These two ST articles will tell you what saddle most ST riders are using.
https://www.slowtwitch.com/...e_Choosing_6333.html
https://www.slowtwitch.com/..._-_A_Study_7425.html

Based on the articles I bought a ISM PR 2.0 a few years ago and I am very happy with my choice.

I vote 100% for a BiSaddle. They’re adjustable and look good. It’s fantastic, and it’s not a case of trying and then immediately being out $200 if you can’t get comfortable on it. It’s the best thing I’ve done for my comfort in aero position. There’s an article on the main site here somewhere. It’s a great saddle all around. I bought and tried multiple others before and none worked well. That includes a couple ISMs, a Shimano tri saddle, the Sitero, and a Power.

This article is absolute gold, and I can't agree more about the V flow max saddle, which might go by a different name now, but has the same shape. Game-changer. https://www.slowtwitch.com/...e_Choosing_6333.html

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Dr. Alex Harrison | Founder & CEO | Sport Physiology & Performance PhD
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I'd second the suggestion to try the BiSaddle.
I got one a few months ago and have been very pleased.
Having tried several saddles including the Cobb V-Flow Plus & Max, ISM Breakaway, and a few others, I'd settled on the Adamo ISM Attack (I think the current ISM PN1.0 model is near identical) until recently and was pretty happy with that for several years. However, it was a touch wide at the front and never completely comfortable. The BiSaddle was extremely expensive for what it is by the time I'd paid import taxes to Ireland, but it's doing the job.

http://www.sportfit-lab.com/bike-seat-demo.html




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I've read through the articles, so I do lean toward an ISM PN (3.0?) as a first try, or maybe a Dash (given their historically higher price, I wouldn't be surprised if they are tried less often and therefore chosen less often). Thanks to everyone also for suggestions!

I guess the first question I need to answer is whether to start with a TT/Tri noseless saddle or start with a regular road saddle (probably an SI Flite Boost with no cutout). Does anybody still ride traditional non-cutout road saddles on TT/Tri bikes?

If you read through the articles, then you probably saw this line: "And nowadays nobody ever chooses my favorite saddle: the vintage tri saddles by Profile Design. That’s why I don’t do product reviews of saddles, as in, hoist my heinie aboard a saddle and report its utility for tri; I’m too much of an outlier to be of any help." Maybe you glossed over it. Maybe you didn't. But you should at least consider a Profile Design Tri-Stryke. It's a phenomenal saddle (if it works for you). I used it for everything from sprints, to 40K TTs, to Ironmans with total comfort. It's worth a look.

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Interesting. Is the Tri-Stryke more like the older TT/Tri versions of road saddles. I know there was an SLR TT model that took a standard Selle Italia SLR and then added padding in the nose.

Zero reason to use a traditional saddle on a tri or TT bike. Traditional saddles do traditional things that roadies do, split nosed saddles allow us to do what we do.

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That really depends what make you comfortable. I have an ISM Adamo saddle, it’s pretty much perfect, aside from it being too wide at the nose. I Can live with it outdoors on my Road bike, But indoors, it’s unbearable. Received a Pro aerofuel today and did a workout on the trainer, this far it seems fine. Given my previous experience i’m reluctant to buy another ISM saddle. ISM saddles Seem ok, But are in general way too wide at the front 7-8mm wider than most others. I’m 6’ tall and have a hard time seing what kind of giant the ISM nose fits.

The ISM PN series (I'm using a PN1.1) is a good place to start. They're kinda the baseline for split nose saddles (the Nike Pegasus or Speedo Vanquisher of tri saddles). The 1.1 can be found for ~$100 online. They tend to be quite heavy (esp considering the road saddles you're used to), so you may eventually find a lighter option that works (....or not, I tried a Dash and could not get comfortable on it and had to go back to the PN1.1 that is almost 1/2lb heavier).

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If you don't want any sort of cutout the saddle to try might be the ProLogo TT saddle. It has a thicker grippy nose. Honestly I kind of think about everyone has gone to some sort of slot or cutout to reduce soft tissue pressure and move the contact area to the sit bones better.

I did notice that you are comfortable on a narrower saddle. Some of the pronged or noseless saddle are really difficult to use if your sit bones are narrow. I have narrow sit bones (as measured by the Specialized saddle tool) and none of them are comfortable, and I have tried them all. They feel like my femurs are being pulled out of the socket. I find the old Bontrager Hilo (not the new one) to be a good compromise. They are narrow and there is a version with an adjustable width dial. I use them on all my bikes now (TT, road, gravel...).

Good luck with your search. Saddle hunting sucks.

As I've been thinking about this in light of all the feedback, and a recent brief ride on the trainer (road bike), here is where I am at:

I rode for a bit in "virtual aerobars" (elbows on top of drop bars) on my bike that has a Selle Italia SLR (old traditional version) on it. Two things stood out to me: First, I can definitely feel pressure along the perineum when I rotate my pelvis so my ramus bones are bearing weight. It would definitely be uncomfortable in the more aggressive position I'll be riding in. So I think I'm going to avoid a padded-nose-road-style TT saddle as a first go.

Second, My thighs are quite narrow. I have room around the nose of the SLR or a Flite, but I'm not sure how I would be with potential chafing on a wider no-nose saddle. I know in theory I would be riding off the front of the saddle when in aero and so not have to worry about thigh chafing, but when I do have to sit up for climbing on the base bar, I'm not sure what will happen. This isn't surprising, I'm 5'8, 138lb with a 29" waist and apparently narrow sit bones.

