# saddle recommendations



## schotter (Jan 8, 2004)

Hi,
looking for a sub 200grms durable and somewhat comfy 'love channel' saddle. Generally I fare better with something with minimal padding but overall frexibility (as opposed to hard shell w. lots of padding).

My list now is: 
-Selle Italia SLR XC Gel Flow
-Selle Italia SLR XP Trans Am
-Specialized toupe (in 143mm)

Any experience with the selles?

I always liked Selle Italia but have as Spec Toupe on my road bike and think it's quite good but might be a little too flexible for my XC / AM bike.

cheers


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## whybotherme (Sep 12, 2008)

i love specialized saddles. the new phenom has been re-shaped on the backside to not catch your crotch/shorts on the way through your legs (technical riding). the expert saddle is below 200g, but the carbon one that hasn't come out yet should be really light (i hear it is due to show up in like March)

allison raced XC for the past two years on a Toupe, but think she will be on a different Specialized saddle for this next year.


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## schotter (Jan 8, 2004)

Is the Phenom more MTB specific/rugged than the Toupe?


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## whybotherme (Sep 12, 2008)

schotter said:


> Is the Phenom more MTB specific/rugged than the Toupe?


Yes. Phenom is MTB specific (also comes on the CX bikes). I like them a lot, but make sure you get the new one. Last year's Phenom destroyed one pair of my shorts in a technical spot, the new one is much nicer!!!!:thumbsup:


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## slowK (Jun 4, 2009)

Check out the Selle San Marco SKN. Completely split rear section for a bit more give. Light (185g) and pretty cheap (currently about $72 from Chain Reaction). I really like mine.


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## Broccoli (Jun 11, 2008)

Fizik Antares. :thumbsup:

They have a "love channel" version as well - "Versus". I feel those gimmicks are actually worse then a good fitting flat saddle - with proper seat bones support, but obviously YMMV.


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## schotter (Jan 8, 2004)

The three saddles I have on different bikes are all a 'near miss' for me: 

Flite team ed. no l.ch.=pressure in the middle / I do need a love channel.
Spec. Toupe 130=slightly too narrow and flexy (but o.k. for my road bike)
Selle italia SLK-a little too narrow in the middle

So this is what i am looking for:
-minimal padding, flexy and flat surface
-love channel
-smthg. wider than the slk / slr.
The Flite is better since it is wider towards the middle where I tend to sit.
-a little flatter and possibly downturned nose for climbs would be great
-sub 200 grms greatly appreciated

Seems like the Phenom SL is the ticket but the 143mm version in black seems not to be available here in Germany (the Spec website says '...143mm widths *All sizes not available in all markets.'

Another option is the lighter Flites:

-Selle Italia Flite kit carbon io Flow: I heard terrible things about the real weight vs. claimed weight; and at this price...

Flite XC gel Flow (claimed 235gr) and Flite gel Flow Ti 316 (claimed 220gr) seem both a little heavy but otherwise fine. 

Does anyone have some real light weights on any of these?
thanks!
kai


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## dblvanos (Mar 17, 2010)

I have the Selle Italia SLR XC Gel Flow, I love it, not much padding but good flex in the center of the seat. Good deals can be found at crc and amazon on that saddle.


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## Masola (Jun 2, 2010)

I'm using SI SLR Kit Carbonio. Actual weight 135g. Very confortable saddle.

There is the "Flow" version too with the opening.


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## schotter (Jan 8, 2004)

By closer inspection the SLRs look more to my linking than my Flite; they seem more flat and flexy with a wide nose.

BUT:
why are there no wider versions (like Specialized 143mm) of any of the racier Selles?

Actually, Spec has a sit bone mesuring chart and due to this I (even with less than average wide sit bones at 100mm) with my more-upright-than-a-road-racer position am recommended to go for a 134mm wide saddle. All Selle SLR and Flites are 130 or 131mm wide. Is this a Specialized marketing tool or do Selle saddles function differently?


