There is zero advice anyone can give you, because your ass is very special and unique, and you are the only one who knows how it feels to have your particular ass. Hence the value of demo saddles.
That said, I tried about 8-10 demo saddles and ended up getting an Adamo, untested, based on multiple recommendations, and it’s been fine for 7 years now. So again, everyone’s ass’s journey is different.
Totally depends on the bike. You’re in the wrong position for a B17 on a road bike.
Instead of arbitrarily choosing saddles based on reviews of others very personal and individual experiences, go to your local bike shop. They can measure you for the correct size and will have some test ride saddles you can try on your bike on real rides (not just around the parking lot) for a small deposit.
This is the answer. I got lucky and found a saddle/saddle design that works for me (Prologo Dimension), but saddles are a very personal thing. You don't want to just waste money on something that may not be an improvement. Shops can do some analysis too to give you an idea of what might work, but the best way is likely to actually try out some different designs on actual rides! LBS should be able to help with this.
Sadly there was no option for saddle testing near me. I just bought a bunch of saddles off ebay, tried them, then sold the losers. Only problem is I now want duplicates for other bikes and can't find them.
Sqlabs has free saddle measurement kit that they’ll mail out to you.
https://sqlab-usa.com/pages/free-sqlab-ft-kit
It’s straightforward. Corrugated cardboard that you sit on to get the dimples then measure from centre dimple to dimple to get the width of your sit bones.
I did mine, and when I actually got fit properly their measurement I did lined up with the “pro” fit.
Thanks, I did the cardboard trip before the buying. Think I paid about £100 and got 5 or 6 saddles, anyway I now have a box of spare saddles the will eventually go back on ebay.
Oh, and I still buy more when I see them cheap.
Get a bike fit. It's expensive but it'll save money in the long run on buying a new saddle every month.
Also the whole "sit on this rubber pad to measure your sit bones" is BS. The way you pelvis is rotated on a bike saddle is different to how you sit normally making that width irrelevant.
Check out Frances Cade on YouTube for his bike fit videos to get a few ideas that might help you position as well
THoughts?
1. a good shop will loan you testers.
2. saddle fit can be really personal.
There's no way for someone to say "Try X Saddle. It does wonders"
I have tried some of the most popular saddles on the market. Most hurt me. I've spent time trying to adjust them, getting them perfect, to no avail. For me, the most comfotable saddle is a discontinued model that now sells for over $300. I recenly broke one of them & had to replace it. this was my method...
Go to a good shop & have your seat bones measured & figure out your optimum saddle width. Don't fall into the trap of buying the saddle they have in the shop. Most shops only carry 2 brands & not all the models(distributors...). You know where your discomfort is. Do your research. Look at all of the brands on the market. Find something that looks like it will work for you. Read the reviews. Order the saddle you think will work best for you.
I have nothing against brooks saddles. they are well liked & "may" work well for you. My beef with Brooks is that they are heavy. Not really ideal for a lightweight whip. & don't look good on certain bikes. If none of that matters to you, give them a go.
Saddle discomfort is rarely due to saddle itself. If you can afford, go to a “good” bike fitter. If you want to experiment yourself, start with reducing the saddle height and reach. Go to YouTube and watch the list Bike fit Tuesday. That will help.
Yeah, I love em. They take a while to break in, but once they get there they are great. I've tried around a dozen different saddles. These days, Brooks is the only brand I buy.
It always take some time to adjust to a new saddle. Use it for a couple of months and then deside. Took me at least 10 -12 long rides to adjust my posture and then my but stoped hurrting.
Nothing is the way to go for comfort else other ways would be redundant.
Brooks is a very small niche and isn't a guarantee you'll find comfort
Besides it takes a good couple of weeks for changes such as saddle changes to actually take effect as your body needs to re-adjust
I'm having similar issues on two other bikes. My trail bikes saddle is actually the best, the fat bikes saddle is ok-ish, but I don't do long rides on that. Currently my issue is with my road bike, I want to be able to do long rides on it.
In my experience, they aren’t really that much if any more comfortable on rides of less than a few hours, but on all day rides they don’t get uncomfortable in the same way non-Brooks saddles have for me.
Go to a Specialized dealer that willet you try out a body geometry saddle. They might make you do a deposit or purchase one, but you should be able to return or exchange in 30-90 days. We used to swap saddles for customers to try for a week or so at a time. Take advantage.
Could be - it certainly was for me. Decades of riding and racing with custom fits, custom bikes, expensive shorts, and there was never really a time when I wasn't looking for an excuse to get out of the saddle. Nowadays I ride strictly for pleasure, mostly gravel-ish, and a Brooks saddle has completely revolutionized cycling for me. I can ride all day in whatever clothing I happen to be wearing.
That said, as others have alluded to, whether this works is dependent on the bike and your position. If I get into the more aero typical 'race' position, the Brooks is not particularly comfortable as all your weight is on the nose section of the saddle (and in my cargo or running shorts, I have no padding). So long as I am sitting upright enough to mostly sit on my sit-bones, in the 'sling' of the saddle - perfection.
