Saddle advice.

[Jon0]

Hi all,

 

Currently riding a fizik ariona, and all of a sudden it became very uncomfortable to ride on after about 18months, tried shifting around some setting but no improvement.

 

So without breaking the bank I’m looking for a saddle,

 

It’s a road bike but I put on TT bars for 70.3 events.

So a saddle that’s able to do both would be ideal, compromise between the Tt saddle and a road saddle.

 

143 saddle width.

 

Looking at the specialized power and phenom , open to other brands.

 

Thanks

[guidodg]

PRO Stealth

[splat]

Everyone's undercarriage is different, so taking advice from someone else may not work for you.

Trying saddles out could be an expensive 'trial and error' exercise.

 

I was convinced that a Fizik Antares was the saddle for me, but was proved very wrong when I did the pressure mapping thing at The Gear Change. Its so much more in depth than just measuring your sit bone width.
As you rotate forward onto your TT bars, you will be applying pressure very differently to sitting up on the flats.

The saddle I have now is the same width as the Antares, but has a cutout that allows me much better hip rotation with much less pressure where I don't want it.
 

'Breaking the Bank' is all relative, and you can recover from that.
Damaging your Tjommie is a different story...

[BikeisLife]

Fabric Line S is a short nose saddle that allows you to get in to a nice aero position comfortably.

 

Chat to your LBS and see if they can arrange a demo one for you.

[guidodg]

anyway I do agree with above comments....suggesting a saddle is like suggesting a wife...you really have to try it for yourself...and not for half an hour but for a few loooong rides....it can become an expensive search unfortunately 

[Martin PJ]

Something to try before you buy a new saddle if it used to be okay, drop the seat height by a small amount (0.5 cm) and move the back by 1 cm. Lowering a seat makes it more comfortable.

[Thomo]

Currently riding a fizik ariona, and all of a sudden it became very uncomfortable to ride on after about 18months

 

I had very similar experience with Arione many years ago ... was never able to work out why things changed.

To be honest, I just wasn't going to endure the pain trying to figure it out.

Reverted to my faithful Selle Flite for a while and currently on a Fabric Scoop.

[Thomo]

You mention putting on tt bars ... is this when it became uncomfortable.?

Could be that the setup is wrong, or that the Arione is perhaps not suitable for that speciduc position on the bike.?

[tyboy0406]

Martin Pj has a very good point : If you want to get the most of of your body and be comfortable get a proper bike fit and don't change it once you happy. also its very difficult to go from a road bike position to a TT position on the same bike - a TT position is so different to a road bike position.

[Jon0]

Thanks, so it was set up for the TT position and it was OKAY for comfort not great, abit numb if I didn’t shift around every so often.

 

Changed to old configuration when I took the bars off and comfy for abit and suddenly poof, very uncomfortable and unpleasant.

 

Thanks for the advice so far everyone,

 

Unfortunately specialized don’t do test saddles.

 

Looking at the power and the stealth seem to be pretty much a match for match and the best “all round” for both sitting up as well as the forward TT position.

 

 

You mention putting on tt bars ... is this when it became uncomfortable.?

Could be that the setup is wrong, or that the Arione is perhaps not suitable for that speciduc position on the bike.?

[Jon0]

Yeah done the proper bike fit story,

Will do another once I’ve chosen the saddle as well.

 

Martin Pj has a very good point : If you want to get the most of of your body and be comfortable get a proper bike fit and don't change it once you happy. also its very difficult to go from a road bike position to a TT position on the same bike - a TT position is so different to a road bike position.

[Chris_]

I spent many years on my tri bike on the Cobb 55 and ISM (I forget the model), but I now have a Selle San Marco Shortfit on my road bike and I swear it's more comfortable in that forward lean position. So I'd def look at the shorter nose saddles (I think the Spez power is that?)

[NC_lurker]

Hi all,

 

Currently riding a fizik ariona, and all of a sudden it became very uncomfortable to ride on after about 18months, tried shifting around some setting but no improvement.

 

So without breaking the bank I’m looking for a saddle,

 

It’s a road bike but I put on TT bars for 70.3 events.

So a saddle that’s able to do both would be ideal, compromise between the Tt saddle and a road saddle.

 

143 saddle width.

 

Looking at the specialized power and phenom , open to other brands.

 

Thanks

Just to confirm, you were comfy on the Arione and then suddenly no longer comfy?

 

Just check that it hasn't cracked at the wingflex area underneath. I had two do that. Manifested in the same way, suddenly I was uncomfortable with nothing changing.

Tricky to see with the saddle on the bike, but shine a bright light on the area and then put pressure on the saddle, if it's cracked you should be able to see the crack.

[NC_lurker]

This saddle is 100% fine, but this is the area that my previous one cracked. Normally started in the cutaway flex areas on the side.

 

... before anyone comments, I'm only 80kg [emoji38]

[Jon0]

This saddle is 100% fine, but this is the area that my previous one cracked. Normally started in the cutaway flex areas on the side.

 

... before anyone comments, I'm only 80kg [emoji38]

 

 

Yeah no issues of cracks.

 

75kg my side...