Have been on a bit of a journey with saddles on the gravel and road bikes over the last few months, probably just because I like fiddling and trying new things and keep seeing new saddles that I like the look of!
Anyway, long a short of it is I actually think I'm better off with a bit of padding and no cut-out, certainly for the gravel bike and day-to-day road bike which means ironically I've returned to the good ol' faithful Charge Spoon. Shape isn't too dramatic and is quite soft.
Am confused about the cut-outs, I love what they do for my riding and lower back, just can't tell if it's the cut-outs causing localised pressure sores, or the general lack of padding on the cut-out saddles (Fabric Line or Bontrager Aeolus, not exactly race light or hard!).
Standard recommendations for long distance road saddles seem to be
Fizik Aliante - padded, seems popular, quite aggressive wave profile from front to back though, I'm still not sure if that's a good or a bad thing! Is it supposed to allow you to scootch backwards 'up' the tail to relieve pressure on perineum?
ISM - always intrigued in these, almost demoed one but thought I'd found something better. Am just wary of any sort of cut-out design now as I feel it sort of localises pressure a bit?
SMP - ditto, seem well regarded but cut-outs
Fabric - the Scoop Race Shallow I have on my CX bike doesn't seem as comfortable as the Spoon on my road bike, am guessing it's a little bit harder.
Cambium - hard to resist the reviews, but hard to get over weight and looks.
Prologo Scratch AGX - I like the Prologo on my turbo bike but it doesn't feel very well padded, suspect it would be less comfortable over distance. The AGX boasts more padding though, just don't imagine there are many out there unless it comes OEM on something.
Anyone else gravitated towards more padding as they start to increase mileage?
Ta
Specialized Avatar Gel?
Yes, it has a cut-out, but it's basically the same shape and size as the Spoon so might be a good fit.
I’ve hated a few saddles on my road bike over the years and gone back to mtb saddles. I’ve settled this year on a fabric scoop radius elite gel - it’s not outrageously heavy or outrageously expensive if you find it in a sale. Now got them on both mountain bikes and the road bike and it’s the best compromise I’ve found so far. It’s quite short compared to say the Arione or some other scoops - but reasonably wide.
Such a personal fit thing though saddles.
Can't believe I'm the first person to get to tell you to look at your shorts rather than your saddle? Saddles should be shaped, not padded.
It's a fair shout but my shorts are as good as they are going to get, a mixture of mid to high end Endura, Castelli, Rapha, Morvelo and most recently Bioracer (who make shorts for a few national teams).
With the exception of the Rapha pad which chafes after an hour or two, the shorts are all much of a muchness in comfort.
Saddles should be shaped, not padded.
Several manufacturers would appear to disagree considering the different levels of padding on offer, but perhaps it's 'flex' rather than padding that makes the difference.
Edit: Thanks Scotroutes and JoeB, the Fabric Gel only comes in 155mm which would be too wide. Will have a look at the Avatar but for being methodical's sake I might try and avoid another cut-out saddle for now.
I find the Cambium very comfortable (up to 400km without massive discomfort) but I also get on well with the Fabric Line (up to 200km or so) so I guess we have different shapes down there.
Oh, should have added - the 143mm Avatar is the closest to the Spoon.
I also get on well with the Fabric Line
So did I, think I did a 7hr gravel ride on it quite happily. Same with the Aeolus to be honest.
I'm beginning to wonder if I've caused a wee cyst or two down there due to too much time sitting in aggressive positions on cut-out saddles, irritation might not have been obvious at the time but 'cummulative'. Will spare details, whatever it is isn't really 'obvious' until you sit on the wrong saddle, then there are two spots which are uncomfortable. The Spoon is the only saddle where this can't easily be replicated.
Have just read the credit card thread which has given me a wee pause for thought, perhaps I'll just carry on with the Spoon for now and resist any more expensive experiments...
Oh, should have added – the 143mm Avatar is the closest to the Spoon.
There we disagree: I had an Avatar for a LEJOG and was in some serious pain before I replaced it en route.
