Selle San Marco Aspide Glamour??

[oph4887]

Has anyone tried this saddle yet. Bicycle magazine had a great write up on it. I've been through several saddles now. Major chafing issues going on and I need one that is slender enough where my inner thigs hit the saddles.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
RAGBRAI bound!:)

[Fitmiss]

I purchased the Selle San Marco Aspide Glamour because of the article. I've been looking for a new saddle that is narrower and less cushy than my current Bontrager saddle.

Perhaps I should have given it more of a chance but, personally I just didn't like it. My gut and butt told me it just wasn't quite right. I've heard that lots of women like it. My friend tried it as well and liked it for the first 10 miles.

We both sent our saddles back to Performance so we are both back to the drawing board.....

[rustygrass]

Ooo oo! oph4887 beat me to it! I was *just* about to pose this exact question! I'm on the rebound from my Selle SMP Strike, which had the wide-nose/chafing issue.

-michelle

[rustygrass]

OK, I just sucked it up and ordered the Glamour Arrowhead (the cutout version of the saddle) from World Cycling Productions. Hopefully will arrive sometime next week. I will keep ya'll posted!

[fasteryet]

I've got about 500 miles on the Glamour this spring, on a new bike. I like it for about 40 miles, after that there is not enough padding for the 'sit bones', no matter which shorts I wear. I used to always have problems more towards the front, and it works well for that.
I can't seem to get it just right either. I had a Koobi Si that I put about 1500 miles on, and it got too soft. I have a Terry Falcon on my other bike, and that's good for about 50 miles, then it bothers me a little all over.
Maybe I should not ride more than 50 at a time.

[Mafalda]

I have tried this saddle...I love the wider seating area (it's comfortable when you sit back); however the inner thigh chafing is an issue. I have been using the Terry Damselfly which is narrow enough to avoid the chafing and I am going back to it. I tried the SSM Aspide Glamour because of the "Bicycling" review and because I was going for a lighter saddle. The chafing is sending me back to the Damselfly. I hope this helps :(

[Mimosa]

I'm going to buy a new roadbike soon, so again I am faced with the dilemma of 'the saddle'.

Last bike had the SSM Era K but lately I am having to much chaffing problems with that on my inner thighs and my sit bones start to hurt after 50 miles or so.

So I am looking into another saddle, I want to keep it with SSM since the quality of the product is (tmho) great. After looking through the SSM catalogue I am faced with the choice between the Aspide Glamour Race Gel and the Atola Gelaround. The first is much more racing looking then the last one, and I am going to be riding the elite womens races next year. And the second one looks comfortable to the tender parts (so I gather since I have never used a saddle with an opening)

I don't want a too soft saddle but rockhard is neither a good option (that hurts, I know now). I dont have wide sit bones so the saddle doesn't need to be wide (that's why my first option was the era k).

I saw this posting when looking for reviews on the internet and I just wanted to know if you girls (the ones that purchased one of these saddles) have had major problems/preferences.

[Trekhawk]

I'm going to buy a new roadbike soon, so again I am faced with the dilemma of 'the saddle'.

Last bike had the SSM Era K but lately I am having to much chaffing problems with that on my inner thighs and my sit bones start to hurt after 50 miles or so.

So I am looking into another saddle, I want to keep it with SSM since the quality of the product is (tmho) great. After looking through the SSM catalogue I am faced with the choice between the Aspide Glamour Race Gel and the Atola Gelaround. The first is much more racing looking then the last one, and I am going to be riding the elite womens races next year. And the second one looks comfortable to the tender parts (so I gather since I have never used a saddle with an opening)

I don't want a too soft saddle but rockhard is neither a good option (that hurts, I know now). I dont have wide sit bones so the saddle doesn't need to be wide (that's why my first option was the era k).

I saw this posting when looking for reviews on the internet and I just wanted to know if you girls (the ones that purchased one of these saddles) have had major problems/preferences.

Hi
I have tried both of these saddles and Im sticking with the Atola it works the best for me. I used the Aspide Glamour Gel for one ride and found it too wide at the back for me otherwise it was a comfy saddle. I have the Aspide posted for sale here if you decide to go that way.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=10328

Good luck with the saddle hunt

[emily_in_nc]

I have the Atola Gelaround. I think you'll find it looks very "racy" as it is quite narrow and not deep. It's definitely the most sleek saddle I've ever owned. It is a little on the hard side, but once my sitbones adjusted, I find it quite comfy, and it doesn't chafe me in back like my wider Terry Butterfly used to. Its narrow width is obviously only good if you have narrow sitbones. The cutout is very, very comfy. I never sense a bit of pressure or rubbing on my girlybits.

I suggest doing a search in these forums on Atola and Aspide Glamour as these have been discussed before, so you might find a bit more information.

Good luck!

