What are your thoughts on using a tri saddle on a road bike? Any downsides?

Depends on the tri saddle. If it's just one that has more padding in the nose, the only downside is weight and looks.

The funky ones, like the Adamo, in my experience do have a handling downside. I put an Adamo on our tandem when it's set up in time trial mode. It helps with the aerobar position, but it also feels like I'm sitting on top of a board, not wrapped around the saddle.

A lot of steering comes from the hips. If the saddle weakens your connection with the bike, it hurts the handling. The difference is not huge, and I've adjusted to it, but its noticeable.

Bottom line though is use what fits you and is comfortable for you.

I tried a couple of tri saddles and try as I might, this OldTryGuy did not like the tri saddles, but then again, I do not have a tri specific bike just an aero road bike.

Recently rode a Sunday morning 135 miles with 85+% of the time on the aero bars without problems from the non-tri saddle.

I'm used to the saddle nose providing upper body support on my road bikes. I hardly have any weight on my hands that way. With my tri setup, it's the opposite and a lot of my upper body weight is on the bar. If I switched saddles, as minimum my road bike would make my hands and arms sore. By the way my road bikes have a long saddle - Fizik Arione which likely helps that position.

Oldtryguy,

Interesting. Is your saddle level or is the nose pointed down any?

Tried down went back to level. I was 95+% on aero bars last November's Ironman with shifting forward and aft.

tri, road, mtb saddle? it's all marketing. i believe they would push it as a "toddler's only" saddle if they thought they could sell a million of 'em.

The difference between a road saddle and a tri saddle is more than marketing. Good number of triathletes, (and time trialers that aren't concerned about UCI regs) like to use a very forward position, sitting on the nose of the saddle. Tri saddles are thus designed for sitting on the nose of the saddle.

That position allows a more open hip angle for a given drop from seat to aerobars.

And I can tell you from personal experience it is noticably more comfortable (and protective of your reproductive anatomy) to sit in that position on a saddle with a padded nose.