Saddle Quest 2011

[KnottedYet]

Oh man oh man am I going to look silly with a ginourmous Brooks B68 in triathlons! Like wearing a wetsuit for the open water swim in Hawaii! Eeek!

Hey, I did it with a B67! With SPRINGS! (nobody laughs at you when you pass them...) Besides, your butt covers the saddle if the saddle fits. No-one sees the ginormous saddle under your ginormous... um.... sitbones.

Seriously, you will be much faster if the saddle fits.

If the B68 doesn't fit, send it back to Wallingford and trade for a B17 or something, nothing lost. Bill Laine owns Wallingford, he's a curmudgeon but absolutely a sweetie underneath. Call him if you have troubles that you can't get answers for here on TE.

There are so many of us riding on Brooks saddles that you can probably get your answers here anyway.

And only some of us are curmudgeons.

[zoom-zoom]

I "doed" it. (too much cider -snort-) LOVE the photoshop! You are awesome!

Heh, that's what happens when I have expensive software...I barely scratch the surface of what it can do, but I can go totally OCD over saddle selection.

[hulagirl]

My husband just ran outside sans pants and took a print of his bum on our ribbed deck. He is eying my SI Diva saddle now. And My SMP is even too small for him!

I'm eyeing the Fizik Vitesse HP ( 270 X 180) as well as the B68 (which is out of stock over at Wallingford! Boo!). And hubby said "hey, if you get a Brooks, let me know! I'll get one too!" (He rides a Big Dummy.)

[Kitsune06]

Ok, Knot. Question. My ischial tuberosities are about 140mm center to center. According to Walbike, and Sheldon Brown, the B17 I have is 170mm wide, though it kinda LOOKS like my sit-dimples are pretty close to where the metal support frame is... the b17 ought to fit, right? or is the B17 one of those saddles that is better for super-low handlebars that have you up front on your rami?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

or is the B17 one of those saddles that is better for super-low handlebars that have you up front on your rami?

No, the B17 is not designed for extreme forward racing position with super low handlebars. B17 and B68 are at their best with a semi-upright position or a 'modified' forward position. They are designed with the goal of having your weight centered squarely on your sitbones.

[KnottedYet]

I'm eyeing the Fizik Vitesse HP ( 270 X 180) as well as the B68 (which is out of stock over at Wallingford! Boo!). And hubby said "hey, if you get a Brooks, let me know! I'll get one too!" (He rides a Big Dummy.)

The runner-up in my saddle world is the Fizik. If I couldn't have my B67 and B68, I'd do the Fizik. (I ended up giving mine away, but it was a close thing.)

The Fizik might fit you perfectly (since it isn't a domed saddle the c-to-c isn't so finicky) so it wouldn't hurt to give it a try if the B68 is unavailable. Just make sure there is a return policy with whomever you buy it from.

And you probably wouldn't feel goofy riding it in a triathlon.

[hulagirl]

I just fell in love with the Finesse Titanium!

[hulagirl]

Well, I'm not sure the B17 or B68 will work if they aren't good for riding in drops or aero bars. I worry about that as I do spend a bit of time in the drops and bars.

Thoughts on the Finesse?

[KnottedYet]

Well, I'm not sure the B17 or B68 will work if they aren't good for riding in drops or aero bars. I worry about that as I do spend a bit of time in the drops and bars.
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They are fine for drops and aerobars, if they match your pelvis. The only way to find out is to try them. (I ride in the drops a lot on my Brooks, no problem at all.) It really depends on how high your pubic symphysis is relative to the contact points of your ischial tuberosities, and I don't know of ANY short-cut or test to figure that out. Just plain old trial and error.

That's where a generous trial period for saddles is your friend.

ETA: and I would be worried the Finesse would be too narrow for you. Remember, the metal cantle plate takes 20mm from the area you can plant your sit bones. Your 150 c-to-c sits would probably be hitting the plate on their edges on a 170mm Brooks saddle. Before trying a Finesse, I'd try the Fizik. You can plant your bones on the entire 180mm Fizik, but you can't use the outer 1cm on each side of the Finesse because the metal plate is under there. In essence, the Fizik is 180mm wide and the Finesse is 150mm wide. Sort of.)

[hulagirl]

I've written to Wallingford and my Local Tri shop (LTS) that is doing my saddle swap now with the SMP's.

LTS responded right away and offered me the entire rack of saddles. Everything from Adamo to Fizik (hopefully they have the 180mm that I'm looking at) to a whole slew of Terry. They might even bring in a Cobb saddle for me to try. (If I get one, I will need to call it my Cobb Salad!) Being that I have a Metric Century ride this Sunday, I'll start locally to find something to ride. I'm still interested in the Brooks but not sure if I will go the B68 Imperial (can't as they are out of it right now) or the B17 Imperial. I risk nothing to try it out so I might as well!

Thanks for all the input ladies. I'll keep you all posted with what I find.

Mahalo and aloha!

Denise

[hulagirl]

Any experience on the Selle An-Atomica saddles? I'm just researching options, no decisions made yet!

[warneral]

hey that's great that you can try different types on loan!!! congrats

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

You should know that Wallingford will not accept a Brooks back if you have applied anything to to it except Brooks brand "Pruf-hyde/Proof-Hide" (or however it's spelled). So don't be rubbing neatsfoot oil or other stuff into it if you plan on returning it.

Also, for those looking for saddles- please be aware that there is a whole section here on TE under "Gear..." that has MANY saddles reviews and threads, including "Favorite saddles" and "Hated saddles", plus many more. The saddle you are considering may already have been reviewed with many comments in that section. Try using the SEARCH function here on TE- punch in your saddle name and you may be amazed what's already been posted about it.

[hulagirl]

Update after epic "try-on-every-saddle-in-the-shop" day.

Tried:
Fizik Vitesse Tri - 142mm no channel = evil pain
Fizik Aliante Versus - 142mm "groove" = hanging over the thing, groove is useless
Adamo Podium 130mm - sit bones hung over the edge. I call this "evil pitch-fork" seat.
Terry Falcon - 152mm = getting better, but channel turns into jaws of death.
Terry Liberator Gel - 162mm = HEY! What's this odd feeling under my sit-bones? Why, it's a saddle! How odd! Even in aero it isn't that bad. But there is so much padding that the channel turns into jaws of death munch on my girlie bits.

The LIberator was the least evil of them all. I have the demo version of that saddle so it's what I will use for a 20 mile ride tomorrow and I might use it for the metric century this weekend. It's labeled demo so I don't feel bad riding in it and taking it back. I do miss the wonderful channels on the SMP saddles, but not riding on my girly bits. ;-)

Haven't heard from Wallingford or the Selle An-Atomica folks yet. Will let you know when I order. Thanks Lisa for the info on the return policy.

[hulagirl]

Sheila - my hubby has that one in the 175. And it goes to show you how wonderful our LBS is as his sit bones measure 97mm c-c! He's not happy in that thing. And I've tried it and feel is not that nice. Why they place the seams where they did on that thing I will never know!

I'm thinking I might just jump into the B68-I as I can always put it on my hybrid! ;-)