New Saddle Time…

[GoldenGoose]

Does anyone know of any try-before-you-buy programs for saddles?

My old Specialized BG2 saddle has its best days behind it and it’s time for a replacement. It weighed 340g so I’d like to spend a little more money this time around and find something just as comfortable but on a diet. Maybe something around 200g. I go out on 3-4 hour rides pretty often so riding with a road saddle brick between my legs just won’t work.

I was thinking about a WTB Rocket V SLT. I have ridden it’s "little brother", the Rocket V Pro and it was decent but a little heavy. The SLT is about 210g. 😀 I ws hoping to try out some other saddles first before I drop that kind of money, though.

Any suggestions?

[spazjensen]

I’ve never heard anything like that before. This is just around my area so… The guys at a couple of bike shops here in Columbus are very intuitive when it comes stuff like this. They are also really nice and they some of them actually try some of their own stuff or they’ll let you try a few of their products, but its nothing thats really some kind of policy or anything. The WTB that you mentioned is definitely a good choice though. If there is ever going to be a try before you buy, then it more than likely be at a bike shop. But if you want to do it the long way you could order of the internet from a dealer who has a really good return policy and take advantage of it. Try out a couple different seats that think is along your lines of interest, and then send the one you don’t like back. But then you also have to deal with shipping.

[PghDragonMan]

Just my two cents on saddle choice . . .

You are targeting a weight savings of 140 grams. That’s about 4½ ozs. Think about it . . . Half the weight of a small water bottle maybe? While I’m not advocating the need for super heavy saddles, I’d be more concerned with the overall comfort than weight savings.

I went through a similar replacement dilema shortly after I purchased my last bike. It came with a great saddle in terms of weight, WTB Pure V Pro, but after 10 miles, it left me number where I’d rather not be numb 😏

I have a great saddle on my road bike and opted for the same one for my 29er, one of the WTB Pro Gel series. I actually <b>added</b> about 200 grams, but now I can ride all day in comfort. I hated like hell to add weight, but come on, I think we can all live with less than half a pound if it will add to the pleasure of the ride 😃

Anyway, just my thoughts on this . . .

[Syd Patricio]

Umm there is a program out there that i know of with WTB however i don’t know how many bike shops out there actually do that. They have to commit a few hundred dollars for "test" saddles which are the same thing as the retail verisons just a black and yellow covering. Like i said the bike shops have to have purchased these..

I don’t know of anyone else however.

There are some higher end specialized shops that have the "butt" pressure sensor pad thing that you sit on and they tell you what saddle of there line up of BG saddles to purchase…But other than that ask your LBS.

[zombi]

I haven’t tried those WTB saddles but i’d stay away from the Speed V i have one right now and i’m actually replacing it tomorrow. My buns do not dig it.

[spazjensen]

"Mongoose" wrote

[quote="zombi":1icfz2sn]I haven’t tried those WTB saddles but i’d stay away from the Speed V i have one right now and i’m actually replacing it tomorrow. My buns do not dig it.

Those WTB Speed V’s are not as soft as they are advertised as, and the cromely rails are actually hollow not solid, so their is a lot of issues with them not holding out very long. WTB’s Power V DH Race saddle is a solid performer with solid 8mm over sized rails. That is what I have on two of my MTB’s, and I love them, and I am very picky about comfort and control with my saddles. The WTB Pure V’s and the Rocket V Stealth are two other great WTB saddles that give comfort and control. Sella also makes some sweet saddles.[/quote:1icfz2sn]

Ain’t that the truth. I had one of those. It sucked. What you mentioned about having hollow rails is true. After about one month of riding on it I bent the rails and it became very uncomfortable. I now have a new saddle thanks to a fellow MTB’er I met. Thanks again if you read this M.G..

[Jason_B.]

I recently put a WTB Rocket V on my bike and love it.

[Syd Patricio]

Well i used to road race and i guess i am used to hard saddles anyhow i guess everyones butt is different and i figure it doesn’t matter who the maker of the saddle is, if it fits it fits. Now just make sure the construction of it works for the kind of riding your doing, as Mongoose was saying before hollow rails…..not good for DH…Magnesium not good for all mountain….Etc…etc.

[steve32300]

anyhow i guess everyones butt is different and i figure it doesn’t matter who the maker of the saddle is, if it fits it fits.

Specialized has a seat sizer that I had my seat sized for me.It’s a flat peice of board with pretty stiff foam on it with a sizing chart on it and the rider sits on it for a minute or two and when you get up off of it it leaves indentations in the foam so you can see what size you are by the chart printed on the foam.
The only thing I didnt like with the correct size seat was the fact that the seat was wider which made it tougher to get behind the seat to descend steeps,on the other hand though,it was more comfy but I have already switched back to my skinnier seat because it just works better for manuverability.

[zombi]

"Mongoose" wrote

[quote="zombi":181xrp6e]I haven’t tried those WTB saddles but i’d stay away from the Speed V i have one right now and i’m actually replacing it tomorrow. My buns do not dig it.

Those WTB Speed V’s are not as soft as they are advertised as, and the cromely rails are actually hollow not solid, so their is a lot of issues with them not holding out very long. WTB’s Power V DH Race saddle is a solid performer with solid 8mm over sized rails. That is what I have on two of my MTB’s, and I love them, and I am very picky about comfort and control with my saddles. The WTB Pure V’s and the Rocket V Stealth are two other great WTB saddles that give comfort and control. Sella also makes some sweet saddles.[/quote:181xrp6e]alright i’m looking into them when i get to Utah tomorrow think i’m having problems with my seat post too i keep knocking the seat loose and i really don’t want to come down on it and have there be no seat.

[zombi]

yeah its the clamp holding the seat rails which ever one came stock on my Raliegh and i thought it was the rails so i marred them up and that didn’t work so i made some shims at work and that didn’t help so i figured the allen bolt was stripped out so i re-threaded the weird little nut and put an industrial bolt through it and it started acting up again so i made a new nut out of bar stock and i’m just going to take out all the varibles and just buy new stuff haha.

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