Difference between mtn & road saddles + Some saddle comparisons

[Chad Waldman]

What is the difference between a mtn bike saddle and a road bike saddle? There seems to be only 2
kinds to me: wide and narrow saddles. Wide being for touring.

Also, I am looking at these saddles and would like to hear any opinions: WTB Speed V Comp
(http://www.wtb.com/speed_v_comp.html) Serfas DD Vado
(http://www.serfas.com/racing_saddles/racing_saddles_7.html) Selle San Marco Arami (gelaround model,
possibly) (http://www.sellesanmarco.com/pagine_prodotti/arami.asp)

Some things to note: I am tiny (around 130 pds) and do some mtn and xc riding.

Thanks, Chad

P.S. To reply by e-mail, first remove the _NO_SPAM_ from my address

 

[John Rees]

"Chad Waldman" <chad.waldman@_NO_SPAM_mail.com> wrote in message
news[email protected]...
> What is the difference between a mtn bike saddle and a road bike saddle? There seems to be only 2
> kinds to me: wide and narrow saddles. Wide being for touring.
>
> Also, I am looking at these saddles and would like to hear any opinions: WTB Speed V Comp
> (http://www.wtb.com/speed_v_comp.html) Serfas DD Vado
> (http://www.serfas.com/racing_saddles/racing_saddles_7.html) Selle San Marco Arami (gelaround
> model, possibly) (http://www.sellesanmarco.com/pagine_prodotti/arami.asp)
>
> Some things to note: I am tiny (around 130 pds) and do some mtn and xc riding.

I use the same saddle on my mtn and road bikes. The main difference I've noticed is that mountain
saddles often (but not always) have some reinforcements on certain areas to help protect the saddle
from damage in crashes, which (for me anyways) happen more frequently on mtn bikes. For free ride
types, there might be a more substantial saddle to handle big drops.

Based on your weight, there isn't a saddle made that won't work for you on either bike, but some of
the flyweight saddles would probably not live long on an aggressively ridden mtn bike. John Rees

 

[Qui Si Parla Ca]

chad-<< What is the difference between a mtn bike saddle and a road bike saddle? There seems to be
only 2 kinds to me: wide and narrow saddles. Wide being for touring. >><BR><BR>

Just like two sided pedals aren't just for MTBs, any saddle that works for you can be used
on either.

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 http://www.vecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

 

[Phil Brown]

>Just like two sided pedals aren't just for MTBs, any saddle that works for you can be used
>on either.

Very true. Your butt doesn't know if you're riding on or off raod. Phil Brown

 

[Jasper Janssen]

On 23 Jun 2003 15:50:16 GMT, [email protected] (Phil Brown) wrote:

>Very true. Your butt doesn't know if you're riding on or off raod.

It will if you're riding unsuspended..

Jasper

 

[David L. Johnso]

On Mon, 23 Jun 2003 12:59:01 +0000, Chad Waldman wrote:

> What is the difference between a mtn bike saddle and a road bike saddle? There seems to be only 2
> kinds to me: wide and narrow saddles. Wide being for touring.

Not really. Wider for wider butts. Some tourists need narrow, some need wide. Same for racers,
except the guys would never be caught dead on a "women's" saddle.

BTW, avoid gel saddles.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems. _`\(,_ | -- Paul Erdos
(_)/ (_) |

 

[Chad Waldman]

What's wrong with gel saddles? The Selle gelaround version of the Arami seemed to get just as much
positive feedback on mtbreview.com as did the standard Arami.

"David L. Johnson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Mon, 23 Jun 2003 12:59:01 +0000, Chad Waldman wrote:
>
> > What is the difference between a mtn bike saddle and a road bike
saddle?
> > There seems to be only 2 kinds to me: wide and narrow saddles. Wide being for touring.
>
> Not really. Wider for wider butts. Some tourists need narrow, some
need
> wide. Same for racers, except the guys would never be caught dead on
a
> "women's" saddle.
>
> BTW, avoid gel saddles.
>
> --
>
> David L. Johnson
>
> __o | A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into
theorems.
> _`\(,_ | -- Paul Erdos (_)/ (_) |

 

[x]

RE/
>What is the difference between a mtn bike saddle and a road bike saddle? There seems to be only 2
>kinds to me: wide and narrow saddles. Wide being for touring.
>
>Also, I am looking at these saddles and would like to hear any opinions: WTB Speed V Comp

IMHO saddle marketing is still in the stone ages. A recent Performance catalog had over 2 pages of
saddles listed and only specified the width of one of them - nevermind usable width....

I think there are, however, some diffs that separate saddles that are better for mountain biking.

One would be the strength of the rails...stronger being better.

Another would be range of adjustment - WTB's Speed V looks really good in that area to me, if only
it were an inch wider for my titanic tush.

Finally, the nature of the saddle's back comes into play riding off road. You want something that's
smooth back there and without too hard an edge - so when you go off the back for a descent, sliding
forward again doesn't tear the crotch out of your riding shorts. I ride a Brooks B-17, which so
notably lacking in that respect I'm actually thinking of putting a pair of utralight nylon shorts in
my tool roll... Maybe Thong Man is on to something there...
-----------------------
PeteCresswell

 

[Pete]

"Chad Waldman" <chad.waldman@_NO_SPAM_mail.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> What's wrong with gel saddles? The Selle gelaround version of the Arami seemed to get just as much
> positive feedback on mtbreview.com as did the standard Arami.
>

1. Very few things get 'negative' reviews on mtbr.com.
2. Gel saddles squish where they shouldn't, and put pressure on parts that should not be pressed.
3. Realize that there is a 'butt break in' period.

