My new roadbike comes with Specialized Co's Alias saddle, described as a hard saddle in reviews. In seeking a softer saddle, and holding a Specialized BG2-Sport in reserve, I'm in the process of returning Selle San Marco's ERA Arrowhead Gel saddle...

>>MY REVIEW>> Era Arrowhead Gel Saddle 2006: Whilst seemingly well-designed for ordinary sitting on 1-hour(+) rides, its gel padding is light, and towards its HARD nose is MINIMAL. Its centre cut-out is not ergonomically rounded to its top-side; like someone slicing a diamond/rhombus shape thru the saddle. The embroidery is quality. I am flyweight, sometimes cycling in a forwards sprint position, and my gluteus maximus is more minimus. I ill-judged this saddle by its photo, which reminded me of my old Viscount, and it wiggled its way back to its supplier unused.


Has anyone any saddle suggestions? I notice that www.Koobi.com have their PRS (Au) Enduro and their TRI(athlon) saddle tagged as "medium padding". From one review, I'm also considering Selle San Marco's Aspide Triathlon Gel, but I hesitate about its gel thickness.

Whilst someone laments that "many saddles are made to appeal to the purchaser who chooses a saddle on the basis of how easily the thumb can sink into the squishy top", this describes my old Viscount VR2 saddle, which was comfy for my comuting and my weekend rides out. If it's a case that a saddle being "softer, which may make it a good choice for smaller riders" then "saddle soreness (been) usually caused by soft saddles" seems to be consituted against the weight & boniness of the rider?

Also, any feedback about my 15-minute riding position? I find the kid's sprint position that seems effectively hip-central over the pedals to be quick and exilerating, so I lock my saddle as forward as possible (close to its back rail-bend beyond its official delimiter) and as high as not causing knee problems whilst being safe for stop-start comuting, and I often sit forward on the saddle or more usually just find myself slid forward. Not hip-central, but my intent of aiming towards this as my ideal.


P.S. How do you weblink with this thing?

I too am fairly skinny, but can't get on with BG saddles. I have a Fizik Arione wing-flex on my road bike. It's not soft, but certainly not hard, and I was astonished by how comfortable it is. I promptly went and bought a Fizik Gobi for my MTB! The Arione is quite long so gives lots of forward seating positions, but feels best when pushed forward as you do, so the bony bits of my arse are being well supported.

Oh, and the Gobi is THE most comfy saddle I've sat ever sat on, by a mile.

standard flite gets on fine with my arse ... padding isnt everything ....

did 220k in a day on it

also did 130k offroad yesterday on one

skinny cyclists really piss me off ;)

Olde Flite with no trimmings.

Trust me Misty, skinny does not always mean fit or fast! I should know.

Saddles are a difficult thing to get right and they can't really be tested until it's on the bike. I had one type of BG and it was awful, another type of BG the one I use now is great. But it suits me but it might not suit someone else sadly with saddles it's very much trial and error which can be expensive to get the right one.

Have a Sella Italia SLR XC Gel Flow on both my MTB's - I assume there is a road version. Looks very minimal and painful, however it's light and super comfy (and I have a skinny ass). All the flex is in the carbon fibre wings. Just rode a 50km race and a 2 day Polaris Challenge with my hard tail - no discomfort. Worth a look.

The SLR is the equivalent, I used them for years on all my bikes, road, mtb bouncy, mtb hardtail, and they were great!

They've now all been replaced with Specialized Toupes, which are fantastic IMO, very flexy shell with a lot of give. Certainly not massively padded though.

If you really must go down that route then a Selle Italia Oktavia is like a Flite with some extra padding. There is an SLR XP which has some more padding, particularly in the nose.

Aspides are quite hard, the tri version merely has a pillow sewn to the nose of the saddle.

I'd second Magic. Too much padding can really lead to chaffing, esp on longer rides. i've got a skinny, bony arse, and selle seem to fit me best. fizik def seem to suit more rounded bums ;-)


*Excuse the hi-jack*

Is the SLR the 135g one Nick?

I loved mine although can't afford another at the mo and the leather wasn't up to much abuse. SUPER comfy though. is there a cheaper version with exactly the same shape/padding?

Yep, the SLR is 135g, the SLR XP is 165g, extra padding an Vanox (not ti) rails.

I agree the leather is shite! I'll sell you one I've got here for £30 if you want, only road bike use, good condition! Mail me if you want pictures!

The SLR XP is significantly cheaper, but that's it I'm afraid.

YGM nick

You too!

Thanks for these.

>>Hugh Ponsford>> I promptly went and bought a Fizik Gobi for my MTB! ... Oh, and the Gobi is THE most comfy saddle I've sat ever sat on, by a mile.

Me: Fizik's Gobi looks interesting, £65 at 250g, both its hybrid MTB/Road profile and its including a "softer nose for increased comfort at the front of the saddle" as on their Pave. You hint that their Arione is longer or more elongated, how does Gobi's nose-width compare to their Arione?

My only hesitation is Fizik's lack of centre-channel. I'm adopted because of my Dad's loving use of leather saddles, according to the Docs. He swears by them for their saddle-bag loops, I'd swear at them in his predicament, not that I'm ungrateful.

>>Nick Evans>> There is an SLR XP which has some more padding, particularly in the nose. [The basic SLR is] SUPER comfy though.

Me: Selle Italia's SLR XP (eXtra-Padding) looks interesting too, £55 at 165g. Shaved-weight is a non-issue with my £25 Oxford Revolver armoured-cable, £25 Ducharme Alarm System, etc.

>>Magic>> Have a Sella Italia SLR XC Gel Flow on both my MTB's ... All the flex is in the carbon fibre wings. ... Worth a look.

Me: Thanks for the suggestion. I'm not sure re. its nose padding, I'd sometimes sit nearer its centre-hole, which seems to progress into rugged carbon, so any padding would be like a light-cushion on wood (per my returned Arrowhead)? I'm also hesitant that its flex might be designed for the average 10-stone cyclist with wider sit-bones.

>>Misty McClain>> skinny cyclists really piss me off ;)

Me: I wouldn't worry, besides those competing for bicycle speed-records seem medium boned.

My first reaction to its FSA Gossamer MegaExo Double crankset was its assembly by idiots, with a missing dust-cap and resistance on its crank. Apparently, both are deliberate. I'll probably just burn-out Joules on the stiff crank of this wannabe Specialized Exercise-Bike. According to FSA, "the bearings inside the bottom-bracket [BB] are greased with a very strong grease ... the most durable as possible because we don't know how much time that crankset will stay in the warehouse shelf before being sold. But in about 200 Km [or 120 miles] the BB will become more fluid and so it will start to roll normally because the BB will warm up and the grease will become more fluid". Fingers-crossed that FSA meant a one-off breaking-in of my crankset, and not a 120-mile warm-up before each ride to rid its equivalent of ankle-weights.

I think the groove thing is just one of personal preference. The Gobi is longer than Arione and well padded on the nose. The sides have less padding, but lots of flex (hence wing-flex).

I don't remember numb knob syndrome being an issue for me, but saddle position is important - you need to be sat very much to the back of the saddles to be supported in the right places, but then I find there is little pressure on the most delicate bits anyway. Also the fore/aft tilt needs to be right to keep you in place.