Anyone tried Selle SMP Strike Pro or TRK

[na555]

Hi everyone

I'm a timetriallist in the UK, suffering with continual "butt" pain in time trials, particulary on one side. Apparently it is bruising to the perineal bones !!!!
I use assos shorts and chamois cream - not much else I can do really.

I have tried most saddles and this morning having completed a 3 hr "very sore" ride with another non-descipt saddle I decided to get my last resort out of its box and try it. Anyway I did 30mins with the Selle SMP Strike Pro ( the expensive model) and was very impressed. So much so that I have just ordered another Strike TRK ( the cheap version) - mans model.

Has anyone actually tried these that can give me some feedback. I've never seen one in the UK except mine, and all my friends look pretty blank!

Any feedback welcome.

Theresa

[FreshNewbie]

Theresa! Sorry took so long for someone to respond to you. If you search favorite saddles threads you will see that there are number of posts about that saddle. I purchased woman's version of the saddle ( cheap), it's very comfortable but it is too wide for me, so I recently ordered men's version and today took it for a ride. Much better, sit bones actually are supported and thighs don't rub. So, now the woman's one will go on sale. I am yet to ride a century on it or anything longer than 50 miles but i am sure with right shorts, some body glide i will be good. As long as you are comfortable on your saddle thats all that matters

[rustygrass]

FreshNewbie- How much narrower in the nose is the $$$ version of the Strike compared to the cheap women's version? I have the women's version, and I LOVE the cutout, but the nose is just too wide (chafes the crease/bikini line area - not sure how to describe!). Unfortunately I discovered the chafing problem with the wideness on a 350 mile bike tour earlier this month. Forget saddle sores, crease chafage is the worst! :(

[FreshNewbie]

Hey, I actually have both cheap men's and women's versions of smp strike saddles. The nose in the men's is a little narrower and longer by few mm. However, I think because the back is narrower, I didnt chaffe today at all. And believe me I know exactly what you mean by chaffing in the bikini area, don't want to be very specific but because of shaving and chaffing from biking my bikini area skin sort of became different color. So I went and bought chamois butt'r and body glide. To be honest I like body glide for that area better, it stays longer and it's a roll on so it's easier to apply. I think if you want to try that saddle in men's it's a good idea if you try the cheap version first. I mean the $$$$ is about 200 something $ it's insane.

[moisesgt]

hey i am looking for an affordable smp mens saddle, the ones I have found are over $200, can anyone give me some feedback on where to buy. My current saddle is killing me, i usually race and train on a bumpy track, and it is no picnic.:(

[FreshNewbie]

http://www.bikemania.biz/Selle_SMP_Strike_TRK_Racing_Saddle_p/selle_strike_trk.htm

[bikermom]

I tried LOTS of different saddles, after 20 or 30 miles, none were comfortable. And after a century, it hurt to pee for hours! Not so, however, with the new Selle SMP saddle. I bought the $200, men's version. Felt the women's was too wide.

I love it! Took a few months to get used to it, and I still get some funny looks/comments from the people in the bike club I ride with, but who cares.

It was worth the $$$

[slinkedog]

I have the women's model. After many, many sore-girly-bits rides, I am happy to report that this saddle has done the trick for me. My sit bones still get sore on longer rides. This might be because I don't usually do more than 25 or 30 miles, lately. I would REALLY like to try the ultra-expensive men's model and see if there is a difference. I had an Avocet 02 thingy (that now belongs to SadieKate! :)) that was rough on the girly bits, but great on the sit bones. It was pretty hard. I'm thinking harder is better for my sit bones, and this TRK saddle is pretty padded in the back. I wish they had an ultra expensive women's model. :(

Overall, though, this is definitely the best saddle for my tushy that I've found, so far.

[vicvroom]

I bought a Selle SMP from another TE member who was selling it on ebay (she decided to but the men's model instead).

When I got it, I had some misgivings about it.
a) The nose is very wide.
b) The seat seemed too cushy for me (I find that firmer seats don't usually leave me as sore after long rides.)
c) It also seemed big (I just looked it up the weight is 395 grams compared to my previous saddle, the Terry Buterfly, weight of 319 and I had to lower the seat post over an inch when I put the SMP on.)

I did a few shorter rides on it and it worked well, but felt weird because it is so wide - my thighs rub against it.

Well, I just finished a century on it - part of the time in my aerobars, and it worked really well for me. I have no pain. The girly bits are happier than they ever have been after a long ride, and the softness of the seat didn't have any negative effect on my butt.

Although it feels too wide and rubs, there was no lasting effect for me from the width of the nose. I have had a cyst at the bend of my inner thigh that has always gotten puffy and painful when I ride, but not this time. That area is flat and not at all painful. It doesn't really make sense, but that's the way it worked for me.

If I had seen it in person before I bought it, I may not have gotten it, because it's so big. If I was buying new, I might go with the men's model. But, based on my experience so far - this saddle works for me.

[FreshNewbie]

vicvroom, I believe you bought that saddle from me, i am glad that in the end it worked out for you.
That was exactly my problem, rubbing.... Other than that it was perfect. I got the men's version, funny thing is that it rubs even more, maybe because hte nose is longer. So, I sold that one too. Right now I am on Jett, will see how long this will last. So tired of going through saddles :-(

Marina (FN)