eddiepliers 

I've been thinking of buying an SMP Avant saddle soon, I'll get to demo the saddle though https://www.theprosstuff.com but that won't be for a bit...

I just want to know what those of you who already have an SMP saddle thought of their's...

timeedgevxr

I don't like it - I LOVE IT...

I've ridden just about everything from fizik, specialized, san marco and even the adamo - hands down the SMP works best for me.

I started with the Composit, then after 18 months, I wore the leather off of it. I immediately replaced it with the Evolution (thinking a little more padding would be nice), but I can't tell a difference really - both have the same shells and miss the pressure points. I'll never own anything but an SMP.

On on a bonus note - that Compisit that I wore the leather off of --- I thought it was trash. Well I stripped it down, sanded it and shot it with thin lacquer and it is now a bada$$ 160g saddle

mrbUSA

SMP Pro for me. Absolutely perfect for me and my x hemi.

lung

I'm very interested in this. After a season, my Fizik Arione went from what I thought was perfect, to now my junk going numb. After a century last week my Johnson was still somewhat numb after 24 hours! The SMP looks like it may be what I need. Curious to hear more reports...

timeedgevxr

... I must also add that while I don't experience any more numbness with my SMP saddles, I did however have a saddle sore issue for the fist few months I owned the Composit. While it avoids the serious soft tissue pressure points, it does have more focused pressure on the sit bones ...and for some people that dermal tissue is not accustomed to the pressure and might get a saddle sore or two. After a while the areas that get sores will toughen up.

When your grundle feels like the heel of your foot, you know you're good-to-go

mrbUSA

Mr. Lung,
I don't race but prefer nicely paced rides avg. 30-miles. I had a Toupe that I 'thought' was a great saddle but experience numbness and a hemmoroid that I was about to add as a family member. After reading about the SMP, I got a deal at Performance. It's the the only biking liturature/directions/claims (that I ever read) that use the words genitalia, labia etc in describing its comfort. It was made to eliminate/reduce numbness and discomfort in these areas. My balls are happy and the other 'thing' is gone. Initially my sit bones took a beating but riding more took care of that.
Mike

calamus

I have the glider and love it. After the first few rides I was ready to sell it...it takes some getting used to but after you ride it awhile there's nothing like it. No more pain or numbness and what's nice is it allows you to rotate forward on the seat to take pressure off your sit bones and still be comfortable for long stretches. Ill be getting another if this one wears out.

aceswild30

I absolutely love mine. I turned a tammate onto the SMP when I heard him talking about numbness. He thanks me almost every time I see him on the group ride.

scirocco

I had a Stratos and didn't like it. Recently sold it on Ebay.

There are two separate issues here - numbness prevention and comfort. The SMP cutout works very well indeed to prevent pressure on sensitive nerves and blood vessels. But overall saddle comfort is more about issues like the width and the exact shape of the radius of the outer edges as they roll away. So where comfort is concerned the SMPs are no different than any other - it's a lottery if it fits YOU.

I now ride a $50 saddle that fits my butt better than the SMP.

asmallsol

I have two gliders, one on my road bike, one on my mtb. I love em. I even did a 10 hour mtb ride on mine with no discomfort.

celticfrost

Has anyone tried a cut-out type saddle and not like it, but then try an SMP and like it?

I tried a cut-out before (a Selle Italia Signo) and didn't like it, but was wondering if the nose down design of the SMP might make a difference in comfort. I'm not crazy about the looks of the SMP (I know, who cares), but I can see how it might be more comfortable in the drops or when "riding the rivet".

Comments?

asmallsol

Yes. I had a Selle Italia SLR Gel saddle was pretty stiff. Every once in a while I would get numbness issues. I also had a Specialized Avatar BG saddle with a cut out. It was ok at best.

I went back and forth to shell out the money for my first SMP saddle. After riding it forever, I didn't mind shelling out the money for another one.

celticfrost

Thanks. They're not cheap, not part of Competitive Cyclists saddle demo program and SMP's website does not list distributors. But I did find this:

https://www.albabici.com/info/albabici-smp-dealers-1.htm

and called a local dealer that has a demo program -- will give it a shot.

sstorkel

I started out with the cheap, heavy Selle SMP Strike Extra that you can buy from Performance Bike for $90-100. Loved it! Recently upgraded to the Lite 209 and it's even better. Used the Lite 209 on my recent 500 mile trip from the SF Bay Area to LA and was completely happy with the choice. Absolutely no numbness or discomfort...

ridethecliche

I've tried like 10 saddles just in this past year. Nothing worked for me.

