Best serious non-leather saddles.



N

Nate Knutson

Guest
What are the all-synthetic saddles people have had the best luck with
for touring, commuting, etc? Most of the more intelligent ones outside
of the realm of suspended leather all have leather covers anyway. I'm
built pretty wide in back too, so I've found that wider saddles
contact my sit bones more. I favor touring/commuting position setups
that are somewhat on the upright side. I've been riding a WTB Speed-V
for about a year, and it definitely seems to be among the better of
its class (cheap, all-synthetic, yet made to actually be used rather
than be an easy sell), but it does start hurting me after a while.
What I'm after doesn't have to be cheap but it needs to be wide,
non-leather, and not overly padded. Anybody know what I'm missing?

Thanks

PS: No obvious "Give up and get a Brooks," or "What are
vegans/vegetarians on about, anyway?" comments, plz.
 
[email protected] (Nate Knutson) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> What are the all-synthetic saddles people have had the best luck with
> for touring, commuting, etc?


I've been very happy with my Flow saddle from Saddleco, which meets
all your criteria.

Fred Roses
 
On Mon, 14 Jun 2004 22:25:45 -0700, Nate Knutson wrote:

> What are the all-synthetic saddles people have had the best luck with
> for touring, commuting, etc?


I think some of the Terry *-fly saddles have synthetic covers (dragonfly,
butterfly, etc.) I use the original Fly myself, and love it. But it has
a leather cover.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by
_`\(,_ | little statesmen and philosophers and divines. --Ralph Waldo
(_)/ (_) | Emerson
 
[email protected] (Nate Knutson) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> What are the all-synthetic saddles people have had the best luck with
> for touring, commuting, etc? Most of the more intelligent ones outside
> of the realm of suspended leather all have leather covers anyway. I'm
> built pretty wide in back too, so I've found that wider saddles
> contact my sit bones more. I favor touring/commuting position setups
> that are somewhat on the upright side. I've been riding a WTB Speed-V
> for about a year, and it definitely seems to be among the better of
> its class (cheap, all-synthetic, yet made to actually be used rather
> than be an easy sell), but it does start hurting me after a while.
> What I'm after doesn't have to be cheap but it needs to be wide,
> non-leather, and not overly padded. Anybody know what I'm missing?
>
> Thanks
>
> PS: No obvious "Give up and get a Brooks," or "What are
> vegans/vegetarians on about, anyway?" comments, plz.


I like the size and shape of the Avocet Men's O2 Air saddle. $49 at
Cambria, which seems to be the only mail order place that carries it
these days: http://www.cambriabike.com/saddles/saddles.htm
 
[email protected] (Nate Knutson) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> What are the all-synthetic saddles people have had the best luck with
> for touring, commuting, etc? Most of the more intelligent ones outside
> of the realm of suspended leather all have leather covers anyway. I'm
> built pretty wide in back too, so I've found that wider saddles
> contact my sit bones more. I favor touring/commuting position setups
> that are somewhat on the upright side. I've been riding a WTB Speed-V
> for about a year, and it definitely seems to be among the better of
> its class (cheap, all-synthetic, yet made to actually be used rather
> than be an easy sell), but it does start hurting me after a while.
> What I'm after doesn't have to be cheap but it needs to be wide,
> non-leather, and not overly padded. Anybody know what I'm missing?
>
> Thanks
>
> PS: No obvious "Give up and get a Brooks," or "What are
> vegans/vegetarians on about, anyway?" comments, plz.


I forgot to add in my previous message that the synthetic leather on
the Avocet is not very good -- there's a vinyl-y outer layer (giving
it the look of leather) that began wearing off after a few months of
use. Underneath is some kind of fabric that seems to be reasonably
tough.
 
He said serious.

