Can you recommend a saddle

[Rob3rt]

I've used a number of saddles, and this is how I found them, others will have vastly different experiences.

Fizik Pave CX - Horrible shape on the nose, brutal
Selle Italia XR - Okay but not quite right for me
San Marco Concor Forato - It just didnt fit
San Marco Regal Forato - It was a nice saddle fit pretty close to right but it was a bit hard and the nose was a touch wide, I could forsee chaffing down the line
San Marco Regal-E Carbon FX - Spot on, just like the Regal Forato in terms of fit around the sit bones, but its a tad more forgiving and the nose is a little thinner despite claims of it being the same as the old version.

The nicest saddle for me was the San Marco Regal-E Carbon FX, which was a right kick in the pants since the thing costs a bomb, but it was worth every penny IMO.

BUT, what suits one person, wont suit another, IMO the best thing to do (cashflow permitting) is get on Wiggle, Chain Reaction Cycles etc etc, order all the saddles you are interested in, then fit them one after the other to your bike carefully and see how they feel when the bike is set up to your exacting standards. Just be careful with the saddles, and then package the ones you dont want back up, replace any cable ties you might have had to cut to get them out of the packaging, and send them back for a refund. Thats what I did.

 

[smokeysmoo]

BUT, what suits one person, wont suit another, IMO the best thing to do (cashflow permitting) is get on Wiggle, Chain Reaction Cycles etc etc, order all the saddles you are interested in, then fit them one after the other to your bike carefully and see how they feel when the bike is set up to your exacting standards. Just be careful with the saddles, and then package the ones you dont want back up, replace any cable ties you might have had to cut to get them out of the packaging, and send them back for a refund. Thats what I did.

I've done that once myself. Put a bit of insulation tape round the seat rails and don't over tighten the bolts

 

[Night Train]

I use a big broad gel saddle with big springs underneath. It supports me well and is comfortable.
I can hop on and do a quick ride to the shops or do a 20 miles in jeans riding on uneven paths and tracks and still get off walking like a civilised biped with no aches or pains.

A Brooks saddle left me with sore bruises after a very short ride and the MTB saddles that came with my bikes were almost unridable.

Can't help with a saddle to suit you though but sometimes it isn't down to a costly brand with reputation, it is more down to how you feel sitting on it.

 

[CopperCyclist]

Some of my colleagues swear by Fiziks saddle system. They recommend saddle shape based on your spine shape/flexibilty. Personally, I've not changed the saddle that came on my bike. It hurt at first, but the more tim I've spent in the saddle the more comfortable its got.

 

[Norm]

I can recommend a couple of saddles, but there's every chance that they won't be comfortable for you.

Different riders have different sizes and shapes, different bikes have different seating positions with different pressure points... etc

I've a narrow plank (a.k.a. Prologo Nago) on my road bike which is lovely. Rock solid, very little movement and a good match to my requirements on that bike. However, stick one of those on the hack or the MTB, which get ridden off road and which have much higher proportion of weight on the bum, and it would probably be pretty painful. On the off road bikes, I've got Charge Spoons, which are very nice on those bikes.

 

[postman]

Another vote for a Charge spoon.A belting saddle.

 

[the snail]

Try adjusting the saddle, if the height or angle is wrong then it's going to hurt, even a small amount of maladjustment can cause you pain. If I was going to replace the saddle I'd get a brooks though, built to last, and I find a B17 very comfy.

 

[Andy_R]

This isn't going to help, but here's my tuppence worth...can I recommend a saddle for me? - Yes. Can I recommend a saddle for you? - No.

It's a very subjective matter and requires lots of testing/trying/voodoo/black magic to find the right saddle. Is your ar$e brooks shaped? If yes, then get a brooks. If not, then don't. Is your rear more suited to a spoon? If not, will a knife do the job. Do you need a perineal cut out, or is it just a hole to let the air whizz around your bits Can you see what I'm getting at here?

 

[Kleban]

Thank you all for responding to my query. It is much appreciated. At least I now know of a few brand name saddles I can try out

 

[fossyant]

Charge Spoon for a cheap, comfy saddle.

Don't buy the more expensive Charge Knife - they snap - I've had two fail, and Potsy's has done the same. Charge don't give a hoot about them. Was comfy though, until it broke.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I have a WTB Laser V on my MTB and it is extremely comfortable.

 

[TheBoyBilly]

My Boardman MTB has a Charge Stool which is very comfy and probably more suited to off-road than a Charge Spoon. That said, I rode the FTNRttC last week on my Secteur with it's Spesh saddle and (it was my first ride of such distance on this bike) I was very sore afterwards - it was a real struggle to finish the ride. Two days later I am out on my Brompton and the Brooks B17 was pure bliss. But they aint cheap.

Bill

 

[Globalti]

Another vote for Charge knife, very light, minimal but comfy.

Nobody has suggested to the OP that the existing saddle may be set up wrong. Adjusting the height, angle and reach is a lot cheaper than a new saddle.

 

[Cyclopathic]

I can heartily recomend a saddle. Without one cycling becomes very uncomfortable very quickly. Only perhaps in the extreme sport of doing urban acrobatics on a bike could a saddle be said to be a hinderance and therefor often left out of the equation but i'd say that for 99.99999% of all cycling saddles are to be highly reccomended. Try riding without one and you will soon see my point.

 

[4F]

This isn't going to help, but here's my tuppence worth...can I recommend a saddle for me? - Yes. Can I recommend a saddle for you? - No.

It's a very subjective matter and requires lots of testing/trying/voodoo/black magic to find the right saddle. Is your ar$e brooks shaped? If yes, then get a brooks. If not, then don't. Is your rear more suited to a spoon? If not, will a knife do the job. Do you need a perineal cut out, or is it just a hole to let the air whizz around your bits Can you see what I'm getting at here?

Is the winning answer.