Saddle Recommendations



Hank Wirtz wrote:
> "Bill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> I tried a B-17 and did not like the way my legs rubbed
>> against it. But I love my Koobi Silver.
>>
>> <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>> Most everyone who tries a Brooks rides a Brooks. The WTB speed V is
>>> nice too

>
>
> Funny thing...I have a SpeedV on my dirt bike, and a Brooks on the
> road bike. Used to have SpeedVs on both. I'm about 400 miles into the
> Brooks and just love it. The SpeedV is fine for the ATB, though,
> 'cause I rarely ride more than 20 miles on it, and about 35 was the
> point at which it started to bug me.


The WTB saddles are the only ones that work for me: the cutout down the
center and just the right width. I started out on a Rocket V, loved it on
both the MTB and road bike... tried the Shadow V, wasn't very good... too
"pointy." Then I threw a Speed V on the commuter, and it was nice and comfy
as expected, and lastly I put a Devo on the race bike... an excellent move
and very very comfortable even though it's flat and rather hard, but
supportive where it counts and unsupportive where it's supposed to be
unsupported.

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training
 
On Sun, 26 Mar 2006 16:02:23 -0700, "Bestest Handsander" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Last year on this group someone suggested doing the same thing sitting on a
>piece of white paper on the steps of the front porch. That worked well
>enough for me to get a measurement.


Isn't the traditional method to drink a lot of beer, put a lamp shade
on your head, and sit on a copy machine ? The optical copy of your
butt can then be measured with instruments for proper seat
calibration.
 
Quoting Bill <[email protected]>:
>I tried a B-17 and did not like the way my legs rubbed against it.


There's always the B-17 Narrow, which is actually slightly wider than most
road saddles.
--
David Damerell <[email protected]> Distortion Field!
Today is First Potmos, April.
 
"Bob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Sun, 26 Mar 2006 16:02:23 -0700, "Bestest Handsander" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>>Last year on this group someone suggested doing the same thing sitting on
>>a
>>piece of white paper on the steps of the front porch. That worked well
>>enough for me to get a measurement.

>
> Isn't the traditional method to drink a lot of beer, put a lamp shade
> on your head, and sit on a copy machine ? The optical copy of your
> butt can then be measured with instruments for proper seat
> calibration.


LOL! But I'm afraid that method won't work for those of us who are gravity
enhanced! Picking out the shards of glass from ones butt after crushing the
copier's glass panel is even less fun than scrubbing raw road rash to get
all the dirt out!
 
"john" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Bestest wrote:
>
>>If you LBS won't let you try saddles out, you can pick up used, beat up
>>saddles on ebay for cheap. I was able to try 4 different ones for less
>>than
>>$70. Find one that fits, and then buy a new one if the trial one isn't up
>>to you standards.

>
> Your method sounds good, but has a large potential flaw. I bought a
> used bike w/ an O2 saddle. That saddle was killing me after an hour. I
> mean absolute teeth clenching agony. I gave it few days for me to
> adapt. Of course I replaced it. A few years later I had an occasion to
> ride a friends bike w/ a fairly new O2 on it for a few hours over a
> couple of days. I was shocked to find it was reasonably comfortable.
> After which I reattached my old O2. It was just as awful as I
> remembered it. I concluded that it was a high mileage O2 just as the
> bike was, & it literally had the stuffing knocked out of it. It did not
> appear to be worn out. Using your method, it's entirely possible that
> some of the saddles you passed over would have been fine if new.
>
> I certainly wish it were possible, John


Valid point.

Since saddles are such a personal preference thing, I wish there were a
e-shop that would allow you to "check out" a saddle for a trial period.
What I imagine would work something like this.

1. Shop stocks close to every saddle available on the market.
2. Rider (maybe with a membership) "checks out" a saddle.
3. Shop sends a new or almost new saddle (that someone else has demo'ed).
4. Rider uses the saddle. If not happy then he sends it back and checks out
another. If he decides he likes it, he either pays for the saddle, or sends
it back and buys an new version of the saddle.

Granted, these are just the main points and many details would have to be
worked out. Saddles like Brooks wouldn't work because of the break-in
period. Maybe the shop charges $5-$10 for each check-out with the proviso
that if not returned within a predetermined period of time the rider is
charged the full price for the saddle.

