Seems that modern road racing saddles are approx. 130-131 mm wide and
275-280 mm in length. My decade old saddle is about 115-120 mm x 260 mm.

What type/size road saddle do you own? Used for recreational or race riding?

Brooks B17 Standard in black and Brooks B17 Champion Special in green with copper rivets and titanium rails

170mm wide by 280mm long

https://www.wallbike.com/brooks/unspr...s/b17-standard
https://www.wallbike.com/brooks/unspr...ampion-special

Selle Italia SLK - 135mm
Selle San Marco Aspide - 130mm (my favorite)
Specialized Toupe 130

I get along with all 3. Tried a Toupe 143 but didnt like it as much; ditto a Bontrager RXL 145. I have a Brooks on my LHT but havent done any long rides/tours on it it yet.

B17 Special Honey colored with copper clad rails and rivets used on both my 2010 Trek Madone 4.5 and my 1999 Schwinn Circuit:

Length: 275mm
Width: 175mm
Height:65mm
Weight: 540g

B17 Imperial Black with steel rivet and rails:

Length: 242mm
Width: 176mm
Height:58mm
Weight: 460g


Comfort is pure bliss with these bad boys! Tried many a standard road saddle and nothing else came close for me.

Thinking of adding an even plusher Brooks Flyer (Sprung B17) into the mix for those longer rides over 50 miles.

So, is a width less than 140mm the norm now for racing/long distance?

Define long distance? My shortest ride is 20 miles usually and most weekends see rides over 50 miles. Yet my norm (if there is such a thing) is much wider than 140mm. i think the only real norm is that we all try to use saddles that work for us and our own unique needs.

Racing and long distance are two different things ... unless you're talking about 24-hour races.

I don't know what the norm is for racing, but a lot of randonneurs (who ride a specific type of non-competitive long distance cycling) like Brooks saddles, which if you noticed from the previous comments, have a width somewhere around 170-175 mm.

Selle Italia Signo Genuine Gel 140 wide. My choice.

The stock Jamis one that came with my bike