Selle SMP vs Specialized Toupe - Page 2

well he didn't do anything to help me in the first place other than let me hold it in my hand and second, I am going to shop around and get it at the place where I can get it the cheapest. I'm not going to spend an extra $65+ just because the guy was friendly. Thats what people do when they shop around. You ever test drive a vehicle at one dealership and buy it 2 weeks later at a different dealer because they had it for cheaper?

I have owned both and liked the Specialized better. The SMP was terrible for me personally. All that said, the BEST saddle I have ever ridden is Bontrager's RL or RXL in 146 width (for me).

the selle TECHNOLOGIKA.........so I found the seat I really want to try. not only is it the sexiest saddle I have seen, but it looks to have a shape that would fit me fairly well with the cavity cut out for my bits down south. My question is this....even though it has the "eva" padding on top of the carbon saddle, do you think the padding will really make that much of a difference to help? I am fairly thin and do not obtain much "natural padding" so I am concerned that it will be like sitting on that park bench or bleacher stand after a while of riding.

Im so tired of looking for a saddle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I take it the Technologika didn't work.....

Amount of padding isn't the important part. Shape of the saddle, flex of the saddle, and the kind of padding are the key points, with padding being the least important of the three. I know quite a few skinny guys that can spend an entire day on a CF saddle w/out padding.

I found the Toupe to have weak padding with a short lifespan. I prefer much more firm padding. Right now I ride an SSM Rever. I may give another a try, though, just to see if I can improve on the best I've found.

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

well as I have found, my hip bones do not fit a 131mm saddle therefor eliminating ALL of the ones I wanted to try. I am looking into the Selle italia Signos flow as it is a but wider (141mm). I am hoping to try 2 different saddles this coming Friday at my LBS but throwing my bike on a trainer and give them a go for a half hour each or so. I know some have said it can take a week or 2 (or more) for anyone to really break in a saddle and get used to it, but I figure a half hour on one can help eliminate some choices narrow down my field.

Often with bicycles, and bicycle stuff, you buy the shop as much as the item. If one guy helped me, went the extra little bit but was more expensive than the 'stuff in boxes' bike shop that really didn't care if I was there or not...yes, I'd pay the $ to get better knowledge and service but it's yer $, do what you want in the light of much 'free' advice, here and elsewhere.

S. Toupe with titanium rails broke down in less than 1 year.

There's always the sitting on the Specialized "butt-o-meter" to get the correct width... I think I went with the 143mm version too and it's that comfy that ,combined with a good pair of shorts, you basically forget about the saddle even on rides over 8 hours. There's not really much more that you can legally ask from a saddle in public places

I've been over the as recommended 'minimum weight' for the saddle pretty much most of it's life - ie the past two years... no issues thus far.

in with swampy on this one. seven hour rides in the saddle with the toupe and it's held up magnificently for four years of riding. good shorts are a must for the longer rides (kind of an obvious statement), but even four hour rides in my bargain pants is without discomfort. good flex and still keeps my bottom from sliding around during the ride.

more to the point, have to side with the advice which recommends putting it on the post and ride it. go make up your own mind.

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"Kick over the statues and the tyrants die. Wave bye bye to their heroes with a hammer."
--The Redskins, Kick Over the Statues

So I finally got a new saddle. After a full week of research, questions and thinking I went to my LBS and realized that all my questions and thinking did me no good. The only thing I could do with the 5 choices I had sitting in front of me was simply by one and try it. Now that I had narrowed it down to these 5, I had the frustrating decision of which one should I try first? My buddy at the shop got tired of me sitting there staring at them, so he grabbed one and mounted it on my bike. He chose the specialized Toupe. I went out and rode it and it KILLED me!!! I came back to the shop and said..."that is not the saddle for me!" I had him take it off and put on the selle italia flight (not the max). went out and IMMEDIATELY felt a huge difference. I rode it for 2 miles and came back with a smile. Who knows it may not end up being the saddle I stick with, but for now it was a much better fit.
they gave me a black saddle (I want white) and told me to try it for 2 weeks and if I like it brig it back and they will exchange it for a white. Win-win situation!!!
It was poaring outside when I got home and I don't have rain gear so I threw my bike on my trainer and rode it a bit. Again it was a big difference, but getting it out on the road for a good ride will be the true test.

Don't put to much weight behind what a saddle feels like on a trainer. I find the road and trainer to be two vastly different experiences in terms of comfort.

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

yeah that's what I was told. I just wanted to see how it would feel, but wont reley on the feedback till I get it out on the road.