I’ll just carry on with the Spoon for now and resist any more expensive experiments…
The Spoon's ok but the Line's a better saddle for long distances IMO.
the Fabric Gel only comes in 155mm which would be too wide
Maybe I’ve got a fat arse!
I find the Cambium very comfortable
Same here and I agree the padding goes in your shorts.
Try one of the newer short-nose saddle designs? I'm of the view that a saddle is for support and the shorts for comfort. There was also some medical research that showed that squidgy saddles exacerbated soft tissue inflammation rather than improve it. I tried a gel saddle once - it was purgatory.
Try one of the newer short-nose saddle designs?
Like the Bontrager Aeolus the OP mentioned in his first post as not working for him?
(although this is the most comfortable saddle I've ever used and would recommend anyone giving them a try!)
I'm still sold on a sprung brooks flyer.
130 miles on road in one day and a fine bum. Two full days on the south downs way on a hardtail and a fine bum.
I have a b17 and that took a torrential downpour to break in. It was horrible until that point.
The flyer is the same shape, but didn't seem to need breaking in.
I also had a couple of the aged saddles. Same shape as the other two, but absolutely horrible. The sprung one had laces and that was super uncomfortable.
Its heavy.
Some might say ugly.
It takes the pain out of long rides. Well the bum pain, my legs still hurt!
Very happy cambium owner here but I CBA saving weight on the bike it's on or searching for anything better/lighter
I’ve hated a few saddles on my road bike over the years and gone back to mtb saddles.
Ditto, my posh carbon ego chariot has a ~15 year old WTB speed V fitted, neither light nor aesthetically pleasing but definitely the comfiest saddle the bike has ever had so it's staying.
The gravel bike has a charge spoon that was on special due to its gopping colour scheme, but it both suits the bike and my arse better than the previous two saddles...
Wider with a bit of a channel and some padding happens to work with my particular physiology.
Selle SMP TRK has a pretty big cutout and is padded fairly generously. Pretty cheap too.
I don't often do long road distances but the cambium was a revelation to me in a way that's just different to all the other saddles I've tried before or since. I've had one or two saddles I've hated and lots I've been fine with too but this one is just in a different league for me. Personal, of course, but it's worth a try if you haven't before.
BTW On Cambiums, I think the size is more than just size. I have had C17s and a C15. I hated the C15 which, although I'm sure it also didn't fit, I just don't think had anything like the give of the C17s, which I think is what I like about them.
Stating the obvious, but also body position. I have really liked a charge spoon on one bike and hated the same saddle on another no matter angle or fore/aft position. Perhaps an illustration that whole body shape/position/whatever can change what you need from a saddle.
Madison Flux. I've owned a load of saddles and this is far and away the most comfortable I have found. And it's £21 !!!
WTB carve wooden blocks as prototypes to perfect their saddle shape. Doesn't matter how well / firmly padded a saddle is, if it ain't the right shape, it will hurt. Squidgy padding just compresses nerves and restricts blood flow. I've got a box full of synthetic, padded saddles in the loft. The road bike has a Gilles Berthoud Aravis and the Gravel bike a Brooks B17 Narrow. Both are as hard as wood until they warm up. Have ridden 12 hour days on the Aravis with zero discomfort. Honestly, forget padding, shape and position are everything.
I had a selle italia saddle on a used bike Gel Flow I think, quite padded. Super comfy when sat on but not after a couple of hours, removed it for a Planet X Fizik Arione copy, less immediatate comfort from less padding but better after a few hours.
Have a Spesh Power Arc on gravel bike its ace, but not much padding. So maybe the op could try the gel flow, doesnt work for me but might for him.
Thanks folķs, lots to think about.
Have been completely on board with the minimal padding school of thought for a while now, I briefly flirted with some Selle Italia Flite saddles on the road bikes which were perfect initially but ultimately I think too narrow (although I've since found out that the pain in a bollock that I was suffering might just have been from a tight hip flexor, d'oh!).
I more and more think I've just given myself a wee pressure sore of sorts from sitting too far forward on aggressively cut out saddles and maybe it just still needs to heal. I just can't resist my usual instinct to try and fix it by buying another saddle!