Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
I'm in the market for a saddle upgrade. Haven't ever used one with a cutout so was wondering what folks experience was with them. Do they help? Also, what is the verdict on short saddles? Thumbs up or down?
@Joe McCarthy How old is that bike?
Thanks for everyone's input. I was looking at the Selle saddles so, given everyone so far has recommended them, it is nice to know. Probably gonna go with the cut out version. Thinking of getting the endurance type with a bit more padding.
Seconded. Saddle preference is highly personal, and you should try them for at least a week.These days, lots of shops have test saddles that you can try out before you buy. Maybe worth thinking about.
The original bike is a late 80's, early 90's bike made for Epson Bosco, a racing team in Japan of that era. My guess is it used to be a training bike. Most of the groupset is now modern 105 though. I also replaced the wheels recently too (interestingly, the wheels that came off were very slightly lighter than the not exactly premium Shimano RS11's I put on, a testiment to their potential racing heritage)@Joe McCarthy How old is that bike?
A note on the word 'selle' in the names of saddle manufacturers. It literally just means 'saddle' in Italian, so a lot of famous manufacturers have 'selle' in their names but aren't the same company. Some examples include:Thanks for everyone's input. I was looking at the Selle saddles so, given everyone so far has recommended them, it is nice to know.
Mine did, I spent one week each with four different Fizik saddles — three test saddles and the owner's personal saddle which featured a cutout. At the very least, you should spend a long ride in a saddle, but a week is much better so that you can tweak the saddle position to your liking.@OreoCookie Bike shops don't let you try saddles for a week, do they?
Yup, saddle is really a matter of preference, and even the manufacturer recommendations can be off. I ended up with the Fizik saddle for "flexible" people, even though I am as stiff as you get. However, I do tend to bend over much more than the average rider, it seems, so the "flexible" saddle works best for me. Next to cycling shoes, saddles are probably the bike part that is hardest to get perfect.The problem with saddles is that having a cutout isn't necessarily better or worse. You have to try them to know for sure.