[Closed] Saddles - Road Bike

I can highly recommend a Brooks Cambium. Though, like shoes, it's a case of what fits is best.

If Specialized saddles fit your bum, I can recommend the power saddles with the cutout. Available in different widths, and have a pressure relief channel in the middle. Most comfortable saddles I've used.

I was going to say Specialized Power too. Most brands have got a similar design now (the Tempo Argo is Fizik’s).

Ok, well that's easy. Will just grab the spesh power one.

Spesh power come in different width sizes, you can get your arse measured at a Spesh shop.

I’ve tried more saddles than eaten hot dinners care of acute groin pain. The specialized saddles were the least painful for me - until I tried an Ergon. I’ve now got ergons on three bikes and really rate them. The best one I’ve tried so far is the Men’s SM Pro - seems better made and cheaper than specialized as well.

I've had a brooks flyer, the sprung one, on my road bikes for 10 years.

Its heavy and comfy 🙂

If yours has lasted 6 years, why not find a new old stock one on eBay, or get the updated version of what you have?

Other options could be re trim it with new foam and a leather top?

I've got an sm Pro lying on the floor in front of me as I type...

I just couldn't get on with it. And I came from specialised.
And Brooks cambium. And currently on a fabric which I took off my mtb.
Which feels nicer on the road bike than on there.

I too am a serial saddle swapper!

DrP

Fabric alm, light, comfy and looks good. Although obviously carbon oval rails so doesn't work with all seatposts.

Get your bum measured
Look for saddles that fit those measurements

Get your bum measured
Look for saddles that fit those measurements

Which measurements? I'm only aware of sit bone width and 99 times out of 100 you'll end up on a 143mm saddle anyway!

OP - maybe try to identify the shape of your current saddle and mimic that? e.g. is it flat or hammock shaped (e.g. Fizik Antares vs Aliante)? Does it taper gradually from nose to tail or quickly (compare a Selle Italia Flite to an SLR).

I had a Bontrager Aeolus which is the Bonty equivalent to the Specialized Power. I loved it initially but found the width caused me to shuffle forwards too much and meant my weight was only being supported by the sides of the cut out, not ideal. Also I think saddles with a really exaggerated scooped tail can lock you in one position too much.

Am rediscovering my old Fabric Line which is relatively flat but doesn't taper as quickly as my old Selle Italia Flite which 'disappeared' between uour legs (in a good way). Have a Fizik Antares on the way which I'm hoping is a good mix of the two.

I struggled with this too. I went to a Selle Italia dealer who did their ID match thing and took a few measurements. This gave me my ID Number and so I now have those saddles exclusively on all my bikes. Works really well and my arse is a lot lot happier.

https://www.selleitalia.com/en/idmatchdealer/

My old specialized saddle is coming apart. After 6 years I guess it’s had enough of being abuse by my rear end.

As mentioned before, if it was comfy, try and find the same thing again on Ebay. I have to confess I've never found a 'comfy' saddle, just ones which are more tolerable than others....

What did you wear out? It might be someone has one or you can find the same on ebay as said above.

Power saddles are designed for a modern aggressive riding position with shallow, short reach drops and on the basis you don't move forward in drops or roll pelvis much further forward - i.e. a single arse position. they slightly slope front to back.

Older saddles tended to allow for you to move around, tended to have an S shape curve that locked you in for the bulk of riding on hoods but with an allowance for slipping onto the nose as you go into drops, and wider rear section for tops. I generalise but the original Specialized Romin is a prime example of this (and a lot of Spesh saddles from that era have similar features even if vary hugely in length and width.

I had the Toupe which came with the bike, never had any complaints with it really but looking about for a replacement of new/old stock hasn't been successful. The Power Arc does seem similar in design just a little shorter.

I like a fizik Arione. Proper long flat road bike arse hatchet. But the Aliante is a better fit if you don’t roll around on the saddle. Prior to an enforced nine months off the bike, I had a narrow stone bottom and could basically sit on anything. An hour is a little tender now, but time on saddle and it comes back fast.

Selle Italia Flite, the original shape.
But I accept that saddles are very personal and I suspect I’m in the minority to be still using that saddle.

I loved the Flite, gave it up because I thought it was causing nerve pain issues, but have since learned the saddle was unlikely to be at fault.

Just wish I hadn't sold both my Flites at the time!

Get your bum measured
Look for saddles that fit those measurements

DIY measuring you'll need carpeted stairs and some foil. Place foil on stairs, sit on it and rain your knees. Then measure the dents in the foil for your saddle width.

The Fizik saddles are my choice but the standard Antares is uncomfortable after around 50 miles but the Versus version is more comfortable. I've not tried the open version.

I went for the Antares with the open channel in the end. It's very similar in profile to my existing saddle. I like the open saddles as they work for me.