Over time the shop could gather much info on what type of rider ends up with
what kind of saddle. Just typing out loud. :)
 
Bestest Handsander wrote:
> Since saddles are such a personal preference thing, I wish there were a
> e-shop that would allow you to "check out" a saddle for a trial period.
> What I imagine would work something like this.
>
> 1. Shop stocks close to every saddle available on the market.
> 2. Rider (maybe with a membership) "checks out" a saddle.
> 3. Shop sends a new or almost new saddle (that someone else has demo'ed).
> 4. Rider uses the saddle. If not happy then he sends it back and checks out
> another. If he decides he likes it, he either pays for the saddle, or sends
> it back and buys an new version of the saddle.
>
> Granted, these are just the main points and many details would have to be
> worked out. Saddles like Brooks wouldn't work because of the break-in
> period. Maybe the shop charges $5-$10 for each check-out with the proviso
> that if not returned within a predetermined period of time the rider is
> charged the full price for the saddle.


If you're interested in Brooks, Bill Wallingford at wallbike.com will
take a saddle back if it doesn't work out within six months.

Having just received one this weekend (2-day delivery arrived in one
day!!), the B-17 was good for me within five miles. When I got home, I
looked at the saddle it replaced and wondered, "Why doesn't Truth in
Advertising force Fizik to call this model Torquemada?"

Pat
 
tlarwa wrote:
> I switched to a Specilized Alias saddle last year, and it's the best I've
> ever tried. Plus, it comes in sizes to fit the width of your ass (more or
> less)!


Just picked one up myself. I love it!
\\paul
..
 
On Sun, 26 Mar 2006 17:56:50 -0800, "Hank Wirtz" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>I've heard Bill's complaint about the sides of a B17, and I can see it being
>a problem. Some Brooks users will drill holes along the bottom edge of the
>leather and lace it up like a baseball mitt to keep it from flaring out.


Why not just buy a narrower Brooks - they have at least two models
narrower than the B17.
 
Bestest Handsander wrote:
> "Bob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> On Sun, 26 Mar 2006 16:02:23 -0700, "Bestest Handsander" <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Last year on this group someone suggested doing the same thing
>>> sitting on a
>>> piece of white paper on the steps of the front porch. That worked
>>> well enough for me to get a measurement.

>>
>> Isn't the traditional method to drink a lot of beer, put a lamp shade
>> on your head, and sit on a copy machine ? The optical copy of your
>> butt can then be measured with instruments for proper seat
>> calibration.

>
> LOL! But I'm afraid that method won't work for those of us who are
> gravity enhanced! Picking out the shards of glass from ones butt
> after crushing the copier's glass panel is even less fun than
> scrubbing raw road rash to get all the dirt out!


I take it you've seen this video:
http://www.jokaroo.com/funnyvideos/assphotocopy.html

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training
 
On Mon, 27 Mar 2006 21:07:32 -0500, "Phil, Squid-in-Training"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Bestest Handsander wrote:
>> "Bob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>> On Sun, 26 Mar 2006 16:02:23 -0700, "Bestest Handsander" <[email protected]>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Last year on this group someone suggested doing the same thing
>>>> sitting on a
>>>> piece of white paper on the steps of the front porch. That worked
>>>> well enough for me to get a measurement.
>>>
>>> Isn't the traditional method to drink a lot of beer, put a lamp shade
>>> on your head, and sit on a copy machine ? The optical copy of your
>>> butt can then be measured with instruments for proper seat
>>> calibration.

>>
>> LOL! But I'm afraid that method won't work for those of us who are
>> gravity enhanced! Picking out the shards of glass from ones butt
>> after crushing the copier's glass panel is even less fun than
>> scrubbing raw road rash to get all the dirt out!

>
>I take it you've seen this video:
>http://www.jokaroo.com/funnyvideos/assphotocopy.html


Ouch.

Ron
 
Andrew Price <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> On Sun, 26 Mar 2006 17:56:50 -0800, "Hank Wirtz" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>>I've heard Bill's complaint about the sides of a B17, and I can see it
>>being a problem. Some Brooks users will drill holes along the bottom
>>edge of the leather and lace it up like a baseball mitt to keep it
>>from flaring out.

>
> Why not just buy a narrower Brooks - they have at least two models
> narrower than the B17.
>


Make that 4 - B17 Narrow, Team Pro, Swift and Swallow. But the overall
width isn't the issue, it's that the sides can flare out as the saddle
wears. The narrower models (well, not the Swallow, since it doesn't really
HAVE sides, per se) are subject to the same flaring, and the lacing is the
surest cure.
 
