5 Things You Need To Know Before Buying A Saddle

[@gcn]

What kind of saddle do you use? Why? 🤔

[@meanredspider]

I got to love the Specialized Toupe Gel saddle - it was perfect for me - and then they discontinued it. Tried the Romin but it just didn’t feel as good. Kicking myself for not having bought a couple of spares

[@christophermorin9036]

The seat I use and swear by is the "Schwinn Adult Ergonomic Bike Seat" (Do a google search. It has a black top and silver sides." "Lightweight, slim, but still very cushioned and the pressure relieving slit in the nose is a nice touch. Saddley (Get it?) They aren't made anymore, so when this wears out I'll have to find a different one.

[@snafujag100]

Selle SMP👍

[@Aragorn.Strider]

Fizik Terra Argo. A gravel saddle and for a more planted position. So its more wavy, because I stand rarely on my pedals

[@R20VT100M]

I have a Selle Italia X1 Flow. I picked it for its looks but it’s comfy too

[@noptimized]

I’m growing suspicious of GCN’s ties to Big Hair.

[@RyonBeachner]

Subliminal Alpecin tie in. No coincidence that Selle Italia is a sponsor of Alpecin’s world tour team. This is sarcasm.

[@VoltageLP]

And narrow ass

[@inz_uzi]

😂 Oliie got his hair done by an overexcited Italian stylist 🤣

[@questgivercyradis8462]

Ollie just wants Pogacar's hair tufts sticking out of the helmet. The only sacrifice to aero gains.

[@socopower]

Same hairdresser as my mum’s?

[@lesand5484]

I once got a saddle at a local bike shop where they measured my sit bones and I described my position on the bike. It's been amazing for years. Now, I'm riding in a more progressive position, so I'm considering getting a new one, as it's now getting uncomfortable on longer rides. But to everyone wondering whether it's worth it visiting a local bike shop for a saddle, I can only recommend it.

[@oliverrch5370]

That being said, hasn't it been proven many times that the measuring of sit bone width is basically useless in determining what saddle you should use? it really only gives a rough indication into how wide it should be and that's about it.

[@lesand5484]

@@oliverrch5370 Well, a rough indication is what helps you decide between the saddle widths that the brand offers. Then the shape and cut outs depend on your position on the bike. In my case it worked. I'm not a sport scientist or physiotherapist, so I can't speak for more than that experience.

[@hugosantana7253]

​@@oliverrch5370it's not useless. It indicates the minimum saddle width you should use. However it's only one aspect to consider for choosing the ideal saddle.

[@gcn]

Thanks for sharing your experience, nothing better that give a try in person to the saddles

[@larryt.atcycleitalia5786]

@@gcn Yep, find a shop that will let you try 'em. Back-in-the-day when it was Rolls, Turbo or Concor we'd let clients try 'em and then install a brand new one of their choice and put the testers back in the display case. My favorite saddle company SMP sets up test centers to make this simple and easy. Find one online, you'll be glad you did!

[@paulgrimshaw8334]

The best tip I’ve read is to strip one half of a piece of corrugated cardboard. Keep the wavy bit. Place that on the saddle. Get on the bike and go for a short ride without padded shorts. Your sit bones will make an impression on the cardboard. Measure the distance between deepest impressions. That will be your sit bone distance. Look at the shape of the impressions. If the pressure points are equal and broad, your saddle size and shape is in an acceptable range. If they’re not, go shopping.., with a few extra pieces of fresh corrugated cardboard. Don’t obsess seeking perfection. Once you ride a pretty good saddle with a good pair of padded shorts, your ass-saddle fit will be fine.

[@starlitshadows]

You can do the same thing sitting on a hard surface just to get the sit bone width. Cardboard works great

[@JayLato]

@@starlitshadowsonly if you close your hip angle to mimic your riding position. If you sit upright the measurement is wider.

