Jett vs. Ariel SL Specialized saddles

[smilingcat]

It seems many of you don't like the jett 130. So now I'm tad concerned.

my litespeed and my trainer has Sella Italia SLR and it was more than okay. My new used bike (orbea dama race) came with worn Sellta Italia trans am. Its comfortable but I'm not crazy about it.

I took for a short 25 mile spin with my new jett 130 (the skinniest) saddle. And it felt better than my SLR saddle. My only concern is the longevity of jett with that exposed stiching...

Anyway just goes to show you that saddles are highly personal thing.

I may add more thing in coming month regarding this saddle. But for now I adjusted few things on my bike. so I have to decide is it the saddle? or is it the other things? Reach is 10mm shorter and adjusted the height of the wing bar down 20mm. I think I picked up another mile or two in my speed.

smilingcat.

[smilingcat]

I like the Jett saddle. Its comfy for me and unlike the trans am saddle my you know what didn't hurt at all. yaaaayyy!!!

Also being narrower I could slide back on the saddle for some of the climbs to get more leverage and power. Wide trans am saddle precluded me from doing such things.

And it only took three rides to be comfortable.

Smilingcat

[maillotpois]

Cross-post from the "for sale" forum...

For sale! Women's Specialized Jett 130, black. Brand new (50 miles on it). It's just not working for me. (Every butt-y's different. )

I paid $100 something for it. Make me an offer.

[smilingcat]

Oh my, maillotpois.

Are you asking moi since how much I loved my Jett 130?? let me think about it... Also if you find some other takers, don't wait for me...

I'm still contemplating a lateral move with buy Lightspeed Bella, sell my Orbea Dama Race... Looking at Litespeed Blade for TT or possibly Specialized S-works transition tri/TT frame (it is so cheap can't almost pass it up!!).

Smilingcat

[maillotpois]

smiling cat - I'd be haopy to send it to you for a very modest sum if you like. Think about it. Always good to have a spare.

[Thorn]

When you say "130" is that outer edge to outer edge or target sit-bone area to target sit-bone area?

Sorry to ask a dumb question, but I always assumed that the Specialized numbers referred to the width of the saddle, but someone said they refer to sit-bone width.

[maillotpois]

Thorn - I tried to find out the answer to your question, but the specialized site wasn't very helpful. I believe it means sit bone width.

[blueskies]

When you say "130" is that outer edge to outer edge or target sit-bone area to target sit-bone area?

It's the saddle width. I have the 143 & the widest part of the saddle is 143 mms wide.

[michelem]

According to Specialized, this is how it works:

http://www.specialized.com/specs/spe...&cellwidth=350

The 130mm should fit a woman who prefers a more aero position and has a sit bone width of 70-100mm. The woman with the same sit bone width (70-100mm), who prefers a more upright position, may be more comfie on the 143.

I love my 130.

[Andrea]

I got a Jett 150 (2007 model closeout) this week and rode 2 hours the first day & 1 hour today. So far, so good. I've got a 52 mile race on Saturday, so I'm hoping that it works OK.

My initial thoughts were that if I didn't have a Thompson seatpost that it wouldn't work, because @ level, the back end feels like it's up too high & when I tilted the nose up the first time, it started to rub my groin. However, I used the 2-bolt Thompson mounting system to fine tune just the perfect amount of upward tilt so that the back of the saddle is just right and there's just enough support in the front that I can shift forward off the seatbones and still be comfy without too much groin pressure. As of now, it's actually very comfy and supportive of whichever part of my pelvis I choose to sit on. If I had to deal with the notch-type adjustment of a usual mount system, I don't think I could get it just right.

The cutout has a nice shape, too. Now I just have to do some longer rides and let it break in to see if the padding shifts too much (which was my problem with the 3 different Terry saddles I've tried- the padding broke down and smashed the cutout closed w/soft tissue inside )

Oh yeah- and I noticed that they've removed a lot of the excess stitching & whatnot on the 2008 models, but I was trying to save a buck by getting the '07 closeout since I have had such a horrible time finding a saddle that agrees with my undercarriage.

Updates will follow!

[Andrea]

I sent it back to Specialized. My 3rd ride went beyond seatbone soreness to full-on groin chafing. It was a race, so I was riding more aggressively than I did in the first two rides- much more time on the drops, higher cadence, some riding rolled forward on the nose instead of staying on the butt... I could hardly walk afterwards

Next in the saddle que: San Marco Women's Aspide followed by Topeak Allay. Not sure what to do if neither of those works. Once again, I'll keep you posted!

[KnottedYet]

Andrea - were you the one who was trying a Brooks for racing, too?

[Andrea]

Yep. It was very comfortable if I was sitting up with my hands on the tops of my handlebars, but if I decreased my hip angle at all (even just going to the hoods... drops were almost out of the question), the pressure up front was too much. I didn't return it, even though the Wallbike guy said it would be no problem. I figure if I ever get a tourer/commuter with a more upright geometry that it will be a great saddle!

[Starfish]

Next in the saddle que: San Marco Women's Aspide followed by Topeak Allay. Not sure what to do if neither of those works. Once again, I'll keep you posted!

Those are next on my list, too. I've been on one of the older Jett 155's for a year now, and it is OK, but not perfect. I will be curious to read your report, and I am also sending you a PM.

[rij73]

That's too bad about the Jett, Andrea... Do keep us posted. Like I think I mentioned, I've been doing okay on the Terry Butterfly, but it does feel bulky (don't know how else to describe the feeling), and I don't like how it looks on the bike...