Looking for experience of switching from a regular saddle to an SMP.
Does one shorten the distance from saddle tip to stem (at the bars) about 5-10mm from a regular saddle?
It’s the middle of winter here, so I’m trying to get the fit right on a trainer and it feels like I need to shorten that distance.
I’m using the Composit for road, and Blaster for my CX bike.
They seem to have more of an exact fit than other saddles.
It’s not an exact science, but figure with an ISM, about 4-6cm more saddle to pad distance is average, so with the SMP I wouldn’t go so far, but more than 5-10mm. I’d start at 2-3cm and evaluate based on feel. You could also film a short video and see if it looks the same.
If you are feeling the need to move it, sure, 2-3mm at most. But, as SMP models are so ‘scoopy’ shaped, you can also consider slightly tilting nose down to facilitate more pelvic rotation. Not too much as to put pressure up front, but to allow spine/torso to rotate forward with the pelvis and get that reach. You may prefer the Blaster over the Composit as it has a bit more padding (but not that much)
You can do a combination of both - 2mm forward, a half a degree nose down.
Also note that as the saddle rails are built on an angle you do not need to adjust seat height if moving saddle fore and aft.
If you are feeling the need to move it, sure, 2-3mm at most. But, as SMP models are so ‘scoopy’ shaped, you can also consider slightly tilting nose down to facilitate more pelvic rotation. Not too much as to put pressure up front, but to allow spine/torso to rotate forward with the pelvis and get that reach. You may prefer the Blaster over the Composit as it has a bit more padding (but not that much)
You can do a combination of both - 2mm forward, a half a degree nose down.
Also note that as the saddle rails are built on an angle you do not need to adjust seat height if moving saddle fore and aft.
Thanks, that makes sense.
The ability to get pelvic rotation but maintain comfort plus the rear scoop to keep my butt position planted under power, was the epiphany that switched me to SMP saddles.
I’m totally fine with the Composit for road, but I figured a little extra padding with the same shape, the Blaster, would be perfect for CX/gravel.
Still not sure about the SMP triathlon saddles… might get a tester before purchasing.
I’m the Chicago demo center, and have a full set of the TT saddles. Folks in my market tend to go for the largest one (TT1) and they are on the larger size. I’ve got a few that run the Dynamic for triathlon, those are all lightly built women.
The TT saddles are not scoopy, which is antithetical to SMP design.
I got a Kryt last spring and love it! I’m only a roadie though. But the Kryt has a teeny bit of scoop, and a narrow perch. But you don’t sit ‘in’ it like the Dynamic or Drakon.
Haven’t tried the F series yet but they are on my to-get list.
Looking for experience of switching from a regular saddle to an SMP.
Does one shorten the distance from saddle tip to stem (at the bars) about 5-10mm from a regular saddle?
I think you might be confused - with short and/or noseless-style saddles, the distance from the saddle front to the stem needs to increase. This is the #1 mistake that people make with these saddles (I’ve worked for such saddle manufacturers and done a lot of bike fits).
This article that I wrote covers the ‘why’. I also reviewed the T1 and T2 here.
"With the introduction of noseless-type saddles, front saddle width becomes much more complicated. The number one problem is that the manufacturers’ instructions were not clear in the early years, and too many consumers and fitters didn’t install them properly. When Average Joe went to install his nose-less saddle, he measured his old road saddle to have a distance of 55cm from the nose of the seat to the handlebar. In order to recreate the same position, he installed his noseless seat in the same place – 55cm from the front of the seat to the handlebar. He’s recreating the same position, right? Wrong.
These seats are all short – missing anywhere from 2 – 8 centimeters of nose (1 – 3 inches). That means that the front of the seat should be positioned 2 – 8 centimeters further to the rear than the nose of a traditional seat (so that “nose”-to-bar distance will increase). If you do not make this adjustment, you’re putting too much saddle width too far forward. The front of the seat will feel too wide, bothering your inner thighs, adductors, or crotch. Put another way, it’s not that the nose of the seat is too wide – it’s that there IS NO NOSE at all, and you’ve put another part of the seat in its place."
That said - SMP saddles aren’t quite noseless. Their road saddles are essentially full-length, but they tilt the nose down. Their tri-specific saddles also do this to some degree, but are also shortened a little bit overall.
