…to replace the stock Bontrager one I have. Getting “numb” jewels and a painful aching crotch (not soreness) after 20-30 Miles.

Appreciated…

Selle SLR

SLR Gel flow for long days, it’s a bit subjective though. What about your shorts are they decent. Numb nuts at that distance suggest your shorts.

With regard to shorts, I went from Endura’s & Boils, to Castelli’s & no chafing at all. Its my c*ck thats numb 😀

FWIW other than as described the Castell’s feel really comfy – its more the Saddle hammering away at boney bits… :-/

I found specialised phenom really good as it moves with you it’s supposedly an xc saddle but seems light enough

Sell Italia SLR 135g

Have you tried tipping the nose of the saddle down 10mm

specialized romin or for an extreme solution selle smp??

Best bet is to find dealers that do loan saddles to check them out.

Charge knife.

Have you tried tipping the nose of the saddle down 10mm

Nope – how would this help the crotch-ache, just out of interest?

@neilsonwheels – I’m considering a charge knife but rumours are the stitching is tough on shorts?

the fisik kurve ones are actually fantastic, i had a demo on one. (however they do cost nearly £200)

the ‘novel’ constuction just doent let any vibration up into the saddle 🙂

SDG have always been great for me but saddle choice is so subjective. Different arse shapes and all that.

I’d recommend a brooks but anyone who is already having problems with a saddle is not going to the best person to break a new brooks in. 😉

I’d go for a Brooks. May take a while to ‘break in’ (although some are comfy out of the box) but definitely worth it in the long run.

But…

Saddles are a very personal thing, everybody above has recommended something different so try some first if you can.

Have you tried tipping the nose of the saddle down 10mm
Nope – how would this help the crotch-ache, just out of interest?

Relieves pressure on the Perineal nerve

@neilsonwheels – I’m considering a charge knife but rumours are the stitching is tough on shorts?

Charge saddles are abrasive on shorts, but they also give me a very numb cock! The shape suits some, but I found them to be very uncomfortable after a short time.

Mind you, not many saddles don’t give me a numb cock to be fair. The only ones I’ve found that don’t over a long ride are the SDG Bel Air (too soft and squishy for a road bike) and the Specialized Romin/Phenom series of saddles in 143mm width in my case.

Saddles are a very personal thing, but at least you can try before you buy with Specialized saddles which helps a lot!

Bought a Prologo nago pas gel pretty much new off classifieds (sorry LBS). It’s bloody ace. Definitely recommend one. Makes my medium sized bum very happy.

Fizik Arione. have em on all mi bikes. Quite a big surface area and lightish.

I’d recommend Spesh, as you can try them first. I really like the Toupe, but the Romin is less ‘aggressive’, or the Toupe Gel, or the Phenom.

I also like the Specialized Toupe, its got a cut out too so should help the numbness issue. I use MOst Leopard and its been great so long as the angle is OK. I once did 105 miles and had a very numb cock after, adjusted the position down a bit and its been fine over that distance ever since.

def make use of loan saddles to properly try out a few shapes and sizes.

if you like the shape of the charge spoon/knife than Fizik Aliante is for you – similar shape but no rough (bit of stitching rubbed a sore in one of my cheeks on lejog..) bits you can get one also with a relief channel as well now..

Aliante is a less ‘flat’ saddle than seems the fashion these days

either way try before you buy. You can get Specialised, Fizik and Selle Italia loan saddles.

I tried all the specialised saddles and they all feel too flat.

I use a Toupe on the road with no trouble at all. I like the Phenom too. I only get any numbnes when on the turbo on another bike with an SLR XC but that’snly because I never stand out of the saddle. In normal use, I like SLRs.

Numbness can usually be aleviated by getting out of the saddle more often.

I advocate Charge Spoon’s. I’ve never used the knife but I do wish that they would do away with the stitching detail that runs atop and along the sides. It can be an irritant.

If the upper was smooth I reckon it would be perfect.

If the upper was smooth I reckon it would be perfect.

I agree – I switched my spoons to Fizik Aliante’s… same is all but the same but the fizik is smooth.

+1 I have an Aliante on my best roadbike, very similar shape to the Spoon. Bloody pricey though!

Fizik Arione is easily he most comfy saddle I have, I bought one for the MTB but the pointy rear end is a pita when you’re trying to get back on the saddle whilst wearing baggies. I swapped it out for a Tundra and haven’t looked back.

Find out if your lbs does demo saddles, most do.

+1 I have an Aliante on my best roadbike, very similar shape to the Spoon. Bloody pricey though!

they do a cheaper ‘Delta’ version, though only place that seems to have these is condor cycles

http://www.condorcycles.com/Sale-Accessories/10885-Fizik-Aliante-Delta/flypage.tpl.html

San Marco aspide; over 1000 hilly French and swiss miles in 2 weeks away last summer without even thinking about the saddle, it was made for me! Not cheap, but worth every penny to me.

I reckon position and seat angle are more important as I have used any old hard plastic saddles off old crap bikes such as 70s Puchs with no problems

gingerflash – Member

Numbness can usually be aleviated by getting out of the saddle more often.

Hmmm. In the past few weeks I’ve raised the saddle height by an inch, and have been zone 2 training (more sitting than before).

Reckon I’ll try the “tilting forward 10mm” trick next weekend first.