comfortable saddle?

[mark 1]

Dear fellow cyclists, I have become keen on cycling the country lanes of lincolnshre over the last couple of years. I have an old (Raleigh) road bike with drop handlebars, don't ask me any more about the bike, I was given it by a friend a couple of years ago. I am slowly building up my fitness to the extent that I can do a 50 or 60 mile ride and the legs and lungs are fine, the hands hurt a bit, but the part of the anatomy which gives me the most grief is my posterior! Do any Forum members have any advice on a comfortable saddle for a road bike?
many thanks
mark

 

[Kestevan]

I (and many others on here) have a Charge Spoon and find it very comfortable indeed.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products...oogle&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=froogle

Others may well recommend an ancient torture device knows only as a "Brooks". These people are sado-masochists and their advice should be treated with the contempt it deserves

Seriously - saddles are a very personal thing, one mans comfy perch will be anothers napalm-covered razorblade.

 

[jay clock]

+1 for Charge Spoon. I was frightened by the look (although there are worse!) but it suits my tender barse fine for 100+ mile rides

 

[fimm]

Can you be a little more specific about the discomfort? Is it your seat bones? Further forward? Chafing or pressure? Are certain parts of your anatomy becoming numb? (I appreciate that you might not want to go into lots of detail on a public forum, but it can help us to help you!)

 

[corshamjim]

I won't be doing with those narrow things so I have one of these on my road bike - seems to do the job quite well at little cost.

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/bioflex-o-zone-gel-mens-saddle-prod16197/

 

[NormanD]

+1 for Charge Spoon too, it looks evil but comfortable over any distance

 

[mark 1]

Can you be a little more specific about the discomfort? Is it your seat bones? Further forward? Chafing or pressure? Are certain parts of your anatomy becoming numb? (I appreciate that you might not want to go into lots of detail on a public forum, but it can help us to help you!)

without going into too much detail it's the soft tissue that is affected (as opposed to bones), soreness at the very top of the leg where it meets the perineum, resulting in sore bumps under the skin from I think pressure rather than chafing - you did ask!

 

[jayonabike]

If your pockets can stretch a little then I can recommend either a San Marco Rolls or a San Marco Concor. I have both of these saddles, and they are both extremely comfy, especially the Rolls, after 1000 miles the leather is soft and supple and I can sit on it for hours on end with no problem.

 

[Globalti]

Another vote for the Charge Spoon.

....although it does sound as if you need to pay careful attention to the angle of the saddle. For most men this means the saddle should be tilted up by a couple of degrees at the nose. With the Charge Spoon this is extra important because it has quite a hollowed shape and the angle will determine where your pelvic sit bones end up on the saddle.

As above, Brooks saddles are beaten together in a blacksmith's shop in the darkest West Midlands using the same technology that was employed in the middle ages to make chastity belts. 'Nuff said.

By the way Mark 1 are you wearing padded cycling shorts and mitts? If you don't fancy the look of lycra you can buy padded undershorts, which are worn next to the skin under your regular trousers and will make a huge difference to comfort, as will the padded mitts. Hand comfort can also be improved by investing in some padded handlebar tape, Specialized Roubaix tape for example.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

The Brooks Swallow is a thing of beauty, they are hand-crafted by fair maidens and the leather buffed to a luxurious finish using day-old baby chicks, they are then delivered in a gold-plated wagon pulled by unicorns. The Charge Spoon is made by an ozone depleating machine, the plastic is softened using the tears of child labourers before they are shipped all over the planet in gas-guzzling 20-wheeled Euro-rigs crushing everything in their path.

 

[Moodyman]

Another vote for the Charge Spoon.

....although it does sound as if you need to pay careful attention to the angle of the saddle. For most men this means the saddle should be tilted up by a couple of degrees at the nose. With the Charge Spoon this is extra important because it has quite a hollowed shape and the angle will determine where your pelvic sit bones end up on the saddle.

As above, Brooks saddles are beaten together in a blacksmith's shop in the darkest West Midlands using the same technology that was employed in the middle ages to make chastity belts. 'Nuff said.

By the way Mark 1 are you wearing padded cycling shorts and mitts? If you don't fancy the look of lycra you can buy padded undershorts, which are worn next to the skin under your regular trousers and will make a huge difference to comfort, as will the padded mitts. Hand comfort can also be improved by investing in some padded handlebar tape, Specialized Roubaix tape for example.

They are the product of artisans. Handmade in traditional ways, none of your plasticky Spoon nonsense.

Inidentally, I've have a Spoon and a Brooks B17. Both are very comfy, though the Brooks more so.

Only downer with the Brooks is that you need to tough it out for about 500 miles before the armchair feel kicks in.

 

[mark 1]

Another vote for the Charge Spoon.

....although it does sound as if you need to pay careful attention to the angle of the saddle. For most men this means the saddle should be tilted up by a couple of degrees at the nose. With the Charge Spoon this is extra important because it has quite a hollowed shape and the angle will determine where your pelvic sit bones end up on the saddle.

As above, Brooks saddles are beaten together in a blacksmith's shop in the darkest West Midlands using the same technology that was employed in the middle ages to make chastity belts. 'Nuff said.

By the way Mark 1 are you wearing padded cycling shorts and mitts? If you don't fancy the look of lycra you can buy padded undershorts, which are worn next to the skin under your regular trousers and will make a huge difference to comfort, as will the padded mitts. Hand comfort can also be improved by investing in some padded handlebar tape, Specialized Roubaix tape for example.

Yes, I am wearing padded shorts & gloves.
Many thanks to all, for the advice on this subject!

 

[Howard]

Another thumbs up for the Charge Spoon.

I also find the Ridgeback Back Ozone SLX saddle on my single speed remarkably comfortable given how little there is to it.