[@starlitshadows]

@@JayLato yeah I do it on a lower stool so its similar

[@FlatSpinMan]

Helpful. I’ve been riding a while now but genuinely feel this helped me understand the market.

[@tomasangelomena6866]

I believe shorter saddles are popular to pros because they can use it to somewhat bypass the minimum 5cm saddle setback set by UCI. Shorter saddle nose effectively makes the position "more forward" compare to usual 272 saddle length.

[@buster.keaton]

^ This. I almost jumped on the short nose saddle bandwagon until I learned that it had little to do with comfort or performance.

[@bubblesezblonde]

Always love your vids Dr. Bridgewood. High quality saddles, high quality pedals and ergonomic grips are essential for comfort. I found 'my saddle', slapped them on all my rides.

[@eudaenomic]

I took the OEM Peugeot saddle and using a heating tool dropped the center of the saddle. I've been using it for more than 27 years though I've had it re-leathered 4 x.

[@FoobsTon]

Ha ha... Just like Trigger's Broom!

[@markusseppala6547]

Don't be fooled that the selle italia endurance versions are just for beginners and "endurance riders", I think they have the correct amount of padding for most ppl instead of the normal models. It's just a tiny bit more. The SLR endurance has about the same amount of padding as the stock Flite.

[@yarly3180]

OK selle italia employee

[@johnnunn8688]

I had a Selle Flite on my road bike, back in the 90s and it was so comfortable I got one for my MTB and it was ace on that too. Edited to add. Neither had a channel in them.

[@larryt.atcycleitalia5786]

Funny you mention that...back-in-the-day I had to stand up to test-ride clients' bikes in for repair if they had one of those torture racks atop their seatpost. Just f__king awful...but they WERE light!

[@eduardocarvalhoneto909]

Nice video with details and examples. GCN is getting some nice video recently with information and graphics.

[@gcn]

Thank you, we’re trying to keep improving

[@camgallagher288]

After trying a dozen or so saddles Selle Italia is my saddle if choice. But I carry an Allen key and sometimes adjust height or position by 1 or 2mm during a ride for say aching knees or muscle pain. An older rider suggested it once and it works. Then again he might have been handicapping me.

[@JustMikeH]

Great breakdown. I had to learn all of this the hardway. It worked out though. The outcome resulted in an Infinity brand saddle without padding, in which I ride without a chamois. While I am not a racer, I do use it for bicycle touring and bikepacking. If you told me I could ride long distance without a chamois before, I would have laughed at you. That said, seamless underwear is still important to prevent chafing.

[@endtimeslips4660]

if you ride in hot country cut out is must. it huge different it hold balls well, prevent it to get cook off by the heat

[@jacquesduplessis6175]

oh my word, those "Seat Seats" are amazing😆😆

[@JayLato]

I find my all Carbon SLR Tekno Superflow more comfortable than the SLR carbonio padded version. The cut out on the full carbon is rounded off whereas the cutout in the plastic shell is sharp.

[@MrShaneSunshine]

Your hair makes me uncomfortable.....at first.....then i adjusted to it for the long hawl! 😂👍

[@kamolhengkiatisak1527]

This gem applies to all: beginners and experts alike.

[@ТалгатЕсжанов-д1э]

Selle Italia 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@florianhorger7843]

where is the "love you, byyyee" at the end of the video??

[@tom6493]

3:31 pretty sure a pro bike fitter on here, said that the whole “sit bone” thing on road bikes is bullshit due to the riding position and is a hangover from decades ago.

[@238949]

Great, very informative video, thanks Ollie x

[@germanhugger41]

Interesting video Ollie.. My all time favorite saddle is the Selle Italia Turbomatic Gel flow...Sadly Selle Italia dropped this model from their range several years ago...

[@devdroid9606]

I have two of these. Comfortable but not so durable, as the gel breaks down over time and the shell folds in the center.

