Selle SMP discussion

100+ miles on Specialized Power; its ace. SMP isn't for me. PM if anyone wants fake carbon SMP for £20.

You mean fake carbon SMP isn't for you. Didn't try real thing.

Yeah

I filled in my postcode missing a letter out, then put the correct postcode in the comments field. The saddle came to the correct address.

Ditch hell, go for Extra or Composit.

One thing I can tell you is that you're used to conventional saddle like that Specialized, so going back to it is like going back home.

It does take more than a couple weeks to get the hang of it, and constantly moving it further forward than you think.

Extra being the padded option for 'casual' riding and Composit the less padded option for riding with bibshorts?

Difference between those are very little, Extra have slightly more padding than Hell, Composit have no padding.

It's the carbon one that benefit from bibs short.

Yes I agree; I should've tried it with inline post. It totally needs that. I tried maximum on a setback post.

With Power as you said it's like arione and SMP mixed with best of both. The sitbone support is so much better than arione and no squishing of anything; I have a crit on 30th that'll properly test it.

Another thing is its not 'that' pricey with starting model at £80 (porky but ok) and has same shape and padding all the way to fancy s-works.

tl;dr: If you use romin and love it; try power it'll be even better esp in aggressive position.

Will be trying it on the commuter first normally ridden with unpadded clothing so will go for the (much) cheaper Extra, see how I get on and buy one of the less padded options for the best bike if the design works for me.

Newflash; you don't sit on your sitbones.

wait wut?

https://vimeo.com/123976669

We're talking about the SMP.

Specialized Power, the only saddle in the world fuglier than an SMP.

ugly is the new swag; haven't you seen the new venge?

It look rather familiar...

Hey, ISM would fight you for that title.

So, just jumped off the bike and I think the smp is gonna work...
Picked up the full crabon copy from @amey this afternoon and fitted it for the ride home. Only 10 miles so far but, um, it's basically perfect. I had to lower my thomson inline from the bottom of "N" to the bottom of "O" and I have set about a degree or 2 nose up. The toupe I had on there was level.
I didn't notice lack of padding except for some sharp bumps cornering, then you feel some edges. But overall, amazed. Hips feel more open and zero pressure anywhere.

I'll give it more miles and try a few positions but I think the perfect SMP for me would be a similar shape to the full carbon. Some small amount of flex in the shell and just a covering of leather or 1mm of firm padding would make it spot on. Shape wise though, excellent.

my smp dynamic still isnt comfortable.

When making an effort I get serious chaffage, crushes delicates etc

It is as far forward as possible on an inline seatpost on a xs frame with a steep seattube. What esle should I try, tilt down more? Get a narrower smp?

You could try tilt up. I have mine set a little nose-up actually. Nose down made me slide forward, which was uncomfortable.
Also I have found that the feeling of sitting on an SMP is very different to other saddles. It can feel "wrong" at the beginnig.

my gooch feels like its had sandpaper applied to it, that sort of "wrong"?

I'm going to give tilting it up a try.

You need to settle into an SMP - I found that my habit is to hold myself off the saddle, caused by squashing important parts of myself for years. That's now something to stop doing, but it's tough to brake such an ingrained habit.

Does it feel like your bones are properly supported?

I can feel that the part around the cutout meets my hipbones, over more than just one small area.

And if so, do you slide around a lot? If so, that may cause friction perhaps?

It is as far forward as possible on an inline seatpost on a xs frame with a steep seattube. What esle should I try...

Put it back (and lower obvs).

How are people establishing what the correct fore/aft position is?