Poor retail experience

User avatar
gorilla monsoon
Posts: 3553
Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:45 am
Location: Lake Macquarie

Poor retail experience

Postby gorilla monsoon » Mon Nov 18, 2013 5:19 pm

I have decided I need a new saddle and I have done enough research to get me pointed in the right direction. Yesterday (Sunday) I visited two prominent retailers in my area to buy the sassle. You know what? They couldn't sell me one! Seriously, the children they had masquerading as sales staff were hopeless (one kid pulled a saddle off a peg and said: "I use one like this." My answer was: "good for you buddy, but you are one-third my age and half my size and you probably do five times the riding I do.").
The other thing, these shops are listed as official stockists but one had two saddles of the brand on display and the other had four or five.
Seriously, I'm ready to part with some serious cash and these shops are too useless to take it off me.
Not my circus, not my monkeys

User avatar
biker jk
Posts: 7001
Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2009 6:18 pm
Location: Sydney

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby biker jk » Mon Nov 18, 2013 5:24 pm

If you know the saddle you want just buy it online. I have never purchased a saddle from a local bike shop.

User avatar
gorilla monsoon
Posts: 3553
Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:45 am
Location: Lake Macquarie

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby gorilla monsoon » Mon Nov 18, 2013 5:34 pm

Ah, but I don't know exactly the saddle I want, nor what size I should buy. There are a few choices from the same manufacturer and I come back to the issue of sizing.
Not my circus, not my monkeys

User avatar
RonK
Posts: 11508
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 2:08 pm
Location: If you need to know, ask me
Contact:

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby RonK » Mon Nov 18, 2013 7:09 pm

gorilla monsoon wrote:Ah, but I don't know exactly the saddle I want, nor what size I should buy. There are a few choices from the same manufacturer and I come back to the issue of sizing.
Nothing has changed. We are all still faced with the same old conundrum - which saddle is for me? There is no option but to suck it and see.
Cycle touring blog and tour journals: whispering wheels...

Nobody
Posts: 10316
Joined: Thu Sep 18, 2008 12:10 pm
Location: Sydney

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby Nobody » Mon Nov 18, 2013 7:16 pm

RonK wrote:
gorilla monsoon wrote:Ah, but I don't know exactly the saddle I want, nor what size I should buy. There are a few choices from the same manufacturer and I come back to the issue of sizing.
Nothing has changed. We are all still faced with the same old conundrum - which saddle is for me? There is no option but to suck it and see.
This is why it's also probably a good idea not to spend too much until you do. Sometimes you find something cheap that works well enough to be a keeper. You'll narrow your choices by reading some "best saddle" reviews.

Eg:
http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Bike-Sadd ... ws/Ratings" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Last edited by Nobody on Mon Nov 18, 2013 7:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

human909
Posts: 9810
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 11:48 am

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby human909 » Mon Nov 18, 2013 7:21 pm

If they don't have a fair return policy on unsuitable saddles then I'm not sure why I'd buy from a LBS.

My last saddle purchase cost me $28 from c r c. It took me a while to decide on the right saddle but I had to take the punt. It is perfect!

User avatar
3DKiwi
Posts: 80
Joined: Thu Dec 20, 2012 4:48 pm
Location: New Zealand
Contact:

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby 3DKiwi » Mon Nov 18, 2013 7:45 pm

Try a Specialized store. They usually have test saddles that you can try out for a few days. Plus they should offer to mesaure your sit bones. I had a lot of trouble with saddles and wasted money buying saddles only to find they were damn uncomfortable. Best so far is a Specialized Avatar saddle. I'm now running these on both my road and MTB.

User avatar
gorilla monsoon
Posts: 3553
Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:45 am
Location: Lake Macquarie

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby gorilla monsoon » Mon Nov 18, 2013 10:05 pm

Exactly, 3d kiwi, that was what I was after, measuring, sound advice and some trial saddles to play with. I think I'll just shop in Sydney from now on.
Not my circus, not my monkeys

evanrude71
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Nov 07, 2009 12:48 pm

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby evanrude71 » Tue Nov 19, 2013 6:55 am

Drift Cycles in Kotara are a Specialized store.Closer than Sydney.

r2160
Posts: 1192
Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2008 4:01 pm
Location: Bass Hill, NSW

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby r2160 » Tue Nov 19, 2013 8:50 am

I think that Bike Barn in Parramatta have the same thing with saddles. They have loaners for you to try. Give them a call

cheers
Glenn
-----------
"Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever" Lance Armstrong

Scarfy96
Posts: 455
Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2010 9:56 am

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby Scarfy96 » Tue Nov 19, 2013 11:36 am

I'd do the old "fingers do the walking" thing if you want to shop local. There are half a dozen shops in the Newy area, see how they react on the phone before driving all round town. I have found service at most a little hit and miss.

Mozzar
Posts: 122
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2013 12:01 pm

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby Mozzar » Tue Nov 19, 2013 1:11 pm

At my LBS they usually sell you a saddle and would gladly exchange it for another if your not satisfied. They don't stock test saddles but would gladly exchange a saddle for another saddle if it's not damaged.

User avatar
herzog
Posts: 2174
Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 9:50 pm

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby herzog » Tue Nov 19, 2013 2:13 pm

What do they do with the returns?