[@sventice]

Saddles are easily the most idiosyncratic part of the bike. Sadly (and expensively), the only true way to see if a saddle works for you is trial and error. The SLR saddle that Ollie likes, for example, is very popular with a lot of riders, but for me it was literally painful. I like flat saddles. The most comfortable saddle I've ever used, by far, is the Brooks C17, but it's very heavy, and really only suitable for touring or heavy bikepacking. For most of my riding, I like the Fizik Antares. It's flat, it's not too squishy, it's not too heavy (210g or so), and it's very nearly as comfortable as the C17. For me. Your results will almost certainly be different.

[@531c]

There are many different saddle manufacturers producing 100s of different saddles. Where do you start? I've been cycling for decades and have tried many different ones before eventually finding several that are OK.

[@scopie49]

Probably find a friend or even a cyclist meetup and ask if anyone has saddle to trade/try out for a day or two just to test various shapes/widths before committing to a purchase. Or pay for a bike fit where the fitter will suggest one based off your measurements and type of cycling you do. I dislike the overwhelming choices because the bike industry as a whole already has too much proprietary crap to wade through.

[@larryt.atcycleitalia5786]

Start at a shop who cares more about cycling than money. They should let you try various models like SMP does...but I'd assume other makers have test-programs as well?

[@Kurodas116]

5:55 “It’s not just about length” I see what you did there 😉

[@a1white]

He tries to fit at least one innuendo into every vid he does 😅

[@simonhj]

"It's not just about length." *pauses and looks into camera* 🤣

[@gcn]

We don't know what you're talking about.

[@TC-ik9kn]

When the video started, the first thought 💭 was .... " Good Lad, you had a rough night,😂" sleepy face." Hahaha

[@job9902]

Tried a few and ended up with the SLR Flow (rather than Superflow) on my road bikes, kit carbonio is my favourite although I am still using an old gel one on the trainer

[@on2play736]

2:44 Alex preferred the nose of the saddle as he mentioned in previous GCN videos. I don't know if he changed that but I saw that interview regarding aero positions or it was something saddle positions

[@kevinb6835]

I got one with cutout and one without. i have more problems with numbness with the cutout one ^^ the one without i can ride 2-3 hours without problems^^

[@joaom2057]

I have been riding for 10 years with Sspecialized Alias 143 after having a prostatitis issue. I had to trow a way all the other sadlles, most of them Selle italia. Actually its the only sadlle i can use. Allows me to wear shorts without the sponge thing.

[@charlesmiv3842]

You wear bike shorts without a chamois pad?

[@joaom2057]

@@charlesmiv3842 Yes. Just dont feel confortable with it. Starts to hurt after a few kms... The solution i came with was a Flat Sadle, not to flexible and with a hole in the midle.The sit bones are the only part who touches the sadle. I also avoid roads with bad tarmac. In optimal conditions i can ride confortably more than 150km. But as i said above only after that health issue.

[@Jeffcrocodile]

long time fan and user of an SLR

[@oquemaur]

SLR super flow for me after trying all sorts.

[@IAmRetail]

I wish I could try a IDmatch near me in the US

[@nickize3146]

Thank you for this video. Great information for new cyclists. 😊

[@cycletrade2276]

Haha, we use the same saddle configuration. I love it too

[@gcn]

Coincidence?

[@rbonn3880]

"It's not just about the length." I saw that smirk. Nonetheless very informative video, especially since I have a Selle saddle (so comfortable).

[@gcn]

"In the present, short is more useful."

[@benedictearlson9044]

I may have missed it but you don't mention the fact that riders can sit forward in the saddle to use quadricep muscle groups and sit to the rear to utilise glutes more at various points in a ride? Don't we all do that? Would have expected to see that as part of the saddle pressure test?

[@billkallas1762]

Everyone knows that (I hope). Spinning "on the rivet", and then sliding back, with a lower cadence on big ring hills, and cruising in the draft.

