The most comfortable saddle…

[AUbicycles]

The idea is a list of saddles that our members here find comfortable - to help other members who are having trouble locating the perfect saddle.
Interesting would be the saddle brand / model / year (if known) / for what type or style of riding / distances travelled.
(and optionally, if it solved health issues or provided pain relief)

So, what is your most comfortable saddle?

[Colin_T]

I used to have a Sella Italia touring seat that I got about 8 years ago but it got nicked. The one i use currently is a Repco cheapy mountain bike seat from BigW. It seems a lot more comfortable than the standard narrow unpadded seats that come with most new bikes.
I think the above seats fit me better because I am 6ft tall and the bigger seats are better suited to bigger people. Whereas most of the slim narrow racing seats are designed for 5ft6 slimline Italian mountain climbers

[Top_Bhoy]

The idea is a list of saddles that our members here find comfortable - to help other members who are having trouble locating the perfect saddle.
Interesting would be the saddle brand / model / year (if known) / for what type or style of riding / distances travelled.
(and optionally, if it solved health issues or provided pain relief)

So, what is your most comfortable saddle?

I'd add saddle width to the list of required information - a very important factor.

[peter.k]

I have been using the Selle TRK seat for 3 months and now cannot use anything else. From what i have read it is designed as a touring seat. I have it on my Oppy C5. I did a three hour ride last weekend with the BNA meet up, and afterwards it felt as if I had not been on the bike at all.The large cut out down the middle relieves a lot of pressure and the resulting numbness. The seat is very padded at the back which is great for sitting up for a break. Some riders feel the seat is too wide and causes friction at the inner thighs, but it suits me just fine. I tried an expensive Selle leather racing seat the other day for about 3 seconds..........some may tell me to HTFU, but I prefer a softer seat which doesn't affect the undercarriage.

This is the seat here: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=23428

Pete

[Kalgrm]

Somebody has to be the first to mention it, so it may as well be me: My Brooks B17 is definitely the most comfortable saddle I've ever owned. It was comfortable from the start, too. No break-in required, but it did get even better after about 500km.

There's no point mentioning which year it was made, since they haven't been changed for about a century.

cheers,
Graeme

[Mulger bill]

While I've recently become a leather rider, and wouldn't swap my Swallow Ti for a Llewellyn, IMO the most comfortable saddle is the one that feels best under the individuals bum with perhaps one exception.

Shaun

[Colin_T]

that one exception saddle is a doozy and probably rather uncomfortable

[ValleyForge]

While I've recently become a leather rider, and wouldn't swap my Swallow Ti for a Llewellyn, IMO the most comfortable saddle is the one that feels best under the individuals bum with perhaps one exception.

Shaun

+1 for the Brooks Swallow Ti. Feels best angled back slightly, but I never suffered with the wear-in that I was warned about!

[misterpms]

I sense a Brooks lovefest coming on...

I recently acquired a new saddle and trawled the forums for previous threads before buying. My conclusions were:
1. There is no saddle that will be comfortable for everyone
2. Everyone has a different physiology and comfort/pain threshold
3. Measure the distance between your sit bones (using a packet of rice, or at an LBS). I believe this is an important measure.
4. Leather saddles will change over time to suit the rider. Non-leather saddles will not change (as much?) over time and it is a case of the rider getting used to the saddle.

Other things like tilting the saddle up/down at the nose were mentioned in a few threads, but there was no consensus.

My current saddle is a Bontrager Inform RL. I'm a recreational rider and have only done 200km on it so far with no complaints.

[Mulger bill]

Methinks there might be a very good reason why tensioned leather saddle have been around basically unchanged for many decades

It is all down to the individual bum tho' but refusing to try any particular design/makers product solely on looks is silly IMO.

Shaun

[Cinder]

Mine is nothing fancy, Serfas RX, it works for me, and that is the issue with Saddles. It's all about what works for you...

[Nobody]

Aged Brooks Flyer is the most comfortable saddle I've ever owned so far. Currently using it for MTB.

A close second is the B17 Imperial which is currently on the road bike.