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## 6D ATB-1T EVO (Jul 13, 2010)

whybotherme said:


> i love specialized saddles. the new phenom has been re-shaped on the backside to not catch your crotch/shorts on the way through your legs (technical riding). the expert saddle is below 200g, but the carbon one that hasn't come out yet should be really light (i hear it is due to show up in like March)
> 
> allison raced XC for the past two years on a Toupe, but think she will be on a different Specialized saddle for this next year.


" Bonjour,
Cette selle n'est malheureusement pas livré cette année par Specialized! Elle n'est pas passé aux tests.
Sportivement EXPERCYCLE Joël Feutrier

www.joelfeutrier.fr "

just got above answer from Specialized in France: The carbon Toupé is not coming this year as it failed testing.

:nono:


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## 92gli (Sep 28, 2006)

Check out the specialized romin. Full center cutout, thin padding. The ti rail expert is 210g in 143 width so the carbon rail one must be under 200. They do not list weight unfortunately. The weight of the ti rail model was done by me just a few days ago.

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=56902

Edit - Found romin pro weight on velovert.com - 165g. They do not note the size though.


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## MessagefromTate (Jul 12, 2007)

schotter said:


> By closer inspection the SLRs look more to my linking than my Flite; they seem more flat and flexy with a wide nose.
> 
> BUT:
> why are there no wider versions (like Specialized 143mm) of any of the racier Selles?
> ...


Specialized is 100% marketing, they don't do anything original or useful for that matter...


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## 92gli (Sep 28, 2006)

MessagefromTate said:


> Specialized is 100% marketing, they don't do anything original or useful for that matter...


Of course. Specialized is just making up the theory that peoples asses are different widths. If Selle Italia only sells one size that must be what we all need.


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## crazychimpjimbo (Dec 22, 2007)

Well I use a Selle Italia SLR Kit Carbonio Flow saddle every day,










it claims 125g's in reality it was 132g. However reguardless of the weight I find this saddle extremely comfortable considering the lack of padding. I've never had an issue, the leather wrap is done well and survived wall leans and drops by other people I may add!!

Pretty much its always down to the buyer though


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## 6D ATB-1T EVO (Jul 13, 2010)

*Selle Italia vs. Specialized*

I have been using SMP Evolution 5 years and wonder if my next saddle should be a Selle Italia SLC.  
The only thing I worry about is if it is too soft. 
Too much padding makes a saddle uncomfortable for me when being used more than a couple of hours.

I had ordered a Specialized Carbon that should be delivered November, then before Christmas, then in January and now not this year. Wonder why they still have it on their website:
http://www.specialized.com/es/en/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=57279 :nono:


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## MessagefromTate (Jul 12, 2007)

92gli said:


> Of course. Specialized is just making up the theory that peoples asses are different widths. If Selle Italia only sells one size that must be what we all need.


I didn't say that but there is more to a comfortable saddle than tail width. Specialized is a joke, they license other's ideas and then market them as their own. To each his own...


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## mnyquist (Sep 18, 2009)

+1 on kit carbonio flow....switched to this saddle a week and a half before my first 6 hour race with no problems. Light and comfortable.....purely subjective, of course.


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## 1-bar (Jun 10, 2004)

bump...

Is a full carbon saddle comfortable? I'm looking at the carbonio flow saddle like above but all the descriptions say it's a road saddle. I'm also looking at fleabay special like this one. Trying to figure out if if this will be too uncomfortable on my Tallboy.

http://cgi.ebay.com/110g-MEGA-SQ1-C...Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a63d66621


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## qwertz (Jun 3, 2010)

I have tried many saddles, 50/50 with/without a "love channel" (last one was Selle Italia SLR XC Gel Flow). 

My (subjective) conclusion: if you are looking to avoid the common problem usually referred to as "numb nuts", a cutout in the center has very limited effect. What is much more important imho is that the saddle is wide enough for your sitbones PLUS is rather flat (when looking from the back side the wings should not slope too much to the sides). Otherwise, you "sink in", which causes pressure on your perineal area. If that happens, the cutouts are actually making things worse because the rather sharp edges cause pressure points.