[@Stirling1989]

Ollie should get a custom Monte Grappa t-shirt with all 10 ascents on it

[@chrisd635csi]

Really helpful video

[@ofeykalakar1]

Also consider inner thigh rub and the thickness of the front neck part of the saddle

[@ahnilatedahnilated7703]

I have never been able to get my saddle right for my 100 mile rides. My sit bones tend to get sore no matter how much riding I do each year.

[@benedictearlson9044]

What pressure are you running your tyres at and what width are they and what weight are you, if you don't mind me asking.

[@mvm9407]

@@benedictearlson9044 Really? You're probably suggesting riding on wide, underinflated tyres will eliminate sit bone sores, but that's delusional. The problem lies elsewhere. Perhaps it's the shorts. Cheap shorts have hard, shallow chamoises, which are more likely to cause soreness than the saddle itself. Position and frame size are also more relevant than tyre pressure or width.

[@questgivercyradis8462]

Eventually hours in the saddle are hours in the saddle no matter how good the seat is. I get a sore ass from sitting in a car for too long too aka "car butt". A bit sore is different than pain, to me. If it is acute pain, that's a problem. If it is just a bit of tenderness from a long ride, that's expected.

[@hugosantana7253]

Try a saddle that have a different shape. Also, get out of the saddle from time to time to relieve the pressure. Helps a lot!

[@TiagoMorbusSa]

Tremendous video as always!

[@slowturn5664]

I was able to buy a test SLR. It's white and matches my TARMAC. Oh and it was new in the pack.

[@gcn]

keep that white clean

[@xxwookey]

I hate saddle-shopping: it's such a lottery. The comfiest ones have generally been big, fat padded shopper-bike ones (which are also very cheap). But I went for a bike-fit a couple of years back and came away sat much further back with an expensive (£100) SMP Well. I got used to the new position but the saddle is bloody uncomfortable. First time I've ever had a cutout and I don't think it helps. But I can't really face trying more at £50-£150 a throw, and only ones with long rails will fit. More padding would help IMHO as I mostly ride for transport without special shorts, and it's always been nicer in the past. I've never had a comfy road-bike unpadded saddle. The 'Spoon' that came with my last bike was also excruciating - that didn't last long. The last comfy one was an 'eco materials' nice gel saddle from bankrupt stock. Sadly it died quite quickly (which is probably why they went bankrupt).

[@UrbanoFloripa]

I would love to have a Selle Italia, but in my country these saddles cost the same as an entry-level bike.

[@wardwillems09]

i saw that Lael Wilcox, a female ultra endurance cyclist, uses a 3D printed saddle and doesn’t wear padded shorts. i guess it’s not only about soft/hard and shape, but also about ventilation and hygiene, keeping it cool and dry down there…

[@russwatkins8895]

Thanks///....Good Info

[@greigs9384]

Everyone had the Turbo in the 80s. Still see a few about.

[@larryt.atcycleitalia5786]

Yep, I loved those...until I didn't.

[@DudeEnglish]

I’ve got a Selle Italia Gel saddle only Domane. It’s ok but not the best.

[@TheSpacecraftX]

Yeah I gind the cutouts cause me to feel like they're cutting into me. It feels impossible to find them without.

[@lux-wattage]

Do you adjust the saddle based on your bike fit, or is it more of a simultaneous process where both are fine-tuned together? Also, when it comes to pressure mapping, is it performed individually for each specific saddle you test, or is it done using a 'standard' model as a baseline for comparison?

[@declanfaughey8471]

The wrong saddle can be a real pain in the just ask Hank.

[@johnsmith-zf1fd]

In 20 years you'll be the Clarkson of cycling.

[@OLICIT]

He’ll always be James May😂

[@gonzaloleviatanh]

Where are the noiseless saddles? I have been using one for a while and I like it

[@notpablo8369]

I have a loud saddle

[@HunterAtheist]

​@@notpablo8369 I feel robbed. Mine doesnt even make a peep.