Choose wisely, and after enough miles, the right (hard) saddle will feel much, much better
than any gel.

Pete

 

[David Kunz]

Chad Waldman wrote:
> What is the difference between a mtn bike saddle and a road bike saddle? There seems to be only 2
> kinds to me: wide and narrow saddles. Wide being for touring.
>
> Also, I am looking at these saddles and would like to hear any opinions: WTB Speed V Comp
> (http://www.wtb.com/speed_v_comp.html) Serfas DD Vado
> (http://www.serfas.com/racing_saddles/racing_saddles_7.html) Selle San Marco Arami (gelaround
> model, possibly) (http://www.sellesanmarco.com/pagine_prodotti/arami.asp)
>
> Some things to note: I am tiny (around 130 pds) and do some mtn and xc riding.
>
> Thanks, Chad
>
> P.S. To reply by e-mail, first remove the _NO_SPAM_ from my address
>

If it's comfortable and works for you, then I'd go with it. IME, touring saddles don't work well
offroad because their width in the back make it difficult to get out over the back tires for those
steep descents. I also like a saddle with a long nose so that I can slide forwards on steep ascents
and still spin. And, I like a saddle where you can comfortably sit anywhere for short periods of
time (once again -- for fore/aft weight control while spinning).

David

 

[David Kunz]

Pete wrote:
> "Chad Waldman" <chad.waldman@_NO_SPAM_mail.com> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>What's wrong with gel saddles? The Selle gelaround version of the Arami seemed to get just as much
>>positive feedback on mtbreview.com as did the standard Arami.
>>
>
>
> 1. Very few things get 'negative' reviews on mtbr.com.
> 2. Gel saddles squish where they shouldn't, and put pressure on parts that should not be pressed.
> 3. Realize that there is a 'butt break in' period.
>
> Choose wisely, and after enough miles, the right (hard) saddle will feel much, much better than
> any gel.
>
> Pete
>

Lots of gel does the above. I like the Terry Men's Fly TriGel where they put gel just where I need
it and the rest of the saddle is firm.

David

 

[Shaun Rimmer]

Chad Waldman <chad.waldman@_NO_SPAM_mail.com> wrote in message
news[email protected]...

> What is the difference between a mtn bike saddle and a road bike saddle?

Which bike is it on? If it's on your road bike, it's a road saddle, if it's on your MTB, it's an
MTB saddle.


Shaun aRe

 

[Eagle Jackson]

A normal road saddle can be and often is used on cross country mtb bikes. There are some things,
however, you may want in an mtb saddle that may not apply to the road. A few examples. It can be
nice to have built up or kevlar sides to protect the saddle from crashes. Some, like the WTB
saddles, have dropped noses, to avoid snagging the front of your shorts (or baggies). Mtb riders
move around on the saddle more, get on and off the saddle, slide forward and back, off the front and
off the back. For example, on a steep climb, you may slide to the very tip of the saddle, and then
when you slide back, you can snag your shorts. Other mtb saddles, like the Bontrager, have clipped
sides -- to make it easier for sliding off the back off the saddle on a steep descent.

For freeride and DH saddles, they are typically bigger, beefier, and more padded. You wouldn't see
one of them on a road bike.

Conversely, some of the ultralight and very thinly (or no) padded road saddles you wouldn't see on
an mtb. They wouldn't stand the abuse and you want some padding going over rough terrain.

 

[Chris Zacho "Th]

I have springs on my MTB saddle and none on my tourer. Otherwise, both are basically Brooks B17's.

The main difference is how you sit. On an MTB, the rider is more upright, and the saddle bears a
greater percentage of the weight. This is why they are wider, like touring saddles.

May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills! Chris

Chris'Z Corner "The Website for the Common Bicyclist": http://www.geocities.com/czcorner

 

[Pat]

x-no-archive:yes

<snip>>
> Finally, the nature of the saddle's back comes into play riding off road.
You
> want something that's smooth back there and without too hard an edge - so
when
> you go off the back for a descent, sliding forward again doesn't tear the crotch out of your
> riding shorts. I ride a Brooks B-17, which so notably lacking in that respect I'm actually
> thinking of putting a pair of
utralight
> nylon shorts in my tool roll... Maybe Thong Man is on to something
there...
> -----------------------
> PeteCresswell

I guess you didn't see today's news: Thong Man is dead.

"A man who drew attention for several years for wearing only a black thong while riding his bicycle
in San Antonio has been found dead...."

"(Big Bend)Park visitors found the nude body of Joseph Gottschalk, 52, of San Antonio on a
ledge about 100 feet below the South Rim trail of the Chisos Mountains, park spokesman David
Elkowitz said."

"In March, San Antonio police told the San Antonio Express-News that they had received numerous
complaints about Gottschalk's riding attire and had contacted him about it at least 20 times in the
past four years. But he was within the law, police said."

Pat in Texas

 

[John Everett]

On Mon, 23 Jun 2003 12:59:01 GMT, "Chad Waldman" <chad.waldman@_NO_SPAM_mail.com> wrote:

>What is the difference between a mtn bike saddle and a road bike saddle? There seems to be only 2
>kinds to me: wide and narrow saddles. Wide being for touring.

All my bikes (road and MTB) with the exception of my PX10E (Brooks Pro) have Flites. Why would I
have different saddles on different bikes?

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3

 

[x]

RE/
>Why would I have different saddles on different bikes?

Different riding postures? i.e. an upright utility bike were the saddle is actually used as a seat
vs a bike where your weight is primarly borne by the feet and arms?
-----------------------
PeteCresswell