Comfy seat

[darth vadar]

After a year or so of trying to put up with the awful seat that accompanied my Giant Rapid 2, I have treated myself and bought a nice comfy memory foam type seat.

It wasn't expensive, but it is soooooo much more comfortable compared to the other bloody thing I had.

With the seat such an integral part of the bike, you would think that manufacturers would pay a bit more attention to keeping the customers happy.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

One persons armchair is another's torture rack. And they'll be building to a price point full in the knowledge that a saddle is one of the more common changes most regular cyclists will make not because there's anything fundamentally wrong with the stock one but we all have our favourite brands or a saddle that follows us from one bike to the next.

Sent from my Lumia 800 using Board Express

 

[youngoldbloke]

I wish you could buy bikes without saddles - they are such a personal thing. Much like higher spec bikes are supplied without pedals. I've been looking at bikes which come with £60 - 70 worth of Selle Italia or Prologo saddles, and I would much rather have the choice of fitting my own, and not shelling out for one that doesn't suit.

 

[Boon 51]

I wish you could buy bikes without saddles - they are such a personal thing. Much like higher spec bikes are supplied without pedals. I've been looking at bikes which come with £60 - 70 worth of Selle Italia or Prologo saddles, and I would much rather have the choice of fitting my own, and not shelling out for one that doesn't suit.

I've just got a new bike and I'm not sure about the saddle and I agree they should have a few testers in the shops that you could try out ..

 

[screenman]

Get measured for starters, for me gel does not work on a saddle, however padded shorts is another story. Just thinking about it the Giant saddle did get swapped for a Bontranger shortly after purchase, but definitely not a squidgy one.

 

[Boon 51]

I have to say I've seen loads of bikes with the Stelle Italia on..

 

[youngoldbloke]

I have to say I've seen loads of bikes with the Stelle Italia on..

There are lots of different Selle Italia saddles, ranging from relatively cheap, wide, soft and heavy, through to ultralight, mostly carbon fibre and very expensive, racing saddles.

 

[Boon 51]

There are lots of different Selle Italia saddles, ranging from relatively cheap, wide, soft and heavy, through to ultralight, mostly carbon fibre and very expensive, racing saddles.

A saddle might come down the chimney for christmas, you never know.

 

[sidevalve]

As above, some love the old Brooks [like me] some seem to be able to ride on a razor blade some seem to like the wide "comfort" types. One point I will say is once you find your ideal saddle, be it £5 or £500 KEEP IT. Swap it from bike to bike and look after it. It wil be your [bums] friend for years.

 

[Boon 51]

As above, some love the old Brooks [like me] some seem to be able to ride on a razor blade some seem to like the wide "comfort" types. One point I will say is once you find your ideal saddle, be it £5 or £500 KEEP IT. Swap it from bike to bike and look after it. It wil be your [bums] friend for years.

Dead right, I will keep my new saddle and remove if I sell the bike.. good call.

 

[Cycleops]

With the seat such an integral part of the bike, you would think that manufacturers would pay a bit more attention to keeping the customers happy.

I am afraid that they like to protect their profit margins and if they can shave off a few quid here or there they will.

 

[Devonshiredave]

I bought a new saddle on Saturday from my local Specialized dealer. They were incredibly helpful. They had a pad with a measuring gauge behind it to measure the distance of your sit bones in order to help on sizing. I'm not a big lad by any stretch of the imagination, but it turns out that I have wide sit bones, much to my wife's amusement.
I bought a 155mm wide saddle with only marginal padding. With my padded bibs, it's really good. I've yet to give it a real decent ride out, but the 8.5 miles I did on Saturday was very comfortable.
The saddle supplied with the bike measured just 130mm across the rear. far too narrow for me. Maybe selling a bike without a perch would be a good idea. It came without pedals after all.

 

[ELPTX51]

I've been considering going to a Spech dealer and getting fitted for one of their Body Geometry saddles. The one that came with my Giant Defy is not breaking in the way I'd hoped. Thanks devonshiredave for the insight!

 

[youngoldbloke]

A saddle might come down the chimney for christmas, you never know.

My saddle of choice at the moment is a

 

[Devonshiredave]

I picked up one of their Phenom saddles (not the gel version). The cut out does relieve the pressure on the old undercarriage. I would like to do some sportives eventually (he says not having done more than about 12 miles in one stint!) and thought this saddle was a good balance between comfort and performance. Time will tell.