New saddle time. My 7 year old Madison Flux has a big crack in it and I see this as a good opportunity to get something a bit nicer.
LBS is a Specialized dealer and is steering me towards the Phenom Expert for the riding that I do (tyres on the ground XC / Trail). I've sat on one in the shop and it feels pretty awesome.
The SDG Bel Air 3.0 seems to be the saddle du jour at the moment and I can get one with steel rails for around 50 quid cheaper than the Specialized which is very tempting.
STW opinions on either of these?
Try the spesh, they do a 60 day no quibble return if you dont get on with it.
I rode on Bel Airs for years on MTB and still have a few lying about, but now prefer Phenom.
I had a Toupe on the road and got on with the trampoline/ minimal padding. I'm relatively big at around 14st.
Then tried the Phenom for MTB and found it more comfortable for longer rides. Its similar to Toupe, not so much padding and relies more on the trampoline effect. I now have Phenoms on both MTB and road bikes.Got a few of the Elaston/ carbon railed models when smebody was selling off cheaply.
I've sat exclusively on the SDG Belair RL Ti rail for years and moved over to the mk 3 a couple of years ago.
I found the '3' a tad firmer, but sportier looking, but a little different. I have the mk 3 on my singlespeed where I don't sit down so much and have a newish original on my 2 other bikes.
Cant comment on the spesh, sorry.
Think I ride a Phenom on my gravel bike. Picked it up from a local Spesh store bargain bin for £20, ti rails and in the "Anza(?)" fabric materia (the one they stuck on their Sequoia a while back). Love it...would get another. Also has a groovy strap attachment for a tube, co2, levers etc.
honestly, impossible to answer. What suits my arse might be purgatory to yours, the only way to know is to try.
Try the spesh, they do a 60 day no quibble return if you dont get on with it.
I think you get it as a credit don't you, against a different (Spesh) saddle?