Emily

[Mimosa]

Hey thanks. That's the information I was looking for. I'll start of with atola :D

[bluerider]

I currently ride the Aspide Glamour and it has been very good to me. I don't find the rear too wide even though I have small hips. I rode over 250km this past weekend with one ride covering 100km. No issues whatsover except a little bit of saddle sore which I attribute more to the distance than the saddle!

The saddle is firm but comfortable and I feel like I can generate more power from the saddle, if that makes any sense? The only other saddles I have ridden is a stock Bontrager and a Selle Italia Lady Gel Flow. If you like a firm saddle that has "racey" appeal, this is a great saddle. And as an ex-fan of cutouts, I love the narrow nose!!!

[Mimosa]

And as an ex-fan of cutouts, I love the narrow nose!!!
If I may ask, why ex-fan of cutouts. :confused:

I think a bit of saddle sore is not that bad, atleast you know you had good contact with the bike :D

Even though I said I would start with the Atola, I am doubting again. Because of the fact that I never rode a cut-out saddle, neither do I see them being used by women pro teams (look at this pic (http://www.verakoedooder.nl/Media/Fotoboek/GroteFoto/20060416215808.jpg) of saddles used by the buitenpoort-flexpoint team) and I also read this article (http://www.shecycles.com/news/article/mps/UAN/812/v/1/sp/). Up till now I only used 2 saddles, for years I used the good old Rolls (http://www.wiggle.co.uk/images/ssm%20rolls.jpg) and since the end of 2005 and this year I tried the SSM Era K (http://www.sellesanmarco.com/products/era_k.asp). The saddle is oke, but I want to try out a more women specific saddle for the new bike I am going to buy. Just to see if I can reach a more comfortable position :rolleyes:.

Like I said before I really like the brand SSM and their design, so I want to try their womens saddle first.

[emily_in_nc]

Is that team bike photo a women's team? I was surprised how long the saddles look, if so. They look like men's racing saddles to me, but maybe that is what women's pro teams use as well. I guess for a racer having the ultimate lightweight, "cool" saddle is paramount, but for me, comfort is #1.

Good luck!

Emily

[Mimosa]

Is that team bike photo a women's team?
Yes, the Buitenpoort-Flexpoint women's team (see here (http://amberneben.com/home/), here (http://www.buitenpoort-flexpoint-team.nl/index_bfl.htm) and here (http://www.stevens-racing.de/buitenpoort/team_news/2006/team_news_2006.html) ) a dutch trade team doing the UCI Womens' Road World Cup (http://www.uci.ch/modello.asp?1stLevelID=AB&level1=0&level2=0&idnews=3926)

[bluerider]

If I may ask, why ex-fan of cutouts. :confused:

I think a bit of saddle sore is not that bad, atleast you know you had good contact with the bike :D

Even though I said I would start with the Atola, I am doubting again. Because of the fact that I never rode a cut-out saddle, neither do I see them being used by women pro teams (look at this pic (http://www.verakoedooder.nl/Media/Fotoboek/GroteFoto/20060416215808.jpg) of saddles used by the buitenpoort-flexpoint team) and I also read this article (http://www.shecycles.com/news/article/mps/UAN/812/v/1/sp/). Up till now I only used 2 saddles, for years I used the good old Rolls (http://www.wiggle.co.uk/images/ssm%20rolls.jpg) and since the end of 2005 and this year I tried the SSM Era K (http://www.sellesanmarco.com/products/era_k.asp). The saddle is oke, but I want to try out a more women specific saddle for the new bike I am going to buy. Just to see if I can reach a more comfortable position :rolleyes:.

Like I said before I really like the brand SSM and their design, so I want to try their womens saddle first.

The cutouts are designed to relieve pressure but I felt they actually greatly more friction than a full saddle. Plus the Selle Italia was way too padded for my liking. I love the Aspide Glamour. It's fantastic for both racing and long rides. And although it is very nice to look at it, if you have setup the saddle properly it is very comfortable as well.

The saddle sores were from a 4 hour ride so yup good contact with the bike for sure! :D

[bluerider]

The saddle looks like this now...

Very sleek!

http://www.sellesanmarco.com/collezione_2006/zoom_530m001_l.jpg

http://www.sellesanmarco.com/collezione_2006/zoom_530m001_s.jpg

[Mimosa]

When I first saw it I had to check again if it really was a womens saddle. To me it looks like it is shouting 'Race me!' :D

But only time will tell if me bum also feels the same :p

Just as a side step; when I started cycling again two years ago, I never would have thought how much the cycling material market had grown in the ten years that I didn't participate in it. All those new brands and even more types of materials and shapes to choose from. It was such a culture shock that I grabbed for the things that I did know and now my current bike is a mixture of materials and brands that I knew from way back the old days. And I have been spending this year looking into all the new stuff to find out what was good or bad, which things I did or didn't like or just about the why's of some stuff that is on the market. Like for instance the choice of saddle, wheels or the material of the bicycleframe. It took me a lot of reading into reviews, forum postings etc before I started to believe that there are good carbon frames out there and that it might even be nice to ride on ... and yes, my next frame will probably be made from carbon (big step for me).