This will always be 'this is what I've got/this is what I get on with' which is not unusual on STW recomendation threads.

I favour Fizik Aliantes for audaxy type riding, Ariones for road bikes and Brooks B17's for touring. I have and get on with others but these are my favourites. All except the Brooks Pro that is the work of Beelzebub with my ar$e.

Toupe to Power is quite a step.

The Toupe is a narrow and fairly long saddle, power wide and short. The Power will sit 2-3mm forward of the Toupe and although the rail positions differ saddle to saddle you might want to check you don't need a seatpost with less offset or indeed straight to make the Power work.

That said the Power is designed based around the whole position rotating forwards (saddle forward, bars down and potentially forward, along with shallow reach drops). That isn't to say it won't work, but it won't feel anything like a toupe without some fettling.

A Romin is a nice halfway house that seems to work for a lot of people. IIRC it will sit in virtually same position on the rails and may even be as simple putting nose in same place as the Toupe (distance from bars and stack height, noting rails and saddle thickness can differ model to model).

2-3cm, not mm, sorry!

Hold on, don't Specialized specifically say to set the power 2-3cm further BACK than a standard saddle?

Otherwise would agree with all of the above, had a brief love affair with a Bontrager Aeolus but like the power it is short, wide and with a really scooped tail. Eventually I realised I was only comfortable in what was basically a TT position, not ideal for long easy base miles!

Am beginning to think my Prologo Scratch M5 is similar, even when I want to sit up during a turbo session I find the saddle wants me back on the hoods!

Have a second hand Antares on the way to experiment with but might just end up back on my old Romin!

Yes - Specialized suggest to set the nose 2-3mm further back than a typical full saddle nose. Being a shorter saddle it sits forward and also has shorter rails/range of position. I don't have a Power to hand but a Power Arc is similar.

To get the same contact point Power Arc to a Toupe you end up with nose 2.5mm back and rear is 1.5mm forward.

The max position front of rails just about line up but the max at rear is over 1cm forward, so if you had a Toupe set to full forward position based on max indicator on rails you would need a seatpost with ~10mm less setback

Photo I just grabbed to show difference (again noting it's a Power Arc so more curved front to back)
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Red dots to show max rearward seat clamp position, it looks in photo like the Power Arc is much further forwards but I've lined them up on the curve, widest points and where 'sitbones'
sit. Front max line up between the two saddles for reference, so if you have the Toupe set near front limit you are probably fine.

I just had a play versus my favourite saddle, the original Romin and that shape Romin sits a good few cm further back (I use that on a seatpost with zero or 10mm setback on a typical 74 degreeish seatpost, size 54 road frame)

Saddle choice is such a personal thing, and not many shops seem to have testers.

I wish somebody would set up a saddle library so that people can try a few out. So many of us must have a few sitting on shelves. (Myself included, I've settled on Power Arc 155mm, but have a spare SLR, Fizik Arione, some Fabric thing and probably more that I've forgotten.)

It's a shame that I'm too lazy.

I’m in the minority to be still using that saddle.

You’re not. And it was reissued. Fantastic saddle. I have three on various bikes. And the Arione on the others.

I think you want an Aliante if Fizik is your leaning.

I wish somebody would set up a saddle library so that people can try a few out. So many of us must have a few sitting on shelves.

I've run this for a road club before - people donate a saddle not currently in the collection and can try any other saddle for free.

I'd be happy to hold an STW collection if people were interested? To try any saddle you donate a saddle and then simply pay postage and I'd post it out to you. When you are finished with one just post it back to rejoin the collection.

I'm sure a Google Sheets spreadsheet would keep track of what we have and if it's in or out at the time.

Our local Spesh shop will lend you saddles to try, or if you buy one and dont like it they will swap it. Mrs anagallis had a loan saddle for a few weeks before she bought on.

PS I had a Toupe on my gravel bike, hateful thing swapped it for a Power Arc. Toupe sat in garage until saddle on mtb broke so stuck that on. Its fine on mtb.....

Always had specialized saddles. They seen to fit my arse. Currently using a Romin on one bike and a Phenom on another both are very comfy so as others say why change now.

schmiken wrote:

I’d be happy to hold an STW collection if people were interested?

I've figured out what works for me on road at least, but if you or someone did decide to start something up then I'd be happy to donate a couple to the library.

Bontrager have some excellent saddles in their range. Currently using an Aeolus on my summer bike and a Verse on my winter bike. They have a 30 day comfort guarantee - if they don't work for you bring back within that period for a full refund.

I’ve figured out what works for me on road at least, but if you or someone did decide to start something up then I’d be happy to donate a couple to the library.

I've now split this into a separate topic ( https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/stw-saddle-swap-shop/) but it'd be great if you could donate some, drop me a DM and I'll let you know the address 🙂