SMP trial output - advice on next steps

[olliecast]

Good day all,
Im hoping there is some keen smp users in here to give me some advice

Smp is certanly the way to go for me having suffered on various different saddles fizik aliante etc. As much as its worth, my sitbones are 140mm.

My local dealer in nottingham uk only had trial seats of the stratos, forma and evolution.
Ive tried each of them now as follows:

The stratos was ok, but felt a little "flat" and it had made my sitbones ache after roughly 45 mins. I found it best at 3 degress nosedown and 10mm setback.

The forma i found dissapearing under me but then i got pain in my groin/soft tissue on the outside of my pelvis bone after using it for 3 days commuting last week (30 miles per day). The groin seems to run outside of the pelvic bones- Does this suggest that its too wide or could it just be from my keen adjusting?
It happened on a ride where i increased the setback forward from 5mm setback 10mm and nosedown to 3.5 degrees.

Finally i then tried the evolution and that felt ok this morning for an hour however i did get my standard sitbone ache, zero front pressure but again felt a bit flat?

Im wondering where to go next. I was thinking that the dynamic may offer me the hugging shape i like with the addition of a nice bit of padding which feels great on the evolution?
The gamble i have is the smp dealer i go to only has the dynamic as a sale saddle and not a trial.
Or, could the composite help with a bit more of a dip as the padding is not there to take it up?

Would really appreciate your thoughts,

Thanks
Ollie

[Lemond75]

I've got two mint condition dynamics, one in both black and white that I'm looking to sell if you're interested?

[olliecast]

Where are you based matey?

[DamonRinard]

Hi Ollie,

Assuming from your username you're male, looks like your sit bones, like mine, are farther apart than 95% of men:

Ischial tuberostiy spacing among men and women (PeopleSize 1998, http://www.openerg.com/)

Percentile 5th 50th 95th
Men 100mm 118mm 137mm
Women 112mm 130mm 148mm

Not sure if that informs your saddle choice with SMP or not?

Cheers,
Damon

[Hawkwood]

Hi Ollie,

Assuming from your username you're male, looks like your sit bones, like mine, are farther apart than 95% of men:

Ischial tuberostiy spacing among men and women (PeopleSize 1998, http://www.openerg.com/)

Percentile 5th 50th 95th
Men 100mm 118mm 137mm
Women 112mm 130mm 148mm

Not sure if that informs your saddle choice with SMP or not?

Cheers,
Damon

Sounds like I might be the same. Do you have any saddle recommendations?

[DamonRinard]

Right, there aren't many high-end saddles at our widths. On the one hand, that's good because it narrows the possibilities greatly, makes it less confusing with fewer choices. On the other hand, that's bad because we have fewer choices.

At one point I made a spreadsheet of all the saddles wider than about 145 mm, but I settled on the Bontrager Affinity RXL WSD and deleted the list. Now I wish I'd kept it, because I'm never REALLY done looking for a more comfortable saddle, eh.

There were a bunch of Specialized models, several Bontragers (the new Ajna & Yatra are interesting), but very few "cool" saddle brands. No Selle Italia, Selle San Marco, Prologo, and only two Fiziks but they we no good for me because of too much crown. A surprisingly good WTB Deva saddle made the list, and it has a few lighter versions with ti rails, etc..

But nothing in the mold of SMP, so I have no advice on that range.



What saddles have you looked at?

[Hawkwood]

Right, there aren't many high-end saddles at our widths. On the one hand, that's good because it narrows the possibilities greatly, makes it less confusing with fewer choices. On the other hand, that's bad because we have fewer choices.

At one point I made a spreadsheet of all the saddles wider than about 145 mm, but I settled on the Bontrager Affinity RXL WSD and deleted the list. Now I wish I'd kept it, because I'm never REALLY done looking for a more comfortable saddle, eh.

There were a bunch of Specialized models, several Bontragers (the new Ajna & Yatra are interesting), but very few "cool" saddle brands. No Selle Italia, Selle San Marco, Prologo, and only two Fiziks but they we no good for me because of too much crown. A surprisingly good WTB Deva saddle made the list, and it has a few lighter versions with ti rails, etc..

But nothing in the mold of SMP, so I have no advice on that range.

What saddles have you looked at?

In a cycling career that started in 1976 it's more a case of which saddles haven't I tried! In recent times I've tried Prologo, Specialized, two different SMPs (both at the cheaper end), Astute, Fizik
(three different ones via a loan scheme), and am on a Fabric Scoop Radius at the moment. I'm 55, my legs are going fine, but what's holding me back is the battering my sit bones are getting. Anyhow some interesting suggestions in your list above, many thanks.

[DamonRinard]

Hi Hawkwood,

Right, me too. Sit bones feel bruising. So the super-light, no padding saddles are out for me.

I like the Bontrager Affinity for that: RXL isn't too hard, but if it is, then RL is softer and R is really soft (too soft?). If the width and shape are good otherwise, then I can tune the padding level to suit.

Cheers,
Damon

[olliecast]

Ive got a dynamic being delivered to our holiday cabin tomorrow so will let you know how it goes at the weekend!

[jeffy]

i would give spec power 155mm a serious try.

[Hawkwood]

Hi Hawkwood,

Right, me too. Sit bones feel bruising. So the super-light, no padding saddles are out for me.

I like the Bontrager Affinity for that: RXL isn't too hard, but if it is, then RL is softer and R is really soft (too soft?). If the width and shape are good otherwise, then I can tune the padding level to suit.

Cheers,
Damon

Again thank you for your advice. I've ordered an Affinity R in size 148mm, I went for the very soft on the basis that the roads round here (Kent) are shocking, and I suspect that the vibrations aren't helping my bum. I'm also going to go from 25mm to 27mm tyres for the same reason. What I could tolerate comfort wise 20,30, 0r 40 years ago is not the same as what I can now. I'm riding a carbin fibre `endurance' (whatever that means) frame which is undoubtedly the stiffest least forgiving ride I've ever had, so it probably isn't helping either.

[Hawkwood]

i would give spec power 155mm a serious try.

Looks interesting. I've got a Bontrager on order, if it doesn't work I'll have a look at the Spec one.