I run the ubiquitous SDG Bel Air RL on my MTBs and would like something more comfortable (for me) than the standard Planet-X on the road bike. Any recommendations?

What you sorry for?

Anyway, standard answer; it depends. Get to a Spesh or Trek dealer and sit on their arseometer then pick a saddle according to how far apart your sit bones are and if you’re lucky it’ll be right first time.

I’ve an older Spesh Toupe (without the big cut out) that I like but am going to try the newer one or a Romin.

Cheers, the BG saddles have been mentioned. I’ll have to have a look and see where the nearest dealer is. Sooner rather than later as have a huge ride to train for in June and want it right before the miles go up.

Use the above device as those manufacturers have a no quibble return guarantee. Saddle & fit is essential on a road bike, and micro adjustment can really make a difference so let the shop help you.

Romin’s are one of the more popular saddles atm and I really like them but it’s important to get the right width one. Initially they can feel a bit firm but over long rides they’re very good (I find some other saddles are more comfy just to sit on but far worse once you’ve been riding for a while).
Other than that the Fizik range is another obvious choice to try, especially if you can afford a Kurve…

The spesh Romin is good, and Romin Evo is supposed to be even better

Question about fitting the BG saddles, do you need riding shorts to fit them or just roll up to the shop? I’m in London tomorrow so possibly a chance of getting to Covent Garden.

If you are happy with a saddle arounf 130mm width then the Selle San Marco Aspide works for me, I found it an improvement over the 130mm toupe I was using previously, and I found that pretty damned good.

Selle Italia also have a 30 day money back guarantee.

I just remembered that if you can’t get to a shop you can DIY the arseometer with a bit of corrugated card – set it on the edge of a bench/table, sit squarely on it then measure the distance from the centre of one sit bone dent to centre of the other.

The other thing is, is your current saddle set reasonably level? On the road bike a slight tip back will have you feeling like you’re being pushed off the back and put pressure on your bits and slightly nose down you’ll be sliding forward and not on your sit bones.

Normal colthes should be fine. The boney bits will find a way through!

My orbea came with a cheap OE Selle Italia. A roadie mate had given me an expensive selle Italia, an expensive fizik and an expensive selle san Marco. I prefer my cheap one to them all. Borrowing, buying second hand and or new with return guarantee all ways of minimising wasted expense.

We at 18 Bikes have some demo saddles from Fizik that might help to make a choice. There are probably other shops near you that do the same or alternatively you get in touch with us.

I’m trying out a Kurve at the moment and so far I like it a lot.

The Spesh Romin is really comfy and the Toupe is even better, so my buttocks tell me 😛

Charge knife.

for me Fizik Aliante.

if possible make use of loan saddles – quite a few shops and manufacturers do these in Fizik, Selle Italia and Specialized..

normally able to keep/try for a week.

i’ve got two spesh toupes in different sizes and i can’t tell the difference. i think 130 and 145.

I’ve found the on-one big nose saddle very comfortable on my road bike

Arses for courses, I find my razor-esque Spesh Toupe very comfy once you get used to the lack of padding, whereas i love my WTB Pure v SLT on the mountain bike. Very different saddles!

I use a the SDG Bellair on my MTB too. Damm nice saddle, why not use one on your road bike as well. There is nothing to say that you can’t. If its comftable that’s what I would do. I did for a long while and it was great but bought a Sella Italia C2 Gel when I started using the MTB again and now I wish I had just got another Bel air. I will not bother buying other saddles now as everything else is simply to uncomfortable in comparrision.

Why change what works?

i have a toupe on mine, tbh if the width is right, it’s more about your shorts and getting used to it than any magical comfort shape.

or maybe i’ve just not found the right shape.

either way i think i’ve molded myself to this one now, so no bother. (seriously though, i did have problems til i got some nice assos bib shorts, now no longer an issue)

Shorts are the subject for another day! I do need some new bibs anyway as my others are coming undone around the pad. Be prepared for a ‘what shorts for 145 miles’ thread!

Anyway, standard answer; it depends. Get to a Spesh or Trek dealer and sit on their arseometer then pick a saddle according to how far apart your sit bones are and if you’re lucky it’ll be right first time.

I did that, and the saddle I bought as a result was by far the most uncomfortable it has ever been my misfortune to use.

I’ve an older Spesh Toupe (without the big cut out) that I like but am going to try the newer one or a Romin.

They’ve never changed the shape of the saddle, just the plastic bits, although the Pro is slightly different 😕

I run Toupes on both my road bikes and find them excellent. The Romin is a little more padded, but pretty firm.

bought this as it looked comfy – only sat on it on my rollers so far but bloody hell its not too comfy – hope it gets better!http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/SASMREVP/san_marco_rever_profil_saddle

I also bought a sella italia slr ( for my cx) and its nice (very light too)

Selle italia turbo for me,I know it’s old skool but it works.
Armstrong and a lot of trackies use it still so can’t be wrong.

although the Pro is slightly different

maybe it was the pro I was looking at, I had just had a quick squint at the website and thought it looked different to mine.

It’s the bigger cut out I’m interested in trying so will maybe give the Romin a shot when I get a replacement winter/touring frame sorted out.

I did that, and the saddle I bought as a result was by far the most uncomfortable it has ever been my misfortune to use.

That’s why I said

and if you’re lucky

I use a the SDG Bellair on my MTB too. Damm nice saddle, why not use one on your road bike as well

I have a mtb saddle (that works for me off road) on my commuter and it really needs changed. The shape doesn’t seem to work on road bikes for me it may for you…

only sat on it on my rollers so far but bloody hell its not too comfy

might be ok when you get outside.

Edited to fix the teh’s

So the OP could take his Bell air and try it on his road bike it may work for him or not. If it does then problem solved.

Fizik Arione’s seem to be well liked by a fair few folk…

I run Bel Air’s too and when speccing a saddle for the roadie I was pointed towards The Fizik Aliante. They were correct. With my anotomy. it was comfy from the off and has been superb.

I may have made a mistake trading ‘up’ to an Arione as it is a completely different shape/style. My arse will tell me after the first ride this weekend…

+1 fizik Aliante run one on road bike, love it so much got one for mtb just cant afford another for the other mtb , old road bike has the most comfy brooks B17 but too old skool for cool, the more opinions you get the more confusing it all becomes , try for your self, no help at all eh ?

maybe it was the pro I was looking at, I had just had a quick squint at the website and thought it looked different to mine.

It’s the bigger cut out I’m interested in trying so will maybe give the Romin a shot when I get a replacement winter/touring frame sorted out.

You’d be hard pushed to tell from the web photos to be honest, guess it’s just the different cover that makes it look different. The Romin is firmer IMO, less give in the shell, more rounded, and a wider, flatter nose. Decent shops should have a demo saddle – save an expensive mistake.

I know it’s dull – but I have the same (but different colour) on my road bike and mtb – Charge Spoon.

They’re all nice. I used to just ride one type, but now I have a Flite old style, a flite new style, an SLR and even a brooks Swift on my bikes.
I find it’s the shorts that make the difference.