Specialized Alias "moves"
 

I know a lot of you like the Specialized Alias saddle.

I had a stock Specialized saddle on an old bike. It had the Body Geometry cutout and I LOVED it!

I bought a new bike a while back, and have been wanting to replace the "non-ergonomic" saddle it came with.

After reading a lot of threads and deciding I didn't want to spend more than $100, I decided to go with the Alias.

Is it just me, or does it "move" when you pedal or hit bumps? I can't get over this feeling of being "unstable"...it feels like my rear end is going out from under me, kind of like when you get a fast flat. It's a little scary...

I switched back to my old saddle, and it doesn't feel that way any more, so I don't think it's a coincidence.

Has anyone else experienced this moving feeling with the Alias or something similar? If so, does it go away? If not, can anyone recommend a replacement, under $100, that is ergonomic?

Move how?

I am a tad confused. I can't say mine has ever moved. Do you mean movement in tilt, front to back or up and down?

I understand the Specialized Toupe "moves" in the way of flexing. I haven't ridden one myself though.

If I hold it in my hand, and apply pressure from the top to the center, it kind of rolls inward, so I am assuming this is what I'm feeling.

What makes it so unnerving is that it seems to happen when I hit a bump, so it feels like rather than absorb the bump, I'm "sliding". It only lasts a millisecond, but it's enough to make me react because I think the bike is going out from under me.

I have an Alias that is about 3 weeks old, having switched from an Avatar. It does have a small amount of flex...helps to dampen the road noise. I don't notice this at all when I'm riding.

Sheldon

Mine does not move noticeably. Are you sure your saddle is clamped down tight? My Alias is quite hard and stable - I really can't imagine it moving unless something were loose.

They seem to flex and pop for a few hundred miles until they loosen up. I don't know if that's what you're talking about, but that drove me nuts. Almost took it back to the shop. Glad I didn't:)

My Specialized Alias moved right to Ebay. That saddle was terrible for me.

I have an Avatar on my commuter and a Toupe on my main rig. I have never noticed either one of them give me the feeling that I was moving unintentionally.

During the winter I didn't ride my Tarmac and concentrated on mountain bike riding. The first time I got back on it, with a Toupe saddle, I felt like I was moving all over the place on it. I think it's just because I was accustomed to the larger saddle on my Cannondale. I would guess that so long as you can't physically move the saddle in the clamp and the rails aren't broken you're in good shape.

Thanks for the feedback. It's good to hear that other people experienced what sounds like maybe the same thing. I'm about to go on vacation and do some riding, so I think I'll stick with my old, more familiar saddle. When I get back, I'll put the Alias back on and see if it rides itself in (or I ride myself in and get used to it).

I'll let you know how it works out. I'm hoping it's not a hundred bucks down the drain.

jrobe - what did you buy as a replacement? Something else with a cutout?

I replaced my Alias (and a couple other saddles) with a Fizik Arione. No cutout but the most comfortable saddle I have ridden.

I just got a Specialized Alias in the new design. It rides great. harder than what I'm used to, so I bet it will be great on long rides. I did 20 miles on it this morning. I don't notice any movement like you are describing. As far as flexing, I can see some when flexing it with my hands, but I don't notice any when I was riding it. The only thing I found is the saddle is smoother than my old one so I slide on the saddle just a little easier. I should get used to that in just a couple more rides.I can't compare the new and old versions, but I like the one I got.
http://i4.ebayimg.com/04/i/000/99/4f/04c7_1.JPG

I tend to slide around on my Alias...Its a bit slippery...but its comfy!

Well, I want to thank everyone for their feedback on the Alias. You were right, I go used to the movement of the saddle, but I just never got used to the saddle itself. I don't know if it's that it has more padding than I'm used to or what, but it hurts my sitbones and I find myself having to stand up a lot.

I've been trying to get myself to give it a chance, but it just killed me today. I'm going to put it on ebay. Maybe I'll try the Fizik Arione or maybe the Toupe.

Anyone know if either of these saddles have a weight limit?

I'm looking at buying either the Fizik Arione or the Toupe.

Does anyone know if either of these saddles have a weight limit?