seat choices

[mudtourist]

Hi

I am looking for a new seat that I can use for multiday trips. Obviously, confort depends on each person's anatomy, riding position and style but I would like to hear suggestions of what works for others. Not too worried about weight.

My experience so far:
Fizik Pave'    - too soft and therefore painful
SDG satellite - fine for up to 2 hours
Serfas RX     - fine for road touring but unsuitable for MTB
Bontrager Race lux/lite /Ti - horribly painful
Bontrager Inform R - Confortable during a 1 h trail but pointy back ends snag on shorts on downhills

Thanks

[bmike-vt]

fan of the brooks. b17 and the swallow... the b17 was on my surly crosscheck used for dirt centuries (fixed) and light trail use. will be trying it out on my soma for mtb use. also using a WTB Speed something...

[daveB]

Used a WTB Silverado for a while, but it was brutal on rides of a full day or longer.

Now use a Brooks Swift and love it.  I found the B-17 a bit too wide to permit getting behind the saddle on steeps.  Its certainly heavier and requires modest care, but I'm never going back.  Once it fits YOUR butt, you're in happy land.

[Pivvay]

I use the Sella Italia SLR, wife is now on WTB Rockets

[mudtourist]

Interesting to hear about the brooks swift. I had dismissed the B17 because of the issue you mention.

Chris, is this the minimalistic SLR or the other one with extra padding? I should not be surprised, you make frugal choices.

[Pivvay]

Minimal one because it fits my butt. Haven't needed any additional padding etc.

[chrisx]

Selle anatomica.  takes about a month to get it adjusted,  it"s comfortable.

[DaveC]

I used a Swift and B-17 for a while, ultimately selling them both after I decided they weren't suitable for mountain biking.

The effective width of a Brooks is quite a bit less than the actual width because you don't want to be sitting on the metal frame on the back outer edges of the saddle.  I found the Swift too narrow for this reason.  It had excellent resale value.  The B-17 was tremendously comfortable, I did some 5-7 hours rides (on a geared bike) on it without bike shorts and was totally comfy.  Pretty impressive.  Problem is the leather stretches after 7-8 hours, and I had to tighten it up to make it comfy again.  The B-17 is also a nightmare when trying to get behind it.  Doable, but much less than ideal.  Eventually the tightening bolt broke on mine and when I couldn't fix it, it got the boot.

I used a WTB Pure V for a while, but that was a little too wide.  For the last 20 months I've been on Gobi XMs, which for me are perfect in every way.

[wdlandparker]

I used a specialized body geometry one, but recently switched to a wtb sst and it is amazing!

[pro_out]

Selle San Marco Aspide-minimal padding, but it fits my butt.

[Lonesome Luddite]

WTB Rocket V Race.  It's not light, but is still tolerable after 24 hours in the saddle.  It's even better on shorter rides.   

Agreed about the Pure V.  Too wide.

[WillyK]

+1 for the Brooks..........have a Swift on the mtn bike and a Professional on the town/commuter bike (the Pro is 20 years old and going strong). They do require a bit of maintenance, but  it's well worth it to me.

DaveC brings up an excellent point about the width, and not wanting to sit on the metal framing. After a few years on the Swift, I picked up a narrower model (killer deal, couldn't pass it up), but it was too narrow......not good. I sold it to a buddy and he loves it. They make a lot of models, and in their literature spec the widths and lengths, so it's worth reading up on that.

[timroz]

Selle Anatomica's are awesome, but they are boat anchors for sure.

It's all about ass shape.  I can't ride 1 minute on a Flite, others love them.

[mudtourist]

Thanks for the suggestions. It is indeed about arse shape but some models keep popping up again and again.
Considering the low price of the WTB Rocket V I will start by trying it. If not happy I will then try a Gobi or Brooks, maybe swift or B17 narrow. The An-atomica is a bit pricy to order to the uk.

[protoceratops]

+1 for the Selle Italia Flite
+2 for the B17

But the saddle that goes on the mega distance rides is the Selle Anatomica.  
Heavy?  If your a$$ hurts, it doesn't really matter how cool you look...

[bmike-vt]

i had an anatomica and just couldn't get it to work.
sold it to someone who absolutely loves it!

i'm comfy on my brooks swallow (ti rails, for coolness factor) and b17.
tried a swift and team pro and didn't like them - which is odd - because the swallow is narrower than both!
currently trying out a wtb - and i can see how the b17 may be too wide to get behind on the mtb.

[Groundshine]

Fizik Pave'    I thought this saddle was just all wrong

Bontrager Race lux/lite /Ti - I used this saddle in the 2007 Paris Brest Paris 1200k with no problems.

WTB Silverado - Funny I just went on a two day ride (using this saddle) with DaveB and he was too polite to mention he hated the saddle.  I love the saddle but a bit firm for long rides. 133mm wide x 274 mm long

WTB Rocket V - May become my new bikepacking saddle.  I did a 600 bike packing trip with one this summer  127mm x 258

Selle Royal Respiro - I really wanted this saddle to work but it was just too wide.  A very COOL design idea - similar to the Selle An-Atomica (which I haven't tried)

I prefer a narrow saddles but these obviously won't work for people with wider sit bones.

[intheways]

I had a Pave and hated, so I tried an Arione and thus far, it has been great. 

[willapajames]

I've been using WTB SST's (the original ones) since the late 90's.  I've tried some others in the meantime (Selle Italia Flite, Koobi, Bontrager, F'zi:k Nisene, Specialized BG, etc), but I keep coming back to the SST.  I can MTB all day on them, but my ass hurts after an hour on the road.  Maybe I should try something different eh?  Perhaps it's time to try a Brooks...
Anyone want to trade a Brooks B17 for a nearly new Flite?