[Mimosa]

By the way, I got the SSM 2007 catalogue on a bikeshow last friday.

The Atola Gelaround stays
The Aspide Glamour stays (but now in a black, white or pink version!)
The Aspide Glamour Gel is no longer in the catalogue

However there are additional types of womens sadles based on the aspide glamour:

New: Aspide Glamour FX (I guess the replacement for the racegel)
New: Aspide Glamour Triathgel (thriathlon specific)
New: Aspide Glamour Arrowhead Gelaround (cutout saddle based on the aspide glamour)
New: Aspide Glamour K Arrowhead Gelaround (cutout saddle based on the aspide glamour but smaller then the above)

The last 2 look very cool, if cutouts work for you.

[Mimosa]

Well I made a deal with trekhawk for the glamour racegel saddle (thanks again trekhawk) and it's now on my bike for a week.

This weekend I drove about 160km (in total) on it and I like it so far. It's really different from my previous SSM Era K. The saddle keeps me firm into position and my hips are more supported/stable. I think I can get an even beter result if I move the saddle some but that I will try out in time.
As bluerider already mentioned, the saddle is firm (not much padding) so you are bound to get some saddle sores after a long time in the saddle. But when you get off the bike the sorenes is gone instantly.

And it is even more beautifull in real-life then on the pixies. It's a shame that ssm will no longer make them :(

[Sedona]

Well, after about four or five years of using the Aspide Glamour, I need another saddle.

I loved the it, and got a lot of great road miles out of it. If anybody has liked this one, could you recommend another one out there that you like? For me, the padding was great, and my sit bones lined up perfectly with the Aspide. I might just get another one, but breaking the saddle rails sure doesn't help a girls' confidence out. :o

Thanks for any suggestions you have!

[ny biker]

Well, after about four or five years of using the Aspide Glamour, I need another saddle.

I loved the it, and got a lot of great road miles out of it. If anybody has liked this one, could you recommend another one out there that you like? For me, the padding was great, and my sit bones lined up perfectly with the Aspide. I might just get another one, but breaking the saddle rails sure doesn't help a girls' confidence out. :o

Thanks for any suggestions you have!

I have an Aspide Glamour that was not comfortable for me. Used once. If you want to buy it, PM me.

If not, the widest Bontrager Affinity WSD is almost exactly the same size and shape as the Aspide Glamour. The RXL version is probably closest to in it terms of padding (the RL and R are more padded).

[kermit]

I just sold both of mine on ebay, +1 on the Affinity, I sold my SSM because of a little too much crotch pressure. The affinity is almost exact except for a little more dent. There is also a money back guarantee from Bontrager.

[nscrbug]

Can anyone provide ACTUAL measurements of the Glamour Aspide Arrowhead? I've been looking online - eBay, and other assorted sites, and have been seeing conflicting numbers. I've seen everything from 145 - 155mm. So which is it, exactly? And if anyone knows...what is the difference between the Aspide Arrowhead and Aspide Arrowhead K? Thanks!

Linda

[zoom-zoom]

Crap...I hope the one I won off of eBay really is 155! :eek:

[Dulcineigha]

Does anybody have sitbones ~150mm and ride a Glamour Aspide? The Arrowhead version? I'm having a LOT of trouble finding a saddle wide enough that isn't padded like a BarcaLounger. I'm way out in the back 40, and the LBS's (while great people) have a very narrow selection, especially in the "I'm dead serious, and yes, I'm a woman" department. I don't think the Specialized Dolce or the Bontrager Nebula are going to work (too padded). I'm doing 80-100mi rides on weekends, and 30+mi rides during the week.

[kermit]

I have ridden one in the past and measure 150. I actually liked it a lot and just ordered another one from bicycle buys.com. I too am in the boonies and have to rely on mail order. It is not that padded but is very comfy when seated, the seat flexes and supports well. Hope that helps.

[nscrbug]

For anyone looking for one, there is one for sale here on this forum in the "For Sale" section.

[ny biker]

It's 155 mm wide, so it should work if you are 150 from outer edge to outer edge. If you're 150 from center to center, then it would be too narrow.

You might also want to look at Brooks. The B17 could work for you, in terms of width.

[SarahMN]

I am having trouble finding a T-shaped saddle for my 130mm sit bones. The SI Turbomatica was T-shaped enough though too narrow for me. The SSM Aspide Glamour Arrowhead on the first ride was T-shaped enough though I had quite a bit of pressure up front. On the second ride I brought the nose down a bit and up front felt better though on the right side where my butt and leg meet, that crease, the edge of the saddle has rubbed quite a bit. The second ride was longer though I could tell there was a problem 15 miles into the ride. I am puzzled that bringing the nose down just a few degrees would cause such a difference with the comfort at the back of my leg. I am considering either bringing the nose up a bit or moving the saddle back just a bit. Any ideas would be appreciated.