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Looking at the Phenom or Henge. Attracted by the fitting service; is it any cop?
And the saddles, are they good quality? Did they suit you and if so, what kind of shape are you?
I've got a pimp Phenom and it's really very good indeed. Did the arse-measuring at the LBS and changed from the stock size on the bike to a better fit for my svelte figure (Ahem). So, don't know if the width thing [i]really[/i] made a difference, but I do know that it's awfully comfy.
Thanks Capt. Is the Phenom for the smaller gent do you think? It looks quite minimalist.
smaller gent
Which measurement are you referring to? 😉
I'm of what can best be described as "rugby and beer" build, and it fits me very well! It's even comfortable for my MASSIVE.........
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thighs.
I got a Henge SL for half price a couple of years ago. Good quality, still in great shape with no creaks, worn bits etc. Mines the narrow at 130mm, but then so is my bum....
Love 'em. Get the right width (I'm a 143). I use Phenoms off road and Toupes on road.
Like most makes of saddles, they work for some but not for others. I couldn't find one that I like.
One word of warning. They do a 30 day trial thing, but if it's not the saddle for you then they'll let you swap it for another saddle but you don't get your cash back. The chap at the store claimed that "they are confident that I'd find a saddle I got on with." I didn't.
TBH this was for a replacement turbo saddle which is pretty critical to get right so I was being very fussy.
I like the look of the phenom, I hope its OK for my athletic self 😀
TBH, I've been looking for a saddle for a while; my Gobi has had it. I think that Spesh will have more moneys to throw at studying shapes than the likes of WTB and Chromag so despite not being a big fan of the brand I think it could be a wise buy.
I've got a Henge on my fatbike, it's what it came with, all my other bikes run Fizik Tundra 2's, but must confess I found the Henge very comfortable so it's staying for now.
Nearly got myself a Phenom, but was a bit pricey so went for an Avatar Comp for the road bike. It's pretty comfy. Not sure it's as comfy as an old WTB Rocket I had, but that was quite a bulky saddle.
My full sus came with a no name Spesh saddle on it (Stumpy FSR) and that's plenty comfortable.
had a romin evo pro (155). bloody comfy for 20 mins which then turned
into back ache then a numb leg ! took it back to the shop to find the
rails twisted ! full refund but my confidence in specialised in
tatters ... shame as it was comfy to start with.
Had a henge (143mm) and it was bloody awful and hard as a brick.
Charge (Fabric) Scoop on both bikes now...and no more arse ache.
Wish more companies did try and buy schemes tho like specialized.
The Phenom is good, but the Henge is in another league really.
It's up there with a Charge Spoon (but £25 more expensive).
Obviously every arse is different, and we all want different things from a saddle (to some degree). I reckon that Spesh have a saddle that's pretty much spot on for everyone. After a fair bit of trial and error I've had Romin and Romin Evos on my road bikes for a few years and have been using Henge off road for a year or so - all in a larger gentleman's 155 width. Neither have been faultless (broke a shell on a Romin, and had a horribly creaky Henge), but the shop swapped both over without any questions or quibbles and I haven't had a problem since. Having had some pretty unpleasant side effects from ill fitting saddles in the past, I'm sold.
I found the Romin Evo Expert Gel great on road bike. Couldn't get comfy with Henge on mtb and sold it. I got measured properly for width before buying.
Now on ISM Adamo's on all bikes, more due medical issues,and find them a revelation in comfort.
Tried a Romin - too hard, so I went back to my trusty Charge Knife, which compliments the Roubaix perfectly.
PJM1974 - MemberThe Phenom is good, but the Henge is in another league really.
It's up there with a Charge Spoon (but £25 more expensive).
Just goes to show that it really is a personal thing. I found the Charge Spoon to be the most uncomfortable saddle I have ever had the misfortune to sit on.
Using a Henge 143mm for six months now, like all saddles took a while to bed in, had no complaints since.
Just changed my WTB Rocket V to a Henge and still struggling on long rides (plus 3 hours) a little as the Rocket was a more padded.
Otherwise its very well built and seems to be able to take the usual bashing I give my bike and components.
