I was also riding the airone both on my road bike and tribike and switch to the Tritone (carbon rails) a little over a year ago. I have been very happy with the switch no more numbness. No experience with the Selle.

This won't help answer your question exactly, but I just bought & installed a Tritone on my bike last night. I had a Fizik Ardea Tri saddle that came stock on my bike before & the long nose & lack of a center channel was causing "tip numbness" on longer rides.

After a 90 minute drill spin last night & the maiden voyage of the new saddle, I think the Tritone will take some getting used to. The nose is wider than my old saddle, so there was some rubbing on the outside that I was not accustomed to. I did the spin without any chamois cream, so that could relieve this on future rides. I didn't feel like I was falling off the front as some have complained about with snub nosed saddles. I was pushed back on it most of the ride. I will say that the channel on the Tritone was awesome. After 90 minutes of hard riding, there was zero numbness in the man bits, just the upper thigh area issues from the wider saddle.

The Selle Ironflow looks cool (literally with that mesh in the channel). I'd be interested to see how it feels, but I'm not sure I like how it scoops up in the rear. I have a tendency to use all of the saddle from front to back when I am on longer rides & that hump could be annoying. If you stay in the same position on the nose/middle of the saddle, it could be a good option as well.

I had the fizik, and it is amazingly comfortable but...the problem is the channel isn't deep enough. I thought I had found the perfect saddle, but after around 2 hours on the trainer I was numb and the next day switched to Adamo Attack and couldn't be happier. The new PN1.1 is $150 US and is softer, I think you should give it a try.

I agree that the channel could be deeper, but it's a lot better than the no channel turtlebacked saddle I was on. I have seen the Adamo on a lot of bikes & the trick of a heavy duty zip tie used to pull the nose more narrow if it is too wide.

I will give the Tritone a good trial run before making any decisions, but I will keep an eye out for a good sale price on the Adamo & maybe pick one up. The PN1.1 looks a bit narrow in the rear for my tastes (110mm wide), but I like the look of the Adamo Road (135mm wide).

Sounds like a good plan, I have both the Road and the Attack, and they are very similar. I will say I love the new PN1.1's extra cushioning, and the fact that you can self select the front end width using a zip tie is amazing. I think Adamo should stop saying "you're not sitting on it properly" and just go with "adjustable front using a simple zip tie!" I have my adamo slammed to the front so it's very easy to adjust the front accordingly. It doesn't require a heavy zip tie, and for just a few milimeter's of extra clearance is all I need. For me its the hamstring clearance, and I only use the front half of the saddle.

The best saddle is the one that works for you. I often see folks come in to try alternatives to saddle X because, "my buddy loves his and recommended it, but I am not so sure."

Have you tried changing your saddle angle at all with the Arione? Sometimes, half a degree can make a huge difference in comfort. You might also want to check your saddle height - it might be a bit too high. Numbness in the "crown jewels" is not a matter of pressure on the actual genitalia for men - it is the perineal nerve.


How did you conclude those two are your best options? Have you had a chance to ride them? If not, do you have a bike shop handy that might be able to let you?

If you are thinking noseless is the answer, you might also want to consider the Cobb Fifty-Five or Randee'. Cobb has a 90 day return policy, giving you an excellent opportunity to try one out and see if it really works. Adamo has quite a few options, and the Specialized Sitero also comes to mind. SQlab saddles also have a noticeably dropped nose, and that could work for you, too.

---

Travis Rassat
Vector Cycle Works
Noblesville, IN
BikeFit Instructor | FMS | F.I.S.T. | IBFI
Toughman Triathlon Series Ambassador

Sella Italia has some good models I've seen that have no section in the middle, I expect that to be more comfortable than tritone which I have. Tritone lets you hold water and flat kit very cleanly which is mostly why I bought it, more comfortable than airione but could be better. I agree it could use deeper channel

I hate to be a hater but in my opinion none do the Italian companies (Selle Italia, fizik, SMP, etc.) have really figured out how to make triathlon specific saddles as effective as their American competitors (ism, Cobb, dash, bontrager, etc.)

But the best thing you can do is find a local fitter with the right tools and inventory to help you find your match.

Good luck!

---

Jonathan Blyer,
ACME Bicycle Co., Brooklyn, NY

Hi, yes I lower the nose of the saddle and truth is numbness got better, but I still feel some pressure there, nothing really serius, but I am concerned about long time problems...

I searched the internet about saddle reviews, and within the price range I was looking, those two were the best. I still havent tried (It is not so easy in a city like Sao Paulo, to go and check them, there is not a lot of specialized shops around...). But anyway, I think I'll try them, and the cobb also.

Thanks!

Will do. Thanks folks!