Which Saddle?

testing one now

Thanks anyway -- so many models.

SMP seems to recommend at least some padding*, and whilst I really like the Dynamic I'm wondering whether the shape of these saddles might help to avoid blood flow issues that I guess are typically associated with padded saddles.

using a SMP seat with at least light padding is in any case always advisable. SMP seats with padding are on average more comfortable and better absorb the roughness of the terrain, more effectively protecting the cyclist from the risk of micro traumas caused by the terrain and asphalt, both off and on road.

, from http://www.sellesmp.com/smp4bike/en/support/guide-to-choose-your-saddle

...or maybe I just need to ride more.

What's the cheapest, decent Romin-alike? Are the Fabric saddles a fair cop in this respect?

No padding = less chance of blood flow affected.

Plus, you don't sit on sitbones anymore, but on the middle, there's an SMP topic here.

FWIW, Jean or bibs, the non padded Composit is more comfortable than the padded Evolution

Cambium - cutout vs. Standard.

Anyone tried both?

Thoughts for and against?

I prefer the look and price of the standard c17... Does the cutout make much of a difference? Based on the nature of the saddle I didn't expect it would.

Mrs is getting me one for my bday (in a couple of weeks) so no time to test them out.

Ed made a cutout in his, so has tried both: pretty sure his answer will be "SMP".

I tried both but found the cutout didn't make much difference and just caused the saddle to sag uncomfortably. Went with the standard. I otherwise ride a Romin Evo

So far in the last 6 months I've tried:
Selle SLR flow - nope
Rido R-LT - meh, ish
Fabric line - meh, ish
Spesh Romin - meh, no
Fabrik Scoop - noooope
Bontrager Montrose - fuck nope
Next up is a Fizik Antares. Fingers crossed.

Spesh Power?

Thanks for the input, this is kinda what I suspected would happen as the saddle is so supple already. Will go for the standard.

SMP are quite stiff with prominent nose(s),I need supple with less prominent nose.

Scoble may disagree but at the end of the day, they're my balls.

Has anyone tried one of the cheapy Quella Saddles? They look a lot like the cheapy ones Tokyo Fixed/Kinoko used to do, which I found supercomfy though mine's wearing pretty badly these days. I suspect they're the same thing, any ideas?

decided to try an SLR XP a few weeks ago, but the gooch pain has just proved too much. I've gotten on well with other Selle Italia saddles, but I think the SLR shape is too domed and dips forward too much at the nose. I feel like something flatter and possibly a little wider might be good.

Could anyone recommend anything? I was thinking I might try an antares or possibly another SLR but with a cutout....

Antares

Try one

You might like it

they're my balls.

Indeed and I wouldn't have it any other way.

My reply wasn't entirely serious: I know @edscoble had some flavour of Cambium and did make a cut-out in it, so is one of the few people to be able to give you an objective opinion of both types.

But I also know Ed's balls are generally in Italian hands these days: namely SMP.

And I'd have left it there (each to their own and all that), but your comments about SMP being stiff and having a big beak suggest you're misinformed: the right SMP (huge range), correctly set-up (attention required) is a revelation...

Soft saddle like the Cambium still cause compression in the wrong places, the softer the saddle, the worse the compression (when your bones stink into the saddle to hit the shell, the more the soft fabric come in contact with your undercarriage).

Ideally you should be either supported by the sitbones (traditional saddle) or the ischiopubic ramus (SMP saddles), a cut out should relieves pressure from the soft issues of your undercarriages.

I cut the Cambium and it's only slightly bigger than the actual one, (but with the same amount of flex), it helped, but still put too much pressures.

The SMP is the first saddle I've ever had that I can do a 600km audaxs ride and still not feel anything sore or even a tiny hint of pressure in my undercarriages, it just doesn't exist, so forgive me if I only wax lyrical about the SMP because it finally work for me*.

*(the nearest saddle that work for me was the Fizik Versus range with a similar continuous cut-out in the middle which prompt me to get the SMP after feeling the pressure after 40 miles when the soft fabric stink in and compressing the soft tissues, 35 more miles than other saddles).

I'm a convert to the Antares after my first (50mile) ride on one. Mostly ridden Arione previously, and the Antares feels a bit more comfy on the sit bones.

In need of a new saddle.
Concor was ok when sat right back, but I always slid forward on it
Concor light was worse
Bontrager paradigm is uncomfortable to sit forward or back on
My specialised saddle is ok, it's bottom of the range, sitting back on it is ok, but the nose means I can't sit back without falling to one side on it, or I have to sit forward and then it's uncomfortable.

I've been looking at the specialized power saddle as its 30mm shorter than a standard saddle and it has a deep cutout, hopefully that would address the problems I'm having with the other saddles, any light to be spread?

Prologo Evo Nago all the way... have ridden Arione for many years, tried Antares and many other Selle Italia such as Flights. I stumbled on the prologo by chance, chucked it on my commuter bike and a few months later realised I just didn't know it was there... swapped all my other bikes over to them and have never looked back! Caveat... saddles are the most personal thing so asking someone for advice is a tough one... I've been a professional bike fitter and trust me what works for one person certainly might not for another... find a shop that loans saddles, buy cheap of ebay and just keep trying until you find one that works for you! Happy hunting :)

Anyone tried any of the fabric saddles out yet??? Verdict?

Any Toupe shaped saddles people recommend? Two have died on me now, so looking for something a little more robust to park my lardy behind on.

Anybody using a Spesh Power for general riding/long spells in the saddle?
Popped into lbs on my way home to look at a Phenom and there was a Power next to it on the rail, both same price, verdicts?

got the Fabric shallow Elite on my CX/road bike, and like it a lot.
good size for my sit bones and comfortable for longer rides. Bought it on a whim, as the stealth black on black is aesthetically pleasing to my anti shouty logo eyes, and wanted to try something different from my go to flite saddles
tl;dr
good value, comfy saddle...would recommend

Its great. For years I suffered on Arione then found Power being a #buyer .. very comfortable in all positions for me, bibs or just jeans .. SMP is even more comfortable. My motto is Power for instagram shots, SMP for riding.

Such a tart. ;-)
I don't do instagram, don't really care what a saddle looks like as it's under my arse most of the time so can't see it. Spesh, Fizik and Fabric are stocked at my lbs, always got on with Spesh so will stick with one of theres.
Cheers.