Saddle lifespan
 

My saddle isn't comfy anymore. I got (last year) a used aliante with carbon rails, and its been used and abused "(by me). I found this saddle VERY nice and comfortable, specially riding long distances. But this past 2 months ive noticed the comfort has gone down considerably.

i have 2 theories:

1) the saddle changed shape after all this miles

2) im much faster now than before, started averaging 17.0mph (50 mile ride), and am now at 20.5mph (50 mile ride)

im leaning for #2, making my saddle choice a bit more difficult...id buy another aliante, but since my riding style is now more agressive maybe i should try something different.

do you think saddle change shape enough to need replacement?

Did you change your riding position when you started going faster? You say your riding style is more aggressive, but is your fit more aggressive?

It's possible that the saddle changed shape, but it seems unlikely in just a year (depending upon how long the previous owner had ridden it). Position seems a possible cause, how about saddle tilt up/down - has that shifted slightly over time? Another factor could be your weight - I assume you may have lost some weight as you've become faster and gained experience. You may not "bend" the saddle as much, or perhaps you have less, ahem, padding?

I have a Token saddle with approx. 2000 miles on it and its trashed. Fraying, ripping and loosing its luster.
So I just bought a Bontgrager Inform RXL.

Yes my riding position is different mainly i ride A LOT more on the drops. And lowered my stem a couple of spacers.

check out how much it flexes.
well used and worn saddles with a plastic back tend to flex a lot more compared to new ones of the same make.
I'm not entirely sure why it happens, but it just does.

Quit farting on it. :D. Sometimes your ass doesn't like a specific saddle anymore, get rid of it and try something else. If you're spending a lot of time in the drops check out the Specialized Romin.

I've heard lots of good thing about these, though I have not tried one myself. http://cobbcycling.com/

Had a bike mechanic tell me to go into a store that sells your model saddle. Feel how much a new one flexes, then compare it to yours.

My local LBS guy said whenever the saddle ceases to be comfortable, it's time for a new one. I have an Arione with well over 10K miles. Still doing OK.

Chance one takes with buying a used saddle: one doesn't know how many miles it was ridden, and by how heavy a rider. The heavier the rider, the faster it will wear out.

Mark current position and try tipping down slightly first. If that doesn't work, try tipping up slightly from original position. The Aliante, unlike the Arione, is a one position saddle. Riding a lot more in the drops changes your pelvic tilt (up/down tilt of saddle change). Also, your butt may be scooted up or back some by riding in drops. If changing tilt doesn't work, try moving saddle up a little first, and if that doesn't work, back a little from original position. One, or a combination, of these changes should help, but you have to do things sequentially, and keep track of your original position.

My CAAD10 saddle (Prologo Kappa Pas) has over 4480+ miles and i think its holding up well, no tears, or fraying but a little bit of flexing in the middle of the saddle. i need to swap it out for a thicker stiffer saddle, because my seat bones are poking through the foam in to the plastic.

I bought a Brooks Team Pro over 25 years ago and it's still going strong. And the B-66 on my Superbe is turning 40 next year...

+1. Chances are that the OP is now a bit more stretched out now than in the beginning.

FWIW, but unrelated to fit, after much use some chamois loses it's ability to properly wick away moisture and reduce friction.

Not to rehash a frequently hashed subject, but try a Brooks Pro, It keeps getting better and more beautiful with each year I ride it.

Another plus is that you know it will be as heavy as a brick from the time you put it on to the time you take it off!

Thnx guys!
Terex, ill try your advice.

I will probably buy a new saddle in The near future for looks.

Another vote for a Brooks. I've had the Team Pro and Colt and loved both of them. Not to mention the very nice retro look. Once broken in, they only fit your butt better with time.

Yep, I loved my Brooks too. But the limited rail travel combined with the steep seat tube on Madone meant I could not get any of my Brooks far enough aft to be where I needed them. Now using Aliante on both road bikes. One I bought used and have put around several thousand miles on it myself. Then I recently picked up a new one. Once I got the new one set up exactly like the other one I can't feel any difference in terms of comfort, both work just fine.

As soon as you think it's worn out, it probably is. Kind of like your back tire, IME.

My cheap/semi cushy Specialized BG was great for 10 years of riding every so often, but two years that included a century and more frequent riding collapsed the foam padding. 2 years of commuting on a slim velo saddle has the plasic hamocking down to the nut of the seatpost. So for me, at 185 lbs and 6'4", it seems like 2 years is the going rate on a bike that is used fairly regularly.

I'm riding a Selle Italia Flite from 1993 with an untold number of miles on it. It's been recovered twice...still going strong!