Long distance saddle

[Giddo]

Just after suggestions and input on long distance saddles. 5-8 hours on the bike at times, with an average of 4hrs. I'm sitting on 100kgs, hopefully to get to around 93-95kg. I do realize we're all different shapes and sizes and, saddle selection is very personal. Just looking for some feedback

Giddo

[am50em]

Similar weight and I find the Selle SMP Well saddle very comfortable. I also have their Pro model but I found as I lost weight it was slightly less comfortable but still very good.
Really need to get the position perfect, then can ride for hours. They have a wide range of styles. Expensive but mine show little signs of wear after years of use.

[warthog1]

It is too personal for others' suggestions to make meaningful sense imo.
They'd need the similar hip width, weight, riding position, bike fit.
I am 76kg, 184cm and reasonably flexible for an aging rider. Have used Fizik Arione for >10 years.
It just took a few to find one that works.

[trailgumby]

I'm struggling a bit with this at the moment too. I'm using Audax quality knicks out of Singapore which have been great, but thanks (I think) to needing to stay on anticoagulation for life thanks to a near-fatal pulmonary embolism a few years ago, saddle sores in the crease at the top of my inside thighs are an ongoing battle to avoid.

The only saddle that works for me on my roadie is a $25 throwaway "Test Zone" branded cheapie probably of Chinese origin I bought from a bike shop that happened to be open and near the trail I was riding when the saddle on my Scalpel broke.

That was 7 years ago, and it's now looking a bit tatty. My google-fu has let me down and I am spending a small fortune trying to replace it with saddles that don't work.

The latest failure was a Fabric Spoon Gel. The learning from that is what I need has to be a long-nosed road saddle shape, but flat across the top of the front half not rounded, with the "gel" type padding extending down the side so that I'm not hitting the shell with the top of my inside thighs.

Without wanting to hijack the thread, suggestions would be really, really welcome.

[warthog1]

^^Fizik Arione are long and flat.
Some like them (as do I) many don't.

I have heard something about specialized having a demo available to try before you buy with their saddles. Don't know if it is still available or in Australia?
https://specializedsaddles.com/demo-program/

[Giddo]

Fanx heaps for the feedback peoples. Will be experimenting over the next little bit to nut out the best fit for myself

[Tim]

I like the Fizik Arione too. Others hate them.
Long, flat and fairly narrow. I have them on the 4 bikes I ride all the time.
I regularly slide fore and aft on the saddle. As pressure builds in one spot I slide deeper into the saddle until it builds again then a spell out of the saddle then repeat the cycle.
They work for me but I am small, light and flexible.

[wongaga]

I have heard something about specialized having a demo available to try before you buy with their saddles. Don't know if it is still available or in Australia?
https://specializedsaddles.com/demo-program/

I did this at Hampton Cycles in Melbourne and am very pleased with the outcome. The guys were extremely helpful and were willing to order in those models/sizes not in stock in the shop for me. My only complaint is of the descriptions Specialized publish for their saddles - there's nothing useful like which ones are aimed at road, touring, commuting, heavy rider, flat or drop bar etc etc. Just rubbish about efficiency, optimising etc etc. Why do they bother?
But my experience of the saddles has been good, and they do come in different widths to suit different bums.
Cheers, Graeme

[cancan64]

I use a charge spoon, they are getting hared to find but work a treat and have used it for multiple 12hr plus days, and just wear merino boxers and shorts, but I have had the seat size to match my bum imprint

[Mofra]

I use a charge spoon, they are getting hared to find but work a treat and have used it for multiple 12hr plus days, and just wear merino boxers and shorts, but I have had the seat size to match my bum imprint

Ditto, which is weird as it's a harder and a little narrower than my previous two saddles but it just seems to fit better

As mentioned above, saddles are just so subjective.

[Thoglette]

As mentioned above, saddles are just so subjective.

Yup. I need a temporary saddle while repair my Brooks b17 narrow so might give the spoon a go.
(The narrow is as wide as my rear will go on the commuter bike)

[ldrcycles]

Another vote for SMP (my preference is the Extra), the longest ride I've done so far was ~14 hours.

Also another vote for how personal saddle choice is, I've tried 4 or 5 different Fizik models and absolutely hated all of them.

[trailgumby]

After rotating through a bunch of Specialized Mimic saddles, which were in the right ballpark for foam density (25A Shore) but not the right shape, I ended up settling on a $30 Venzo saddle from Cycling Deal. So I bought one for each of my roadies and 3 spares.

They're not perfect, but they are good enough for now. I've done a few 100+ kilometre days, including the Bobbo, and not had any issues that were unmanageable.

[brumby33]

I recently went into a local well stocked bicycle store near me and got my sit bones measured for a new saddle as the original VWB saddle started leaking Gel so I ended up buying the Specialized Comp Mimic saddle for around $125 which is still more than I wanted to spend but I did.

Now it's not bad but I still need to spend more time on it.

Why is it so damned hard? When I was a teen, I just put up with the saddle the bike came with and spent hours and hours on it. Sit bones wasn't even heard of Yeah ok, so I'm an extra 30kgs heavier these days but I still think saddles in those days were shaped better.

I'll see how I go but i'll probably end up buying one of those B17 Brooks with the big springs on the back.

Cheers

brumby33

[DernyDriver]

1980/90 Rolls for me
Like sitting in an armchair!

[MichaelB]

A mob in the US called Meld used to do custom saddles, but had all sorts of quality & delivery issues in the end.

However, a new version using 3D printing has popped up (no idea on quality, capability etc), and very exxy at Euro 490, but ...

https://posedla.com/