Morning all. First post as had something on my mind. For the last 10 years I have ridden a cut-out saddle of some type (toupe, selle c2, giant, romin) as figured it must be better given the reports of flow and feeling but always had some niggly aches and pains. Nothing serious by any stretch but I never seemed truly comfortable. Recently have had 3 months off the bike as it all got a bit tiresome. Lately, I have revisited as could never permanently give up on cycling and looked at saddles once again and what indeed I was getting out of the cut-out. I considered it was that that was doing me the harm so decided to put an old, cheap and used ebay job I had in the back of the garage on my bike. Two rides later I'm a non cut-out convert. Feel like I've wasted 10 years being uncomfortable and never needed the cut-out to start with.
My thoughts on the cut-out (for me at least). The cut-out part is great at relieving pressure but, as all the reviewers say, that pressure has to go somewhere right?! For me a good portion of that pressure ended up to the sides of the cut-out and digging in where a saddle shouldn't dig in. Now I have even pressure all over. Yes, I imagine I would get numbness if I sat there with no break for an hour but who does that? I've looked a diagrams of nerves and blood supply and although we don't all look like the diagrams suggest exactly. I always saw nerves going from the sit bones to the middle so to truly avoid those bits, you'd have to have a pretty large cut-out and very precise positioning of your sit bones. Time and money I don't have. I know there's arguments for, against and everything in between but this works for me and might for some others if saddles appear to be an issue and you've always avoided the traditional saddle.
The saddle in question; Fizik Antares R7. So good, I've bought another two.
Anyone else still ride a non cut-out or done the switch like me?
My thoughts on the cut-out (for me at least). The cut-out part is great at relieving pressure but, as all the reviewers say, that pressure has to go somewhere right?! For me a good portion of that pressure ended up to the sides of the cut-out and digging in where a saddle shouldn't dig in. Now I have even pressure all over. Yes, I imagine I would get numbness if I sat there with no break for an hour but who does that? I've looked a diagrams of nerves and blood supply and although we don't all look like the diagrams suggest exactly. I always saw nerves going from the sit bones to the middle so to truly avoid those bits, you'd have to have a pretty large cut-out and very precise positioning of your sit bones. Time and money I don't have. I know there's arguments for, against and everything in between but this works for me and might for some others if saddles appear to be an issue and you've always avoided the traditional saddle.
The saddle in question; Fizik Antares R7. So good, I've bought another two.
Anyone else still ride a non cut-out or done the switch like me?
