recommend me a decent saddle please :)
Discussion
Right guys, bare with me here as this may get personal....
My current saddle is fine except on longer rides (50 miles+) i begin to some mild numbness in my, erm, nether regions which isn't pleasant and makes going to a pee half way through if needed difficult at times which is not fun so i'm looking at replacing it soon. It's a fi'zik alliante i believe but i've seen the saddles with the holes in "that" region which i've heard can really help.
Not afraid to spend a fairly large chunk of cash on one if i know it'll help. I'd be looking at purchasing from wiggle so if anyone could recommend something i'd be very grateful indeed.
I guess anything up to circa £150 would be ok - and should be a marked improvement over the current one.
My current seat is also quite firm but that doesn't bother me THAT much (ok, something softer wouldn't go amiss it's mainly the numbness i'm concerned about).
Many thanks chaps
Ross.
My current saddle is fine except on longer rides (50 miles+) i begin to some mild numbness in my, erm, nether regions which isn't pleasant and makes going to a pee half way through if needed difficult at times which is not fun so i'm looking at replacing it soon. It's a fi'zik alliante i believe but i've seen the saddles with the holes in "that" region which i've heard can really help.
Not afraid to spend a fairly large chunk of cash on one if i know it'll help. I'd be looking at purchasing from wiggle so if anyone could recommend something i'd be very grateful indeed.
I guess anything up to circa £150 would be ok - and should be a marked improvement over the current one.
My current seat is also quite firm but that doesn't bother me THAT much (ok, something softer wouldn't go amiss it's mainly the numbness i'm concerned about).
Many thanks chaps
Ross.
if you want comfort then this is the one to get:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/brooks-england-b17-special...
it's so comfortable that i don't need to wear padded shorts when i'm on it. i can be riding on it for hours on end - longest stretch was 10 hours in one 'sitting'. no discomfort after whatsoever!
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/brooks-england-b17-special...
it's so comfortable that i don't need to wear padded shorts when i'm on it. i can be riding on it for hours on end - longest stretch was 10 hours in one 'sitting'. no discomfort after whatsoever!
Firstly it might just be a matter of position - try tipping the saddle down at the front by a couple of degrees and see if that improves matters.
Secondly, a lot of shops offer test saddles for loan if you are thinking of purchasing one in that price range. Well worth looking for a shop that will do this before spending a decent chunk of cash on something that might not suit.
Secondly, a lot of shops offer test saddles for loan if you are thinking of purchasing one in that price range. Well worth looking for a shop that will do this before spending a decent chunk of cash on something that might not suit.
+2 for the Charge Spoon, I have them on both of my MTB's and they are most excellent!
I would suggest getting along to your LBS for a chat. It could be your position on the bike (too far back possibly?), but it could simply be that you need a wider/longer saddle. Fizik do a range of 'loan' saddles, so if you can find a dealer near you they will be able to measure you up, and find a saddle that is the best fit for you - then you can try it for a few rides and see if it is an improvement.
I would not buy a replacement saddle until you find out the cause of the pain, you could spend a small fortune and see no benefit, or worse still find the new saddle is more painful!
I would suggest getting along to your LBS for a chat. It could be your position on the bike (too far back possibly?), but it could simply be that you need a wider/longer saddle. Fizik do a range of 'loan' saddles, so if you can find a dealer near you they will be able to measure you up, and find a saddle that is the best fit for you - then you can try it for a few rides and see if it is an improvement.
I would not buy a replacement saddle until you find out the cause of the pain, you could spend a small fortune and see no benefit, or worse still find the new saddle is more painful!
Rob_T said:
if you want comfort then this is the one to get:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/brooks-england-b17-special...
it's so comfortable that i don't need to wear padded shorts when i'm on it. i can be riding on it for hours on end - longest stretch was 10 hours in one 'sitting'. no discomfort after whatsoever!
I've got one of these, still at the breaking it in stage at the mo http://www.wiggle.co.uk/brooks-england-b17-special...
it's so comfortable that i don't need to wear padded shorts when i'm on it. i can be riding on it for hours on end - longest stretch was 10 hours in one 'sitting'. no discomfort after whatsoever!
WinstonWolf said:
Rob_T said:
if you want comfort then this is the one to get:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/brooks-england-b17-special...
it's so comfortable that i don't need to wear padded shorts when i'm on it. i can be riding on it for hours on end - longest stretch was 10 hours in one 'sitting'. no discomfort after whatsoever!
