Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

I ride a Selle Avant - have done for a while now and I love it. Worth every penny!

Can anyone tell me where I can buy a Selle SMP Plus saddle in Australia, preferably online?

I'm also looking for places to check out/buy selle SMP in Melbourne. These guys are hard to find! Bikeexchange no help.

Ride 'n' Style in Perth are the Australian importers I believe if you wish to buy 'local'.
I think from memory that Velogear sold them online in Australia, and I know that c r c sell online over seas

Got mine from Velogear on line shop for $249.

thanks guys.

Velogear doesn't have a great selection at the moment, only the composite and evolution.

c r c have them all, but I wanted to try them first. A saddle is one of those things that is worth paying LBS prices for. Will ring a few shops in Melb before taking the plunge on a Lite 209 on c r c. Without trying it out, and at $250 I might get a $90 versus fizik first.


update, a mere 10 minutes later:

Just bought a Lite 209 from c r c. At $245 posted it's not cheap, and local prices aren't that much more expensive. However I'm not getting to a shop for a few weeks minimum, plus this is one area in which you cannot have anything but the best. It's basically a medical issue, right?

bura wrote: It's basically a medical issue, right?

It's a bit late to talk yourself into it after you have already ordered it....

Seriously though, Good luck with it when it arrives.
I am totally happy with my 209. I had the setup position for-aft dialled in for me with a flat (book sitting on top of the saddle, with level on the book, 0deg) saddle. I've since dipped the nose about 2deg, that's it.

Phill_B_34 wrote:

bura wrote: It's basically a medical issue, right?

It's a bit late to talk yourself into it after you have already ordered it....

Seriously though, Good luck with it when it arrives.
I am totally happy with my 209. I had the setup position for-aft dialled in for me with a flat (book sitting on top of the saddle, with level on the book, 0deg) saddle. I've since dipped the nose about 2deg, that's it.

Cheers, I'm hoping for some relief for hill climbs and 100km+ rides. I know it's a big ask but I'd love to see some photos of the lite 209 on a bike, they're not easy to come by...

Found this but you can't really get an idea of the correct angle:

Shot of saddle....



Also, go to the gallery here ......viewtopic.php?f=12&t=8664&start=2350#p559702


Dark and stormy here. I'll grab some more pics tomorrow.

Phill_B_34 wrote:Shot of saddle....



Also, go to the gallery here ......viewtopic.php?f=12&t=8664&start=2350#p559702


Dark and stormy here. I'll grab some more pics tomorrow.

Fantastic to have the pictures, thanks very much!

I can see that it is going to take some fiddling around to get the right fit. The flattest section of the seat is basically horizontal, then the dip just drops off at the front. Most pictures of this thing look hideous and painful, but those photos actually do look fairly comfortable, particularly the bike gallery one.

Thanks again, looking forward to getting my saddle!

The instructions for my glider suggest that you should put a spirit level across the top. Those pictures look right. If you get pain in the sit bones - move back. They are tiny saddles and the area in which you ca sit is tiny. Plus all the weight that was being born elsewhere is now going through them so they are working harder than before.

The dip in the Selle is really good, as I found once you had the seat level etc adjusted properly, the dip stopped you sliding forward when you ride.

Comedian wrote:The instructions for my glider suggest that you should put a spirit level across the top. Those pictures look right.

Ah I see, if you rest a book or ruler on the saddle from the rear to the dip it should be perfectly level.. The dip kind of looks painful, my instinct would have been to level it off so it drops off more.. I tend to rest on the wrong parts because it doesn't hurt for 10-20 minutes, and then you just go numb...

bura wrote:

Comedian wrote:The instructions for my glider suggest that you should put a spirit level across the top. Those pictures look right.

Ah I see, if you rest a book or ruler on the saddle from the rear to the dip it should be perfectly level.. The dip kind of looks painful, my instinct would have been to level it off so it drops off more.. I tend to rest on the wrong parts because it doesn't hurt for 10-20 minutes, and then you just go numb...

