# Best Saddle for MTB



## Steve L. Knievel (Oct 7, 2008)

Just got a new (used) bike last night....2008 Scott Genius 30. First impressions were, "This is a saddle from hell". 

I understand the desire to design ergonomic saddles, but do they have to cause you to curse the creator with every pebble you roll over? Geez! 

Any recommendations for something in the 50-100 USD range? Will consider paying more for the right saddle. 

Something that combines durability, mobility, and comfort. I'm just under 6 feet, about 215-220 pounds, and 51 years old. Want something for long rides, and trails.....I ride about 2 or 3 times a week, about 20-30 km at a time. 

Thanks for your input, everyone.


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## lamb (Sep 18, 2008)

Duct tape a brick to your seatpost and use that for a few months. Then, any saddle will feel much better! Seems like lots of people like the wtb silverado. My a$$ has never really minded any seat, so I dont have any experience with other than what comes factory on my bikes. usually specialized.


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## Rod (Oct 17, 2007)

Try the WTB rocket V. It's a very popular saddle where I ride. See if one of your friends has it on a bike and ride their bike.


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## theMeat (Jan 5, 2010)

Saddle's are a personal thing. Depends on your measurements, riding style, level of fitness. and how much cushion you have down there. If you haven't ridden much I'd say just rde and you will get more comfortable unless the saddle is a very wrong shape or size for you. A common mistake that alot of people make is to buy a squushy seat which will feel geat for the first few miles of each ride but quickly becomes worse than a not so squshy. I never really had saddle issues but Brooks has to be my all time favorite followed by sella italia yutaak. Many people seem to have and like wtb and they are reasonable priced. You could get your seatbones measured to have a better idea of what will fit you best. If your riding a hardtail you might wanna look into a thudbuster seatpost. I have 1 on 1 of mine and it really takes the edge off.


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## Steve L. Knievel (Oct 7, 2008)

Isn't the Rocket V more for XC? 

The back end looks like it's more for planting your butt for the long haul. I ride road to get me to the trails, so it's about a 50-50 road and mountain....but no racing. Just hauling ass, literally, for about 20-30 km at a time, climbs, descents, and flat outs. 

My thinking is something that allows for easy mounts and dismounts, has a channel for the soft tissue (no wisecracks about my age....I have a coal-fired pulley system by the night table) and isn't either loaded with gel or made of concrete. 

I guess the usual suspects would be Selle, Terry, or WTB...


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## jj1075 (Oct 11, 2006)

Yup to what Rod said. If yer butt's gonna be particular about it's ride, you might as well start with something tried, true and cheap. Rocket V is a good saddle to try.

jj


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## heartland (Oct 1, 2009)

Steve L. Knievel said:


> I understand the desire to design ergonomic saddles, but do they have to cause you to curse the creator with every pebble you roll over? Geez!


I'll second the WTB suggestion. I've got a Laser V that's treated me well. Saddles are pretty personal, so you may need to try a few. A saddle that's too narrow is going to be a crack hatchet no matter how well it's designed or how much it cost.

Another thing to consider is riding technique: when riding over rocks and roots and whatnot, it's best to be out of the saddle so that your legs, not your keister, absorbe the impact of all the rough stuff you roll over.


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## Steve L. Knievel (Oct 7, 2008)

I'll check and see about selection on WTB. I live in Korea now, but I see a lot of Selle, WTB and Ritchey seats. 
I'm riding a dualie, a Scott Genius 30....or I will be. I still have the HT Trek but I'll move it asap, as I just got the Scott last night. The ride home was great, except I felt like I needed a butt transplant. Hurt like hell. 
Meat, is the Brooks made for MTB? Looks like a throwback....very retro.


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## Steve L. Knievel (Oct 7, 2008)

Any feedback on the Adamo Peak Saddle? 

Frickin' expensive. For that kind of money, you want it to.....well, never mind.


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## Biohazard74 (Jul 16, 2009)

We are the same size as far as weight and height and i love my WTB Devo saddle. I like it so much and is so comfortable that i wanted a white saddle on my bike and when i looked it up it turned out WTB made my saddle in white with blue lettering that matched my bike perfectly  So i got it without even thinking about it. They also come in a few other colors. Its comfortable on long rides and to top it off i think its under 200 grams. Its a really nice looking saddle as well :thumbsup:


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## Steve L. Knievel (Oct 7, 2008)

Any thoughts on Adamo?

As for WTB....the Laser V, Vigo or the Rocket V?

Butt geometry and overall body weight and riding preference tells me that a narrow, hard seat is out of the question....but too much cushion means less control....too much width means harder to ride well on trail and downhills....

WTB is looking pretty decent.....Terry? Selle?


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## Biohazard74 (Jul 16, 2009)

Steve L. Knievel said:


> Any thoughts on Adamo?
> 
> As for WTB....the Laser V, Vigo or the Rocket V?
> 
> ...


When i first bought my bike and "SAW" the Devo, I was positive it was the 1st thing i was going to have to change on it. I almost didn't even give it a shot. I was just going to change it. lol I am so glad i decided last minute to go ahead and try it. But like everything about biking, the only way to know for sure is trial and error. You are not going to get the perfect saddle, cranks, brakes or even bike for you the 1st time around. I had used 4 different saddles before i sat on this one. But by just looking at it i will tell you that i would have never even gave it a chancve if i would have had to buy it.


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## Steve L. Knievel (Oct 7, 2008)

Bio....isn't the Devo more of a XC seat?

I know sitting off the seat and using the legs is better for descents, but still, over a long haul, isn't a more dedicated mountain or trail saddle better? Sticking with WTB, wouldn't that include either the Laser, Vigo or Rocket?

