Non cut-out saddles

[Peter Salt]

Everyone's undercarriage is different. I think that, for the general population, a cut-out saddle is more likely to fit than a non-cut-out saddle. My personal experience is that I can only tolerate a 'classic' saddle when the ride involves more standing up than sitting down (MTB or CX).

 

[Gunk]

The three most comfortable saddles I’ve experienced in order

Brooks Competition (1970’s)
Standard Brompton saddle
Charge Spoon

 

[DogmaStu]

Selle Italia SLR Boost Carbonio for me!

I went the other way, from non-cut-out to cut-out.

Saddles are very personal so what works for one individual, may not be the same for another. We just have to keep trying different types until we find the perfect one for us. When people find their perfect saddle, they tend to keep it for every bike thereafter.

While I prefer the aforementioned saddle, I have a Pinarello Most on my Pinarello and Specialized on my gravel bike. Both are fine but I am most comfortable on the Selle Italia.

 

[Drago]

There is no magic bullet. What works for me and my shapely, firm buttocks likely won't work for you.

All you can do is keep trying and when you find a saddle that suits buy a drawer full of them so you're covered if they go out of production.

 

[Jameshow]

Everyone's undercarriage is different. I think that, for the general population, a cut-out saddle is more likely to fit than a non-cut-out saddle. My personal experience is that I can only tolerate a 'classic' saddle when the ride involves more standing up than sitting down (MTB or CX).

I think for the general population a non cut out saddle fits better... probably about 8" wide with coil springs and gel inserts!🤣

 

[cougie uk]

Morning all. First post as had something on my mind. For the last 10 years I have ridden a cut-out saddle of some type (toupe, selle c2, giant, romin) as figured it must be better given the reports of flow and feeling but always had some niggly aches and pains. Nothing serious by any stretch but I never seemed truly comfortable. Recently have had 3 months off the bike as it all got a bit tiresome. Lately, I have revisited as could never permanently give up on cycling and looked at saddles once again and what indeed I was getting out of the cut-out. I considered it was that that was doing me the harm so decided to put an old, cheap and used ebay job I had in the back of the garage on my bike. Two rides later I'm a non cut-out convert. Feel like I've wasted 10 years being uncomfortable and never needed the cut-out to start with.

My thoughts on the cut-out (for me at least). The cut-out part is great at relieving pressure but, as all the reviewers say, that pressure has to go somewhere right?! For me a good portion of that pressure ended up to the sides of the cut-out and digging in where a saddle shouldn't dig in. Now I have even pressure all over. Yes, I imagine I would get numbness if I sat there with no break for an hour but who does that? I've looked a diagrams of nerves and blood supply and although we don't all look like the diagrams suggest exactly. I always saw nerves going from the sit bones to the middle so to truly avoid those bits, you'd have to have a pretty large cut-out and very precise positioning of your sit bones. Time and money I don't have. I know there's arguments for, against and everything in between but this works for me and might for some others if saddles appear to be an issue and you've always avoided the traditional saddle.

The saddle in question; Fizik Antares R7. So good, I've bought another two.

View attachment 704384

Anyone else still ride a non cut-out or done the switch like me?

I pay such little attention to the saddle that I'm not sure. I don't think I have cut outs but couldn't swear to it. I know my Brompton doesn't have one.

 

[postman]

A 1987 Brooks on the Spesh Sec Elite and a Charge Spoon on the mountain bike,well its a Giant Rincon .Both great saddles.

 

[Reynard]

like any type of saddle, some work for some people, some work for others. You just don't know what works until you try....

This, in spades.

Everyone's bum is different - it's all about finding a saddle that's the right width, shape and profile. The saddle I ride on (Charge Ladle / Madison Leia) has a cutout in the carcass of the saddle, but the surface is completely covered. So there's a bit more "give" in the saddle just where I need it, without my feeling like I'm sitting on a pair of parallel rails. (Yes, that's YOU, Selle SMP! Owww!)

