Saddles for leisure, not racing

[simon.r]

good luck with the interview, whats it for?

Thanks. I'd prefer not to go in detail on a public forum, but it's a SHE (safety, health, environment) role for a large organisation. I'm as prepared as I'm going to be now, so fingers crossed!

 

[screenman]

How many Brookes saddles in the TDF? Personally I tried one for a lot more then the 300 to 400 convinced it was going to break in, instead it nearly broke my will to live.

 

[david k]

Thanks. I'd prefer not to go in detail on a public forum, but it's a SHE (safety, health, environment) role for a large organisation. I'm as prepared as I'm going to be now, so fingers crossed!

i understand, good luck with that, i presume you are in that type of job/role now

 

[Muddyfox]

How many Brookes saddles in the TDF? Personally I tried one for a lot more then the 300 to 400 convinced it was going to break in, instead it nearly broke my will to live.

Yes .. not everyone has a Brooks backside

Some well respected tourers on here would'nt touch em with a barge pole

 

[MrJamie]

I use one of these gel saddles, which ive been very very happy with: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/bioflex-ozone-saddle/ I like the gel not for avoid a sore bum as such, but my recurring lower back pain has a tendency to flare up from vibration/impact riding an aluminum frame on rough leisure paths/trails. Im not a big distance rider, rarely riding over 30 miles in one go but the saddle has been great for me for that kind of distance.

I could be wrong, but from my experience the less fit you are and the slower you're going, the more you perch your weight on the saddle - if you're pushing hard on the pedals the whole time it keeps a lot of the weight load off your bum/saddle. When/if i end up buying a road bike, id definitely follow the advice on here which im sure is excellent and look for a brooks or similar though, but for now im a gel loving newbie. :P

 

[screenman]

Now here is something I gave thought to in those dark days of Brookes ownership, if I molded the saddle saddle too fit my bottom when on the tops of the bars what happens when I use the drops and rotate the bum a bit.

As for on the rivet well that was not comfortable at all.

 

[fossyant]

God they are heavy - that SMP is 828g - I'm very happy with 200g minimalist saddles - the cushoning on those 'chushtie saddles' starts to press in the wrong places, leading to a very uncomfy undercarriage.

 

[Paulus]

I can also recomend the San Marco Rolls. I have one on my Audax bike. Also recomended by a certain Bradley Wiggins.
http://www.parker-international.co....ign=pid10109&gclid=CIOrgcyH4a4CFaImtAodz2dPWg

 

[fossyant]

The old Rolls are very good, and the Regal (they even have a fancy modern version).

 

[Sittingduck]

I have one of those San Marco Rolls but couldn't get on with it. Swapped out for a 3 year old Spoon, a couple of weeks ago - the Rolls is now surplus

Like I said upthread, saddles are very personal items.

 

[Camrider]

I've got a hardly used San Marco Rolls gathering dust in my shed, I could not get on with it either. Some people love them which goes to show that the ideal saddle is a bit of a personal thing as our bums are all different, but I doubt anyone has a bum suitable for sitting on one of those big fat gel things for any length of time.

A couple of years ago we hired a couple of bikes in Vancouver for a ride around Stanley Park, and every bike was fitted with these horrible things. Within 20 minutes I had had enough of sitting the damn thing.

 

[seashaker]

After reading this and doing a bit more googling I changed my 'comfy body fit' saddle back to the factory default Boardman one and won't be changing back. Yes to start with it felt a little weird but almost instantly
I felt far more comfortable riding. I wasn't moving around so much whilst pedaling and bum felt better when I finished.

I know as pretty much everyone has stated everyone is different but after this I won't be going back to a specific padded design unless it is needed for health reasons or something.

Thanks for the advice guys!

 

[atrick]

It's my birthday! So to all you Brook's bigots I thought I ought to cheese you off and tell you how fantastic my super soft gel double sprung gigantic seat is - It's fantastic

I dare say all you who criticze have never actually sat on one.

 

[Camrider]

Au contraire, most of us have sat on one which is why we hate the things. Just go out and do a nice 50 mile ride then tell us how comfortable it is

P.S. Happy Birthday

 

[Pat "5mph"]

It's my birthday! So to all you Brook's bigots I thought I ought to cheese you off and tell you how fantastic my super soft gel double sprung gigantic seat is - It's fantastic

I dare say all you who criticze have never actually sat on one.

Happy birthday from another "jelly" (I sit on any seat that goes: bike, bus, taxi, train, computer chair )