So the two saddles I'm leaning toward are a Dash Strike, which seems to tick all the boxes of narrow nose, full split, and a place to sit up on, or an ISN PN (1 or 3?). The stories of people having to zip-tie the prongs on the ISM's together has me worried. Anybody know how wide the various PN's are at the nose? Any specific preferences on the ISM PN vs Dash Strike?

Thanks!

Another vote for the bisaddle. I don’t have one, but it’s what I will buy when the time comes. Keep in mind that your comfort and fit on the saddle will depend on the chamois in your shorts. For my tri seat, a thin chamois is comfortable, whereas a thick one causes numbness after a while.

With a bisaddle, you can adjust for things like this.

I can understand the appeal of the BiSaddle, but it just seems like such an outlier, and in such a crucial location on the bike to make me dubious. What they seem to be doing isn't that complicated. The very fact that no major saddle maker hasn't done the same thing (ever?) makes me wonder why (and thus whether there are some major disadvantages). Weight is obviously not great, but compared to some other tri saddles not abhorrent either. Given all the additional hardware needed to make this work, and what looks like rather typical low-mid range materials, it makes me worry that this just isn't all that durable.

At one level I can see how this is a lot like modular/adjustable aerobars. Lots of adjustability to find that one ideal position and then leave it be for good. But every aerobar maker seems to have largely converged on the same types of solutions (wedges, spacers, multiple bolt holes, sometimes a mono-post, etc.) and BiSaddle seems to be completely the opposite model of every other saddle maker with a much longer history and more solid pedigree. Given the price and possible lack of a resale market, I just can't see myself going this route unless I can get one used. Even then I'd expect to just use it till I find a good position, see what saddles out there match those dimensions and try to make the switch over to a non-adjustable saddle (then re-sell the BiSaddle).

I have the ISM PR 3.0. I was getting numbness on long rides and this saddle fixed that. It lets me sit at the very front in aero comfortably. I got lucky finding a perfect fit on the first try. I’ve even ridden on it indoors for 8.5hrs (170mi) with no issues. Getting sore from long hours in the saddle isn’t really an issue for me anymore.

I have it tilted down in the front slightly - more than most other people I see.

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https://www.strava.com/...tes/zachary_mckinney

http://www.speedandcomfort.com John Cobb is a very smart guy.

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Dr. Alex Harrison | Founder & CEO | Sport Physiology & Performance PhD
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I love my Dash saddle.

I love my dash saddle too. There are at least 2 widths available. They look super minimalistic and they are, but I can ride for hours and hours without getting out of aero. I replaced my ISM Adamo which had about 1 mm window where I was comfortable, which replaced the never-to-be-sufficiently-cursed Specialized Sitero. I like Dash because its width is pretty similar along the whole length so you can reposition yourself easily without your legs hitting the back of the saddle.

If you’re not picky about saddles and only going to spend 1-2 hrs on it why not try what you have already? Tilt the nose down a fraction and you may find it’s all you need. Saddle experimentation can be a costly business if you buy to try.

That was my plan. Start with a Flite off my road bike. I'm pretty confident it won't work well since it wasn't a good fit for another bike with clip on aerobars. If I'm right, I'll probably wait till proper spring to buy a dash strike and ride it a bunch outside to make sure it works for me within the return window. The only other reasonable option I see as a first step (after the Flite) is a cheap used saddle off eBay as a test case (BiSaddle, ISM, SLR T1, etc)... but that limits selection a bunch in the "reasonable price" range.

My first saddle was a Stelle Italia Flite Saddle. It was an upgraded saddle that came on the used bike I bought from Craig's list. When I had my mechanic work on the bike he said the bike had a really nice seat and if I ever sold the bike to swap it out and keep it for the next bike. I rode that saddle without ever shopping around for anything else and when I got a new bike I swapped that saddle from the old bike to the new bike. I got my 3rd bike and wanted to make the swap again but the new bike only worked with a split style seat because the the fasteners had to be installed and tightened through the split. That bike came with an Adamo ISM saddle. I strained on that saddle for about 10 weeks but it was not for me. It was too wide for me and so the inside of my thighs would rub on it. I didn't notice that this was happening when I was riding but my power was way down on the new bike. Like 10% down. So I started playing with swapping different things out to see if anything made a difference. The saddle from my second bike was the same shape as the Stelle Italia Flite, but with a split down the middle. So I tried it on the new bike and the change was instant. As soon as i was on that saddle the 10 weeks of feeling sluggish on the bike was gone and I felt like I will able to hammer it again. I don't like the split saddle as well as the solid saddle because it flexes a lot due to the narrow sections for the sit bones. When I am pushing hard I can feel the saddle defecting as a push against it instead of pushing more power into the pedal I am losing some power to the defection is the seat. But, the shape is right and so I can push hard. So that might give you some ideas of what things to look for in a saddle. For me I just road the first saddle I got without questioning anything for the first two bikes. They I got one that was the wrong shape for me and it became obvious what I had been taking for granted. Different people have different shapes and ride differently so get what is comfortable and functional.

Below are the two shapes (more or less) that I tried. The shorter ISM on top was terrible for me. The longer one on bottom worked fine. If I were to shop more I might find something better than that though.

Solid forum. Anyone try the PL 1.0? I used to love the Breakaway (more narrow in the front) but am afraid about hip clearance in the back. It's the only saddle where I did no rocking around....

I was about to post about how much I love my Dash saddle, until I saw that I already had, months ago. Glad to see I still agree with myself.