 

[Deafie]

Morning all. First post as had something on my mind. For the last 10 years I have ridden a cut-out saddle of some type (toupe, selle c2, giant, romin) as figured it must be better given the reports of flow and feeling but always had some niggly aches and pains. Nothing serious by any stretch but I never seemed truly comfortable. Recently have had 3 months off the bike as it all got a bit tiresome. Lately, I have revisited as could never permanently give up on cycling and looked at saddles once again and what indeed I was getting out of the cut-out. I considered it was that that was doing me the harm so decided to put an old, cheap and used ebay job I had in the back of the garage on my bike. Two rides later I'm a non cut-out convert. Feel like I've wasted 10 years being uncomfortable and never needed the cut-out to start with.

My thoughts on the cut-out (for me at least). The cut-out part is great at relieving pressure but, as all the reviewers say, that pressure has to go somewhere right?! For me a good portion of that pressure ended up to the sides of the cut-out and digging in where a saddle shouldn't dig in. Now I have even pressure all over. Yes, I imagine I would get numbness if I sat there with no break for an hour but who does that? I've looked a diagrams of nerves and blood supply and although we don't all look like the diagrams suggest exactly. I always saw nerves going from the sit bones to the middle so to truly avoid those bits, you'd have to have a pretty large cut-out and very precise positioning of your sit bones. Time and money I don't have. I know there's arguments for, against and everything in between but this works for me and might for some others if saddles appear to be an issue and you've always avoided the traditional saddle.

The saddle in question; Fizik Antares R7. So good, I've bought another two.

View attachment 704384

Anyone else still ride a non cut-out or done the switch like me?

Just a thought, those saddles you picture are very narrow, were your cut out saddles that narrow? I am an average sized bloke and had a saddle that narrow on a bike and it was murder.

Incidentally, due to minor BPH issues I recently installed C17 cut out saddles on 3 of the bikes I ride most, they are, for me, fabulously comfortable and my symptoms have improved, not massively but noticably

 

[Drago]

I had a few anatomical incompatibility issues with cut-out saddles.

 

[the_mikey]

My current preferred saddle is a non-cut out Fabric - scoop radius, which works for me, I've tried the Fizik Aliante with a cut out which wasn't nice, likewise a Selle Italia Novus saddle which has a similar shape to the Fabric Scoop but the material is extremely hard and rather than supporting me it gives me a battering as I ride along.

 

[presta]

I tried a couple of saddles with holes just before I quit cycling, the Selle Italia Discover was narrow enough not to dig into the back of my thighs but the hole was too small to make any difference, and the Selle SMP TRK had a hole that was wide enough but the saddle was digging into my thighs. I bought a cheap noseless saddle off Amazon just to give it a try, but the quality was too poor to draw any conclusions from. I was contemplating having a go at making a custom one if I'd continued riding.

My advice for choosing saddles would be don't assume a new saddle is good enough just because it feels better than the last one.

 

[derrick]

I wrote earlier about tailbone pain on another thread.
The pain was quite extreme yesterday: when I needed to drive, I couldn't sit down! Had to hover above the seat and lower myself very gently/slowly/gingerly, with all the theatrical noises that a man in pain can emit!

Am fairly sure I just need to spend more time on the bike to toughen things up down below , but I did wonder if a cut-out saddle might be useful. After reading this thread, I think not!

Cut out saddles suite me, sella italia every time, toupe is pretty good, as for them fizik they are awful for me, but a lot of people use them, if it suits you its good, but we are all different.

 

[derrick]

Selle Italia SLR Boost Carbonio for me!

I went the other way, from non-cut-out to cut-out.

Saddles are very personal so what works for one individual, may not be the same for another. We just have to keep trying different types until we find the perfect one for us. When people find their perfect saddle, they tend to keep it for every bike thereafter.

While I prefer the aforementioned saddle, I have a Pinarello Most on my Pinarello and Specialized on my gravel bike. Both are fine but I am most comfortable on the Selle Italia.

My favourite saddle.

 

[Punkawallah]

Nothing with cut outs, here. Sat on a Selle Italia for the ‘sensible’ bike for a while before I could get a Brooks; it did the job nicely. The Brooks on the sensible bike convinced me to get a second for the ‘fun’ bike. Although they do have holes,m nothing I would call a a’cut out’.