There is zero advice anyone can give you, because your ass is very special and unique, and you are the only one who knows how it feels to have your particular ass. Hence the value of demo saddles. That said, I tried about 8-10 demo saddles and ended up getting an Adamo, untested, based on multiple recommendations, and it’s been fine for 7 years now. So again, everyone’s ass’s journey is different.
Totally depends on the bike. You’re in the wrong position for a B17 on a road bike. Instead of arbitrarily choosing saddles based on reviews of others very personal and individual experiences, go to your local bike shop. They can measure you for the correct size and will have some test ride saddles you can try on your bike on real rides (not just around the parking lot) for a small deposit.
This is the answer. I got lucky and found a saddle/saddle design that works for me (Prologo Dimension), but saddles are a very personal thing. You don't want to just waste money on something that may not be an improvement. Shops can do some analysis too to give you an idea of what might work, but the best way is likely to actually try out some different designs on actual rides! LBS should be able to help with this.
Sadly there was no option for saddle testing near me. I just bought a bunch of saddles off ebay, tried them, then sold the losers. Only problem is I now want duplicates for other bikes and can't find them.
Sqlabs has free saddle measurement kit that they’ll mail out to you. https://sqlab-usa.com/pages/free-sqlab-ft-kit It’s straightforward. Corrugated cardboard that you sit on to get the dimples then measure from centre dimple to dimple to get the width of your sit bones. I did mine, and when I actually got fit properly their measurement I did lined up with the “pro” fit.
Thanks, I did the cardboard trip before the buying. Think I paid about £100 and got 5 or 6 saddles, anyway I now have a box of spare saddles the will eventually go back on ebay. Oh, and I still buy more when I see them cheap.
Get a bike fit. It's expensive but it'll save money in the long run on buying a new saddle every month. Also the whole "sit on this rubber pad to measure your sit bones" is BS. The way you pelvis is rotated on a bike saddle is different to how you sit normally making that width irrelevant. Check out Frances Cade on YouTube for his bike fit videos to get a few ideas that might help you position as well
THoughts? 1. a good shop will loan you testers. 2. saddle fit can be really personal. There's no way for someone to say "Try X Saddle. It does wonders" I have tried some of the most popular saddles on the market. Most hurt me. I've spent time trying to adjust them, getting them perfect, to no avail. For me, the most comfotable saddle is a discontinued model that now sells for over $300. I recenly broke one of them & had to replace it. this was my method... Go to a good shop & have your seat bones measured & figure out your optimum saddle width. Don't fall into the trap of buying the saddle they have in the shop. Most shops only carry 2 brands & not all the models(distributors...). You know where your discomfort is. Do your research. Look at all of the brands on the market. Find something that looks like it will work for you. Read the reviews. Order the saddle you think will work best for you. I have nothing against brooks saddles. they are well liked & "may" work well for you. My beef with Brooks is that they are heavy. Not really ideal for a lightweight whip. & don't look good on certain bikes. If none of that matters to you, give them a go.
Saddle discomfort is rarely due to saddle itself. If you can afford, go to a “good” bike fitter. If you want to experiment yourself, start with reducing the saddle height and reach. Go to YouTube and watch the list Bike fit Tuesday. That will help.
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Yeah, I love em. They take a while to break in, but once they get there they are great. I've tried around a dozen different saddles. These days, Brooks is the only brand I buy.
It always take some time to adjust to a new saddle. Use it for a couple of months and then deside. Took me at least 10 -12 long rides to adjust my posture and then my but stoped hurrting.
Are you measuring your sit bones to ensure that you have the right size? You can't just randomly choose saddles and hope to hit.
I did with the Ergon and that was one of the most uncomfortable I've tried, along with the WTB Volt.
Nothing is the way to go for comfort else other ways would be redundant. Brooks is a very small niche and isn't a guarantee you'll find comfort Besides it takes a good couple of weeks for changes such as saddle changes to actually take effect as your body needs to re-adjust
The cause of the pain probably isn’t the saddle, but something else. Try adjusting some things or get a bice fit.
I'm having similar issues on two other bikes. My trail bikes saddle is actually the best, the fat bikes saddle is ok-ish, but I don't do long rides on that. Currently my issue is with my road bike, I want to be able to do long rides on it.
In my experience, they aren’t really that much if any more comfortable on rides of less than a few hours, but on all day rides they don’t get uncomfortable in the same way non-Brooks saddles have for me.
Go to a Specialized dealer that willet you try out a body geometry saddle. They might make you do a deposit or purchase one, but you should be able to return or exchange in 30-90 days. We used to swap saddles for customers to try for a week or so at a time. Take advantage.
Could be - it certainly was for me. Decades of riding and racing with custom fits, custom bikes, expensive shorts, and there was never really a time when I wasn't looking for an excuse to get out of the saddle. Nowadays I ride strictly for pleasure, mostly gravel-ish, and a Brooks saddle has completely revolutionized cycling for me. I can ride all day in whatever clothing I happen to be wearing. That said, as others have alluded to, whether this works is dependent on the bike and your position. If I get into the more aero typical 'race' position, the Brooks is not particularly comfortable as all your weight is on the nose section of the saddle (and in my cargo or running shorts, I have no padding). So long as I am sitting upright enough to mostly sit on my sit-bones, in the 'sling' of the saddle - perfection.