Bike Fit experience- saddle
Bike Fit experience- saddle
Author
Discussion

scubadude

Original Poster:

2,619 posts

226 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
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Hi All,

Had first proper Bike Fit yesterday, was pleased to find I wasn't a far out. Most major change was adjusting cleats to a better position and suggestion to consider a shorter stem. Had a spin last night and it felt good.

Most interesting was the saddle itself, it was observed that the current one (Specialized Avatar) flexes and moved around considerable as I cycle, it actually flexes up and down 10mm in the centre, the front and back also twist as my legs move a reasonable amount!
The guy suggested a more rigid saddle might be more comfortable (I have had the odd pinch off this saddle before although its comfortable) perhaps one without a physical split in the centre, just a dip in the padding which might be stronger.

Have just been trawling the interweb, bl**dy hell, more saddles than you can shake a stick at! Fizik ones looks interesting.

Anyone got a recommendation for a rigid road bike saddle for a "well built" rider? (95kg)


WRT The Bike fit, I thought it was well worth the price and the advice made a lot of sense.

AKA PABS

316 posts

151 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
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I'm fairly well set at 89kg and ride fisik arione vs braided, good solid perch.

The Walrus

1,857 posts

234 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
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Fizik aliante versus for me after my fit still has a dip but not a cut out like the Spesh Toupe 134mm I had before which caused pinching and numbness on my areas

matt-ITR

892 posts

218 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
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Fizik dealers do test saddles, although they are usually in high demand.
It is worth tracking one down if you can as the different model suit different people.

scubadude

Original Poster:

2,619 posts

226 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
quotequote all
The Walrus said:
Fizik aliante versus for me after my fit still has a dip but not a cut out like the Spesh Toupe 134mm I had before which caused pinching and numbness on my areas
Yup, Aliante looks like the ticket as I fit their "bull" parameters :-)
LBS if "thinking about" whether they can get one for a look and feel session, they're a fair chunk more change than I'd considered and the pinching is only occasional but when it comes its very sore and keeps me off the bike.

I see they do without, 5mm or 20mm relief down the centre, seems a fairly big step!


I was surprised how much the old saddle moved, the studio had a mirror and I could see the nose squirming back and forth an alarming amount for something with so much load going through it.

drgav2005

972 posts

248 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
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ISM Adamo prologue. Job done.

ChrisMCoupe

927 posts

241 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
quotequote all
Interesting thread and something I've recently thought might be happening to me.

In winter trim I'm around 92kg and I've noticed that i've actually slightly broken my Sella Itaila SLR. This is due to liking to perch slightly toward the nose in the middle of the connecting points to the rails (if that makes sense). What i think it does mean is that i bounce around as you mention.

I'll try to get a test on a few Fizik's. I'm not sure whether I'm an Antares or an Arione so would be good to try some.

Does anyone know why Fizik don't put the groove or hole in the saddle, as I found coming from the saddle my 'dale came with (Prologo something), that I really needed it!

AKA PABS

316 posts

151 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
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They do,

upsidedownmark

2,120 posts

164 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
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No such thing as 'job done' answers on saddles, they're very personal.

Personally.... I ride an ISM adamo on the TT/Tri bike - the only thing that's comfortable at that sort of angle (if you catch my drift), but I'd not like to be on it if I was quite heavy, and/or riding upright/road position. Also very different pressure points to a normal saddle.

Plenty of possible answers, as ever, trying is ideal, but difficult to do. Another one that commonly comes up is the charge spoon. It does have the advantage of being pretty cheap at 20 quid; that happens to be what I ride on the roady - mainly 'cos it was cheap and hasn't caused any problems (yet).

S10GTA

13,784 posts

196 months

Thursday 3rd April 2014
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Sella Italia SLR for me. I have 3.

The Walrus

1,857 posts

234 months

Friday 4th April 2014
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scubadude said:
Yup, Aliante looks like the ticket as I fit their "bull" parameters :-)
LBS if "thinking about" whether they can get one for a look and feel session, they're a fair chunk more change than I'd considered and the pinching is only occasional but when it comes its very sore and keeps me off the bike.

I see they do without, 5mm or 20mm relief down the centre, seems a fairly big step!


I was surprised how much the old saddle moved, the studio had a mirror and I could see the nose squirming back and forth an alarming amount for something with so much load going through it.
The flex can seem excessive but to a degree that is what they are supposed to do.

If you can find a dealer locally they normally have a test saddle.

Jayfish

6,795 posts

232 months

Friday 4th April 2014
quotequote all
ChrisMCoupe said:
Interesting thread and something I've recently thought might be happening to me.

In winter trim I'm around 92kg and I've noticed that i've actually slightly broken my Sella Itaila SLR. This is due to liking to perch slightly toward the nose in the middle of the connecting points to the rails (if that makes sense). What i think it does mean is that i bounce around as you mention.

I'll try to get a test on a few Fizik's. I'm not sure whether I'm an Antares or an Arione so would be good to try some.

Does anyone know why Fizik don't put the groove or hole in the saddle, as I found coming from the saddle my 'dale came with (Prologo something), that I really needed it!
3 flavours of relief channel from last time I looked, plain vanilla Arione, Antares, Aliante, then Versus (vs) versions with extra padding and a shallow channel, then recently added Versus X (vsx) with a deep channel.

I'm riding an Antares VS having had a fitting and also trying equivalent value Specialized ones.