I need a cross between an Arione and ??

[Galatea]

I love my Inform RL WSD saddle...so comfy that I don't even know it's there...its very firm and supportive, not spongy at all, no pressure points- comes in 3 diff widths so my sit bones are right where they need to be. Feels great, even for all day outings. I use it for mountain biking; I have been riding this saddle for over a year and wouldn't love my bike as much without it.

I don't know how different it is from the RXL...but maybe worth a try?

[Pommy99]

Hi Galatea, thanks for your reply - sorry I meant I am riding a WSD RL, not an RXL. I have the middle sized one.

I don't dislike the WSD RL but I never realised how much I preferred a harder saddle until I started using the Arione properly. I am 80% happy with the RL but I'm in the market for a new saddle and I am wondering whether to accept that it doesn't get much better than 80% or to try something different.

[Becky]

What about a Selle San Marco Glamour Aspide? Very firm, 155 mm wide across the back, with a depression but no cutout. I'm not sure what the width of an Arione is. Ultimately, the lack of a cutout is what led me to give up on it. I can ride cutout-free until about 40 miles, and then I really need a little extra space there.

Or what about a Vitesse? I believe that's Fizik's womens model.

[Pommy99]

Hi Becky, I had been wondering if the Bontrager I am using is too wide (it's 150 whereas the Arione is 132). I did sit on the butt-ometer for a fitting and was inbetween sizes so I sized up rather than down to the 140. I think the Aspide Glamour would be too wide at 155. I do like the look of the Vitesse but it is also 150 wide - maybe I need to go and look at a Vitesse & Aspide and see for myself.

[kermit]

The men's version of the Selle San marco aspide and arrowhead would probably closer to the width you need.

[tzvia]

Pommy99- The RXL you have, it's not this http://bontrager.com/model/07136 is it? I can't imagine it being spongy; or do you have the WSD saddle?

If you have the WSD one, how about trying the mens RXL (link above). It is firm, but has some 'give' built into the base, with very little padding. The center of the length of the nose is softer for your soft parts and I find it is just the right amount for me and I absolutely love this saddle. I actually have the RXL on my Ruby, and the RL on the MTB and commuter. They make it in 3 sizes (I use the 154 for my wide bones) and I think their middle size is 143.

If the thin mens RXL is what you have and are calling spongy, you have buns of IRON!

[Skierchickie]

Arione + WTB Silverado. That would be my dream hybrid.

I ride an Arione now, after a long search. I also wish it had a dip or something in front, but it's still the best saddle I've tried. If only I could cross it with the Silverado.

I tried a bunch of saddles over the course of a few years. I finally landed on the Vitesse HP, which was pretty good. Still, could never quite get it right. Slightly too wide in back, I think, and really wanted some relief up front. Actually, I think the real problem is that, while the overall width in back is 150, the sit-bone support area is kind of narrow. It curves down on the sides. I felt like my sit bones were straddling the flat, allowing my weight to rest on the front. Or maybe the width in back caused me to slip slightly forward as I pedaled, shifting me onto an area too narrow for my sit bones. It does have some sort of dip in the shell underneath, but I couldn't tell that it did anything. Oh - and at one point I used the sit-o-meter at a Specialized dealer, and they recommended a 143 (the middle size of the Specialized saddles).

Debated and debated about renewing the search, but then I got my new road bike. It came with the Arione, which I was certain would be horrible (too narrow, I assumed). If I couldn't get a women's saddle to work, why would a narrow men's? However, I gave it a shot. Like I said, if it had a depression or something, it would be perfect.

I guess I'm saying that you might not like the Vitesse as well as the Arione, because it sounds like maybe we're similar. Then again, maybe you would, ya never know unless you try it.

I'm attaching side-by-side photos. Arione on the left, Vitesse on the right. I don't know if it will be helpful.

You might want to try out some WTB brand saddles, if they still have their free trial program. My LBS has (had?) a whole pile of saddles that were just for trying out. I came VERY close on the men's Silverado. Hard as a rock, FLAT in back, 133mm wide, and very supportive, but I had trouble with chafing because of the pear shape (okay, because of my thunder thighs). They all had a dip in the front, which was awesome.