thirtyminbreak

I posted this: https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/542398-need-more-comfortable-saddle-help.html last week.

went way past what I wanted to pay. but i figure this is the one place where you cannot be cheap


Anyways, how many miles or hours does it take to break in an/your Arione?

thank you

umd

Depends on the model...

clausen

A saddle with a plastic underside or shell does not break in. They will wear out. My Arione lost it's firmness in the middle after 10 000 road km and 2 long Canadian winters on the trainer. If it has a carbon shell it should last allot longer.

A Brooks saddle breaks in because it's all leather

Machka 

+1

fauxto nick

My Arione started to sag in the center more than I liked after geez, like only 2500 miles or so give or take. I never really noticed it break in, it sort of got more comfortable and then after less than a year I grew tired of it and got an Antares. I agree with the whole "they don't break in, they wear out".

thirtyminbreak

that sucks.

and my search continues.......

umd

Actually now that you mention it, my Arione CX that I really liked and broke in well had a carbon shell, I forgot about that. My regular Arione didn't "break in", but it is fairly flexible and hasn't "worn out" with probably close to 20,000 miles on it.

Machka 

Here you go:
https://www.wallbike.com/index.php#

You can get a saddle from them that you can break in (a Brooks), and if for some reason you don't like it 6 months later, you can return it ... check the warranty info.

bikeybikebike

I'm beginning to think of "break in periods" as being a matter of semantics.

It is possible to imagine a point that is maximal for comfort, with the "acceptable" comfort range surrounding it. Unless the saddle is most comfortable when brand new, this point is sometime afterwards, be it 50km or 500km. The period leading up to that can be considered the "break in period".
Eventually a saddle will wear pass this point, and approach the point of being uncomfortable, or "worn out".

That said, in my experience switching saddles is about letting the saddle break YOU in, not the other way around. Also, what's comfortable after 50kms may not be comfortable at 150kms.
Expensive or cheap, you spend what you have to for a saddle that works. I say if you hit 500kms and the saddle doesn't feel comfy at a distance you're happy with, then switch it up.

MONGO!

0 miles.

If you don't like it now, you probably never will.

kwrides

Incorrect when it comes the the Arione. It has plastic inserts every few milimeters along the "wings" that are designed to break and offer a certain degree of custom fit. These do break on the first few rides. If you want more detail, read this: https://www.bikesportmichigan.com/reviews/arione.shtml