About 1 1/2 years ago, I purchased a new Cervelo S1. I had it built up (I did not get the stock Cervelo build) and I chose all of the components. The saddle I selected was the 2009 Selle Italia SLC Kit Carbonio Gel Flow. I’m not sure why I selected this saddle. Maybe I selected it because it seemed to be fancy (very light, carbon shell, carbon nose, ti rails, etc.). Out of my own inexperience, what I didn’t know is that this saddle is as hard as concrete. It didn’t bother me much last year since I wasn’t doing very long rides. Now that I am doing a lot more riding, this saddle hurts my rear. Can someone recommend another saddle that is softer? I am looking to spend up to about $200 or so.
cobb v-flow max?
That saddle didn’t work for me, either. As many have said in other threads, give Cobb saddles a try. Their outstanding return policy should make them your first look. If that doesn’t work, I’d recommend using any tri saddle that interests you. The SLR or Profile, Fizik Tri 2, etc. The extra padding seems to help me, but I still end up changing saddles every couple of seasons. My next road saddle will be a Cobb.
I did the same thing with that saddle. It looked super cool, was light and I told myself that after thousands and thousands of miles on bikes over three decades I can ride anything if I have good shorts, a good fit and chamois cream.
Wrong.
The saddle simply didn’t work for me despite the fact that I used a heat gun to re-form the sides of the shell to give it a little more radius so my thighs didn’t rub it.
Didn’t work.
I’ve since switched to the Cobb Cycling road saddle:
Thanks Tom. It looks like from you and others that I’m not the only one that has issues with that saddle. I’ll probably buy the Cobb. Since I had a complete bike fit, I am guessing I will have to go to a fitter to make sure the fore/aft position and angle of the saddle is correct.
Good idea on the fitting.
Another nice thing about the Cobb Cycling Saddle is they have a good return policy if it doesn’t work out for you and they include some good tools for positioning the saddle correctly on your own if you chose to take a crack at it.
As you likely know, it is awfully hard to make a saddle rec since they are so personal as to what is comfortable.
That said, the Fizik Arione (in whatever iteration) is about as universally accepted saddle as they come. I was on one when they first came out (even have an old Cippolini Rainbow stripes version), then off to various saddles, now back on again on 3 of my bikes (road, crit, cross). Great saddles.
I picked up that saddle from you guys and love it.
I haven’t tried John Cobb’s road saddles, but my Arione is REALLYcomfy.
I will admit, though, when I do my hour-long descent from the mountains, I get a tad numb from being in the drops for that long.