How long before you 'fail' a saddle
 

I've read time and again of people having to buy multiple saddles before they find the saddle of their (backside) dreams.

I've been very lucky thus far. All the saddles I've bought have been (pretty much) immediately comfortable, albeit with a bit of breaking in/adjustment time. These models include two Brooks B17's, Selle San Marco & Due and a Selle Italia Campionissimo.

My new ride has a Selle San Marco Concor Light, and this thing is like an arse-hatchet. I need to tolerate it for a few more rides, making adjustments along the way. However, I'm pretty sure it's plain wrong. Came to this conclusion after the first ride. I'm sure this is too early to really choose and will continue to explore before buying something new.

So, is this something others have experienced?

My Bontrager Inform RL started out as a killer, 500 miles in, not so much.

I've had it both ways. I've tried a couple ass hatchets that I knew were wrong pretty much right away. Then there were a few that were bad, but I thought they might get better with a few tweaks. None of them ever did (YMMV). I even had one saddle that I loved at first but it gave me numbness issues on long rides.

If you get that ass hatchet feeling, just let it go. There are plenty of different saddles out there to try. You'll eventually find one that won't require too much effort.

My one warning would be to make your best effort to rule out other variables (fit, limited time in the saddle, etc.).

If I don't like immediately, it's not going to work.

take it on a few ride longer than 75 min. make sure to have tools for minor tweaks. if you can't make it comfortable after 7 hours, time for a new saddle

+1 id

Is there a saddle out there that's comfortable for 7 hours?

My Antares is hard and probably hurts more in the first 5 miles than it does in the next 30 or so, but I definitely feel it after 40 or so miles.

+1, I found Sella San Marco ERA Luxe is my favorite. I knew it was going to work within 20 miles of the first ride I took with it.
Saddles are a personal thing. When I found one that worked, I went out and bought several (some off ebay) to put on all my road bikes.

I give it a week, two weeks, that is unless the saddle feels completely wrong

San Marco Regal. All day, and more.

I'm considering a springer seat. I've a old raleigh that I can ride all day. It's a quilted plastic saddle with rear springs. My new Secteur has a solid one and it's a butt pounder.

Brooks has some nice looking one like the FLYER SPECIAL but I don;t know if I want to have worry about get that ripped off or wet.

It depends upon your butt. Also, if you're a n00b, most any saddle is going to be uncomfortable until you build up some butt muscles.

Hopefully before nerve damage.

i gave my fizik arione over a 1000 miles to break in, i thought that was a fair amount of time. hated it and got a new one from a friend. love the new one. did a century on it last year and began having a lil issues with it around mile 85-90. but i guess thats to be expected. the new one btw is an e3 gel form

sorry, i meant to say 4-5 1.25 hour rides, going up to 7. by then you'd have tweaked it enough that if it's still uncomfortable, you know you gotta treat yourself to something better

on another note, i've ridden my current saddle for 6+ hours at once. the boys were fine, my butt didn't hurt, but i did get chafing as i didn't have padded cycling shorts at the time

i took my fizix pavé (came with bike) on 5-6 rides, each about an hour or so, and found it just painful 15 miles into the ride every time. i kept on adjusting the position, and none worked. after i got the new saddle, i spent another hour on it & was pretty comfortable. that was how i decided on my current one. of course, do make sure that you can get some sort of statement from your lbs so that in case the saddle doesn't fit, you can't bring it back for something more comfortable

my problem is saddle sores. I know, I know. Saddle sores are caused by bacteria that infects a pore ore hair folicle. but I disinfect the area before kitting up, use some form of chamois cream, always wear clean shorts, and I still get them. I never did before I started using an inform r/l. I love it. its fairly comfortable, I have done a couple of centurys on it ( them actually I have it on more than one bike) and I still get sores. I was fitted , they are level, and I still get them. frustrating.

Cheers. FYI, not a noob, do about 12,000km per year and hoping to race this year.

I'll persevere, but I am eyeing off the team edition of the Selle San Marco Regal.

Aside from my Brooks which took about 800 km to break in, if I wasn't comfortable on a saddle on a 100 km ride, it was out.

I've had saddle sores in the past and that is one hell of a terrible feeling. I got rid of mine by (a) getting better shorts and (b) getting a different saddle. That was after trying all the different taint lubes I could find, soaking in salt, using baby powder during the day, etc. If you didn't get sores before you started using your current saddle, why not try a different saddle?

Fail 2-3 seconds before I throw it into the lake. I went through that with the Adamo. I actually felt like I was going to die. Battled through it and now it's fine but those first few weeks were painful. GL

This
I used a selle san marco ASPide for 3 years, then switched to a Bontrager Inform RL. Both saddles were comfortable from day 1. The Fizik that came on my Cannondale was immediately taken off.

Toupe.

+whatever.

Within a few minutes I'll have an idea, the next 30-60 minutes to verify.

Selle SMP. Most comfortable saddles evar!

Also use the Toupe. Took a little getting used to as I came from a Flite...but it works great now. Have it on both bikes.