Yelsel
08-19-2009, 12:50 PM
Background: I am most interested in long-distance riding, both centuries/+ and touring. I just bought a road bike is a 53 cm 1998 Bianchi Eros 8-speed triple (the last year of Italian lugged steel frames). I'm 66.5" / 169 cm; 160 lb / 73 kg; inseam 31.5" / 80 cm.
I've been riding for about a year - bike commuting last year (only 15 mi round-trip, on a 'cross based bike), starting base building on a trainer in the fall, then was sidelined from January to mid-May due to a stress fracture from treadmill running. Right now I am mostly building up endurance on longer rides (aka having fun tooling around outdoors). I do have flexible hip flexors, so I don't have a problem with forward lean comfort. My seat bones are broken in enough to like harder saddles.
A couple questions: should I get a professional bike fitting ($125) before trying out saddles? (Based on the Andy Pruitt system) - or at least a professional seat height / setback fitting ($50)?
How do you go about comparing the saddles? Obviously there is not enough time and money to try all of them at once... do I stop when I have something reasonably comfortable, or still return and try everything?
(And something that sounds stupid or at least odd - I'm mostly doing 45 mi rides on the weekend -- will I even be able to recognize a saddle that will work at even longer distances?)
Which saddles should I be trying?
So far I have tried:
* Bontrager Inform, 150 mm (measured system) -- returning due to chafing, not easy to find right fore/aft position (fit instructions say it might need to be moved forward as much as 1 cm due to different seating - the bike shop is supposed to help with this, but won't).
Planning to try:
* Selle San Marco Apside Glamor (2007 model), 155 mm (one width), 235 weight/clothing size (should probably be a 245, but I've only found 225 and 235) -- I just put this on my bike.
* Specialized Jet and/or Ruby, 143 mm (measured system) -- both on sale so I will purchase one soon.
* Selle SMP Pro, 148 mm (is there any difference between the "ladies" and men's? they are both the same width... the men's come in colors.) -- the "trial" from the manufacturer appears to be sitting on different saddles, so I would need to find a seller with a trial policy.
* Terry? very little info on the forums, and they appear to be more padded. I'd try either the Firefly (140 mm) or the Falcon X (152 mm). I bought a Damselfly for cheap off of Craigslist and like the overall feel... unfortunately it is too narrow (130 mm).
* Brooks -- need to find seller with a trial period
* Selle An-Atomica -- doesn't really have a trial period.
Should I give any a definite miss, or am I missing any good ones to try? Are these aimed too much at "performance" vs. long distance riding?
Sorry it is so long...
I've been riding for about a year - bike commuting last year (only 15 mi round-trip, on a 'cross based bike), starting base building on a trainer in the fall, then was sidelined from January to mid-May due to a stress fracture from treadmill running. Right now I am mostly building up endurance on longer rides (aka having fun tooling around outdoors). I do have flexible hip flexors, so I don't have a problem with forward lean comfort. My seat bones are broken in enough to like harder saddles.
A couple questions: should I get a professional bike fitting ($125) before trying out saddles? (Based on the Andy Pruitt system) - or at least a professional seat height / setback fitting ($50)?
How do you go about comparing the saddles? Obviously there is not enough time and money to try all of them at once... do I stop when I have something reasonably comfortable, or still return and try everything?
(And something that sounds stupid or at least odd - I'm mostly doing 45 mi rides on the weekend -- will I even be able to recognize a saddle that will work at even longer distances?)
Which saddles should I be trying?
So far I have tried:
* Bontrager Inform, 150 mm (measured system) -- returning due to chafing, not easy to find right fore/aft position (fit instructions say it might need to be moved forward as much as 1 cm due to different seating - the bike shop is supposed to help with this, but won't).
Planning to try:
* Selle San Marco Apside Glamor (2007 model), 155 mm (one width), 235 weight/clothing size (should probably be a 245, but I've only found 225 and 235) -- I just put this on my bike.
* Specialized Jet and/or Ruby, 143 mm (measured system) -- both on sale so I will purchase one soon.
* Selle SMP Pro, 148 mm (is there any difference between the "ladies" and men's? they are both the same width... the men's come in colors.) -- the "trial" from the manufacturer appears to be sitting on different saddles, so I would need to find a seller with a trial policy.
* Terry? very little info on the forums, and they appear to be more padded. I'd try either the Firefly (140 mm) or the Falcon X (152 mm). I bought a Damselfly for cheap off of Craigslist and like the overall feel... unfortunately it is too narrow (130 mm).
* Brooks -- need to find seller with a trial period
* Selle An-Atomica -- doesn't really have a trial period.
Should I give any a definite miss, or am I missing any good ones to try? Are these aimed too much at "performance" vs. long distance riding?
Sorry it is so long...