The best way for you to forget all of this nonsense and have a decent chance of getting the saddle in the right spot from the jump is to measure from the widest point of the saddle to the stem. Match the SMP (or whatever saddle you choose) with your old saddle’s measurement. This is how I normally get my starting position for a new saddle, and it’s never that far off from where I end up after a couple rides.
The TT saddles are not scoopy, which is antithetical to SMP design.
They’re not ‘scoopy’ to the eye, but they have thicker padding in the middle (i.e. about halfway between the tip of the nose and the rear of the saddle). The owners told me that this gives it an “effective” scoop position as you sit down and compress it. Because some extra padding is often wanted by long course triathletes or people otherwise wearing very thin padded shorts.
The TT saddles are not scoopy, which is antithetical to SMP design.
They’re not ‘scoopy’ to the eye, but they have thicker padding in the middle (i.e. about halfway between the tip of the nose and the rear of the saddle). The owners told me that this gives it an "effective" scoop position as you sit down and compress it. Because some extra padding is often wanted by long course triathletes or people otherwise wearing very thin padded shorts.
Interesting. I felt like they ruined the SMP design by putting all that padding on their TT saddles. I ride an Evolution on my road bike and love it. All other SMP’s I’ve tried were, in my opinion, overly padded. (The padding both increases the bulky feel of the saddle and reduces the size of the central channel opening).
I would have loved to try the krono; alas the place I was working with didn’t have it and I’ve moved on (new Sitero on TT bike now).
The TT saddles are not scoopy, which is antithetical to SMP design.
They’re not ‘scoopy’ to the eye, but they have thicker padding in the middle (i.e. about halfway between the tip of the nose and the rear of the saddle). The owners told me that this gives it an "effective" scoop position as you sit down and compress it. Because some extra padding is often wanted by long course triathletes or people otherwise wearing very thin padded shorts.
Interesting. I felt like they ruined the SMP design by putting all that padding on their TT saddles. I ride an Evolution on my road bike and love it. All other SMP’s I’ve tried were, in my opinion, overly padded. (The padding both increases the bulky feel of the saddle and reduces the size of the central channel opening).
I would have loved to try the krono; alas the place I was working with didn’t have it and I’ve moved on (new Sitero on TT bike now).
Different strokes, different folks, I guess! I’m a padding guy. I like the level of padding in their tri/TT saddles, and ride their highest level of padding on the road - at least for the high-end line (the Avant, which I still think is firm-ish). Some of their entry level saddles have even more padding, which I’d like to try eventually for my townie bike, since I’m always wearing normal clothes while riding it - not padded bike shorts.
SMP road saddles are not much shorter than a regular saddle.
I actually read the SMP install guide that came with my saddle and it said to use the saddle to stem measurement from your old saddle as the starting point and adjusting it 0-15mm closer as needed.
Also adjusting the level from +2 to -3 (I think, can’t recall exactly), but most seem to drop the tip from -0 to -2 degrees
When an SMP is setup correctly you shouldn’t feel pressure on either side of the “scoop”.
I think my problem here is riding on a trainer I feel stretched out, but that same position on the road feels normal, so my instinct is to push the saddle forward.
I will move the saddle to the same reach as my old saddle and then tweak it outside when the snow clears.
SMP road saddles are not much shorter than a regular saddle.
I actually read the SMP install guide that came with my saddle and it said to use the saddle to stem measurement from your old saddle as the starting point and adjusting it 0-15mm closer as needed.
Also adjusting the level from +2 to -3 (I think, can’t recall exactly), but most seem to drop the tip from -0 to -2 degrees
When an SMP is setup correctly you shouldn’t feel pressure on either side of the “scoop”.
I think my problem here is riding on a trainer I feel stretched out, but that same position on the road feels normal, so my instinct is to push the saddle forward.
I will move the saddle to the same reach as my old saddle and then tweak it outside when the snow clears.
Correct - as I said, it’s the tri-specific saddles that are a bit shorter.
If I had to guess, they might suggest pushing it a bit forward due to the fact that their max width occurs pretty far back compared to some brands. I’ve found that measuring to the max width point of the saddle takes care of this and any other shenanigans. You might have to adjust a little bit from there, but I just go on feel at that point.