which saddle to buy??

[MannyLove]

does anyone know the science behind road bike saddles??? is thinnner and narrow better than padded and wider?? i see all these saddles in stores and some are just a piece of plastic with holes and thats it and they are like $200 compared to a nice looking padded seat that looks way more comfortable . whats the deal with bike saddles????

 

[pmujim]

does anyone know the science behind road bike saddles??? is thinnner and narrow better than padded and wider?? i see all these saddles in stores and some are just a piece of plastic with holes and thats it and they are like $200 compared to a nice looking padded seat that looks way more comfortable . whats the deal with bike saddles????

I recently got a new saddle. I picked up a Titec Pluto saddle for about $50 bucks. I had a stock Fizik on before and it wasn't bad at all, a tear caused my need to upgrade.

My personal preference tends to lean toward a fairly hard saddle with one of the ergonomic slots. I don't recommend getting anything that is too big, especially for a road bike. I'm 100% for dropping lots of coin on bling parts, if this is your first upgrade, you might want to start with something for less $$ to try it out and then move up the scale from there ie... to carbon/titanium.

 

[capwater]

does anyone know the science behind road bike saddles??? is thinnner and narrow better than padded and wider?? i see all these saddles in stores and some are just a piece of plastic with holes and thats it and they are like $200 compared to a nice looking padded seat that looks way more comfortable . whats the deal with bike saddles????

Don't even go there. Saddles are so much personal preference nobody out there could possible begin to tell you which one to buy. All butts are different as are riding styles and levels of fitness.

PS: Let's not let this thread get going.

 

[dhk2]

does anyone know the science behind road bike saddles??? is thinnner and narrow better than padded and wider?? i see all these saddles in stores and some are just a piece of plastic with holes and thats it and they are like $200 compared to a nice looking padded seat that looks way more comfortable . whats the deal with bike saddles????

Basic deal is that a bike saddle needs to be wide enough and firm enough to support your weight on the "sitzbones" rather than the soft tissues. Padding that feels good under your thumb is likely too soft.

At 6' tall, some of the italian racing saddles are too narrow for me. Specialized dealers have an "assometer" pad (memory foam) they use to fit you to the proper width saddle, or you can just do some home measurements from your current saddle and shop by comparing mm width on new ones.

Proper height, set back and tilt adjustments are critical; maybe more so than the shape of the saddle itself. Every different saddle shape will require a different set up and some break-in time to get used to.

Even with everything right, your butt is going to hurt until you get used to riding. Standard advice is to build up your mileage slowly, use plenty of chamois butter to prevent chaffing, get out of the saddle often while riding, and take frequent short breaks off the bike to restore blood flow. Do these things early in the ride, before the soreness sets in, and you'll be way ahead of us...who learned the hard way

 

[rwinthenorth]

Don't even go there. Saddles are so much personal preference nobody out there could possible begin to tell you which one to buy. All butts are different as are riding styles and levels of fitness.

PS: Let's not let this thread get going.

I'm not going there, but I am wondering how long it takes for your a** to get "used" to it enough to know you might need to jetison it. I just picked up a Spec. Avatar and it's a tad uncomfortable but not hateful. I'll be fiddling around with the adjustment too. Any thoughts?

 

[9.8mps2]

PS: Let's not let this thread get going.

Nice weather out, ain't it. ...could get some rain.

 

[cheapie]

I'm not going there, but I am wondering how long it takes for your a** to get "used" to it enough to know you might need to jetison it. I just picked up a Spec. Avatar and it's a tad uncomfortable but not hateful. I'll be fiddling around with the adjustment too. Any thoughts?

5-10 hours maybe?

 

[POGATA]

My favorite:
ax-lightness

 

[Dr.Hairybiker]

I'm not going there, but I am wondering how long it takes for your a** to get "used" to it enough to know you might need to jetison it. I just picked up a Spec. Avatar and it's a tad uncomfortable but not hateful. I'll be fiddling around with the adjustment too. Any thoughts?

Good choice with the Avatar. Excellent road saddle.

How long it will take for your ass to toughen up all depends on you, how much, and how hard you ride. I'd give any new saddle at least a few hundred miles. or 5-10 rides to see if you like it or not. It took me a while to learn to love the Avatar, but once you get used to it, it's great. Nice to know that the jewels are being well cared for also.

 

[LeDomestique]

Specialized dealers have an "assometer" pad (memory foam) they use to fit you to the proper width saddle

I just couldn't stop laughing....sometimes we're labeled "snobs"...now I know why!.