[@larryt.atcycleitalia5786]

SMP's noses are dropped so you can still get the control benefits without any squashing while you're down in the drops.

[@likemarksee]

Cutouts (IMO) are mainly a marketing thing….when it is wet you’ll realise that it’s not a great idea. The same pressure point relief can be achieved without a big hole in the saddle, it’s dumb. (Personally, pressure point relief, i.e. cut out, doesn’t help me and is more likely to cause an issue/problem). Finding the right saddle is a process of trial an error…there is no smart alternative way to do it!

[@questgivercyradis8462]

I would have thought in the rain they're better - if I stop at a cafe my saddle will drain instead of get a puddle!

[@likemarksee]

@@questgivercyradis8462saddles are usually waterproof. Water can spray up through the cutout and puddles can be muddy/dirty.

[@larryt.atcycleitalia5786]

"Cutouts (IMO) are mainly a marketing thing"… BS! After some "undercarriage" work I found I couldn't sit on ANYTHING without a cutout An expensive trial-and-error process led me to SMP and I'm a happy (old) man!

[@gregkane8635]

How does that Id match thing work out when 80% of the time most people ride on the hoods rather than the drops?

[@am529]

I have rather widely-spaced ischial tuberosities. Narrow saddles don’t work well for me.

[@gregsullivan7408]

Is there really exactly 5 things? Or is it really 13, but they left out the rest because 5 is such a nice round number

[@gcn]

KZbin and we like the number 5

[@JohnBrooke-g3u]

Great to see Ollie. Not many times he's done a video...

[@shaun7163]

Why does his hair matter to you?

[@benedictearlson9044]

It looks fine to me, but what does it have to do with you that you need to criticise his appearance?

[@mrsmradoch9584]

Hei hei... I have measured my sitting bones which lead me to saddle of a 140-145 saddle width. I went with 142. The saddle as it is comfortable, but I have issue, that if I sit back (where you show in the video I should sit) I scrape my splinter and make these kind of pimples there .. what could be the issue here?

[@TheGreedX]

The 90s saddle are fire 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@circuloviciosamente]

Why does GCN let that guy host an episode when he just woke up?

[@gcn]

We didn't have many more options.

[@OllieBridgewood]

i had literally done the monte grappa ride 12 hours before!

[@galenkehler]

Pro tip: when you find a good saddle, buy a few, or you'll regret when selle italia stops making the SLR. (Yeah I know they slapped the name on other things, but the actual SLR is gone)

[@OllieBridgewood]

genuinely think if you liked the old one you should try the new one! its an improvement!

[@leeaprescott]

Some great advice here but also a lot of marketing nonsense. There are so many urban myths around saddle selection proliferated by the brands to help them sell more saddles. If in doubt seek out an IBFI certified bike fitter Ideally one that uses pressure mapping.

[@starlitshadows]

I'm looking at getting an SLR Boost. If anyone knows the width of the pressure relief channel at the widest part of it on a 130mm let me know. My sit bones are narrow, if the channel is slightly too wide I've found it can be problematic.

[@aihsanasl]

What if your items stuck into cut outs?

[@andymakarewich]

It looks like Ollie brushed his hair with a pillow. #helpollieshair

[@woodworks2123]

The most important take from this, Ollie has a narrow one.😘

[@michab4083]

Plus: length is not important ...

[@RAllllll]

У меня Селле Ииалия с али Экспресс. Спасбо Китайцам)

[@Aar0nsite]

Interesting that carbon rails are less comfortable than steel or manganese rails! I thought carbon would dampen vibration 😮

[@andras.89]

Hey dear Decathlon Triban users, what saddle you went from their stock?

[@fukotrack]

You moms face 😊

[@gr8videofun]

Legnth, width, slight curve. Are you sure you're talking about your saddle?

