I have been playing musical saddles since Feb. when I saw a bike fitter and changed my position. I now own a Selle Italia Flite, Turbomatic 2, Turbomatic 4; San Marco Era and an Azoto Triathgel. Only the old Turbomatic 2 is rideable beyond about an hour.
I used to ride the Azoto a lot until I got away from riding on the nose of the saddle so much. Except for the cushy nose, the Azoto is narrow and hard. In a little more laid back position I sit farther back on my “sit-bones” and can ride upwards of four or five hours in the aero position that way.
I know that Fizik has built in some “breaking in” features into their saddles, but what about the others? Can I expect they will get better in time? If not I better start searching eBay for new old stock Turbomatic 2s.
If you’re riding in the aero position you shouldn’t be sitting on your sit bones. Instead, you rotate your hips forward. Turning your saddle a few degrees to one side will put the majority of the pressure to the side of your perineum making it far more comfortable.
Another possibility is that your saddle is too high. It could be causing you to put more pressure on your saddle. I’ve had four fittings in as many years (by 3 different people) and after every one I developed problems that were immediately alleviated by lowering my saddle. In my experience, fitters are good for getting you within the acceptable range, but it’s up to you after that.
Previous to my present position I would have agreed with you, but now I ride in a way to distribute the weight between my “sit-bones” and the perineum. I can ride forever this way now, or at least for 6 hours. My other saddles are not as wide nor do they have quite the same shape and not very comfortable.
I don’t want to jump to conclusions when making the comparison though, because the Turbomatic 2 is by far the oldest and most used of the saddles.
Anyone ride a Flite and find it grew more comfortable over time?
Anyone ride a Flite and find it grew more comfortable over time?
I have a Flite on my mountain bike, but I haven’t ridden it enough to offer an opinion. However, I have been using an SLR on my road bike for almost two years now and it has definitely molded to my sitbones during this time (the change is clearly visible); it has now become an extremely comfortable saddle – I rode for 6:30 hours this past Sunday and had no numbness or significant discomfort.
I’ve used Flites for the past 11 years, and still have and use my first one. I’ve got Flites on all of my bikes (road and MTB), and my older ones are definitely more comfortable than my newer ones. I’ve tried many other saddles, but, with the exception of the SLR (not the tri one), nothing has been as comfortable for me. Of course, comfort is a relative thing. As one of my friends commented: If you want to be comfortable while sitting, you don’t pick a saddle, you pick a La-Z-Boy.
When I have to get a new saddle, it’ll probably be another Flite, although I might try the SLR. BTW, these are all original Flites, not the gel or the cut-out ones. Works out pretty well, since the Flites are some of the cheaper saddles out there.
Dr. 'Dre sold me an SLR. It’s small and hard, but VERY comfy. Dr 'Dre’s first rule of comfort is “you can’t pad your way to comfort.” When he was still living out here he was riding several hundred miles per week on his SLR’s. He rode 3 double centuries last year on a Brooks with a DeSoto bibshort.
That said. I had a Koobi enduro gel which I move to my road bike, instead of the ‘Flite’ that was on it. It works pretty well. I think they have a good return policy, if I recall.
