A rant about saddles and sizing them.

[davidd86]

This is totally right. The ONLY saddle that has ever proven comfortable for me, whether on a road bike, fixed gear, MTB, track machine, etc etc over the long haul -- no idea why this would be -- is a Rolls Ti. (The "Ti" thing doesn't matter weight-wise, but it does make the seat noticeably more compliant as the rails flex more.) These are getting harder to find, and I went out and bought _four_ slightly used ones a couple of years ago ... one of the best uses to which my limited capital has been put. I don't know why this particular model works, since it is very plain and looks pretty much like most other saddles, at least without the hole in them. But it works for me, providing you take the time to set it up so as to be ->dead<- level ... if it is even slightly tilted, over 100 miles you will be the first to know.

Ronsonic wrote:
> Lately I've been shopping for a saddle. Not the easiest or fastest process, and
> not the cheapest thing either.
>
> Yeah, yeah, the local LBS and yadda yadda. It doesn't matter how much the guy
> knows he can't sit on it for ya and the recommendations I've gotten have varied
> from utter cluelessness to non-commital "if I tell ya then you'll want a refund
> when your butt gets sore."
>
> The manufacturers are generally no help whatsoever. In fact, their sales blather
> is downright unhelpful. EVERY saddle is a "perfect balance of speed, comfort and
> rigidity with styling so hot euro babes get wet when you ride by."
>
> How about a freeking MEASUREMENT. Maybe a profile. How about ANYTHING objective.
>
> Frames have sizes, so do cranks, bars and other fit items. Only two saddle
> makers even publish width measurements. Could you imagine if frames were made
> the way saddles are, each size being a completely different model with
> completely different geometry and materials and colors. "Oh, that Crit bike's
> too small for you, you should ride this TT bike instead - we'll try you on a
> tourer if that doesn't fit well."
>
> Specialized earned my scorn years ago, but I've got to hand it to them when they
> do something right. Making the same damn saddle in three sizes, as stupid and
> obvious as it is, represents a breakthrough of cycling marketing. Now I don't
> know if I'll like the things, but I'm giving them a try. If for no other reason
> than they deserve a shot for being the only company smart enough to realize that
> different sizes are needed as much as different models.
>
> Anyway, enough of that rant.
>
> I'll let you know if their saddles work out for me.
>
> Ron
>

You are absolutely right Ron. One advice I can give you: if you found a
saddle that fits you buy three of them because when you wear out the
first one they changed the model for sure.

Lou
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