Saddle

[rogersavery]

I am after some general advice on saddle for long rides (100miles +)

I currently use a Selle Italia FSX gel flow saddle on my road & MT bike, I find it ok for up to 50-60 miles, but after that I start to feel a bit brused, I did 117 miles last saturday, and it felt ok towards the end but I felt like my backside could not manage to do the same again the next day.

The Selle italia is quite squashy (I can sink my thumb in around 2cm)

I am aiming to do lands end to johnogroats next year in around 7 days, so I want to make it as comfortable as possible.

For long rides day after day should I be looking for something more firm or is squashy gel a good as it gets?

(I have a spare Selle Royal Viper I could try, which has around 0.5cm of squashyness)

 

[bonj2]

squishy saddles aren't good for long rides. Get a specialized toupe or a brooks.

 

[MacB]

squishy saddles aren't good for long rides. Get a specialized toupe or a brooks.

wow, I agree with Bonj, though would add the Specialized Alias to look a as well

 

[Gerry Attrick]

I must be getting sick........Bonj is right IMHO. I use a Spesh Toupe on my road bike and a B17 on my tourer. I can easily do 60 miles on either without noticing my nether regions. (Never tried 100. I think Im a bit too decrepit for that!).

 

[phil_hg_uk]

So far over the last 6 months I have tried a San Marco Rolls & a Brooks B17 & a Specialized Avatar Gel Saddle and I am currently tying a Selle SMP Hybrid Saddle.

I found the Rolls and the Brooks B17 uncomfortable they applied pressure to the area you dont want it appying to for that length of time if you know what I mean.

I like the Specialized Avatar Gel Saddle apart from it makes my arse go numb after a couple of hours. So far the Selle SMP Hybrid Saddle is working out ok I have done about 70 miles on it so I will see how it goes over the weekend.

 

[ASC1951]

(Never tried 100. I think Im a bit too decrepit for that!).

Nonsense. It's just like your 60 milers except that the rest is between the ears rather than in the legs. If I can knock out one a month, anyone can!

Another vote for Brooks, btw. I've tried numerous makes over the years, cheap, expensive and in-between and my Brooks (B17, Swift and Pro) are the only ones to have been consistently comfortable. Second best was a San Marco Rolls but the gel saddles, even the good ones, were all unpleasant over long distances.

I found the Brooks comfortable from day 1, but that isn't universal. The whole point of a leather saddle is that it adapts to your shape, so if you do fit one for something like LeJog make sure you have 500 miles or so on it first.

 

[vernon]

I found the Brooks comfortable from day 1, but that isn't universal. The whole point of a leather saddle is that it adapts to your shape, so if you do fit one for something like LeJog make sure you have 500 miles or so on it first.

I too am lucky enough to find B17s comfortable from day one. Such was my confidence that I did LEJOG with a brand new saddle. It started good and get even better as the ride progressed.

 

[trustysteed]

If I can knock out one a month, anyone can!

Fnaar!

 

[rich p]

I felt my new Brooks was settling in nicely on my recent tour when it suffered the mother of all soakings and changed shape completely to something more along the lines of an arrete. Is this irretrievable? Do they not stand up to an 8 hour wet ride?

 

[Bodhbh]

I use a Brooks and like others have said it's been okay from the gitgo. It's not absolutely 100% comfy and get the odd ache from time to time, but better than the Specialised BG I use on my runaround which is certain to play up after 40+ miles. Main problem with wearing in a Brooks I found is the leather is initially very slippy and it feels like sliding about on a dinner plate for a while.

Bit of a side issue, I never entirely understood the logic of using a stiff saddle + padded shorts, rather than just using a squishy saddle if you're gonna go that route (use the Brooks without padding and never strongly felt the need, but probably should try it).

 

[Crankarm]

Specialised BG2 with suspension seat post seems to work well for me. It's a PITA swapping it from bike to bike but at least I'm comfy.

 

[ASC1951]

Fnaar!

I'm a foot too short for my weight and get a free bus pass next month; and they do take me all day.
#57 coming up next week. :-(

 

[Davidc]

I felt my new Brooks was settling in nicely on my recent tour when it suffered the mother of all soakings and changed shape completely to something more along the lines of an arrete. Is this irretrievable? Do they not stand up to an 8 hour wet ride?

Did you put the Proofide on it?

Without that it'll be like a piece of blotting paper. If you're trying again then before use put iProofide on, inside and out (they say inside only if you don't use mudguards, but I do anyway), and then follow their advice, but re-do the inside at least once a year.

It's also worth acquiring some of the shower hats given away in hotels to protect the top if the bike's standing outside in the rain.

 

[akaAndrew]

Well, bonj is half right in my opinion. A squishy saddle is not a good idea for longer distances, I'd agree, but the answer is not necessarily a Brooks or Specialized toupe.

The ideal saddle is the holy grail of all cyclists and, sadly, one man's meat (fnar) is another's poison. But I do think there is a tendency for people to just buy buy buy saddles (I know, I've done it!) in the hope of finding 'the one', when spending time in adjusting and fine tuning the position might equally reap rewards.

My experience on longer rides is that your leg get tired and you start to slump on the saddle, taking less and less weight in the legs. This in turn asks more of the saddle. Hence a saddle comfortable up to 100km seems to become suddenly uncomfortable. In this situation, it might even pay to beef up your core strength! It might not be the saddle's fault!

Sadly, I reckon it's trial and error. Take recommendations by all means but remember that saddles are a personal thing. Try to work out what you like/dislike in your current saddle, use that info to try and visualise what your ideal saddle might look like and look for that.

 

[rich p]

Did you put the Proofide on it?

Without that it'll be like a piece of blotting paper. If you're trying again then before use put iProofide on, inside and out (they say inside only if you don't use mudguards, but I do anyway), and then follow their advice, but re-do the inside at least once a year.

It's also worth acquiring some of the shower hats given away in hotels to protect the top if the bike's standing outside in the rain.

I did proofide it as per instructions. Lightly on the outside thrice and more heavily underneath. Not being able to withstand rain seems to be a serious design flaw in a touring saddle!