX10, Serotta Nova X, Simoncini Cyclocross Special, Raleigh Roker, Pedal Force CG2 and CX2

Saddle Durability

I've been using a moderately priced Forte brand saddle from Performance Bike. It's been a comfortable saddle and the cover has been durable. The saddle has about 7000 miles on it. I'm a bigger guy at 220 lbs.

Does the structure of the saddle weaken and become less rigid with use? I've recently been noticing more pressure on the soft parts of the anatomy. I'm wondering if the components of the saddle lose structural rigidity with use. The saddle feels more like a hammock than before.
__________________
When I ride my bike I feel free and happy and strong. I'm liberated from the usual nonsense of day to day life. Solid, dependable, silent, my bike is my horse, my fighter jet, my island, my friend. Together we will conquer that hill and thereafter the world.
Barrettscv is offline  
Reply
Old 06-05-17 | 08:56 AM
  #2  
Full Member
 
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 213
Likes: 9
I start to witness a similar thing. I have less miles on it but it was a low end one.

Or maybe our problem comes from the bib ?
dirtydozen is offline  
Reply
Old 06-05-17 | 09:00 AM
  #3  
Barrettscv's Avatar
Thread Starter
Have bike, will travel
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 12,286
Likes: 317
From: Lake Geneva, WI

Bikes: Ridley Helium SLX, Canyon Endurance SL, De Rosa Professional, Eddy Merckx Corsa Extra, Schwinn Paramount (1 painted, 1 chrome), Peugeot PX10, Serotta Nova X, Simoncini Cyclocross Special, Raleigh Roker, Pedal Force CG2 and CX2

Originally Posted by dirtydozen
I start to witness a similar thing. I have less miles on it but it was a low end one.

Or maybe our problem comes from the bib ?
I have a multiple saddles on multiple bikes, and the issue is limited to this one high-mileage saddle. I'm not concerned about the chamois at this point.
__________________
When I ride my bike I feel free and happy and strong. I'm liberated from the usual nonsense of day to day life. Solid, dependable, silent, my bike is my horse, my fighter jet, my island, my friend. Together we will conquer that hill and thereafter the world.
Barrettscv is offline  
Reply
Old 06-05-17 | 09:22 AM
  #4  
rpenmanparker's Avatar
Senior Member
15 Anniversary
 
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 28,682
Likes: 63
From: Houston, TX

Bikes: 1990 Romic Reynolds 531 custom build, Merlin Works CR Ti custom build, super light Workswell 066 custom build

Saddles do break down. Not only might you get less support in important places, but you may actually end up closer to the cranks. I have had to raise saddles as they aged to offset the collapse of padding and curvature that both occur. Usually only a couple mm, but still. IIWY, I would first check your "effective" saddle height against what you want it to be. If you fix that and still have comfort issues, it may be time for a replacement.
rpenmanparker is offline  
Reply
Old 06-05-17 | 09:23 AM
  #5  
noodle soup's Avatar
Senior Member
10 Anniversary
 
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 8,946
Likes: 1,901
Originally Posted by Barrettscv
I have a multiple saddles on multiple bikes, and the issue is limited to this one high-mileage saddle.
7000 miles isn't "high mileage", but it could be enough to deteriorate foam padding in a cheap saddle.
noodle soup is offline  
Reply
Old 06-05-17 | 09:52 AM
  #6  
Banned
 
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 43,586
Likes: 1,380
From: NW,Oregon Coast

Bikes: 8

Anecdote: The solid steel chromed rails of my 80's Concor Max touring saddle, took a decided curve where they once were straight,
the fore and aft adjustment range.. It was possible to straighten them a bit,

the mid 70s Brooks team pro is still fine, also chromed steel,

In the LBS we have had 2 Brooks saddle frame replacement jobs, when they broke,
so new ones were ordered and their copper rivets used to put the original leather on.
they were B17's



...
fietsbob is offline  
Reply
Old 06-05-17 | 10:03 PM
  #7  
Carbonfiberboy's Avatar
just another gosling
Titanium Club Membership
15 Anniversary
 
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 20,554
Likes: 2,667
From: Everett, WA

Bikes: CoMo Speedster 2003, Trek 5200, CAAD 9, Fred 2004

The foam padding gives out eventually. The Performance saddles I've had lasted better than most others, particularly Specialized saddles.
__________________
Results matter

Carbonfiberboy is offline  
Reply
Old 06-06-17 | 07:07 AM
  #8  
Senior Member
10 Anniversary
 
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 4,681
Likes: 253
From: Minnesota

Bikes: N+1=5

Originally Posted by Barrettscv
I've been using a moderately priced Forte brand saddle from Performance Bike. It's been a comfortable saddle and the cover has been durable. The saddle has about 7000 miles on it. I'm a bigger guy at 220 lbs.

Does the structure of the saddle weaken and become less rigid with use? I've recently been noticing more pressure on the soft parts of the anatomy. I'm wondering if the components of the saddle lose structural rigidity with use. The saddle feels more like a hammock than before.
Interesting that you pick mention 7000 miles. I had some conversations a couple of years ago with one of the gucci saddle manufacturers and that was the number he used as the point where they figure saddles start to break down. Little guys break them down slower than big guys, according to him. They designed the saddles (i.e. slot etc...) but the actual manufacturing process was by Selle Italia and who collaborated on the manufacturability of their product.

J.
JohnJ80 is offline  
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
on the path
Road Cycling
23
07-23-15 09:09 PM
mpetruzz
Road Cycling
7
01-20-13 08:17 PM
cmatic3k
Road Cycling
14
08-02-12 08:53 AM
butterfinger15
Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg)
14
04-12-11 01:55 PM
Dguy
Road Cycling
38
03-05-10 09:08 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.