I am currently using the Fizik Antares 00 and besides very minimal padding and no cutout (but very flat surface), this is by far the most comfortable saddle I have ridden in a while.

Again your mileage may vary - If you still want to go for the SLR XC Gel Flow, I have a rarely used 2010 model in white lying around here...


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## Fakie1999 (Feb 14, 2010)

I bought a specialized phenom expert 143 with Ti rails. Weighed in at a hefty 243 grams. Only 3 grams lighter than my wtb rocket v that cost half the price. Very comfy saddle though. I also bought a Romin Pro carbon in 143. Came in at 161 grams. I wanted to try both and see which one I liked better. I hope the romin wins, since its much lighter. Also, the LBS says the carbon phenom isnt available yet.


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## 6D ATB-1T EVO (Jul 13, 2010)

Only problem with saddles without leather on is that they are so smooth that, you will need special pants in order to sit instead of glide on the saddle.
This is a great saddle but too slippery for me: http://www.sellesmp.com/smp4bike/it/full-carbon-lite 119gram.
I use this one: http://www.sellesmp.com/smp4bike/it/composit

Selle Italia SLC is also a great saddle for me as well as the old Specialized Toupé carbon.

good hunting


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## 1-bar (Jun 10, 2004)

So I decided on the Selle SLR Ti rail saddle and then I found out my supplier is out of stock. I'm now thinking about the Selle Fibra with carbon rails. I really didn't want to go with a carbon rail because my seatpost is a single bolt/clamp system which means I have to crank that baby down to it does tilt unexpectedly.


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## Trevorken (Jul 2, 2007)

Fakie1999 said:


> I bought a specialized phenom expert 143 with Ti rails. Weighed in at a hefty 243 grams. Only 3 grams lighter than my wtb rocket v that cost half the price. Very comfy saddle though. I also bought a Romin Pro carbon in 143. Came in at 161 grams. I wanted to try both and see which one I liked better. I hope the romin wins, since its much lighter. Also, the LBS says the carbon phenom isnt available yet.


Already some thoughts about the Romin?
I'm also thinking of buying this one because it is a lot lighter than the phenom.


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## bootsie_cat (Nov 3, 2004)

*Feedback on Romin Pro*

So have you been using the Romin Pro?
How is it holding up?
Is it a suitable saddle for XC riding? I like the Romin on my road bike.


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## Yogii (Jun 5, 2008)

How wide are your sit bones. Until you know this, you know nothing.....


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## Veda (Dec 17, 2009)

Used the Selle Italia SLR XC Gel Flow for a while and it was too narrow for my sitbones. Despite the word gel it's also super hard with very minimal flex. My butt was really hurting on the on saddle climbs. I also used the Toupe 143 and the last time was for a 188km tour. Couldn't walk straight for a few days. It was hard and horrible. The most comfortable saddle I've tried is the latest Spez Phenom by far. So just get the Phenom Pro that's claimed 180gr by some.


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## Trevorken (Jul 2, 2007)

bootsie_cat said:


> So have you been using the Romin Pro?
> How is it holding up?
> Is it a suitable saddle for XC riding? I like the Romin on my road bike.


I have used the romin for a couple of rides. It is rather comfortable, but really hard.
I also have a phenom pro lying around, which I wanted to set-up properly to test to see which is the most comfortable. The phenom is almost 30 gram heavier.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to test it any more this year, since I hurt my back quite bad when I went over the bars 2 weeks ago.


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## weightweenie (Aug 18, 2011)

Selle Italia SLR XC Gel Flow Love this saddle


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## bootsie_cat (Nov 3, 2004)

*Romin Pro*

I would run a 155 romin pro- just like my road bike.
More checking to see if overall durability is fine for the carbon rail saddle for offroad use.


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