I've got one of these, still at the breaking it in stage at the mo http://www.wiggle.co.uk/brooks-england-b17-special...
it's so comfortable that i don't need to wear padded shorts when i'm on it. i can be riding on it for hours on end - longest stretch was 10 hours in one 'sitting'. no discomfort after whatsoever!
Seriously though, they are extremely comfortable after the breaking in period and I've also ditched the padded shorts and have just ridden from England to Malaysia on one. I don't think I'd change it for anything else.
Counter intuitively, if it is at all nose down, tilting it *up* a bit might help - if its nose down you tend to slip forwards and take weight on your perineum, whereas if it's a bit nose up you slide back onto the wider part and your sit bones.
Depending on how low your bars are, coming up a bit (more spacers) might also help.
I'll add add a vote for the spoon, and silly as they look, the ISM adamo saddle is a great problem solver; if you can cope with the extra width between your legs (oo-er..), and about 250 miles or so to break you into it; you bear down on slightly different bits of soft tissue, it was excrutiating for a while, now is great. I run a spoon on my roadbike, and a adamo on the TT - no conventional saddle would work for me on that.
I also tried the cobb saddles. Didn't work for me personally, but plenty of folks rave about them.
Depending on how low your bars are, coming up a bit (more spacers) might also help.
I'll add add a vote for the spoon, and silly as they look, the ISM adamo saddle is a great problem solver; if you can cope with the extra width between your legs (oo-er..), and about 250 miles or so to break you into it; you bear down on slightly different bits of soft tissue, it was excrutiating for a while, now is great. I run a spoon on my roadbike, and a adamo on the TT - no conventional saddle would work for me on that.
I also tried the cobb saddles. Didn't work for me personally, but plenty of folks rave about them.
My LBS has a bunch of demo saddles. Try before you buy and support your LBS.
FWIW, I have a Brooks B17, a Team Pro, and a Spa Nidd (Swift / Swallow clone) - all good, but very different. Unless your bars are level with your saddle, the B17 will annoy you - you can't get low with it.
I've currently got a Fizik Arione, which I've done a 630km event on. Despite minimal padding, it's great for long distances when well set up. It does lack the breathability of leather, so cleanliness is key to avoiding problems.
Seriously though, if you are dropping that much money, you want to try before you buy.
FWIW, I have a Brooks B17, a Team Pro, and a Spa Nidd (Swift / Swallow clone) - all good, but very different. Unless your bars are level with your saddle, the B17 will annoy you - you can't get low with it.
I've currently got a Fizik Arione, which I've done a 630km event on. Despite minimal padding, it's great for long distances when well set up. It does lack the breathability of leather, so cleanliness is key to avoiding problems.
Seriously though, if you are dropping that much money, you want to try before you buy.
DrMekon said:
My LBS has a bunch of demo saddles. Try before you buy and support your LBS.
FWIW, I have a Brooks B17, a Team Pro, and a Spa Nidd (Swift / Swallow clone) - all good, but very different. Unless your bars are level with your saddle, the B17 will annoy you - you can't get low with it.
I've currently got a Fizik Arione, which I've done a 630km event on. Despite minimal padding, it's great for long distances when well set up. It does lack the breathability of leather, so cleanliness is key to avoiding problems.
Seriously though, if you are dropping that much money, you want to try before you buy.
I can get low on my B17, I guess it depends on your personal geometry FWIW, I have a Brooks B17, a Team Pro, and a Spa Nidd (Swift / Swallow clone) - all good, but very different. Unless your bars are level with your saddle, the B17 will annoy you - you can't get low with it.
I've currently got a Fizik Arione, which I've done a 630km event on. Despite minimal padding, it's great for long distances when well set up. It does lack the breathability of leather, so cleanliness is key to avoiding problems.
Seriously though, if you are dropping that much money, you want to try before you buy.
Saddles are a massively personal thing. Even the pros ride what they want rather than what they're sponsored to ride. One man's armchair is another man's instrument of torture. Bike Radar have a saddle swap shop thread where you can chop and change saddle until you find something you like. For me Bontrager comfort sport is hard to beat (and hard to find) for winter cruising. Fizik Arione with Kium rails for racing and Fizik Antares for training. I had a Specialized Toupe that lots of people rave about I couldn't get on with. As I say, horses for courses.
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