Selle SMP saddles for bigger riders

Triathlon Forum
1

I am a larger rider 6’3 220 lbs and I usually ride on the brake mounts not in the drops or aero bars, and I am looking for a more ergonomic saddle option. I currently ride an ISM century X that’s much better than a regular saddle for the road, but it’s just is not ergonomic enough for riding the trainer comfortably. The Selle SMP pro seems like the best option but they are $250 new which is big investment in a saddle I have never tried before. There are other Selle SMPs around that you can get used like the lite 209 or the dynamic or the glider, but they are for a size a step down from the pro. There are also the SMP Extra saddles on amazon for much cheaper than the pro, but they are not even listed on the Selle SMP website, so I am concerned about quality and fit. Does anyone have any experience with the Extras? Are they a joke? Would I miss the extra padding or would the narrower seat be a problem if I got a lite 209 or a dynamic or a glider instead of the Selle SMP pro? Thanks for you input.

-Mark

2

just thinking out loud, I’m pretty much a newb rider too, but I was told to get my sit bones measured and figure out which saddles would fit best rather than shopping for a specific brand.

3

I have checked out a bunch of their saddles since they sponsor our team. At your size and position the Pro should be your best bet. The shape, rather than just the padding, is what makes them comfortable. They all have different widths so just compare carefully on their site

4

Got mine on ebay for 220 shipped…best saddle I have tried. Came off an adamo podium.

5

http://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/blog/2011/09/all-about-smps/

Great guide to everything to want to know about SMP’s, who they fit best, why they fit them.

I am NOT a larger rider by any means, but I would imagine that having less padding would be even more important if you were larger (I hate the stuff with a passion). Padding breaks down, flops, and causes chafing. A thin layer is ok and helpful, but once you get more than that you get to the “squish” territory. Squishing is bad, it means that as your weight shifts the padding compresses, uncompresses causing more friction.