OK, so I have had some good advice/opinions given to me regarding the comfort of the Adamo saddles. The Selle SMP just came into the picture after 2 individuals today mentioned this as a saddle to consider. I don’t really know enough about the SMP other than it is pricey (2 x price of Adamo). Anyone care to chime in and offer their .02?
I’ve been riding the SMP Pro this season and so far I really love it. Low pressure on the taint, great blood flow = no numbness, and it allows you to use your sit-bones which makes it much more comfortable for long rides.
I ride the SMP Glider on my P2c and can’t get enough of it. They come in a gaggle of widths… and colors as well for the fashion conscious. Give it a shot.
BTW, selling a grey adamo - the thing killed my arse and other bits down there.
I have both, the SMP evolution and the Adamo Race. They are both good and both serve their purpose, but the SMP is substantially more suited for upright riding and I had a lot of trouble getting in aero for more than 15 minutes with the “hump” in the front. With that said, I did not try the larger pro version. I am 6’5" 205lbs, so I wiould assume my pelvis bones are larger than the average person. It seemed that if I had a smaller frame the “hump” wouldnt bother me as much.
After the SMP, I tried the Adamo race and have never looked back. I have one on my road bike and one on my tri bike. Once I figured out the fitting concept (saddle moved back, nose zip-tied, lowered and tilted slightly forward I was $$$. The saddle on my tri bike is ever so slightly tilted more forward than my road bike set up and I can sit on either one for 100+ miles without a problem.
It definitely took a few adjustments to get it just right, but once I did… perfect.
Good luck, everytime I read one of these posts I remember back to the days when my butt gave out way before my legs would. I do not miss those days.
The Adamo and SMP saddles are both taint-saviors. Had both but sold the SMP because even with the saddle pushed forward on the rails to the maximum, I couldn’t get the steep angle I needed. It felt as if the saddle had built in setback. The SMP does its job of keeping the majority of the weight on the sit-bones, whereas on the Adamo, the weight is distributed across the entire region (minus the perineum).
the SMP is substantially more suited for upright riding and I had a lot of trouble getting in aero for more than 15 minutes with the “hump” in the front. With that said, I did not try the larger pro version.
Did you set the seat angle per the instructions? It’s supposed to be angled down so that the “hump” in the front is 1 - 3cm lower than the back edge of the seat. Stark contrast with other saddles, which are of course meant to be level.
I’m glad the Adamo is working for you, had it not I’d suggest trying one of the SMP saddles designed for larger, wider people. Not that you’re “wide”, but at 6’5" 205, you’re going to have wider spaced sit bones than a 5’10 145lb athlete…in general. The evolution is among their narrowest seats, with the pro and glider designed for wider, bigger people.
I put the hump where it belonged and I continued tilting it forward in increments until I was falling off. Like I mentioned, I think my bones were too big for the saddle, not in width, but length, forward to back. I am pretty lean for my height and weight, but as a consequence, I am big bones (man saying that makes me feel like a fat ass).
I would be more than willing to try a SMP Pro model, which is a little longer and a little wider with a less pronounced hump, but once I got my Adamo dialed in, I wasnt about to spend $250 for another SMP.
I don’t know if this is appropriate for this forum, but I would be willing to part with my evolution if anyone was interested. I rode it for less than a week and it is pretty much mint.
do you think it’s possible to use the SMP the same way the Adamo is used? i.e. set it up according to the adamo’s instructions?
i’m on the adamo race, and i have to use the zip ties to bring the prongs in about 1.5-2cm, and sometimes the zip ties give way during a ride.
I can’t help but feel that a saddle with similar design but 1.5cm narrower prongs would be perfect.
i wouldn’t mind even chopping off the front bit of the SMP.
Don’t know about the Adamo but I just purchased a second SMP (for my road bike). It works very well for me.
where did you buy your colored SMP Glider saddle? Do you know the differences between the “Strike Extra”, “Glider”, “Evolution” and the “Pro?” Thanks in advance.
size and padding. Their is a pdf running around on the internet somewhere that shows them all on the same page. The SMP’s definitely have little padding. Dont think that any of them are cush, because they are not.
Good overview of the SMP line here: http://www.albabici.com/selle/selle-smp-mp.htm
Fitting instructions: http://www.albabici.com/selle/fit/fit-smp-saddle.htm
Here’s a shop that lets you demo them, then apply the “rental” fee if you want to keep it: http://www.chicagolandbicycle.com/selle_smp_saddle.htm
Seems like a good way to test out a >$200 saddle, make sure you get the right one.
I have the SMP Pro and love it. I believe it’s the widest SMP version and has pretty good padding, certainly way, way more padding that the Arione Carbon Tri2 that the SMP replaced. I’ve never ridden the Adamo but could see how it might be better for tri geometry and the SMP better for road, assuming they both provide equal comfort.