However, if I was to get another saddle, and I tend to change them every 12-18 months, then I would probably go back to a Rocket V.
I have several spesh saddles on my bikes and over the years.
For me, 143mm phenom, rival, avatar, alias are all great. I also like Charge Spoon and Knife saddles. I'm definitely not a smaller gent 😉
Phenoms have (IMO) just enough padding - they're not hard like toupes and definitely not sofa like and squidgy but I have on my CX bike which gets used on all sorts of 'unsuitable' (read 'rocky' or 'rooty') trails and I don't suffer.
But of course it's hugely personal...
Just goes to show that it really is a personal thing. I found the Charge Spoon to be the most uncomfortable saddle I have ever had the misfortune to sit on.
^ +1 for every derrière being different. I've never gotten on with the SDG Bel Air that almost everyone else raves about, so it's good that Spesh are happy to loan out test saddles so that you can get the right level of comfort before you shell out £100 on some Ti railed torture instrument.
+1 on the test saddle approach with Spesh dealers, although as noted in an earlier post, you can swop for other BG saddles but cant AFAIK actually get a refund if none fit. Various places do 'no purchase required' tests on the ISM ones I ended up with. I used Pedal Pedal, online.
I measured my butt and bought a Henge, but really don't get on with it. Had terrible sores and swelling after a week in the alps. I've still got it on but it's going to have to go before summer. It's really nice if it does suit you though. I've not had a numb willy either which was my main reason from moving away from bel air and charge spoons.
I award Spesh full marks for saddles. They've made a huge range which systematically covers most uses and fits which seems better than the other manufs ad-hoc approach. So you can pick what you want then pick your size.
I've been using a Toupe for years on the road bike. I went through a fair few saddles until I found one that didn't make by knob go numb. NEEDS good shorts though 🙂
Bear in mind though that with any saddle position and angle can make all the difference...
I got myself measured (143mm saddle) and bought an Avatar. It turned out to be the most miserably painful experience in my entire cycling life.
I binned it and bought a Charge Spoon for less than half the price, and have had a comfortable derriere ever since.
Now on ISM Adamo's on all bikes, more due medical issues,and find them a revelation in comfort.
iainc - have you got a road bike (rather than the usual Adamo taget of a time trial bike). I suspect I'm in a similar situation as you in terms of medical issues and eyeing them up for my road/sportive bike,or maybe a Cobb.
I've also been using Spesh saddles for a long time. For me they are also quite comfy but tbh I have never sat on a quality saddle I haven't got on with. The one achilles heel of them though is they can break quite easily where the saddle is in two halves. I've had quite a few that have done that which have been generally been replaced under warranty.
I have them on all the bikes now. On the MTB I have an Adamo Peak, on the track bike and cx/tourer I have Adamo Prologue's and on the good road bike an Adamo Breakaway.breatheeasy - MemberNow on ISM Adamo's on all bikes, more due medical issues,and find them a revelation in comfort.
iainc - have you got a road bike (rather than the usual Adamo taget of a time trial bike). I suspect I'm in a similar situation as you in terms of medical issues and eyeing them up for my road/sportive bike,or maybe a Cobb.
I initially saw them in the letters page in a road mag and got in touch with the guy who wrote in, and also with ISM in the States. Really helpful and they do appear to have a saddle for everyone. The lack of pressure on the soft bits is quite an amazing feeling 🙂
Phenom on the CX, and Toupe on the road bike - got measured up, 143 for me. Love them both - the Toupe has the ti rails and really minimal padding but is still lush. Just need to keep an eye out for a cheap Phenom for the MTB.
I use a Romin on all the bikes, including MTB (evo on there, as there's a little more padding), and it's the comfiest saddle I've used to date (although I don't believe there's such a thing as a truly comfortable saddle, just different degrees of uncomfortable-ness).
It's just a shame there's no S-Works Romin Evo to properly pimp out the XC whip.
Avatar Gel and a Toupe on road
Cheaper than some others and they suit me
Bontager do a 30-day scheme (exchange or store credit), and I thought that Fizik did too, but I can't find details online
Two rides in on my henge and it's bent! I'm only a xc whippet so amazed it's bent.