User avatar
im_no_pro
Super Mod
Super Mod
Posts: 6029
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2008 10:29 pm
Location: Geelong

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby im_no_pro » Tue Nov 19, 2013 2:16 pm

herzog wrote:What do they do with the returns?
At a guess, restock them and (potentially illegally) sell them as new.
master6 wrote: Moderators are like Club Handicappers; I often think they are wrong, but I dont want the job.

marnie&matt
Posts: 67
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 6:46 pm

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby marnie&matt » Tue Nov 19, 2013 6:07 pm

Hi

I not so long ago was faced with the same problem, not that the saddle was poor quality, but being new to cycling and …. well lets just say the sit bones incurred enough pain that I found it hard to sit on a soft lounge afterwards. I eased off riding to allow whatever damage due to too much too soon, poor adjustment of saddle or just wrong saddle for me.

I purchased a new saddle 'on-line' after experiencing stockists that did not have the stock to look/touch, and staff that knew the model I was looking for. When it arrived in the mail and had it installed, I still needed to play with the saddle on the glides, as this made a huge difference to comfort. Crazy but true.

In the end, even with more gel, the saddle stick feels like i'm sitting on wood when I have ridden a couple of days in a row. I guess it's about hardening the area up? Slowly? After 4 months I still get sore, but not painful. 75klm one day is okay the second day at 65klm is a little oooo, rest day, and today it was really?? Still???

But that's my experience. I'm still only a baby to cycling. 8)

avroncotton
Posts: 168
Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2010 8:55 pm

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby avroncotton » Wed Nov 20, 2013 9:15 am

Last year I was in a bike shop in Perth and asked the youth in the shop the difference between two saddles and he said that one (the more expensive) was more....wait for it...AERODYNAMIC!!!

avroncotton
Posts: 168
Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2010 8:55 pm

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby avroncotton » Wed Nov 20, 2013 9:15 am

Last year I was in a bike shop in Perth and asked the youth in the shop the difference between two saddles and he said that one (the more expensive) was more....wait for it...AERODYNAMIC!!!

User avatar
im_no_pro
Super Mod
Super Mod
Posts: 6029
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2008 10:29 pm
Location: Geelong

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby im_no_pro » Wed Nov 20, 2013 3:43 pm

avroncotton wrote:Last year I was in a bike shop in Perth and asked the youth in the shop the difference between two saddles and he said that one (the more expensive) was more....wait for it...AERODYNAMIC!!!
Maybe it was. Certainly wouldnt be the first bike part marketed as more aero when it wasnt relevant..... :lol:
master6 wrote: Moderators are like Club Handicappers; I often think they are wrong, but I dont want the job.

User avatar
Mulger bill
Super Mod
Super Mod
Posts: 29060
Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2006 2:41 pm
Location: Sunbury Vic

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby Mulger bill » Wed Nov 20, 2013 8:01 pm

I'm not sure how aero slippery a saddle is matters a damn considering it's got an arse hanging over the edges...
...whatever the road rules, self-preservation is the absolute priority for a cyclist when mixing it with motorised traffic.
London Boy 29/12/2011

User avatar
im_no_pro
Super Mod
Super Mod
Posts: 6029
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2008 10:29 pm
Location: Geelong

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby im_no_pro » Fri Nov 22, 2013 8:53 am

Mulger bill wrote:I'm not sure how aero slippery a saddle is matters a damn considering it's got an arse hanging over the edges...
Less wind disturbance whilst its parked alongside you at the coffee shop? Less chance to blow the froth off your skinny double shot cappuccino that way :)
master6 wrote: Moderators are like Club Handicappers; I often think they are wrong, but I dont want the job.

User avatar
Mulger bill
Super Mod
Super Mod
Posts: 29060
Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2006 2:41 pm
Location: Sunbury Vic

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby Mulger bill » Fri Nov 22, 2013 5:24 pm

im_no_pro wrote:Less chance to blow the froth off your skinny double shot cappuccino that way :)
Wut? Unleaded milk with choccy sprinkles? My daughter would slap me silly if I asked her for that. (Her boss would hold me down to help her.)

Latte or espresso FTW! (Tho' cold extracted is quite nice too...)
...whatever the road rules, self-preservation is the absolute priority for a cyclist when mixing it with motorised traffic.
London Boy 29/12/2011

User avatar
Mustang
Posts: 1572
Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2010 9:20 am
Location: Little Mountain Qld
Contact:

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby Mustang » Fri Nov 22, 2013 6:01 pm

Go the Brooks
Distance Goal 4000km
70 years young.

ironhanglider
Posts: 2842
Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2009 9:44 pm
Location: Middle East, Melbourne

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby ironhanglider » Fri Nov 22, 2013 7:11 pm

Aww c'mon. There were Aero saddles before the UCI banned them. (Ok technically not a saddle since it was an attachment for a Turbomatic) BTW I'm not sure of the date quoted, I thought it was used in the 1991 Tour prologue, (also won by Thierry Marie).

Cheers,

Cameron

User avatar
Bob_TAS
Posts: 265
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 8:39 pm
Location: Blacktown

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby Bob_TAS » Fri Nov 22, 2013 8:48 pm

Selle SMP Extra (or above) are a great saddle and seem to suit everyone in our regular group, no matter the weight (85kg - 120kg), shape, etc.

roobab
Posts: 161
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 4:13 pm
Location: Melbourne VIC

Re: Poor retail experience

Postby roobab » Fri Nov 22, 2013 10:35 pm

Aero dynamic as in your farts are directed backwards to propel you onwards,

For me Selle Italia the best after trying 6 brands.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Amazon [Bot]