Hi, fellas. What ya think about this bike saddle? In badly need of a nice bike saddle. I've just looked into this one. Will I be disappointed? Am I on the right track? Any other good options?
Bike Saddle ,what ya suggest to go with?
- Thread starter cyclingfun2010
- Start date
Saddles (as stated in many other threads in this forum) are a personal matter and there are no saddles in existence which would suit everyone 100% of the time. So what I or anyone else thinks about this saddle is insignificant. It is your **** which will be sitting on it.
Saddles are usually the subject of lengthy and expensive periods of trial and error for many cyclists.
To try to solve this problem a few saddle manufacturers have instituted try-before-you-buy programs through many bike shops. This is one of the great advantages of going to the local bike shop for a saddle rather than buying online.
Saddles are usually the subject of lengthy and expensive periods of trial and error for many cyclists.
To try to solve this problem a few saddle manufacturers have instituted try-before-you-buy programs through many bike shops. This is one of the great advantages of going to the local bike shop for a saddle rather than buying online.
RealCyclist is discounting these Prologo saddles pretty deeply, which makes me suspicious. When a product is marked down 75%, somebody is losing money on it, and that doesn't happen without a good reason.
Generally, the MSRP on a good steel-railed road saddle starts at around $80, with titanium-railed versions starting around $130. Trustworthy brands include San Marco, Selle Italia, Fizik, Brooks, Specialized, Terry, and WTB. Ritchey makes some nice saddles that look like Selle Italia Flite knockoffs. Two store brands that offer good value are Douglas at Colorado Cyclist and Forte at Performance.
Generally, the MSRP on a good steel-railed road saddle starts at around $80, with titanium-railed versions starting around $130. Trustworthy brands include San Marco, Selle Italia, Fizik, Brooks, Specialized, Terry, and WTB. Ritchey makes some nice saddles that look like Selle Italia Flite knockoffs. Two store brands that offer good value are Douglas at Colorado Cyclist and Forte at Performance.
Do you ride much? $17 is a very small amount to pay for a seat, I wouldn't expect it to be very comfortable on long rides. If you only ride a few miles it'll be fine. But if you do an hour or two every day, i'd be saving my pennies and getting one made by the companies Oldbobcat mentioned.
I have done over 6000 miles since May, my average this summer was 40 per day.
May longest ride was 126 in under ten hours.
Since I got the Zefal, I can ride all day and get home and the saddle never crosses
my mind!
Did you read the reviews? It is one great saddle for me. It may not be so for
you, you just have to try it. It is walmart, if it don't work, take it back.
May longest ride was 126 in under ten hours.
Since I got the Zefal, I can ride all day and get home and the saddle never crosses
my mind!
Did you read the reviews? It is one great saddle for me. It may not be so for
you, you just have to try it. It is walmart, if it don't work, take it back.
If it works for you thats great. I've never used one, I was just posting my experience based on other 'to good (cheap) to be true' products. $17 is a very cheap saddle, a lot of people in the market for a decent saddle will overlook this one and pay many times more for one they perceive as being better. I would expect a decent saddle to cost between $50 and $150.
I'm going to see if I can get one if they are still available.
While there are a lot of good comments in this thread, I have learned a long time ago not to be a brand snob since there are a lot of overlooked gems out there. I'll give you an example: In addition to riding, I also run and walk a lot. I had been buying the high priced spread of walking and running sports shoes for years until I read a recent Consumers reports issue that rated "Walking Shoes". A particular style of shoe, the 'Jacory", available at Target, was rated number 3 in a field of twenty-five or so offerings from the major manufacturers. Most "serious" runners or power walkers would NEVER consider a shoe priced at $19.95. After all, how could it be any good at that price?
I bought a pair, and two weeks later, two additional pair were stashed safely in my closet. Buy the saddle and try it out!
there are a couple of technicisms that you can follow:
saddles can be thin or wide,
surface could be hard or soft,
they could be long or short,
checkout also materials of construction,
and good luck because i bought a top of the line saddle that lasted me for 1 year before breaking down
saddles can be thin or wide,
surface could be hard or soft,
they could be long or short,
checkout also materials of construction,
and good luck because i bought a top of the line saddle that lasted me for 1 year before breaking down
So I would like to add something to this. I am most certainly new to cycling. I have noticed that (please excuse my language) the circulation gets cut off to my dong cause of the pressure on my taint. The further forward I lean the worse it is, but the up right riding position in more tiresome. I have tried three different style sets. Can I get some suggestions to remedy this.
