Best Lightweight AND Comfortable Saddle?

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DucatiRacer
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by DucatiRacer

Calling all ironbutts!

Looking for your opinion regarding the best saddles made, that balance light weight with the highest possible comfort level...all input welcome. I know too well that this is a very "personal" thing, but bottom line (sorry--had to do it), some saddles are generally better than others in this category. I personally tend to favor seats with cut-outs, but am open to recommendations. We usually ride about 30-60 miles on average (50-100km) at 22-25 miles per hour (35-40kph)--along flat to hilly terrain.

Some models that currently top the preliminary list:
Selle Italia SLR Flow Kit Carbonio (125g--and the one that tops my list thus far balancing weight with comfort)
Fizik Arione K:1 (145g)
Selle Italia Teknologika Flow (95g and 120g variations)
Selle SMP Full Carbon (105g)
San Marco Aspide Superleggera (103g)
Last edited by DucatiRacer on Tue Aug 31, 2010 1:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
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gumgardner
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by gumgardner

Teknologika was awful. Rock hard.

I use the prologo scratch nack now. Comfy. Not too light though at 160g. No cutout. I found the cutouts caused more discomfort. A depression worked better for me than a full cutout.

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tochnics
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by tochnics

hmz hard to tell seeming no one has tried them all
but my favorite lightweight saddle is my ax deadelus because of the flexing carbon deck
and my favorite go anywhere comfort saddle is a specialized avatar (but heavy) because the heavy padding while still looking fast

if i would go on hear say with out having it tested i would say a speedneedle
in the same catergorie that i did test was specialized toupe
Join the light side

a light bike does make you go faster unless you are slow

Johnny Rad
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by Johnny Rad

My San Marco Aspide Superleggera weighs in at 114g.

It's great for me, but has NO give.

It doesn't have a cutout, but rather a shallow center channel.

It works for me.

Good luck.

dmp
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by dmp

I'm riding the SLR kit carbonio flow now and like it very much. I was on the SLK before (nearly 100g heavier and more padded, but also pretty comfortable), and so far the SLR has been great. Of course, I bought mine used from someone who found it uncomfortable, so like you say in your original post, it's a pretty personal decision. The SLR is for someone with a pretty narrow pelvis.

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Tinea Pedis
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by Tinea Pedis

One thing I've already cottoned on to is that the saddle is really one place where it's great if you can drop some weigh, but it's not worth the sacrifce if there's no comfort.

I have a 'regular' Team Ed. Aspide on my BH and it's been A Ok for me - tried and tested over 170km on weekend just gone. From memory not that much heavier than the one you have listed.

And lets be honest, if you're rolling at those speeds are you really going to notice the extra 50 grams :smartass: :roll:

Johnny Rad
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by Johnny Rad

Great point about getting a used carbon saddle! That's exactly how I came about to try the Selle San Marco Aspide Composite in the first place a few years back ... the previous owner said it had to go. (The Aspide Composite was subsequently upgraded to the Superlegerra model a year or two later.)

As long as you brought up the SLR, I have to say that I couldn't stand it. I was in the market for a light saddle and figured it'd try it since tons of pro riders used it. Within 5 minutes of riding it, I knew it wasn't for me. I've decided that a flat (and/or narrow) saddle is a no-go for me. I need a fair amount of concave-ness to it, which the Superlegerra fits to a "T."

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Roobay
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by Roobay

What a about the Fizik Antares 00 139 grms :D
very comfortable too..
i like people... i just can't stand assholes

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majklnajt
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by majklnajt

Prologo Scratch Nack, 168 gr.

gumgardner
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by gumgardner

tochnics wrote:hmz hard to tell seeming no one has tried them all
but my favorite lightweight saddle is my ax deadelus because of the flexing carbon deck
and my favorite go anywhere comfort saddle is a specialized avatar (but heavy) because the heavy padding while still looking fast

if i would go on hear say with out having it tested i would say a speedneedle
in the same catergorie that i did test was specialized toupe


Tochnics
You think the AX Daedalus is a comfy saddle?!?! How far up your rectum do you put this post? That setback portion must really hurt at first or maybe not :lol:

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tochnics
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by tochnics

i mean compored to other carbon only saddles that are unpadded
i did not specify that sorry it was kind of late for me wile writing my previous story
the ax saddle has a lot of flex wich for a small bit replaces padding but never fully ofcourse
my previous carbon only saddles are the token (same as old karbona) and the ancient flite carbon
and they are very stiff

also i would not compare a toupe to a carbon only saddle
it has padding , how little this is ofcourse
i hope some speedneedle owners can chime in about comfort compared to a toupe

no rectum jokes from her now please :beerchug:
Join the light side

a light bike does make you go faster unless you are slow

rustychain
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by rustychain

No idea of what somebody else will find comfortable but my most comfortable lightwieght or not is the Tune Speedneedle. There is a new model out now but I have not yet tried it
WW Velocipedist Gargantuan

gumgardner
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by gumgardner

tochnics wrote:i mean compored to other carbon only saddles that are unpadded
i did not specify that sorry it was kind of late for me wile writing my previous story
the ax saddle has a lot of flex wich for a small bit replaces padding but never fully ofcourse
my previous carbon only saddles are the token (same as old karbona) and the ancient flite carbon
and they are very stiff

also i would not compare a toupe to a carbon only saddle
it has padding , how little this is ofcourse
i hope some speedneedle owners can chime in about comfort compared to a toupe

no rectum jokes from her now please :beerchug:


Ya missed the joke. The Daedalus is a seatpost. I think you meant to write the AX Phoenix

:D

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tochnics
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Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2007 11:02 pm
Location: around amsterdam

by tochnics

aw painful,even without the post in there

it says endurance on my saddle by the way
Join the light side

a light bike does make you go faster unless you are slow

dmp
Posts: 422
Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 8:31 pm
Location: Seattle

by dmp

Johnny Rad wrote:Great point about getting a used carbon saddle! That's exactly how I came about to try the Selle San Marco Aspide Composite in the first place a few years back ... the previous owner said it had to go. (The Aspide Composite was subsequently upgraded to the Superlegerra model a year or two later.)

As long as you brought up the SLR, I have to say that I couldn't stand it. I was in the market for a light saddle and figured it'd try it since tons of pro riders used it. Within 5 minutes of riding it, I knew it wasn't for me. I've decided that a flat (and/or narrow) saddle is a no-go for me. I need a fair amount of concave-ness to it, which the Superlegerra fits to a "T."

Johnny, I think this is key. I used to think that it would take time to get used to a saddle, but I had exactly the opposite experience on the SLR Flow that you did- on my first ride I could barely even notice the saddle at all. I am now convinced that once you find the right saddle it's pretty obvious.

I also agree that when it comes to saddles, its the one place where comfort trumps weight every time (although there is probably a fairly lightweight saddle out there for most people).

by Weenie


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