Best serious non-leather saddles.

[Nate Knutson]

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.

 

[Fred Roses]

[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

 

[Gary Young]

[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

 

[Gary Young]

[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.

 

[G.T.]

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

 

[Jeff Wills]

[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

 

[Bfd]

[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

 

[Booker C . Bens]

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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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[Dan Baker]

"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