Greg
--
Destroy your safe and happy lives
Before it is too late
The battles we fought were long and hard
Just not to be consumed by rock'n'roll
 
[email protected] (Nate Knutson) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> What are the all-synthetic saddles people have had the best luck with
> for touring, commuting, etc? Most of the more intelligent ones outside
> of the realm of suspended leather all have leather covers anyway. I'm
> built pretty wide in back too, so I've found that wider saddles
> contact my sit bones more. I favor touring/commuting position setups
> that are somewhat on the upright side. I've been riding a WTB Speed-V
> for about a year, and it definitely seems to be among the better of
> its class (cheap, all-synthetic, yet made to actually be used rather
> than be an easy sell), but it does start hurting me after a while.
> What I'm after doesn't have to be cheap but it needs to be wide,
> non-leather, and not overly padded. Anybody know what I'm missing?
>
> Thanks
>


Saddles (seats) are a very individual thing. For the most part it's a
process of trial and error until you find one that fits your
particular anatomy and position.

FWIW: For many years I tried all of the recommendations, including
Brooks saddles. Nothing worked, so I went recumbent. A couple years
ago I got a mountain bike, which eventually received a WTB saddle.
*That* saddle on *that* bike is the most comfortable I've been on an
upright in 20 years. I now have 3 WTB saddles on 3 of 4 uprights, in
addition to 2 recumbents.

Jeff
 
[email protected] (Nate Knutson) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> What are the all-synthetic saddles people have had the best luck with
> for touring, commuting, etc? Most of the more intelligent ones outside
> of the realm of suspended leather all have leather covers anyway. I'm
> built pretty wide in back too, so I've found that wider saddles
> contact my sit bones more. I favor touring/commuting position setups
> that are somewhat on the upright side. I've been riding a WTB Speed-V
> for about a year, and it definitely seems to be among the better of
> its class (cheap, all-synthetic, yet made to actually be used rather
> than be an easy sell), but it does start hurting me after a while.
> What I'm after doesn't have to be cheap but it needs to be wide,
> non-leather, and not overly padded. Anybody know what I'm missing?
>
> Thanks

Need a *wide*, non-leather saddle? Get an Avocet O2W. Yes, its listed
as a "women" model, but its wide (women version is 7.0 inches wide;
men's version is 6.3 inches; racing version is 5.6 inches) and comfy
and some men do actually ride it. Its available with both cro-moly and
ti rails. For more, see here:

http://www.avocet.com/saddlefeatures/o2sadfea.html
 
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In article <[email protected]>,
Nate Knutson <[email protected]> wrote:
>What are the all-synthetic saddles people have had the best luck with
>for touring, commuting, etc? Most of the more intelligent ones outside
>of the realm of suspended leather all have leather covers anyway. I'm
>built pretty wide in back too, so I've found that wider saddles
>contact my sit bones more. I favor touring/commuting position setups
>that are somewhat on the upright side. I've been riding a WTB Speed-V
>for about a year, and it definitely seems to be among the better of
>its class (cheap, all-synthetic, yet made to actually be used rather
>than be an easy sell), but it does start hurting me after a while.
>What I'm after doesn't have to be cheap but it needs to be wide,
>non-leather, and not overly padded. Anybody know what I'm missing?
>


_ If you like the Speed-V, why not try the next widest in their
range, The Rocket-V ? The longest I've been on it is about 4 hrs,
but for me it's the most comfortable saddle I've ever used. I
don't know how serious it is, but it's not my butt that's
complaining after 4 hours, but my legs.

_ Booker C. Bense

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"David L. Johnson" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> On Mon, 14 Jun 2004 22:25:45 -0700, Nate Knutson wrote:
>
> > What are the all-synthetic saddles people have had the best luck with
> > for touring, commuting, etc?

>
> I think some of the Terry *-fly saddles have synthetic covers (dragonfly,
> butterfly, etc.) I use the original Fly myself, and love it. But it has
> a leather cover.

---------------------------

I didnt care weather (whether) it was leather or synthetic... tried
several terrys, including the ladies when I was buying for my wife's
bike.... and I found the terrys to be good, but kinda convex feeling
versus the concave feeling of the WTB designs. I prefer the feeling of
settling into a hollow slightly versus the Terrys where I felt like I
was sliding off the top of a ball kinda.

anyway, WTB has become my favorite for road and MTB.

d
 

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