Really hoping to get feedback on the Adamo Peak....looks like it might be goolie friendly.


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## Finch Platte (Nov 14, 2003)

The best saddle for you is the one that fits.


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## kntr (Jan 25, 2004)

I have the Rocket V on 3 bikes; XC bike, DH bike, Road bike.


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## Biohazard74 (Jul 16, 2009)

Steve L. Knievel said:


> Bio....isn't the Devo more of a XC seat?
> 
> I know sitting off the seat and using the legs is better for descents, but still, over a long haul, isn't a more dedicated mountain or trail saddle better? Sticking with WTB, wouldn't that include either the Laser, Vigo or Rocket?
> 
> Really hoping to get feedback on the Adamo Peak....looks like it might be goolie friendly.


Well it came on my Trance X3 which is a trail bike. Id say a mix of XC x A bit of all mountain. The Adamos look pretty bad ass.


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## Steve L. Knievel (Oct 7, 2008)

Yeah, for sure.
They're just different enough that I want one, but also want to see what feedback is. 
Looks can be deceiving, and for that kind of money, you want to be sure. You waste 24.95, it ain't so bad....but for about 140 bucks or so, you want to be more choosy. 
Nothing worse than coming home all chafed on the thighs, just to save numbness elsewhere.


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## theMeat (Jan 5, 2010)

Steve L. Knievel said:


> I'll check and see about selection on WTB. I live in Korea now, but I see a lot of Selle, WTB and Ritchey seats.
> I'm riding a dualie, a Scott Genius 30....or I will be. I still have the HT Trek but I'll move it asap, as I just got the Scott last night. The ride home was great, except I felt like I needed a butt transplant. Hurt like hell.
> Meat, is the Brooks made for MTB? Looks like a throwback....very retro.


Some models would work better than others for different types of cycling.. Have a b17 which used to be on my road bike but has found it's way onto 1 of my mtb's. because it's so dam comfy for long rides. Have seen them on many mtb's. For the most part IMO the only difference between road and mtb saddles is marketing. Yes Brooks are very vintage, retro looking but they found a good design that worked great back then and would guess haven't changed much because of that. Aside from looks, if that's not your thing, I don't see much room for improvement with their design. The only draw back is you have to keep a plastic bag with you because you can't get it wet to bad or often if you want it to last. That's the only reason I don't have them on all my bikes.


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## iamtylerdurden (Mar 17, 2009)

I keep going back to the Rocket V. Has curves in the right places. Tried the devo and I like the flatness, but the width in the back chaffed me.......same thing happened with a Terry Fly Ti.

Now the Terry Fly was a very nice built saddle IMO, but just didnt countour me just right.

Rocket V if you move around a lot and dont want the saddle in the way, or the Vigo is slightly more plush and a great saddle. It was just a little big for my XC rig. I would get one if I did more longer trail days.

oh and the Rocket V is on jenson right now in brown for $19. Not the lightest, but I am picking one up for when mine kicks the bucket. They are all over the place. I got an OEM one a guy took off his bike for like 10 bucks shipped.


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## Rod (Oct 17, 2007)

I use the Rocket V on my xc bike for years, but I'm sure it could easily be an all mountain seat. I get off the seat when things start to get rough. Before you start trying all of these suggestions check to see if your lbs has a way for you to try seats and then purchase a seat that you like. 

As someone else mentioned seats are a very personal thing. The Rocket V works for me, but some of the others mentioned here do not. It could be very expensive for you to try all of these suggestions.


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## wreckedrex (May 2, 2007)

Finch Platte said:


> The best saddle for you is the one that fits.


This. Quit worrying about it being an "xc" saddle and find one that fits your butt, my personal fave is supposed to be for a road bike. I've had good luck with specialized saddles, not so good with WTB and ok with Fizik.


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## p_h (Sep 27, 2010)

I have some generic wtb saddle on my ss and its not great in any way. The generic bontrager saddle on my trek 3700 is a lot better, though it may not be the lightest or most streamlined.


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## dubtrialsin (Nov 4, 2010)

i saw terry fly up there some where.
its what i ride personally and its the LAST saddle ill own.
i also have a zero on my old breezer.

i found the wtb saddles sag in the middle too much for my liking.
terry is a company that concentrates more on ergonomics than 
a lot of the other mass producers out there..

hows your chamois?


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## IAmtnbikr (May 17, 2008)

What's the best beer?


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## dubtrialsin (Nov 4, 2010)

IAmtnbikr said:


> What's the best beer?


Free.


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## IAmtnbikr (May 17, 2008)

elsewhere said:


> Free.


And cold.


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## dubtrialsin (Nov 4, 2010)

IAmtnbikr said:


> And cold.


word.


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## Jaybo (Mar 5, 2008)

*Easy*

Fizik Aliante


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## Guest (Nov 5, 2010)

Steve L. Knievel said:


> Any thoughts on Adamo?


You aren't going to find many people who have tried it. I would not use anything else, and I use Adamo saddles on my road bikes as well.

They take some getting used to because they are wide. The saddle is flat and wide and is especially good at allowing you to move forward and backward. Riding on the nose is better than anything else, by far, that I've tried. Because there's no third point of contact, your sit bones will be sore for the adaptation period.


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## Steve L. Knievel (Oct 7, 2008)

The Adamo and Fizik are really expensive....the Brooks looks awesome, but probably a bit hard to ride for long hauls and mountain....the Terry and WTB seem to be more reasonably priced.
As for beer (hell, why not stray from the topic....after all, it's beer)....Guinness (although technically not beer).


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