Saddle of choice for MTB?

Hi all. Used to be up on this type of thing but for the last few years I have just been using whatever saddle came with the bike I was using.

Anyway, I’m riding more often in lockdown and am finding the SDG Bel-Air 2 fitted to my Segment a bit uncomfortable so might look for a replacement.

Everyone used to recommend the Gobi or Spoon last time I looked but what are the go to options these days?

Standard response tends to be Charge Spoon which I endorse BUT everyone’s arses are different shapes. More difficult to try out than trying shoes or a lid on though I’ll grant you 😉

SDG Bel-Air was what I used to use. I’m now on Selle Italia Flites (original model) on all bikes, road or MTB as they fit my backside like a glove.

As above, its very personal, what works for some won’t work for others.

That said, I was really pleased with my Ergon SM Enduro, although I’ve only got to ride it a few times before lockdown, but one was a long all dater and it was excellent for that.

Big fan of Charge Spoons, but like boots, the best saddle is the one that fits your butt. Spoon is great in terms of longevity though, so if it works for you, it’s a solid option in a range of colours and designs without being too expensive.

Watching this with interest as I’ve got a Ergon SM Pro and I just can’t get on with it, I’m about 100 miles in and I still can’t get comfortable on it.

I still get on with the Gobi. When I recently broke the Gobi on my hardtail – the shell fractured – Fizik sent me a new one under warranty. I’ve also got a Fabric on my cross bike which is decent. Like a Spoon, but without the stitching.

The problem with saddle choice though, is the personal element.

Liked SDG for years, then had a Spoon that worked very well. Now on a pimpy Spesh Phenom. Same saddle on gnarmac and gnarpoon. They just seem fit my cheeks.

Fabric Scoop. Just choose the profile and materials that fit your arse and budget.

Always had Spoons and Knives previously. Switched to Scoop Radius and Scoop Shallow respectively.

I got through a number of saddles on road and MTB (left sitbone is lower than right so lots of discomfort) and finally bit the bullet and bought an Infinity E2 for my road bike. Problem solved. So I then got an Infinity EX1 for MTB and it is soooooo comfortable. No more padded shorts or butt-hole cream needed – just a pair of Dobbies on MTB or triathlon shorts on road bike. Good for all day rides. Very expensive but not so much compared to constantly looking for the right saddle.

I used to have an SDG Bel Air, with pimpy cow print on the saddle. The rails broke so got a charge spoon. Found them pretty similar in terms of colour.

So what I’m trying to say is that if you don’t like the SDG then a spoon may not be for you.

Kept hearing about Fabric saddles and then spotted a Scoop Radius Elite at sale for 20€ and decided to give it a try. This was 2 years ago.

Turns out the thing is resilient and comfortable to the point of being boring. Best saddle ever for me.

Yes, saddles are a very personal thing, and yes, everyone’s arse’s different, but if you keep hearing praising a model chances are it might work for you as well. It’s at least a good indication to give it a try

I’m a spoon fan, and have on all my bikes, but agree with above it is arse dependent! Have heard good things about specialized ones with their body geometry

Cheers all.

I’ve had a Gobi (hateful thing) and Spoon (liked it) in the past so interesting to see things have not change much.

I always liked the Bel Air but this one is the Bel Air 2 and not the same.

Always got on very well with Bel Air RL and Gobi, didn’t get on with Spoon/Madison Flux but this Phenom Gel is working out well. Also breaking in a Brooks Professional which feels promising, even if the extra weight is undeniable

Phenom Gel is winning my arse over the mostest at the moment. Although it’s a few years old and Spesh always, always seem to update their BG saddle designs more regularly than anyone – so when time comes to replace/renew it…er, thnks Specialized it’s back to time/money- consuming saddle-trials or scouring ebay looking for NOS. Will I ever learn 🤪

Was a user of the original SDG Bel Air, tried the new one but found it horrible. Switched to Fabric saddles for a while but they were fine until I hit 2+ hours for some reason, now on an Ergon SM Comp and it’s lovely.

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Watching this with interest as I’ve got a Ergon SM Pro and I just can’t get on with it, I’m about 100 miles in and I still can’t get comfortable on it.

Let me know if you’re looking to offload that. I’m interested in giving an Ergon a go (either that one or the Enduro) instead of defaulting to a Fabric Scoop

Selle Italia SLR on all my bikes these days.

