Talk to me about saddles

[Old timer]

My bike came with quite a decent (what appears to be foamed filled) saddle. Thinking I`m gonna improve in comfort I purchase a gel type saddle from E bay (worse than the original) So I buy a genuine gel saddle from Halfords. Feeling the saddle in the store convinced me it was going to fit nicely to my rear end! wrong, would you believe that although it appears to have more give than the original it actually feels harder.

this an electric bike, just for 5-10 miles a few times a week to keep fit(I`m 64 and the flesh on my ageing bum is slowly becoming non existent) I`m not looking for anything racey and I don`t care what it looks like as long as it`s comfy.
Why didn`t I notice how hard saddles were when I was young and could ride a 60mile trip for fun. Maybe they were the old brookes saddles ( I can`t remember) they were leather. I even have to have a foam cushion on my leather armchair for extra comfort. Am I fighting a loosing battle and should just accept discomfort?
Anyway, someone must make an armchair saddle?

Thanks

 

[marinyork]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Gel saddles are bad.

Well actually some people do like them (only a very small percentage).

**Points old timer in the direction of the cycle chat saddle library**

 

[gavintc]

I am afraid that there is some counter logic here. 'Comfort' padded saddles are not. Hard 'uncomfortable' saddles are comfortable. Avoid gel and get yourself a harder saddle.

 

[Weegie]

I had the same problem. After faffing about with various crap gel covers and bigger "comfort" saddles, I went back to using the stock saddle, and bought some cheap padded shorts from Decathlon. Haven't had a problem since.

 

[CorsairC]

I loved one gel saddle I had and disliked another.

So I sugggest it's the specific saddle rather than all gel saddles

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Had a lovely (but normal sized) gel saddle years back and cycled all over in comfort. It was a decent one though, a lot of the ones in cheaper shops and eBay are soft to the toch but they soon compress under load, negating any "padding" and just leaving an ill-fitting oversized saddle.

As for the tie-on gel saddle covers........OK, I've seen worse. The shop I worked in once had a load of sheepskin saddle covers. they WERE terrible.

 

[Old timer]

I`m gonna put the saddle back that came with the bike. It`s a good quality saddle, sponge filled, has a reflector and a white strip on the rear and goes on top of a sprung seat tube. One of the things that I think makes it comfy is that the covering is almost certainly plastic but because of that you can move around at will, whereas the gel saddles have a mat type rubber finish and once your in position you are more or less stuck there till you lift up and move.

Also( without wishing to lower the tone of this topic) I find that if I dress to the left before getting on then I avoid the numb bits syndrome

I think I might have left my self open to some ridicule on that last sentence.

 

[Randochap]

Sheepskin?

 

[ASC1951]

... if I dress to the left before getting on...

Have you tried lycra cycling shorts? Not normally necessary for the distances you are doing, perhaps, but they do allow you to arrange your tackle where it is most comfortable and it is still in the same place when you look for it later.

I think I might have left my self open to some ridicule...

Well, that's boxer briefs for you.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Sheepskin?

Yes!

http://www.kiwi-sheepskins.com/detail.asp?product_id=MC024

Dread to think what they would be like in the rain or snow

 

[bonj2]

My bike came with quite a decent (what appears to be foamed filled) saddle. Thinking I`m gonna improve in comfort I purchase a gel type saddle from E bay (worse than the original) So I buy a genuine gel saddle from Halfords. Feeling the saddle in the store convinced me it was going to fit nicely to my rear end! wrong, would you believe that although it appears to have more give than the original it actually feels harder.

this an electric bike, just for 5-10 miles a few times a week to keep fit(I`m 64 and the flesh on my ageing bum is slowly becoming non existent) I`m not looking for anything racey and I don`t care what it looks like as long as it`s comfy.
Why didn`t I notice how hard saddles were when I was young and could ride a 60mile trip for fun. Maybe they were the old brookes saddles ( I can`t remember) they were leather. I even have to have a foam cushion on my leather armchair for extra comfort. Am I fighting a loosing battle and should just accept discomfort?
Anyway, someone must make an armchair saddle?

Thanks

yes, brooks
you already know the answer to your question

 

[Old timer]

Have you tried lycra cycling shorts? Not normally necessary for the distances you are doing, perhaps, but they do allow you to arrange your tackle where it is most comfortable and it is still in the same place when you look for it later.

Well, that's boxer briefs for you.

I do have some cycling shorts somewhere in the cupboard ( if the moths haven`t eaten them)

Don`t they make inserts for your pants with wings

 

[Old timer]

I think I`ll take this one to the "Dragons Den"

A lightweight frame coming up from the rear tube, attached to this a harness that you slip into and fine adjustment so that you are in just touch with the saddle( as in riding by the seat of your pants) you could adjust the height slightly for after the heavy Christmas dinner and gradually let it down as you pile on the miles and become lighter

Do you think it would catch on?

 

[Old timer]

Well! the Brooks flyer with springs arrived today. I`ve coated it as advised but boy it fills hard and slips right up the crackIt`s a bit like I imagine a thong to be.
It is so well made though, lets hope we can become inseparable.