Selle An-Atomica?

[Catrin]

LBS has suggested that I consider a saddle from Selle An-Atomica rather than a Brooks - apparently they are even more comfy - though still leather. There is a production video (though not very clear) on this page: http://www.selleanatomica.com/Product%20Info.htm

My LBS has a touring bike on the floor right now with one of these saddles, I will head over for a "test sit" over the next couple of days to see what they actually feel like.

Has anyone tried one of their saddles?

[Biciclista]

a lot of people here have them. A complaint is they have one width fits all. If your sit bones are too far apart, this saddle won't do you right either. My husband has one on each of his bikes and he loves them. Lots of TE ladies have them and love them too.
They are not as nicely made as a Brooks and do not have 100 years of experience backing them up, but chances are you'll love it.

[SadieKate]

Here you go.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/search.php?searchid=2808795

[MartianDestiny]

Well this got me curious and I checked out their website. You'd think they'd make sure that the image on their homepage utilized their saddles (it's quite obvious that they are not).

Other than that amusing blurb I have no useful info. Sorry.

[redrhodie]

You're very lucky to be able to test ride one. I have them on both my bikes and love them.

[Biciclista]

Well this got me curious and I checked out their website. You'd think they'd make sure that the image on their homepage utilized their saddles (it's quite obvious that they are not).

Other than that amusing blurb I have no useful info. Sorry.

yeah, that looks like a black one. you are seeing the rails underneath. made me look!

[redrhodie]

Well this got me curious and I checked out their website. You'd think they'd make sure that the image on their homepage utilized their saddles (it's quite obvious that they are not).

Other than that amusing blurb I have no useful info. Sorry.

I'm also not seeing one of their saddles on their home page. I see a white saddle with no rivets, and a separation in the back. I even zoomed the image to 200%. I feel like I'm looking for Waldo. :o

[KnottedYet]

I'm also not seeing one of their saddles on their home page. I see a white saddle with no rivets, and a separation in the back. I even zoomed the image to 200%. I feel like I'm looking for Waldo. :o

Looks like a Fizik saddle to me.

[zoom-zoom]

OMG, they have an orange (tangerine) ostrich saddle...that is SO friggin' cool and would look hot on my bike. Uhh...but not for $300! :eek:

[Catrin]

I am going to check it out tomorrow afternoon. Apparently Cannondale and a couple of other companies put these on their top touring bikes - so they have one on the floor for me to check out.

My LBS gives a deep discount for all components when doing a custom build like this - so while I won't be getting the $300 Ostrich leather version, I won't be paying retail for either Brooks or this one - there are no other choices :)

My sit bones are 11...I assuming that this does not mean 11 inches as I don't think they are that far apart so it is probably centimeters- I've been told by my fitter/builder that I would take a Brooks B-17 Womens. I have the sheet with my measurements from my fitting, but it doesn't say what units some of the measurements are in :cool:

[MartianDestiny]

yeah, that looks like a black one. you are seeing the rails underneath. made me look!

Here's the picture I'm referring to.
http://www.selleanatomica.com/images/2009%20EU%20July%20057.jpg

The saddle in the foreground is white, the split goes all the way back, and it looks like what you may call a "standard racing saddle" type build. You can see the darker rails and saddle bag under it. Fizik is probably a good guess.

[Biciclista]

i stand corrected.

[Catrin]

Why would they show pictures of saddles that weren't their own? Interesting. I am going to "test sit" this afternoon, so time will tell. Am only considering a Brooks and this saddle.

[KnottedYet]

Did your fitter use a "butt-o-meter?" How did he measure your sitbones? (I'm assuming the "11" he wrote down is cm)

One thing to be aware of with the (Women's B17) Brooks B17-S ("s" stands for short) is that the nose is much shorter than regular saddles so a woman's skirt won't get caught in it. People who like to control the bike with their thighs find it irritating to lose the nose.

I've ridden on my Brooks B67 (regular) in skirts without a problem. I rode a "S" (I can't remember which of the many Brooks models it was) once and felt like I was gonna crash because I couldn't control the bike with my thighs. Ask your fitter if he can work with Wallingford's 6 month saddle trial period or if he has loaner saddles you can try. www.wallbike.com Finding the right saddle can be an expensive undertaking, and with you just entering the wild world of saddlery, it'd be nice if you could try a few.

[Catrin]

Did your fitter use a "butt-o-meter?" How did he measure your sitbones? (I'm assuming the "11" he wrote down is cm)

He had me sit on this gel thing in a particular position - probably the "butt-o-meter" :p I was in cycling shorts at the time, but he just had me sit there for awhile and when I got up we could both see the indentations. My stock Trek 7.6 WSD saddle has been fine - but let's face it - I haven't been able to put a lot of miles on it yet at a given time :)

Thanks for the Brooks info - regardless what I decide for the Surly, if my Trek's saddle starts giving trouble once I can increase my time/mileage on her than I will likely change to Brooks. I will ask him about the Wallingford...

[KnottedYet]

I will ask him about the Wallingford...

Wallingford Bicycle Parts is a store that used to be in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle, and moved to New Orleans. They specialize in Brooks saddles and are a great source of information about Brooks and fitting and care and all things Brooks-y.

Bill is really the heart and soul of Wallingford, though he's had a few employees wander through. I love talking to him because he's such a fount of information. I had a squeak in one of my Brooks saddle frames and he helped me fix it over the phone.

[divingbiker]

I found the nose of the Selle An-Atomica to be too long. My shorts kept catching on it every time I'd stop at a light or stop sign, which is often while commuting. It got so annoying that I returned it.

[Catrin]

As it turns out, Brooks has come back out withe thier old Imperial design saddle - which is also split. As this seems the best of both worlds I am going with Brooks. I did find the other saddle to be overly long and narrow - but it was on a bike much too large for me.