Saddle for Trek 5200 and My BFA

[zerokoo0l]

About a year ago I had Gastric Bypass surgery via Laser. About 3 months after I returned to the pedals for the first time in 20 years on a Gary Fisher Tasajara and became hooked, I have since lost 180 pounds and am currently 210 pounds, as a self reward I purchased a Trek 5200 on Saturday, even though it is winter here in Michigan I have managed to get out on the road a few times since and put a few hours on the trainer. I love the bike but the SSM saddle is a little bit small and hard on my still plump behind, any suggestions for a saddle that would be a bit wider and more cushy on my tushy until I am ready for this type of saddle. Thanks.

 

[Cipher]

Originally posted by zerokoo0l
About a year ago I had Gastric Bypass surgery via Laser. About 3 months after I returned to the pedals for the first time in 20 years on a Gary Fisher Tasajara and became hooked, I have since lost 180 pounds and am currently 210 pounds, as a self reward I purchased a Trek 5200 on Saturday, even though it is winter here in Michigan I have managed to get out on the road a few times since and put a few hours on the trainer. I love the bike but the SSM saddle is a little bit small and hard on my still plump behind, any suggestions for a saddle that would be a bit wider and more cushy on my tushy until I am ready for this type of saddle. Thanks.

I believe the saddle you have on that bike is the SSM Era, which is a bit on the narrow side... The Selle Italia TA saddles are a little wider across the sit bone area. Most good bike shops will allow you to buy the saddle, take it home and try it out for a few days to see how you like it, and allow you to return it in new condition if you decide against it.

 

[zerokoo0l]

Thanks, You are correct it is an ERA LUXE I will try the TA Series, I am lucky enough to have two good shops near me, unfortunately here in Michigan in January they may not stock them but I will give it a try. Thanks

 

[glyde]

Major congrat's on your weight loss and your new healthy life choices! Having been there myself, I know that it can be difficult. However, I will say that you have made an excellent choice with cycling. I have thoroughly enjoyed cycling since jumping in myself about 5 years ago. Not only is the activity itself rewarding, healthy, fun, and very theraputic (nothing melts away the everyday like a nice long ride) but you will find the people in cycling equally rewarding. It has been my experience that, in general, cyclists are some of the warmest, friendliest, and helpful people around. Welcome!!

To your question:
I would say that the last thing you want to do is buy a cushy saddle for your tushy. Against what would seem to be common sense, the smaller the saddle the better. The logic is that you want a seat that accommodates your sit bones, not your behind. Saddles that fit your behind end up putting pressure on the soft fleshy part of your buttocks and make the ride even more uncomfortable and painful. Having been a larger rider myself when I started, I understand where you are. I can tell you from personal experience that after getting my behind used to riding, the pain disappeared. On a few occassions I have been forced to get off the bike for extended periods and the first couple of rides back are always a break in period for my bottom again.

As the previous posts suggests, you may want to talk to your local bike shop and see if they would be willing to exchange the current saddle for a slightly larger one but just don't go overboard. If they will not exchange it at this point, give the one you have a bit longer before seeking out a replacement.

Remember the purpose of the saddle on your 5200 (good choice by the way, the same choice I made) is to support your sit bones - the bony part of your bottom when you are sitting - not to support your entire bottom.

Don't be afraid to get out of the saddle either. If you find discomfort on longer rides, an easy solution is to strecth by standing up!

That's my $.02! I wish you all the best!

 

[zerokoo0l]

Thank you very much, I didnt realize any of that but now that I read your post I understand better what some of the people I spoke to locally were trying to explain. Also nice to hear from someone who shared a similar experience and rode (or rides a similar bike) I have only had the bike for a few days and it has been cold on the road (but I have put in almost 50 miles and a few hours on the trainer (Fluid 2)) but it sounds like my assumption on the seat may have been somewhat premature and I maybe need to spend some more time on the road with the ERA Luxe before replacing it. It has been fairly tollerable on the rode but quite uncomfortable on the trainer for longer sessions. Thanks Again.

 

[trekbiker2003]

I ride an '03 Trek 5200 and absolutely love this bike. You chose the right bike to help keep your motivation strong. BUT.... the stock San Marco ERA saddle that comes with this bike is one of the worst I've ever experienced. I couldn't ride 20 miles without severe discomfort. After a couple weeks and a few hundred miles I gave up on the idea of "breaking it in" and researched the net for a new saddle to fit this fantastic bike.
I found this bike equipment review website and thru it bought a Fizik Aliante. Expensive but WORTH EVERY CENT. This saddle is incredible. I can make it thru a century ride (rode 14 centuries in '03) with very little discomfort. Also, be careful with the fat, plush saddles with the "anatomical cutouts", ie., Terry, etc. They may seem like the way to go for more comfort, but my cycling friends who ride these saddles are in obvious pain after 50 miles while I'm still feeling great in on the Fizik.

