saddle or wheel upgrade?

I have been cycling for 3 months and am looking to start my ugrades one baby step at a time since I don't have a lot of money.

what would you suggest to be a better upgrade decision?

saddle or wheels?

(both saddle and wheel undetermined at this point)

due to my budget being minimal I am looking for:
Saddle between $100-$300
Wheels-$500 max (probably mint condition or slightly used set from ebay or something)

I know I'm not a very experienced rider I just ride recreationally but why would you upgrade your saddle if you don't have a problem with what you have? Thats something you might want to think about. Spending money on another saddle is wasting money if there is nothing wrong with what you have cause if you buy another saddle if could be worse that what you have in my opinion. On the other hand, if you do have problems with your saddle I would definitely get a saddle that is comfortable and fits proper first that is the only reason I checked upgrade wheels. I assumed there is nothing wrong with the saddle you have and if that is so then definitely upgrade wheels, if you have problems with your saddle then you need to get a saddle that fits you correctly first then upgrade.

Assuming everything on the bike is basically in good working order, LBSs and most people will tell you that wheels are the first thing to upgrade when wanting an enhanced riding experience.

the saddle is ...ok, I do get numbness on rides shorty around the 5 mile mark. that's why I was looking into a saddle so I could be more comfortable to do longer rides. I have done a couple 50 mile rides and my paranial area and sit bones would hurt for days. I know I need to build those areas but was also told that the pain I was experiencing was more than I should have which is why I was looking into getting a good saddle.

If you're getting pain after 5 miles, and feel a 50 mile ride for days afterwards, suggest you first have someone look at your position on the bike and help you with adjustments of your current saddle. If the saddle really is too narrow or thin to give you the support you need for your size and weight, then by all means get a saddle that fits better.

Don't expect a magic cure though. Even if everything is right, a lot of it just gets down to miles on the bike. After a couple dozen of those 50 mile rides, you'll likely find that the saddle pain is a thing of the past. Don't forget that good shorts and chamois creme are your friends too.

Suggest you forget about your wheels, unless they are out of true or breaking spokes. Unless you're a racer worried about saving a few seconds on a climb or TT, you're not going to see any real benefit from lighter or more aero wheels.

What problem are you trying solve, what question are you trying to answer? Saddle comfort is more related to bike fit than saddle design PLUS buying $500 wheels won't be drastically different than the ones you have now. Reducing wheelset weight by 200-300 grams, on a 85,000 or so gram package(bicycle and rider) just doesn't make much dfference. Remember the bicycle(and wheels) are there to get you there, little else. Improving bicycle riding performance is more about
-fit-bicycle fitting
-fat-lackthereof on you
-fitness-being as strong as you can be
-finesse-riding and/or racing smart.

Get a bike fit, get a coach, take a cycling vacation....

Wheels. It's nice to have some nice wheels for fast rides and save the other set for easy/sloppy days.

Numness from the saddle can be caused by poor positioning/bike set up.

tires before wheels
rotational weight is a killer

what bike do you have now, with what parts?

as others have said..

1) you can't buy a significantly better pair of wheels than what you likely have now with $500 unless you find something used for an amazing price

2) 1st thing to try with the numbness is position... changing your saddle might help a little bit but if your position isn't right it's still going to be a problem. also, i've found that saddles aren't like other components.. there really aren't good and bad saddles.. just ones that interface good with YOU or not.. i've found it to be a little bit of trial an error to get a saddle that you really like because sometimes it takes quite a lot of miles to figure it out..

ok let me answer some of those questions for you. I have a bianchi via narone. I paid to have a FULL 3hr set up to my bike,which helped a lot.
-what am I looking to get out of a new saddle?
Answer: a little more comfort. The reason I was looking at the selle smp was because of the center cut out which seems to relieve a lot of pressure in the paraneal area.(reviews from this thread specifically).
-The wheels?
Answer:I wasn't really set on getting wheels just yet, but a friend f mine was trying to convince me that it would be a better investment. I am not planning on doing any racing, just some longer distances when I build my stamina.

-I upgraded my tires the day I bought it. Went with a continental gaterskin (rode them for 70 miles) then sold those to a friend and bought a set of michelin pro 3.

Is everything else about your position on the bike comfortable/feel right? There is more to saddle position than fore and aft position. Tilt is also critical, as it's tilt that, if it's off, can make your twig and berries yearn for a better life. Have you experimented with tilt on the bike? Of all the things a fitting can do, it's not very good at determining tilt.

Of course, if you've tried everything else with no success, it just might be your saddle that is the problem. Selle SMP saddles are alleged to relieve perineal pressure/discomfort well (for people that got on with said saddles), but they're supposed to be really finicky when it comes to positioning them. When it comes to finding a saddle that works, it's often a matter of trying every saddle you can.

__________________
Sex is horrid
Pain is Fun
I cut my fingers off
One by one

how do you go about trying a saddle without spending a crap ton of money? I dont have the money to buy a saddle and then try to sell it on Craigslist and then go out and buy another one and do it all again till I find one. is there a system stores use to demoing saddles?

Any bike shop worthy of the title will have a saddle exchange program wherein you can trade in saddle that doesn't work for you for another, so long as you haven't destroyed the former. They should let you do this until you find the saddle that coddles your scrod and gooch just like Sis' would.

Competitive Cyclist, online, has a demo program wherein you send them money, and they send you 8 saddles to try for a week. Frankly, I think that program just offers a great way to throw away money as testing one saddle can take a week or two.

And then, for something completely different, Fairwheel Bikes forum has the OFFICIAL (north american) SADDLE SWAP THREAD in which forum members trade saddles back and forth to keep or just to try.

__________________
Sex is horrid
Pain is Fun
I cut my fingers off
One by one

A good quality wheelset is by far the BEST upgrade you can make to any bike IMHO. I truly believe that wheels are even more important than the fram......

If your saddle supports you correctly, pressure should be on your "sit bones"not your crotch, with few exceptions. You may want to consider some riding shorts- and wear them WITHOUT underpants or they won't work right I DO NOT ride without them if the ride is longer than an hour or two. You may just need to toughen your butt and get your position adjusted( it makes a difference!) - talk to your shop! Wheel upgrades are great if you have a substandard pair but if you aren't comfortable you won't ride as well or as much regardless of your equipment ( I have over 35 yrs experience including both racing and touring, with international caliber coaching and have worked in some of the best shops in the nation)