I honestly thought I'd have to quit riding because I just couldn't be even relatively comfortable. Either persistent perineum pain, or straight up numbness.

Bought an SMP Strike composite. Put it on and set it to the recommended level.

Awesomeness.

Ass hurt when I tried to use a different saddle the next day (campus bike) since all my weight was on my sit bones. It wasn't an issue though. I love the saddle.

Tartar

I first started riding with a Selle Italia Prolink then switched over to a Selle Italia Max Flite. I was having very serious numbness with both models, the Max Flite was worse for me however as I would get pinched in the cutout. I spent a week reading reviews and hunting for a solution when I discovered SMP. The SMP immediately turned me off on its looks, weight and price. I ultimately decided that whatever the drawbacks I would be most happy with something that "worked" for me and decided to try the LITE 209 model for its width and padding.

I am really happy with this saddle so far, I personally find the cutout to work flawlessly, despite its somewhat gimmicky appearance. I have since ridden 800 miles on it and find it be almost perfectly suited for my body. All in all I think its overpriced and the quality of the construction is not really worth the price tag. This saddle however, does what it claims to IMHO and solves numbness as well as proving to be all around and generally comfortable for me on longer rides including my usual weekend metrics.

tkehler

I have a Glider and a Pro. The Glider is on my road bike (Guru ti), and I love it. It is the best saddle I've had, and that includes a fair number of the usual suspects. Selle Italia, Terry, etc. Another good one is the Brooks Swift ti, but it is fairly heavy.

The Pro is on my mountain bike. I don't like it. It's not bad, but it isn't as immediately comfortable as my Glider (and it isn't where I ride, as I sometimes do a commute with my mtb).

I'm so happy with SMP that I'd like to get a lighter saddle, maybe a Composite, to get weight down. Then I could tranfer my Glider to my mtb.

AP1EKWAN

Love my Glider - fits perfectly. I've tried too many saddles, but not any more.
I would, however, have the Toupe or Phenom as 2nd choices. But only for short rides. I gave the Toupe almost 2 years, but couldn't make it on long rides.
I also have one on the mountain bike.

If Selle SMP went out of business today, I'd stock up on a few more Gliders.

vladav

Had the Evolution SMP - loved the feel while in the single position (fore-aft) that it allowed. I didn't go back to it because it was too curved to begin with and only got worse as it sagged.

Oh, and mine didn't hold up in the wet weather. There was a tooling ridge that wasn't ground off and it wore through the leather cover.

I'd go back in a second if they introduced one that was flat with the same split... (SMP are you listening?)

Noonievut

Question for those of you with any SMP - if you had previously ridden a flat saddle (e.g. Selle Italia Flite), how would you say this saddle compares in terms of adjusting the tilt and how you have the saddle set up?

I ask because it looks to me (from pictures only) like the part of the saddle where your sit bones make contact is on a steep downward angle. And again from looking at the pictures, this is with the rails on an updward angle. So, if I like a flat saddle, and I want to get this one flat (something tells me you don't with this saddle), is it possible...or would the up tilt be so extreme that it wouldn't work?

I hope this is clear.

I ride a Terry saddle that isn't flat. Though when doing a bike fitting for a new bike I was using a flat saddle and I felt like there was no pressure on my hands/arms. I know this can be because the fitting on this fit-bike was spot one (vs my current bike that isn't fit great), but I'm curious about the SMP in any case.

TestyEPOCERA

I had the glider strike. It was fine, but it wore out way too fast for a $200 saddle. Poor leather quality and the stitching weakens the leather.

I found, for me, that simple saddle width matters more than gimmicks like cutouts. If the saddle is the right width, you perch on your sitbones and whether there is a cutout or not doesn't matter.

ridethecliche

When you're riding tempo or taking it easy, you'll be all the way back in the saddle. That's how you set it up.

Everything from your pubic ramii to the sit bones are supported. When you move forward and roll your hips to hammer, you transition into the hammock of the saddle in the front and the curve on that works just right as well.

It looks funny and the shape looks not right, but it just works.

TechJunkie

Ditto; finally gave the Avatar to my kid (who says it's great) and got the Evolution for the road bike after having lower GI sugery (wonderful after the first month of getting used to it, position, etc.) and a Selle Italia X2 with more padding for the mountain bike.

Make sure to pay attention to the sizes on the SMP; they run in quite a range.

TechJunkie

Setup is almost always level from the crook on the nose to the back of the saddle so the it correctly distributes pressure as you roll from sitting upright on the tops or hoods down to a more aggressive position in the drops.

DonFrambach

I have an SMP Glider which works well for me. Kind of expensive but in the end (pun intended) it was worth it.