Nothing wrong with your word choice, I understand. I don't know what saddle(s) you've been using so it's difficult to ascertain the source of your discomfort.
In general, though, I'd recommend any saddle with a center cutout and/or a "love channel" (pardon my word choice--that's what they call it now). Also, the saddles by Selle SMP are supposedly designed to aggressively combat this issue. They're expensive, though, and their design is rather radical.
From my own experience, my advice is (1) make sure your main point of support in your saddle is your pelvic bones, (2) make sure your saddle is wide and flat enough under the pelvic bones, (3) make sure the saddle is level, and (4) saddles that are too soft might put pressure where you don't want it.
Saddles that have worked for me. that are still available, include the Brooks Pro, San Marco Concor, Selle Italia Turbo, and Fizik Arione and Aliante. That's a pretty wide range of designs, but what they all have in common is that they're not too wide, not particularly soft, they're all made by reputable companies, and none have cut cutouts or channels.
Welcome aboard Combatcarl. Saddles are rider specific no one can really tell you what would work for you. You need to continue what you are doing by trying different saddles. I would suggest that you go to your LBS and explain to them your issues and let them know what you have already tried. They can suggest different saddle types and most likely allow you to try a few out before you purchase the right one. They can also measure you for a saddle. They usually can do this by having a women from the gift shop next door come on in and measure with a tape measure. Just kidding I couldnt help myself. They can fit you to a saddle and they do have a way to measure your Taint. Once a comfy saddle is found and you do like it and plan on riding for years to come I suggest you pick up an extra.
Welcome aboard Combatcarl. Saddles are rider specific no one can really tell you what would work for you. You need to continue what you are doing by trying different saddles. I would suggest that you go to your LBS and explain to them your issues and let them know what you have already tried. They can suggest different saddle types and most likely allow you to try a few out before you purchase the right one. They can also measure you for a saddle. They usually can do this by having a women from the gift shop next door come on in and measure with a tape measure. Just kidding I couldnt help myself. They can fit you to a saddle and they do have a way to measure your Taint. Once a comfy saddle is found and you do like it and plan on riding for years to come I suggest you pick up an extra.
sounds like good tip for choosing saddle.
Here is a saddle that I am thinking of getting. What do you guys think? After all, it is expensive enough to be comfortable, isn't it?
http://sheldonbrown.com/real-man.html
Seriously, only your backside knows what is comfortable and it has a very specific way of telling you. I have been lucky enough to be able to be comfortable on a wide range of saddles, from a Selle San Marco Regale Carbon FX to a Velo that I found on eBay for $8.00. As a matter of fact, the Velo is second in comfort only to my 30 year old Vetta that cost $25.00 back then so I gringe to think of what it would cost now. Anyway, don't let price sway your decision. Just because a saddle is expensive does not mean that it is going to be comfortable. I hurt very badly on a Fi'zi:k Arione ($300US) and feel very comfortable on a Forte' Contour at $50.00US.
Anyway, no one here can tell you with any certainty what saddle is going to work for you. Only you and your backside will be able to find the saddle or saddles that will work for you. Just don't limit your search to expensive saddles or you will end up with an expensive saddle when a much less expensive one my have been even a better fit for you.
Of course there is always the Spongy Wonder/img/vbsmilies/smilies/ROTF.gif
http://sheldonbrown.com/real-man.html
Seriously, only your backside knows what is comfortable and it has a very specific way of telling you. I have been lucky enough to be able to be comfortable on a wide range of saddles, from a Selle San Marco Regale Carbon FX to a Velo that I found on eBay for $8.00. As a matter of fact, the Velo is second in comfort only to my 30 year old Vetta that cost $25.00 back then so I gringe to think of what it would cost now. Anyway, don't let price sway your decision. Just because a saddle is expensive does not mean that it is going to be comfortable. I hurt very badly on a Fi'zi:k Arione ($300US) and feel very comfortable on a Forte' Contour at $50.00US.
Anyway, no one here can tell you with any certainty what saddle is going to work for you. Only you and your backside will be able to find the saddle or saddles that will work for you. Just don't limit your search to expensive saddles or you will end up with an expensive saddle when a much less expensive one my have been even a better fit for you.
Of course there is always the Spongy Wonder/img/vbsmilies/smilies/ROTF.gif
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