>> Sun, 26 Mar 2006 17:56:50 -0800, "Hank Wirtz" wrote:
>>>I've heard Bill's complaint about the sides of a B17, and I can see it
>>>being a problem. Some Brooks users will drill holes along the bottom
>>>edge of the leather and lace it up like a baseball mitt to keep it
>>>from flaring out.


> Andrew Price <[email protected]> wrote
>>Why not just buy a narrower Brooks - they have at least two models
>>narrower than the B17.


Hank Wirtz wrote:
> Make that 4 - B17 Narrow, Team Pro, Swift and Swallow. But the overall
> width isn't the issue, it's that the sides can flare out as the saddle
> wears. The narrower models (well, not the Swallow, since it doesn't really
> HAVE sides, per se) are subject to the same flaring, and the lacing is the
> surest cure.


The lacing seems really cool and indeed a sure way of doing things. I
like this result too: http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/articles/brooks.htm
\\paul
 
Paul Hobson wrote:
> >> Sun, 26 Mar 2006 17:56:50 -0800, "Hank Wirtz" wrote:
> >>>I've heard Bill's complaint about the sides of a B17, and I can see it
> >>>being a problem. Some Brooks users will drill holes along the bottom
> >>>edge of the leather and lace it up like a baseball mitt to keep it
> >>>from flaring out.

>
> > Andrew Price <[email protected]> wrote
> >>Why not just buy a narrower Brooks - they have at least two models
> >>narrower than the B17.

>
> Hank Wirtz wrote:
> > Make that 4 - B17 Narrow, Team Pro, Swift and Swallow. But the overall
> > width isn't the issue, it's that the sides can flare out as the saddle
> > wears. The narrower models (well, not the Swallow, since it doesn't really
> > HAVE sides, per se) are subject to the same flaring, and the lacing is the
> > surest cure.

>
> The lacing seems really cool and indeed a sure way of doing things.


In addition to curing the flaring, lacing can be used to adjust the
firmness and flex of the saddle. I have an NOS Ideale 92 Rebour that I
have punched and laced. Six holes per side in the nose and four holes
per side in the rear, aft of the seatpost. Using seperate laces in the
front and rear, I can adjust the firmness of the nose and the rear
section seperately.


> I like this result too: http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/articles/brooks.htm
> \\paul
 
On Tue, 28 Mar 2006 11:49:08 -0500, Paul Hobson <[email protected]> wrote:

>>> Sun, 26 Mar 2006 17:56:50 -0800, "Hank Wirtz" wrote:
>>>>I've heard Bill's complaint about the sides of a B17, and I can see it
>>>>being a problem. Some Brooks users will drill holes along the bottom
>>>>edge of the leather and lace it up like a baseball mitt to keep it
>>>>from flaring out.

>
>> Andrew Price <[email protected]> wrote
>>>Why not just buy a narrower Brooks - they have at least two models
>>>narrower than the B17.

>
>Hank Wirtz wrote:
>> Make that 4 - B17 Narrow, Team Pro, Swift and Swallow. But the overall
>> width isn't the issue, it's that the sides can flare out as the saddle
>> wears. The narrower models (well, not the Swallow, since it doesn't really
>> HAVE sides, per se) are subject to the same flaring, and the lacing is the
>> surest cure.

>
>The lacing seems really cool and indeed a sure way of doing things. I
>like this result too: http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/articles/brooks.htm
>\\paul


Like those seatposts from back before they were all round and boring.

Ron
 
Simon Cooper wrote:
>
> Chalo - what do you ride?


My favorite is the Brooks B90/3-- I'm not crazy about its multifarious
springs, but the shape and size is the best I have tried.

http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/saddles/brooks-b90-3.html
(The ones I have are shaped like the one in the picture at the bottom
of the page.)

I have bikes with B72 and B66 saddles, and while those saddles ar OK,
they are not a substitute for a B90/3.

The plastic saddle I like best is a cruiser saddle from Electra.
Again, I could do without the springs, but the shape of this particular
saddle makes it completely different than most cruiser saddles I've
tried. It's usefully firm and it has a more hollow shape than just
about any other saddle I've tried.

http://www.electrabike.com/04/parts/16/16_1.html

It looks like the Townie comes with a saddle that's the same shape but
a bit less hardware-intensive. I haven't tried one.

Chalo