Please recommed a comfortable saddle for a larger bloke!

[jamie147]

Hi guys

When I posted last week asking for recommendations for a new bike, you did me proud and that thread is now in it's 4th page - thank you so much!

In readiness for getting my own bike, I have been trying out my friends bikes, and the saddle is always the first thing that becomes a problem...most feel like razor blades! This is probably due to the fact that I am over 21 stone! Therefore, I am now on the lookout for saddle recommendations.

Can you recommend a nice comfortable saddle for a bigger bloke? It will be a hybrid bike that I will be getting (my other thread lists the models I am considering) and I am intending, at least initially, to do fairly gentle rides - rarely more than about 20 miles each way at an easy pace, mainly on roads and occasionally coastal paths and I don't intend to do any off-roading. Comfort is very much a priority over performance/speed, etc.

Any recommendations are most welcome.

Many thanks

J

 

[HJ]

It has to be a Brooks for comfort and style over performance/speed every time.

 

[jamie147]

Hi HJ

Thanks for such a fast reply. Those Brooks saddles look great. I imagine that one of these could really make a huge difference. I guess I am best off looking for a fairly wide one, being a large bloke?

Cheers

J

 

[tyred]

Hi HJ

Thanks for such a fast reply. Those Brooks saddles look great. I imagine that one of these could really make a huge difference. I guess I am best off looking for a fairly wide one, being a large bloke?

Cheers

J

Not necessarily. If you try sitting on something like a bag of sand (or a huge block of blu-tac!) you should see the indents of your "sit bones." This will give you an idea of how wide your saddle needs to be. If you look at a well used Brooks, you will see the indentations of the rider's sit bones. Too wide can be uncomfortable due to chaffing on the legs. I'm not sure what bike you have but if it is something with a sit up and beg position, a too-wide saddle won't really matter (may be more comfy infact, look at the old roasters), but on a race type bike, too wide is a problem.

If you want a wider than normal Brooks, I believe they have S as a suffix, e.g, B66S is a wider version of a B66.

 

[MacB]

Shape of saddle matters as well, I had a standard Giant hybrid saddle at first, about 170-5mm wide, very comfy but too padded and the comfort didn't last on longer rides. That saddle's on the pub bike now and the commuter has a standard B17 and the hybrid a Specialised Alias 155. The Brooks is 170mm wide but has been comfy for as long as I've ridden it. The Alias is 155mm wide and also has been comfy, both these saddles have been used for rides over 100miles. I was 18 stone when I started riding and I think there's a couple more points worth noting:-

if you're bike setup, saddle height, saddle setback and reach/drop to bars isn't correct then any saddle can be uncomfortable

you will toughen up a bit the more you ride but pay attention to personal hygiene. If you do get a sore of infection it can be pretty nasty.

You hear a lot of people saying things like XXX saddle is comfy for up to 80 miles then it's hell, etc. Your personal fitness makes a difference, as you ride further, and get tired, you tend to slump. This puts more weight on your butt and can make anotherwise comfy saddle a pain. Easy enough to check, if you start to feel any discomfort, think about your posture and how hard you're pedalling. The better your posture and the harder you're pedalling the less weight on your butt.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

hi jamie, if you're relatively new to cycling or this forum you may not have heard of 2 great sites


www.sheldonbrown.com


www.rivbike.com

and my favourite


www.yehudamoon.com

 

[Randochap]

I also think you'd be happy on a Brooks -- a B-17 perhaps, though no one can say with absolute certainty what saddle will work for someone else. Bike fit is also a critical importance to comfort.

 

[shippers]

It's all in the shorts...

I'm a reasonably big chap- 16 1/2 stone, and the "razor" sharp seat on my road bike is comfier- with shorts- than the squishy seat on the hybrid.

Look on the brightside too- you're not going to stay 21 stone if you cycle much.

 

[threefingerjoe]

Since you say you have a hybrid, I'm assuming "upright" riding position. I would recommend the Brooks B-67. This is a wide, sprung saddle, which has served me well on a hybrid. I like that saddle so much, that if the bike is ever stolen, I hope the thieves are nice enough to leave me the saddle! I can buy a new bike, but a well broken-in Brooks is hard to replace.

That being said, let me also warn that a Brooks is not for everyone. It takes time to break them in. But no matter which saddle you choose, if you don't ride enough to develop "bicycle butt", you won't be comfortable.

 

[Debian]

Another vote for Brooks here.

I have used this saddle on my original GT MTB for the past four years:

http://www.brookssaddles.com/en/Sho...ddles+-+touring+&+trekking&prod=Flyer+Special

Supremely comfortable.

 

[Banjo]

As three finger joe said you do need to allow time for your arse to get used to it.I would stick with the saddle you get with the bike for a few months at least.

I have gone a long way on the saddle my Trek Hybrid came with,initially I was going to change it now I love it.

 

[Davidc]

Don't rush in.

I know what suits me, you don't yet know what suits you.

See what comes with the bike and how you get on with it. Only then start looking, when you have a point of reference to return to.

There are threads galore on here about saddles and lots of comments (mine included) on Brooks saddles.

At least with the Brooks range, and B17 in particular you can sell a nearly new saddle for pretty much as much as you paid for it on ebay.

 

[jamie147]

Thanks so much to everyone who has contributed to this thread - you have done me proud again. Loads of great info/advice here. You are a knowledgable, helpful gang and I really appreciate the benefit of your experience. The sensible thing is to see how I get on with the saddle it comes with, try to break it in, etc. If I want to replace it, several Brooks saddles have been cited in this post and they will be my first port of call.

Thanks for the vote of confidence shippers. I don't intend to stay 21 stone for much longer - and the bike should be a huge help here.

 

[jethro10]

Most folk here are recommending 'normal' saddles.

I know I'll be crucified here by the traditionalists etc. but I could not get away with anything other than a gel saddle.

I have this one and it has transformed my biking from "sell the bloody thing" to "I'm doing the Coast to Coast in may"

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?PartnerID=79&ModelID=43161

It's like cycling in my armchair.

Jeff

 

[Happiness Stan]

Selle San Marco Rolls seems to suit most bums without the agony of a breaking in period.