[@christophermorin9036]

I've never understood why anyone would ever need an "Aero" seat. It's under your butt lol, you're already blocking the flow of wind over it.

[@JK-dv3qe]

and you saying that most people choose to sit at the tip of the saddle. does not really compute. when in doubt sit at the back of the saddle (who wants mangled balls). most sensible people would sit at the back of the saddle?

[@danfuerthgillis4483]

"The right saddle is the one that fits your ass, not the one UCI says you must use due to the size" Forget the UCI nonsense and think about your ass so been using a 170 mm wide Vitesse saddle for many years now best saddle out there and it came with my first cheap road bike.

[@Vachalen]

Man woke up and did a video.

[@OllieBridgewood]

did the monte grappa ride 12 hours before!

[@Doktor_Al]

Is there an “R” after Selle? Why do you say it like that?

[@h1n1worm]

slr boost all the time...

[@dr.deborahnixon1192]

We need a video about saddles for women because everything changes for us.

[@larryt.atcycleitalia5786]

But my wife likes the same saddle make/model as I do...I think a lot of the "women-specific" stuff is just marketing The saddle doesn't know who is sitting on it. OTOH I did once have a guy look at my bike and claim the saddle was a woman-specific model...which it wasn't...but even if it WAS...who cares?

[@dr.deborahnixon1192]

@@larryt.atcycleitalia5786 If you read women's comments on Zwift, you'd know. We have very different soft tissue areas.

[@OllieBridgewood]

the same general advice applies here

[@Aussie_stu]

Judging by Oli's hair, he must have really had a big night.

[@OllieBridgewood]

up monte grappa!

[@E.T_rode_bikes_As_well]

Why would u want a wide saddle when u riding a road bike with a supernarrow q- factor… what a load…

[@jered2177]

Sponsored by Aquanet 😂

[@donwinston]

The slot down the middle doesn't do shit other than maybe save weight. It's a gimmick. There is little to no pressure in that area and furthermore your body in that area is just skin and fat with no bones. Also the 3D printed saddles are a classic case of over engineering. They are no better than a saddle with traditional padding or no padding to speak of at all.

[@nick.j2772]

bad hair day

[@JK-dv3qe]

better title of video would be (and would get more views) would be: what your balls need to know before you buy a bike saddle

[@_Tp___]

not everyone has those

[@richiejames928]

SLR BOOST gravel version…. Thank me later.

[@mrkickback3105]

I pay for youtube so it's not free, and If you don't pay then you then pay in time with worthless adds.

[@brosettastone7520]

5 things you need to know before buying a haircut next?

[@JK-dv3qe]

summing it all up: if you want to be one of those 'aggressive' roadies you will have to defer ball comfort/reproduction ability (and that is maybe ok)

[@gregknipe8772]

more of this, and less of how to wax, rewax, and re re wax your chain.

[@derf9465]

I tend to ride on a razor blade.

[@gcn]

Sounds a bit dangerous

[@JK-dv3qe]

you should be more honest. saddle comfort = balls comfort in 90% of the cases. just say ball comfort then?

[@boardgamejulia]

Aaaand all the female riders without balls can then feel thoroughly left out ...

[@michab4083]

How do you sit on your balls on a bike saddle? 🤔 Facing backward? I don't get it ...

[@galenkehler]

Pro tip: don't sit on your balls I honestly can't believe this needs to be said, but here we are 😂 In all seriousness, if you have a deformity where your balls have grown in the wrong place, I apologize

[@galenkehler]

Also don't know if you realize that more than half the people in the world don't have balls.

[@JK-dv3qe]

@@galenkehler i realize this. but i have those balls. and from observation from the bike saddle about 85% of my fellow cyclists also have balls (more like 94% but lets be accomodating) bike commuting for about 3,5 years

[@cathyisrael8821]

The most important of long ride don’t use the carbon saddle use still saddle is for long ride not for carbon or alloy check first before you use magnet