Hated the Spoon, had a Bel Air for ages which was fine.

I have an absolutely battered 135g version of the SLR on my MTB. But I’m out of the saddle enough for it not to be an issue. The ones on my road bikes have more padding.

I have used Spoon and Scoop for years, check your LBS as quite a few brands do demo saddles.

Another boring vote for the Fabric Scoop, got a shallow on my gravel bike which I’ll happily do hours in the saddle on, swapped it onto my old mtb when I did Afan W2 last summer.

A radius scoop is on the shopping list for my current mtb.

Another vote for fabric here.A Radius currently in transit like Paul above as i left mine on the hardtail i just gave to my son.He rates it too.

I was running Specialized Romin saddles for years on all my bikes then, for no obvious reason whatsoever, suddenly found them very uncomfortable. I’ve since moved on to Fabric Line saddles on all my bikes and find them to be very comfortable for either road or MTB; I need the cut-out to avoid the issue of numb nether regions. It’s also maybe worth considering what you wear when you’re on the bike as I’ve found that not all shorts/pads are compatible with all saddles.

SDG Bel-Air.

I’m looking for a new saddle, used a fabric scoop radius for few years but for some reason the last six months I’ve found them really uncomfortable. Bought a bergtec cloud seat and it was like sitting on the seat post clamp! So painful. Sdg bel air wasn’t right either. Thinking about Ergon sm or fabric line as I think the cut out will help with my numbing issues

Ergon SM pro has worked wonders for me. I have quite a, ahem, sensitive arse but I can ride all day with one of these. Have them on nearly all my bikes now.

Do Bel Air still creak like a rusty door in a breeze?

Another vote for Spesh Phenom, very comfortable right from the off.

(Spesh HQ, head of product development addresses marketing team)

‘Hey guys, guyzzzzz, uuh, and girls. Uhh, ‘guyses’? OK this is gunna be a BEYOND ULTIMATE MTB PERFORMANCE PERCH! Yaycetera. So we need something that says ‘beyond ultimate’. So, uuuh, so you’ve had a two week brainrain on this puppy? So what we got? (rubs hands)

‘Omenal’

(…)

‘Whut?’
‘Omenal Elite?’
‘Huh? Guyyyyz? Hahah, er, haha c’mon..’
‘Yeah, Omenal Pro Elaston Power. And the Omenal, er, Omenal, (looks through notes)…Omenal Comp. Or we can just go with just ‘Omenal’ and take it from there?
(Silence)
‘Not sure what you’re doing to me. Wait, does it reference the new perineal cutout model?’
‘Sure’
‘So, uuh, I, er, I have to guess it?
‘Oh yeah sorry boss, no. Uhhh, I’ll let Charles drop it. Charles?
(Charles, proudly): ‘The … ‘Omenal Orifiśe’

(…)

‘Guys, I need better.’

I like the spec toupe or the Romin.

I’m not sure it’s just the saddle thou , I think your bum just gets battle hardened tbh as I’ve used loads of other saddles and only really found one a crank brothers unbearable.

Probably worth having a go on an assometer to get the width of your sit bones thou.

Thanks all. I think it’s the flared side on the BA2 that causes the problem. I’ve replaced it with a old Flite so will see if that makes a difference.

Fabric Scoop Radius on both the road bike and mountain bike. Really impressed with how little I’m aware of them

My arse works well with a wtb volt in medium width

They have a fit calculator that says I’m halfway between medium & narrow width

i may have been out of the game for longer than you @chestrockwell, cos i seem to remember the saddles of choice when i was last looking were WTB rockets and their variations, ti rails etc.

i always got on with those if theyre still around?

WTB volt on my Bronson hasnt lasted too well, gonna grab an Ergon SM comp, give it a go.

Spoons invariably creek …
I have Fabric ( with a Nads channel down the middle ) – it creeks and is the most uncomfortable thing in the world …
I have a Ergonomic SM4 which is really good – but it bent very easily about a year ago. But it is still in use …

Spoons invariably creek …
I have Fabric ( with a Nads channel down the middle ) – it creeks and is the most uncomfortable thing in the world …

Several Fabric chairs here. All of them creak.

Think they’re comfortable though.

I’ve got on really well with the Spesh Henge which came stock on my Enduro, its got a couple of rips now and looks tatty, about to give the Spesh Phenom a try