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Saddle Trade Thread

Phil

Maximum Pace
Sep 1, 2007
1,816
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Although I've always been reasonably comfortable on most saddles I've tried, the quest for the perfect saddle is ongoing. I've got a fair collection now, but I'm still on the lookout for more.

I'm guessing I'm not the only one, hence this thread. The idea is you list what saddles you have and are willing to trade, as well as any saddles you want, if applicable, and hopefully you can find someone to trade with.

If it works out, you save a bit of money, and your old saddle goes to a good home instead of the rubbish pit.

Anyway, my saddles for trade:

Fizik Arione (black, off-black center stripe)
Fizik Aliante (black)
San Marco Regal (black, or white with blue/red stitched lettering, both titanium rails)


Willing to experiement, but specifically looking for:
Pretty much any modern Selle Italia, esp. Flite
Anything 140mm width or wider
Anything Prologo

(Thomas, if this is inappropriate or you think it clashes with the classifieds section, feel free to delete)
 
Phil, absolutely appropriate! My quest for the perfect saddle is an never-ending story as well.

I'm still trying to trade/sell two Selle Italia Flite saddles...
 
Phil, thanks for making this thread!

I have 2 saddles, which I don't plan to use anymore and still looking for the one, which is good for my derriere.

- Bontrager Inform R (2 red and 1 white stripes)
- Velo Carbon (cutout in the middle)


Would love to trade or sell, or give for testing. I'd love to test-ride your Fizik Arione, but will be a problem for us to meet - how about a ride in Chiba on Saturday or Sunday? :)

I am also looking to test-ride San Marco Zoncolan or San Marco Zoncolan Arrowhead - too expensive to buy for one ride..
 
Sergey > Would be willing to trade the Arione for the Inform R straight up, either temporarily or permanently.

Ride in Chiba on weekend sounds good... Flat ride (Tone/coast) or hilly (peninsula)?
 
Great, Phil, I've never riden along Tone, so let's do it.
Can you start a new thread for this ride?

Sergey > Would be willing to trade the Arione for the Inform R straight up, either temporarily or permanently.

Ride in Chiba on weekend sounds good... Flat ride (Tone/coast) or hilly (peninsula)?
 
Great, Phil, I've never riden along Tone, so let's do it.
Can you start a new thread for this ride?

Sounds like my kind of ride, guys. :pray: Any chance you could schedule this for Saturday...?
 
Updated list

Arione has found a new home under Sergey, so here's my new list:

Fizik Aliante (black)
San Marco Regal (black, or white with blue/red stitched lettering, both titanium rails)
Specialized Alias 143 (black)


Thomas, I'm in the mood to try a narrow saddle again--would you want to trade any of the above for one of your classic Flites?
 
Thomas, I'm in the mood to try a narrow saddle again--would you want to trade any of the above for one of your classic Flites?

Phil, I've always fancied a Fizik saddle... deal? ;)
 
Deal. I think the Aliante might work well for you, suits your riding style. Will PM re: logistics.
 
To expand on this topic, these saddles with the cutout down the centre, and I know it's all down to personal taste but, does anyone think that this supposed 'stress relieving feature' actually works?

In terms of enhancing your cough 'performance'. Or at least not restricting it.

My friend wants to know:D
 
To expand on this topic, these saddles with the cutout down the centre, and I know it's all down to personal taste but, does anyone think that this supposed 'stress relieving feature' actually works?

Yes, clearly makes a difference, in my own experience and as others have noted on this forum. I use Selle SMP.
 
I just snagged a Fizik Antares featuring the supposedly '3rd dimension' . Perhaps this will raise the pain threshold to a whole new level - will find out later this week. ANyway there were a few various Fizik's on Yahoo auction - 'test' versions which are colored bright orange - but hey - at less than 1/3 the retail price - maybe worth a check-see. I'd be interested to swap as well, not married to this yet. Miss my 1985 Concor, sigh...
 
