Looking for my first saddle.

[Porknz]

I am just starting to look for a new saddle. I have a salsa journeyman. I just started riding about three years ago and ride mostly country roads with lots of rolling hills.

I looked at my local shop today, and they said to bring my bike down and they'd put a couple of seats on for me to try. I don't know if I should try a cutout. My stock journeyman saddle doesn't have one. I'm not sure if I should look for a wider saddle, slimmer saddle, longer, shorter, brands. I can use any education.

Thanks.

 

[Mo1959]

I would go with their suggestion and try a few. Saddles are too individual for someone else to recommend.

 

[Punkawallah]

Have a look at Cade Media on YouTube. They have a tame bike fitting guru who finds that one particular type of saddle seems to be the one most chosen after bike fitting sessions.
Obviously, YMMV, T&CA, DTHAH.

 

[biggs682]

Yes go and try as many as possible but make sure you actually go for a ride not just sit on them .

 

[figbat]

Your LBS may have a saddle fitting setup - they can measure your sitbone width and spinal flexibility to recommend a saddle width and type. For example if you are not very flexible then your pelvis will rock forwards when you lean forwards, putting more pressure on the perineal area and suggesting a cutout may be beneficial.

I also find that the padded shorts I wear make a difference to saddle comfort, so if you do try some, wear the shorts you are most likely to wear.

 

[T4tomo]

Strictly speaking the thread title should say "second" saddle.

but yes take advantage of their try out service. We cant see your bum, so its very hard to advise online. saddles are very much an individual thing, but width of sit bones is crucial, as is fore/aft position, tilt etc

 

[Cycleops]

Expect to go through several before finding the perfect one for you.
Don't forget Brookes. Expensive but long lasting, some swear by them, equally some swear at them.

 

[Punkawallah]

Expect to go through several before finding the perfect one for you.
Don't forget Brookes. Expensive but long lasting, some swear by them, equally some swear at them.

I was lucky enough to find I had a Brooks B17 shaped backside, and found them comfortable from the get-go.
YMMV, T&CA, DTTAH.

 

[derrick]

I am just starting to look for a new saddle. I have a salsa journeyman. I just started riding about three years ago and ride mostly country roads with lots of rolling hills.

I looked at my local shop today, and they said to bring my bike down and they'd put a couple of seats on for me to try. I don't know if I should try a cutout. My stock journeyman saddle doesn't have one. I'm not sure if I should look for a wider saddle, slimmer saddle, longer, shorter, brands. I can use any education.

Thanks.

You need at least 20 miles in a saddle to try it.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I am in a similar position
The saddle that came with my ebike is starting to get worn out - the surface coating is cracked and falling apart so it needs replacing

The saddle has always been just right for me, in spite of it just being the one that came with the bike
Selle Royal so a well know brand

BUT
apparently this particular model is only sold with pre-made bikes - you can;t buy one on its own
only the Gods know why this makes sense - but.....



anyway - the LBS is very helpful - but for saddles he just points to 3 on th ewall - in different styles - and says those are what he sells
and none look quite the same as mine

only other bike shops nearby are the big brands - Halfords and the like

I do have 2 other saddles - one came with my wife's folder but it is too narrow for me on long (for me) rides - OK but not ideal
I got her another one but that is too wide for me


which is a pain

 

[T4tomo]

You need at least 20 miles in a saddle to try it.

A cautionary tale:

I once bought a cut out saddle (I still have it somewhere) it looked sexy and the colours matched my Bianchi and it was light (Oh my a 40g saving or something on my san marco Ponza - I was flying up those hills, not! )

I tested it out on a couple of 20 - 30 mile rides and it felt comfier than the Ponza. Bingo. Next weekend I did an 80 miler and when i got home I had virtually zero feeling in my gentleman vegetables for about 2 days. Luckily all feeling and functionality returned, the cut out saddle was flung into the far recesses of the shed and I did C2C on the Ponza and at some point latter changed to a charge spoon, which suited my butt / sit bones better.

Irrelevant-ish addendum: At some point, whilst in charge spoon life, I acquired a 1980's Holdsworth with a San Marco Rolls Saddle. OMG how comfortable. marginally wider than a Spoon, a perfect match for my sit bones. After a suitable testing period, onto Ebay and a number of SM Rolls (sod the 100g weight penalty ) were acquired to replace the Spoons on my fleet, including a titanium railed one, which I'm not sure is any different comfort wise, but 100g lighter. Then a bit later I spotted a rare limited edition Celeste SM rolls NOS on ebay which successfully and unsubtly outbid all-commers on to fit to my Bianchi. Looks marginally out of place, an 80's saddle on modern bike, but it is comfy, which is what counts.

 

[presta]

My advice with saddles would be don't assume a saddle is good enough just because it feels better than anything else you've tried.

Regarding slots, I found that a saddle with a wide enough slot was too wide, and a saddle that was narrow enough had a slot that was too narrow.

 

[vickster]

I am in a similar position
The saddle that came with my ebike is starting to get worn out - the surface coating is cracked and falling apart so it needs replacing

The saddle has always been just right for me, in spite of it just being the one that came with the bike
Selle Royal so a well know brand

BUT
apparently this particular model is only sold with pre-made bikes - you can;t buy one on its own
only the Gods know why this makes sense - but.....



anyway - the LBS is very helpful - but for saddles he just points to 3 on th ewall - in different styles - and says those are what he sells
and none look quite the same as mine

only other bike shops nearby are the big brands - Halfords and the like

I do have 2 other saddles - one came with my wife's folder but it is too narrow for me on long (for me) rides - OK but not ideal
I got her another one but that is too wide for me


which is a pain

Try eBay

 

[simongt]

Don't forget Brookes. Expensive but long lasting, some swear by them, equally some swear at them.

I'm one of the lucky 'swear by them'. My B.17 took about ten days to break in, but subsequent bliss. The two C.17s I bought since needed no breaking in at all - !

 

[MikeG]

I'm one of the lucky 'swear by them'. My B.17 took about ten days to break in, but subsequent bliss. The two C.17s I bought since needed no breaking in at all - !

Doesn't the logic of that suggest that it wasn't you breaking in the saddle, but the saddle breaking you in?