I've got a not too bad for comfort Bontrager Arvarda Comp. It does feel a touch too narrow, despite being fitted / measured for me. It's ok for a couple of hours.
I feel as though I slop and slip on it, I keep having to move to the back of the saddle. But then it feels like I'm too far back.
If I sit on the nose it's properly painful quickly.
I'm wondering if a saddle with a) a touch more width and/or b) a touch more curvature might help. A grippier top would help I think.
Suggest me some reasonable priced saddles.
(Bike is Merlin Gravel, we potter/day tour mainly on road, I really didn't get on with the supplied saddle, with a Specialized Bridge Comp, or with old (too narrow) Charge Spoon)
I like the fabric scoop radius - it’s the curvier off the scoop saddles. I’m running the elite gel on both mtb’s and the road bike. It’s not perfect but it’s the best one I’ve found in recent times. I used to like the SDG Bel Air but found the Bel Air 2 like a piece of flat uncomfortable concrete. Haven’t tried the 3rd one.
I like the fabric scoop radius
I have the same, narrower on the road bike and now trying a wider one on the mountain bike. Not sure on that yet but on the road bike I've done 3 100 mile days back to back with no issues
Whereas I love the sdg Bel air 2.
I share a similarity with OP in not getting along with Charge Spoon (for me it was always a right biffing in the bonch) but I’ve always liked Specialized BG.
Current most loved gravel saddles:
Spesh Phenom Comp
Brooks Team Pro Special
For MTB/gravel I tend to go with the Phenom
For road/gravel the Brooks*
*Of the two the Phenom is more of a sit-bone ‘perch’ and until the Brooks is properly broken in I’ll choose the Specialized for longer/day rides as it ‘gets out of the way’.
For pure MTB the older SDG Bel Air is still my favourite (not tried the newer ones)
Bontrager Aeolus?
For a nominal '143mm' saddle I found it a touch wider than others, so that might answer your width issue.
My instinct was to set it up with the nose flat, which resulted in quite a big sweep up at the back, but I'm now thinking I could have raised the nose a bit (the cut-out is big enough that you could do this comfortably) which would have taken some weight off the bars but in your case would also help keep you planted as you would be in the hollow between nose and tail (this is the principle behind the Selle SMP saddles basically).
I get a similar feeling (sliding back and forth) when I move between a Fabric Scoop Radius and a Fabric Scoop Shallow, I just don't feel as planted on the flatter saddle.
I've got a Brooks Cambium C17 on the gravel bike and (for me) it's possibly the comfiest saddle I've had.
I always used Fizik or Flite saddles previously.
I used charge spoons on all my bikes for ages and it wasn’t until I tried a wider prologo/proxim w350 saddle that came on my ebike that I realised I’d been using saddles far too narrow. My lbs then measured my sit bones at 155 for me to confirm.
Weirdly prologo market the saddles as ebike saddles but I’ve been using them on all my bikes now - mtb, emtb, road & gravel. I’ve got a couple of w350s, a w450 and I’ve just ordered a w650 with the cut out for the road bike.
I was reading a review for the prologo proxim w400 or w450 that said it was stilly that they market them as ebike saddles as the are a hidden gem and I’d tend to agree.
Tldr: it’s all about the right width for me and I like the Prologo proxim ‘ebike’ saddles.
Its all very individual! I like bontrager SSR saddles
If you are sliding forward try it nose up a touch
Old new Flite
I’ve got a Brooks Cambium C17 on the gravel bike and (for me) it’s possibly the comfiest saddle I’ve had.
I like mine, but did get some discomfort building up over a long tour. It's great for long day rides though - I did a 400km audax on it.
If you are sliding forward try it nose up a touch
Been there, tried that. It was a crushing experience.
Bontrager Aeolus
LBS might be able to let me try one of those. Hmm.
Brooks Cambium C17
Was another one I eyed up.
I need to borrow some bikes to try these things out.
I feel as though I slop and slip on it, I keep having to move to the back of the saddle. But then it feels like I’m too far back.
Times I've had that feeling, either the saddle was too far back (due to too-long bike), or the angle was too nose-down. You've tried the angle... half a degree makes a difference for me - get the smartphone spirit level app out.
Some insights into rounded vs. flat saddles suitability for different rider positions under the Fabric Scoop section here https://www.singletracks.com/mtb-gear/comfortable-contact-a-mountain-bike-saddle-roundup/. I swapped from the Scoop Radius Sport to the flatter Ergon SM as I found it uncomfortable on longer rides (on a long-ish trail bike, so leant forward) and the long nose tended to catch my shorts/trousers.
If you're sliding forwards try lowering the saddle slightly and raising the nose.
OK, I tilted down, dropped saddle, moved saddle forward etc. Generally faffed on the rides I have done.
Still sliding around on it feeling like I cannot 'lock in' to the saddle.
Time to spend some wedge.
I like the Prologo proxim ‘ebike’ saddles.
I keep seeing those, already have Prologo on the road bikes, will admit the e-branding put me off although I couldn't quite figure out what difference it would make to a saddle, are e-saddles padded more?
Old new Flite
Yep, though they are slippery. Comfiest saddle I've ever used though.
I always regretted selling a bike with a WTB Rocket saddle years ago.
I used Charge Spoon's for a long time and got on pretty well but then I started suffering some of the issues you mentioned last year.
I found that Bikester stock WTB saddles and went back to the Rocket in the right width and have been very happy since. Finding the right saddle is bloody difficult I have come to realise so I should probably buy a spare.
I use Selle SMP saddles which have a pronounced curvature - no having to slide back and forth to get comfortable, no perineum pain or post-ride numbness and generally the most comfortable saddles I've ever used.
TRK is quite cheap (under £50) and comes in two widths, is quite cushioned though. Got the Dynamic on my road bike now which is about £100 new I believe, hardly any padding at all on that.
I have also just bought ISM saddle - initial ride would suggest it is comfortable
IME the fabric version of the spoon seems comfier than the leather type ones. Whether that’s more ‘give’ in the fabric and/or less sliding around. I’m sufficiently convinced that have spoon on all bikes and swapped out for fabric versions over time.
Best I ever had was a Prologo Vertigo Max but no longer available.
Now have an Ergon SM Pro which is v comfortable; will probably fit one to my current build project.
C13 Cambium.
Thank me later.