Yes, clearly makes a difference, in my own experience and as others have noted on this forum. I use Selle SMP.

...And just to be contrary, and to demonstrate the point that saddles are personal, my favorite saddles (San Marco Regal, Turbomatic) have no cutout, and the saddle I found the least comfortable, by a long shot, was...the SMP. Lasted about 3 minutes on that thing!

For me, if I can get good sit bone support (usually means wider saddle without too much padding) the presence or absence of a cutout is pretty much irrelevant.
 
and the saddle I found the least comfortable, by a long shot, was...the SMP. Lasted about 3 minutes on that thing!

For me, if I can get good sit bone support (usually means wider saddle without too much padding) the presence or absence of a cutout is pretty much irrelevant.

Well, I didn't say Selle SMP had the most comfortable saddles... The very normal Selle Italia saddle without any cut-out but nice padding despite its 180 grams was definitely more comfortable on my bottom. But I always felt the pressure on the prostate, and a pretty nasty prostatitis got me worried.

So now I feel far less pressure on the prostate, sit more on my bones and thus feel my bottom earlier in rides, and for longer afterwards. But it is worth the trade-off in my eyes, because prostate problems are much more serious than a slightly painful bottom.

It's like wearing a seat belt: surely more comfortable without one, but far less of an insurance against problems at some point.

Cheers, Ludwig
 
For me, if I can get good sit bone support (usually means wider saddle without too much padding) the presence or absence of a cutout is pretty much irrelevant.

Well, I didn't say Selle SMP had the most comfortable saddles... The very normal Selle Italia saddle without any cut-out but nice padding despite its 180 grams was definitely more comfortable on my bottom. But I always felt the pressure on the prostate, and a pretty nasty prostatitis got me worried.

So now I feel far less pressure on the prostate, sit more on my bones and thus feel my bottom earlier in rides, and for longer afterwards. But it is worth the trade-off in my eyes, because prostate problems are much more serious than a slightly painful bottom.

Sounds like we're pretty much in agreement on the principles! :thumb:
 
prostatitis

Sounds like we're pretty much in agreement on the principles! :thumb:

前立腺炎...was not familiar with this condition...it appears there are several variations of it: nonbacterial, acute, and chronic. Symptoms may include frequent urination and pain in the lower abdomen or lower back area. Causes may be stress, irregular sexual activity (get that !) and.... long-distance cycling :eek: ?
 
前立腺炎...was not familiar with this condition...it appears there are several variations of it: nonbacterial, acute, and chronic. Symptoms may include frequent urination and pain in the lower abdomen or lower back area. Causes may be stress, irregular sexual activity (get that !) and.... long-distance cycling :eek: ?

Yes, it can get quite serious. One of my brothers can no longer sit on a bike... So I'm very cautious.
 
Well, I didn't say Selle SMP had the most comfortable saddles... The very normal Selle Italia saddle without any cut-out but nice padding despite its 180 grams was definitely more comfortable on my bottom. But I always felt the pressure on the prostate, and a pretty nasty prostatitis got me worried.

Thanks for that info. I have yet to come to friendly terms with my new SMP saddle, and I am 'happy' to read that there might be a comfort trade-off compared to other saddles. Happy, because it makes me want to persist longer, before giving up and coming here to try and trade it with someone. Most people on the Interweb rave about the comfort of the SMP, without hinting that there might be a 'comfort' trade-off.

My riding position is very high, with bars above the saddle. Necessary because damage to my back turns me into hump-backed farmer's wife if I ride more than a few hours with bars below saddle height. This means a lot of pressure on my bum, but my Brooks Swift saddle has been dreamily comfortable. Apart, that is, from numb nuts.

My biggest gripe with the SMP isn't with my sit bones, but with chafing at the sides. I've only really ever used Brooks saddles though, so I guess it will take a while to get used to the slimline SMP.
 
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