Saddles for leisure, not racing

[atrick]

Hi, please help me decide on a
Selle SMP Big Bum Sprung Comfort Saddle

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Selle-SMP-Sprung-Comfort-Saddle/dp/B000VEG97I/ref=pd_cp_sg_0


or a
Supersize Large Gel Full Sprung Saddle For Cycle / Excercise / Spinning Bike.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...ils?ie=UTF8&me=&qid=1331401054&sr=1-13&seller=

the Selle is foam, the Velo is gel, only £5 in it so not governed by price

I understand the gel doesn't compress, just moves, so which is best? thank you

Sorry to all you race guys, I know you will laugh

 

[sidevalve]

Even at my eary stage [ haven't got back into riding much yet] I will always recomend the Brooks. I tried five or six assorted saddles but none seemed "right" so I decided to "Bite the Bullit" and buy a new B17 to replace the one I let go years ago. As many others will say [and they're right] however it all boils down to what fits your bum and that's a very tricky one to advise on !

 

[Sittingduck]

Less is more, regarding saddles. Don't be fooled by the ones with a load of gel padding. It will just move around under your weight. They are very personal items though and some people will suggest Brooks, while others (me being one of them) couldn't imagine anything worse! For me Charge Spoons are fantastic and quite cheap but that's just my preference.

 

[snorri]

Well, there's leisure and there's leisure, if your leisure cycling takes you less than a mile then either of these would be suitable,for anything more than a mile look elsewhere. As you say the gel moves, but it moves into places you don't really want it to go. Seats that look comfortable are seldom comfortable to sit on for more than half an hour. Finding a new seat can be problematic, but it is worth a bit of perseverance to get used to a new one, don't expect instant joy!

 

[david k]

i fnd thinner more comfy

 

[atrick]

Mmmm, I thought this might happen, sorry guys you won't convince me thinner is best, my car seat isn't similar to a Wilkinson sword nor my lounge chair!
I do min 3 miles up to 32miles, sit up and beg with a straight back just seems natural to me. While we're at it, if you stand up straight with arms down your side, relaxed, check out the attitude of your hands! - so why are Mountain bikes fitted with straight handle bars? unnatural to have to twist your wrists, they should be bent parallell with the kerb - like mine, adapted with those end bits that people fitted facing forward, mine face backwards

 

[gavintc]

Mmmm, I thought this might happen, sorry guys you won't convince me thinner is best, my car seat isn't similar to a Wilkinson sword nor my lounge chair!
I do min 3 miles up to 32miles, sit up and beg with a straight back just seems natural to me. While we're at it, if you stand up straight with arms down your side, relaxed, check out the attitude of your hands! - so why are Mountain bikes fitted with straight handle bars? unnatural to have to twist your wrists, they should be bent parallell with the kerb - like mine, adapted with those end bits that people fitted facing forward, mine face backwards

Buy what you want. But spongy, deep cushioned saddles are not designed to be cycled on for more than a few minutes at a time. If 3 miles is your limit, you do not really want any more advice other than if the colour will match the rest of the bike.

 

[screenman]

This gets me, people want advise but they do not want advising.

 

[david k]

Mmmm, I thought this might happen, sorry guys you won't convince me thinner is best, my car seat isn't similar to a Wilkinson sword nor my lounge chair!
I do min 3 miles up to 32miles, sit up and beg with a straight back just seems natural to me. While we're at it, if you stand up straight with arms down your side, relaxed, check out the attitude of your hands! - so why are Mountain bikes fitted with straight handle bars? unnatural to have to twist your wrists, they should be bent parallell with the kerb - like mine, adapted with those end bits that people fitted facing forward, mine face backwards

so you already know what you want?

 

[Sittingduck]

I think I have the perfect solution for you. Simply Gaffa tape one of these to your existing saddle and Bob's your Uncle!

 

[simon.r]

OK, I'm bored (am supposed to be prepping for a job interview tomorrow, so I'm stuck in front of my laptop instead of being out on this glorious Spring day) so I'll throw my two penn'orth in for what it's worth.

How many 'serious' cylists do you see using big, soft saddles? Do you really think that we're all some sort of weird masochists and take pleasure from having sore backsides? (Rhetorical question!)

I've been cycling 20 odd years as an adult and have tried numerous saddles in that time - super soft padding / gel / thin padding / sprung / unsprung - you name it. About 5 years ago I tried a Brooks and I've never looked back. All of my bikes now have them.

I know it's a cliche, but it's true that they really do mould to your shape. My left leg is very slightly shorter than my right due to a bad break many years ago and if you felt my saddles (not that I recommend you do) you would feel a slight concave section on the left - the saddles have worn in and adjusted to the fact that my left sit bone has to move down a few millimetres more than my right when my leg is at full extension.

There are only three disadvantages to Brooks that I can think of:

Cost (though they have a high re-sale value).
They take a few miles to bed in.
Weight (which presumably isn't an issue for someone who's looking at a big gel saddle anyway).

The only proviso I'd make is that you need to be a regular cyclist to use a Brooks. If you only use your bike half a dozen times a year your backside won't adjust to it and it will be uncomfortable.

I'd bet money that the vast majority of regular cyclists would stick to a Brooks saddle if they were to try one for two or three hundred miles.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Pick one and let us know how you get on. I don't think I'd choose anything like either of those - I reckon they'll chafe you horribly after a few miles.

 

[snorri]

sorry guys you won't convince me thinner is best, my car seat isn't similar to a Wilkinson sword nor my lounge chair!

Are all the screwdrivers in your tool kit of the same size and type?

 

[Camrider]

+1 for a Brooks, spent 9.5 hours sitting on a B17 yesterday and I did not have the slightest hint of a sore bum. Many years ago I made the mistake of taking a gel saddle on a weekend tour. After every stop I had to painfully get back on the thing, and once it was over my arse took a week to recover from the experience .

For the odd 5 mile short trip trip however Brooks is probable not the way to go.

 

[sidevalve]

Can I add a little more to what I said earlier. Simon.r is spot on about the Brooks BUT even when new [mine is still far far from run in] they can be pretty easy on the bum if adjusted right. Don't worry about the cost much as [so long as you don't damage it] if all else fails you'll be able to sell it for more or less what you paid for it.
I have just started to get back to cycling after a long [30 odd year] gap and as yet only do a tiny milage but I've gone back to the Brooks and I'm glad I did.
Remember when in a car seat you're not really doing much and lumbar / back support is most important, on a bike the opposite is true.