The saddle that's on my main bike is the stock one Carrera\Halfords put on, and it's not very good. I've got a Selle Italia SLR Gel Flow on my best bike, which I intend to start using once spring rolls around. The new saddle I got to put on my exercise bike appears to be essentially the same, just a bit heavier and without the gel. I'm considering getting two more of the XO Flows so that I have the same saddle on all of my bikes; that way I shouldn't have to keep adapting to the saddle each time I change bike. I'm guessing that standardising on a single saddle is a pretty common thing to do...
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- Thread starter Matutu
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You won't get on with every saddle. I've been quite lucky that all but one of mine have been comfortable for me, but I know some people have to go through quite a few before they find one that suits them. Saddle time is also another factor. You toughen up underneath with increased saddle time.
Soldato
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Where did you order that from mate?
Man of Honour
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Agree'd - if you don't find it comfortable for the initial short rides (even on a stationary bike) your not going to find it comfortable for a longer distance, regardless of how much time you put in.
get into a decent bike shop - they should be able to measure you for a saddle that will better suit you. (Don't worry - is not as intrusive as it sounds)
If you really want to stick with the selle i've got a Italia XO Gel in white under my desk that needs a good home....
I would liken the discomfort to the feeling you get when you first start riding a bike. Even with the perfect saddle for you, you'll still feel uncomfortable after half an hour or so when you first start out. The saddle on my commuter is perfectly comfortable now, but I remember it being awful when I first started cycling, simply because I was unconditioned to it. The saddles I have used so far have relied on sitting on the perineum rather than the sit bones, which is really uncomfortable after a couple of hours.
I'll stick with it for a week or two, and if I'm still suffering then, I'll move on. I do appreciate the advice though, and value your opinion; it's just that, at the moment at least, it seems as though the problem is purely with me being unconditioned\weak\etc
I'll stick with it for a week or two, and if I'm still suffering then, I'll move on. I do appreciate the advice though, and value your opinion; it's just that, at the moment at least, it seems as though the problem is purely with me being unconditioned\weak\etc
Soldato
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It should be dry for the rest of the week here in the big smoke so there will be some create commuter riding to be had
Of course it will be dry in London for the foreseeable; I'm fitting new mudguards tonight.....
In other news, I finally got my Fulcrum Racing One's repaired (after only 5 months) and I've got my first weekend training ride lined up for a week on Saturday. Guess I've better clean up and service the Cervelo that's been ignored since October. Oops.
Posted this before regarding saddles so will just cut and paste :-
Saddles are a very personal choice. One man's Specialized bum may not be like another man's Fi'zi:k Arione's bum.
I went through quite a few saddles on my road bike, tried an Arione which a lot of folk rave about and found it akin to sitting on a razor blade. Then I tried a Selle Italia SLR and it was even worse.
Finally settled on a Specialized Alias 143 and I simply cannot praise it highly enough. I can ride for mile after mile on it without thinking twice about comfort of the backside. It's my "Holy Grail" of saddles.
I did eventually bite the bullet and get my bum ( or rather my sit bones ) measured in Evans before I bought it. As far as MTB saddles go, I've been happy with my Cube Acid's OEM Scape saddle but then again, I very rarely ride the MTB over 50 miles, like the road bike.
And yeah, the right shorts make a difference too. I've got a fair amount of bike kit hanging up in the wardrobe ( much to her annoyance ) but I have my "favorite" bib longs, three quarters and shorts. By far the most comfortable are a pair of three quarter bibs in Pinarello DMT team colours made by Giordana. No idea why as the pad isn't anything special but they just are. And my Endura Thermolite bib longs have a very comfy pad compared to my PBK team bib longs. I guess some of it is a perception/placebo type of thing but the bottom line is ( excuse the blatant pun 
) the right shorts coupled up with a saddle that fits make a huge deal of difference to comfort and indeed enjoyment when out on the bike.
Saddles are a very personal choice. One man's Specialized bum may not be like another man's Fi'zi:k Arione's bum.
I went through quite a few saddles on my road bike, tried an Arione which a lot of folk rave about and found it akin to sitting on a razor blade. Then I tried a Selle Italia SLR and it was even worse.
Finally settled on a Specialized Alias 143 and I simply cannot praise it highly enough. I can ride for mile after mile on it without thinking twice about comfort of the backside. It's my "Holy Grail" of saddles.
I did eventually bite the bullet and get my bum ( or rather my sit bones ) measured in Evans before I bought it. As far as MTB saddles go, I've been happy with my Cube Acid's OEM Scape saddle but then again, I very rarely ride the MTB over 50 miles, like the road bike.
And yeah, the right shorts make a difference too. I've got a fair amount of bike kit hanging up in the wardrobe ( much to her annoyance
) but I have my "favorite" bib longs, three quarters and shorts. By far the most comfortable are a pair of three quarter bibs in Pinarello DMT team colours made by Giordana. No idea why as the pad isn't anything special but they just are. And my Endura Thermolite bib longs have a very comfy pad compared to my PBK team bib longs. I guess some of it is a perception/placebo type of thing but the bottom line is ( excuse the blatant pun ) the right shorts coupled up with a saddle that fits make a huge deal of difference to comfort and indeed enjoyment when out on the bike.