 

[trekbiker2003]

whups.... forgot to post the equip review site:

http://www.roadbikereview.com/PRD_131548_2509crx.aspx

 

[trekbiker2003]

whups.... forgot to post the equip review site:

http://www.roadbikereview.com/PRD_131548_2509crx.aspx

 

[dhk]

Originally posted by trekbiker2003
I ride an '03 Trek 5200 and absolutely love this bike. You chose the right bike to help keep your motivation strong. BUT.... the stock San Marco ERA saddle that comes with this bike is one of the worst I've ever experienced. I couldn't ride 20 miles without severe discomfort. After a couple weeks and a few hundred miles I gave up on the idea of "breaking it in" and researched the net for a new saddle to fit this fantastic bike.
I found this bike equipment review website and thru it bought a Fizik Aliante. Expensive but WORTH EVERY CENT. This saddle is incredible. I can make it thru a century ride (rode 14 centuries in '03) with very little discomfort. Also, be careful with the fat, plush saddles with the "anatomical cutouts", ie., Terry, etc. They may seem like the way to go for more comfort, but my cycling friends who ride these saddles are in obvious pain after 50 miles while I'm still feeling great in on the Fizik.

I only test rode a 5200 last fall, and thought the same thing...very uncomfortable saddle. It surprised me, because my bike then had an SSM ERA Pro which was great for me. I figured Trek had some kind of special cheap OEM model built by SSM.

Also agree that firm is better, as long as it's a good saddle with shape and give in the right places. I don't care for cutouts either. Got an SSM Aspide Ti with the new frame, and that one is fine. Minimal padding, but a great shape. Lack of numbness is my primary criteria for a saddle, and the Aspide passes.

 

[zerokoo0l]

Originally posted by trekbiker2003
whups.... forgot to post the equip review site:

http://www.roadbikereview.com/PRD_131548_2509crx.aspx

Thanks again. I have now had the SSM for a few weeks and put a few hundred miles on it, it has been pretty cold and wet in Michigan so my rides have been mostly short 15- 20 miles and alot of other things to think about such as ice, road hazards, cold etc. BUT I must say I feel a little better about this saddle now than I originally did, it is hard to tell for sure since I have had limited experience on these shorter rides but I already own the saddle so I may as well save my money and reserve final judgement until I am able to spend more time on it

 

[comuterboy]

I recently purchased a 5200, and have been perfectly happy with the stock saddle. In fact, have never enjoyed a better fit. Now have about 400 miles on the bike. Just goes to say that like most things with bikes, its all about personal taste, or fit. We all have opinions on equipment, but in the end- what works for you is all that matters.

 

[dhk]

Agree it's probably not fair to criticize a saddle just based on a 10 minute test ride. Seems like it's taken me 400-500 miles to get comfortable on my new bike also. And of course, saddle fit is a personal thing.

 

[lokstah]

Good points here, especially from Glyde.

What I tell people is that you're almost certain to suffer a bit of a*s soreness for the first three or four months you ride; the muscles, soft tissues, and bone-support structure just need to toughen up a bit. That said, you're best off trying to keep your a*s on the firmest saddle you can tolerrate, particularly after the three month mark.

The softer the seat, the more likely you are to experience real compression of the soft tissues at the core of your rear -- which can lead to smooshed nerves, blood vessels, numbness, and (gasp) tissue damage. It also tends to make your rides verrrrrry uncomfortable in the long run.

A firmer seat will keep you propped up on your bones, which takes getting used to at first, but feels like sitting on air once you get past the tissue-learning curve.

Instead of padding, consider a saddle with additional width or length. It's trendy and not cheap, but the Fizik Arione is a firm, high-performance saddle with a bit of extra length and a slightly wide nose... it's a true racing saddle but it's comfy as all hell, I'm finding!

 

[trekbiker2003]

Saddle fit is a very subjective thing I agree. I've owned six road bikes and probably a dozen saddles. Without a doubt the Fizik Aliante is the most comfortable saddle I've ridden.
I have met a few people that found the stock SSM ERA saddle on the 5200 comfortable, maybe 10-20 percent of 5200 owners I've talked to (and there are a lot of them out there). If you go on a lot of the big organized century rides you will see a large number of 5200's. It's probably the most popular of the "high end" bikes. You will also see that most have swapped out the stock saddle. Also, if you read the comments about the 5200 on the bike review websites you will find a lot of negative comments about the SSM saddle.

My observations (for what it's worth):

- the SSM ERA saddle is narrow, firm and has a flat profile when viewed from the side. For me, saddles with this flat profile are uncomfortable.

- the riders I've met who liked the SSM saddle tended to be lighter and slimmer. I'm 6'1" and 205 lbs. The guys that were 160 lbs and skinny (narrow sit bones) did not have as much a problem with this saddle.

- The Fizik saddle has more of a concave "hammock" shape when viewed from the side. It has a narrow nose but a wider back than the SSM.

- I would say the padding on the Fizik is actually thinner than the SSM but not quite as firm. Thicker padding does not seem to determine how comfortable a saddle will be. The Fizik padding is thin but the support stucture is an innovative flexible carbon/kevlar weave material that provides some additional cushion.

- The second most comfortable saddle I've had was a cheap CODA on my old Cannondale. It had the same concave profile viewed from the side so I figure that's the feature I need for my body type.

- you really need to ride more than 50 miles on a single ride to get a feel for a saddle. By mile 80 you will know.

- Some saddles "break in" over time. 400 (painful) miles on the SSM resulted in no improvement so I gave up on it. The Fizik was comfortable from mile one and did not require any break in.