Worn-out saddle -- how long does yours last?
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I have a Bontrager Affinity RXL on my road bike. As near as I can estimate, I've ridden just over 3000 miles with it. And I think it's worn out and needs to be replaced already.
Prior to getting the RXL, I had tried the R and RL versions of the Affinity, which are the same shape but have more padding. I generally liked the R and RL except for too much padding in the nose, which is why I switched to the RXL. In addition to being the firmest of the bunch, the RXL also has carbon rails. For the first year or so riding with it, I had no problems.
Last year I started to have some chafing problems, but only on the right side. I think that was largely caused by a defective chamois in the shorts I usually wore for long-distance rides, as the fabric was loose in the irritated area. I have recently replaced the shorts (many thanks to TE for replacing them under warranty!).
I'm still having the chafing problem, however, and now it's happening with shorts that used to be perfectly comfortable. I'm also seeing a visible change in the saddle -- there's a line running across it, like a slight indentation. The hard plastic shell of the saddle is not cracked or damaged, so I think I'm seeing a breakdown in the padding, like there are two separate pieces of foam that used to touch but now have a slight gap between them. One final thing -- though the saddle is level, it feels a bit like it's tilted up when I'm sitting on it.
I'm going to replace the saddle with another RXL in the same size. Bontrager has a 30-day guarantee, so I can easily return the new saddle if it doesn't solve the chafing problem.
It just seems to me that 3000 miles is not a very long life for a saddle. I know someone mentioned in another recent thread that they replaced their Specialized saddle (a Ruby, I think) every 4000 miles or so.
This makes me curious -- when you find a saddle that you like, how long are you able to ride it before it wears out and needs to be replaced?
- Gray 2010 carbon WSD road bike, Rivet Independence saddle
- Red hardtail 26" aluminum mountain bike, Bontrager Evoke WSD saddle
- Royal blue 2018 aluminum gravel bike, Rivet Pearl saddle
Gone but not forgotten:
- Silver 2003 aluminum road bike
- Two awesome worn out Juliana saddles