Yep, start with it level as you've described above. Over a period of a couple of weeks you may need to drop the nose a little. I ended up with the nose too low and bought it back up a bit, just trial and error. Only real bit of advice - make very small changes and give it a week or so to see if it's made a difference.

I've just noticed that my gliders writing is damaging my knicks

I had a loaner 209 from my LBS that had raised stitched letters which started wearing (like fluffed up cotton on the surface of the lycra) a little area in the seat of my bibs.
I end up buying a 209 with a view to unpicking the letters as I was very happy with the saddle, but I used a metal tool with a rounded edge to force down the stitching into the leather (a mate of mine does leatherwork and it was of his tools). This has solved the problem – 6 months with the new saddle and not a sign of wear on any of my new bibs.

I also thought they looked weird and uncomfortable before getting one but can now say they are def the opposite. From the minute i set mine up and sat on it in the shed i felt how supportive it was. Still making small adjustments but it's a whole lot better then my previous saddles. I also took to the stupid SMP badge on the back with a hacksaw so my saddle bag just sit flush against the seat

Phill_B_34 wrote:I had a loaner 209 from my LBS that had raised stitched letters which started wearing (like fluffed up cotton on the surface of the lycra) a little area in the seat of my bibs.
I end up buying a 209 with a view to unpicking the letters as I was very happy with the saddle, but I used a metal tool with a rounded edge to force down the stitching into the leather (a mate of mine does leatherwork and it was of his tools). This has solved the problem – 6 months with the new saddle and not a sign of wear on any of my new bibs.

I'll see what I have around and give that a try. Unless I sort something this will go from being an expensive seat - to an expensive seat if it kills all my nicks.

I've read around a few places and there are many complaints about the stitching. I can't believe they didn't think of it!

I'll have a go at working the stitching into the leather, sounds like the best solution. What kind of shops sell leatherwork tools? Bunnings?

The previous model of saddles had the letters printed onto the seat and wasn't an issue. It's just the newer one where SMP 'got clever' and went for stitching.

As for the tool, if you have a nail punch and something solid with a small rounded head, that'll work for you. Even an 'L' shaped hex (allen) key, using the outside of the bend of a 3-5mm running over the stitching will work it down into the leather.

Best saddle ever. Did a longer training ride today, not sore at all now, feel like I could get back on the bike tomorrow without any problems, and no numbness etc at all during the ride. It's possible the weight distribution and width just happen to suit my body, or may actually be the technology, don't really care, it works and much better than expected. Brilliant. Thanks for the recommendations.

I have found that my sitbones get sore with this saddle - but on rides well over the 100k. I'm not sure whether they wouldn't be sore regardless of the seat. The other problems have been completely fixed which is nice.

The jury is still out on how the stitching is damaging my pants though. I have tried to push the raised edges into the leather... we'll see. If I had my time again I'd get a coloured one without the stitching for sure.

I have a Selle SMP Lite 209 and when I bought it I had read the issues about the embroidery ruining your knicks over time, but to be honest, the pain and discomfort I used to experience on long rides is worth the occassional pair of knicks wearing out

Comedian wrote:I have found that my sitbones get sore with this saddle - but on rides well over the 100k. I'm not sure whether they wouldn't be sore regardless of the seat. The other problems have been completely fixed which is nice.

The jury is still out on how the stitching is damaging my pants though. I have tried to push the raised edges into the leather... we'll see. If I had my time again I'd get a coloured one without the stitching for sure.

Are you sure you have the right SMP saddle for you? The glider is a chunky seat, it was like sitting on a lounge chair for me (I use an evolution). Sounds like your build and sit bones needs a narrower saddle with less padding........maybe the stratos? Maybe grab a test saddle from a shop and try the forma and stratos out.

Oh and I have never had a problem with the stiching rubbing and damaging my nicks.

hello everybody

Good post on Steve Hoggs blog regarding SMP saddles. Might have some helpful info.

http://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/blo ... bout-smps/