Well I got out on my bike today for the first time in many months! Didn't get very far as the park was totally flooded in places :/ Had this since last summer:
I have had a problem though since replacing the stock planetx stem for a shorter thomson elite x2. If I hit a pot hole it makes a metallic clicking sound, just like getting two blocks of metal and hitting them together. The first time it happened I thought something had cracked!
Its all fitted correctly as far as I am aware. Not over torqued and I made sure to keep the clamp balanced as I tightened the screws. I wonder if it is a design fault as they have changed the clamp design now. I weight about 96kg so I guess when I'm off the saddle its a fair amount of weight over the front, but even so they say the stem is suitable even for XC bikes!
I have had a problem though since replacing the stock planetx stem for a shorter thomson elite x2. If I hit a pot hole it makes a metallic clicking sound, just like getting two blocks of metal and hitting them together. The first time it happened I thought something had cracked!
Its all fitted correctly as far as I am aware. Not over torqued and I made sure to keep the clamp balanced as I tightened the screws. I wonder if it is a design fault as they have changed the clamp design now. I weight about 96kg so I guess when I'm off the saddle its a fair amount of weight over the front, but even so they say the stem is suitable even for XC bikes!
Yum, nice PlanetX there!!. Stem looks very short indeed, or maybe its just me!!.
If it's clicking from the front in the manner you describe I'd say it could need adjusted a bit?. I had the same thing recently after fitting a carbon stem to my Pinarello. Ended up that I had adjusted it a tiny fraction too tightly. Backed it off a bit after readjusting and it cured the annoying sound.
If it's clicking from the front in the manner you describe I'd say it could need adjusted a bit?. I had the same thing recently after fitting a carbon stem to my Pinarello. Ended up that I had adjusted it a tiny fraction too tightly. Backed it off a bit after readjusting and it cured the annoying sound.
Soldato
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Got mine through C2W scheme so worked out quite a good deal in the end, after VAT etc. knocked off pretty much 50% discount
Just hoping it arrives fine via air cargo, colleague just managed to drop it off this afternoon. Will be tracking eagerly once it gets booked onto a flight - should be tomorrow hopefully !
I guess it is quite short, although the design exaggerates it I think. I went from a 110mm down to 90mm. I find it a lot better in traffic and for general darting about. When I got it I went for the large, but I later wondered whether a medium would have suited me better. I am right on the border at 5' 11". Oh well too late now
I will slacken the screws and see what the result is. If the bars come away in my hands when I am riding I am going to blame you
Cheers.
I will slacken the screws and see what the result is. If the bars come away in my hands when I am riding I am going to blame you
Cheers.
Man of Honour
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is the headset torqued down properly? are you getting any movement forward and backward in the headset under breaking? that could be it...
I guess it is quite short, although the design exaggerates it I think. I went from a 110mm down to 90mm. I find it a lot better in traffic and for general darting about. When I got it I went for the large, but I later wondered whether a medium would have suited me better. I am right on the border at 5' 11". Oh well too late now
I will slacken the screws and see what the result is. If the bars come away in my hands when I am riding I am going to blame you
Cheers.
I take it the 90mm stem makes you sit much more upright and places less weight on your hands on the bars?.
Nope siliconslave I can apply the front brake and try to rock it, Just get a little fork flex. When I fitted it I tightened the top cap then clamped the stem, I then released the cap screw and just gave it a little nip. That is correct isn't it?
Draeger it does yeah, although when I ride in the drop of the bar it feels pretty low to me as before this I have only ever had xc and hybrid bikes. I do quite a lot of weight training so I find my back and hips can be a little tight for riding in a low position. I'd say lack of hip flexibility is probably my main issue.
Draeger it does yeah, although when I ride in the drop of the bar it feels pretty low to me as before this I have only ever had xc and hybrid bikes. I do quite a lot of weight training so I find my back and hips can be a little tight for riding in a low position. I'd say lack of hip flexibility is probably my main issue.
Soldato
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Did you make sure the carbon bung in the fork steerer tube was tight? They are usually a left hand thread to tighten it in.
I figured out what was making the saddle so uncomfortable; I had it tilted forward slightly. Correcting this has resulted in a far more comfortable ride. That's another lesson learned the hard way; don't be lazy when fitting the saddle and assume that it'll be fine.
Soldato
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Having it perfectly level does make a huge difference (though ladies might prefer a slight forward tilt). There is a good spirit level app for Android (and I'm sure there's an iPhone alternative) that works well for sorting out saddles if you don't have an actual spirit level to hand.
Soldato
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It's usually just an allen key with a left hand thread. You say it doesn't do it when you bounce it so I don't think it would be that.
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