Comfy saddle.

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

martin-g

Regular
Location
West malling
Hi all, as the title suggests really, any recommendations on a saddle that is comfy rather than trying to split me in half! I’m not looking to spend a small fortune, it may limit me I know but upto around £50 I’m happy to part with. Cheers.

I have had a look and one that is looking quite a good option is the Specialized toupe sport, anyone have any experience with this at all?
 
Last edited:

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Saddles are very person specific. I quite like the Charge Spoon (I used to have the Knife - same but lighter), and als0 Selle Italia saddles. I find the 'flatter' the better, but that doesn't always suit everyone.

The charge saddles are less than £25.
 

Cycleops

Legendary Member
Location
Accra, Ghana
If you can try to measure the distance between your sit bones and buy a saddle accordingly. Its not about price, my most comfy saddle was a fiver second hand.
I would like to try a Brooks Cambium though.
 

Vantage

Carbon fibre... LMAO!!!
It would have to be second hand!!

A pretty good copy of a Brooks B17 is this. It's much tougher than a Brooks though and so far, I've yet to hear of one deforming to fit the rider.
As already said though, saddle choice is about as personal as it can get when it comes to fit on a bike.
If all else fails, a leather saddle can usually mould itself around your butt shape which those plastic things don't.
 
Split you in half, tends to suggest the saddle you have is too narrow, you need to support your weight on your sit bones as a starter. It then gets very personal as to the amount of padding and shape of the saddle which will suit you. As said, the Spoon may be a good start, also look at Fabric saddles. Be prepred for this to be a long journey where you buy one, sell one, borrow one and repeat.

https://road.cc/content/buyers-guid...s-seats-improve-cycling-comfort-men-and-women
 

deptfordmarmoset

Full time tea drinker
Location
Armonmy Way
Hi all, as the title suggests really, any recommendations on a saddle that is comfy rather than trying to split me in half! I’m not looking to spend a small fortune, it may limit me I know but upto around £50 I’m happy to part with. Cheers.

I have had a look and one that is looking quite a good option is the Specialized toupe sport, anyone have any experience with this at all?
I've got a toupe, I think it's a sport but the design markings seem to have changed in the last 5 years and I can't remember. It's a narrow one (143mm?), lightly padded. Currently sitting on the turbo trainer because I found it a little harsh on the road. If you come up to London, I'm perfectly happy to let you take it home and try it out for a while. You may find it too narrow - I've fairly narrow hips - so a visit to a Specialized dealer might be necessary anyway.
 
I went to hell and back a few years ago when I got back onto the saddle and tried umpteen types and almost always ended up with numb danglies and decidedly ouchy seat bones.................... and then I found a vintage BROOKS saddle which came fitted to the utterly amazing and drop dead gorgeous Shorter bike I purchased off Martin of biggs682 fame and in an instant all my comfort issues were sorted!
 

Tenkaykev

Guru
Location
Poole
Well as a relatively new cyclist I've tried a few saddles and have recently switched from a Charge Spoon to a Charge Pan which is a tad wider and plusher than the Spoon.
My wife swears by the Selle Italian TRK mentioned above by dogtrousers. She has them fitted to all her bikes.
 

Shearwater Missile

Über Member
One thing I will add is, as well as sit bone distance to look out for but also if you have large thighs (not suggesting you have) you may need one with a narrower nose otherwise you may chafe. It is all very well having a saddle which is comfy for the bottom but if your legs chafe that can be hell. For what it`s worth I have Prologo Kappa evo pas. I have used a Charge Spoon, that was fine and I have had a Fabric shallow which was good until it developed a squeak after about 6 months and I got a refund and bought the Prologo. I also think that flatter is better, the Spoon has a tail up appearance.
 

Kajjal

Guru
Location
Wheely World
To give you my experience I am 2m tall and the saddle that came with my road bike became very painful after an hour cutting me in half. I swapped it for a specialized avatar in the wider 155mm size based on measuring my sit bones and looking for a decent cutaway. I now have no problems at all. Minor aches can relate to bike fit but if it is painfully cutting you in half it suggests the saddle sizing / type is the problem.
 

Shearwater Missile

Über Member
Actually, finding the ideal saddle is a journey in itself. I have read plenty of reviews of saddles and what one person swears by may not suit another. The only thing I really gleaned was that generally firmer is better. You don`t want it too squidgy, I am sure that all the pro riders have firm saddles and look at the distances they do.
 
Top Bottom