[munga]

works best for me. tried a few other selle italia's, an arione, a rolls, a turbo (which was nice, but mushy).
rolls was not comfortable at all, which highlights the fact that buying a popular expensive saddle doesn't guarantee it's going to suit you..

[Parrott]

Works for me and is the most comfortable saddle I have tried in the drops. Bit wider than normal at 150mm.



This is the go for my tt bike. I have had it shortened (15 dollars at the local shoe repair place and looks factory) so that I can sit as far forward as the uci rules allow.

[cavebear2]

I have a Selle SMP Evolution on my Giant TCR C1.
I also have a Selle SMP Glider on my other road bike.

These seats have a hooked nose and the full length cut out which is a boon for both the male and female anatomy. Whilst they solved my numbness problem from a Fizik Arione they are not nearly as comfortable as either of the Brooks Racing Saddles. See my post here.

[ColinOldnCranky]

I rode on a Brooks B52 for about twenty yeears. Never regretted it

However I have noticed that even when a manufacturer has a tried, true and excellent product, they have to add to their catalog in order to catch the mugs among us who are willing to part with greater quantites of money.

Last I checked, I think a Brooks B52 was around $150, but then you could get some u-beaut thing with titanium bits and extra springs different colour and naked birds jumping out of cake and other essential stuff so buyer could justify paying out three times the price.

I fail to see how bums have evolved in thirty years. I'd go back to my B52 and spend the rest on beer.

[hartleymartin]

Brooks B67 - Cycling used to be (quite literally) a severe pain the bum for me before I went to a Brooks saddle.

[ColinOldnCranky]

Sorry - Brooks 17. An original, the model still big(gest?) seller for Brooks three quarters of a century later.

They often or usually are very uncomfortable initially - they require a pretty solid breaking in period. However, once done, a rider will be more concerned about losing the seat if the bike gets stolen than the bike. You buy a new bike, take the seat out and put in a drawer, fit the broken in Brooks. When you sell that bike the new owner gets an unused seat while you put the Brooks onto your new bike.

Mine was over twenty years old once I gave the bike away. It did require some TLC (leather soap and stuff) and some protection from the elements (take it off when parking it outside in the sun). It is leather after all.

[Zynster]

I have a Fizik Arione on my racer. It's pretty comfy. I tried 2 Selle Italia saddles before and they weren't so good.

On my commuter I've got a B17 Narrow, and sorry to be the odd one out, but after 2 months of commuting this saddle still isn't comfortable for me. I'm thinking of swapping it out for the aged Flyer like the one Nobody has.

[gorilla monsoon]

You guys have a lot of experience, obviously, so perhaps you can tell us if there is some sort of "saddle fit formula"?

The reason I ask is that as one who is seriously considering a new saddle for the flattie I go into a shop and I am faced with dozens of different seats and not a lot of helpful advice which means I could burn a lot of money buying, trying and discarding saddles.

So, is there any sort of rule of thumb to use as a starting point?

[ValleyForge]

You guys have a lot of experience, obviously, so perhaps you can tell us if there is some sort of "saddle fit formula"?

The reason I ask is that as one who is seriously considering a new saddle for the flattie I go into a shop and I am faced with dozens of different seats and not a lot of helpful advice which means I could burn a lot of money buying, trying and discarding saddles.

So, is there any sort of rule of thumb to use as a starting point?

I know my LBS has a set of test saddles to try - I guess they are cleaned & don't have cooties. Seems a fairly good idea.

[im_no_pro]

I hope they are cleaned & don't have cooties.

Fixed

[brentono]

The never ending saddle story... "movie title?"
Barge brought this up in another thread (did you/he try one?)

Anyone ever tried one of these.
If your going for comfort, and you not a weight wombat.
I'm curious?
Thanks,
BrentonO

[Mulger bill]

Measure your sit bone width for a start Gorilla. It'll give you an idea of where to begin, pretty much trial and error after that. I found mine out by measuring the dimples on my commuters leather saddle

Some LBS will have an "assometer" as specialized call theirs, otherwise a bag of flour or the assistance of someone special may be needed.

Google will offer lots of hints too.

Shaun

[Mulger bill]

Umm, Brenton, isn't the saddle nose important for lateral location and stability?

Shaun