Why the weird looking TT saddle ?

[Wadl]

I was just browsing through the TT bike thread and I was wondering, why do they all (almost) have weird looking big dorky saddles ? what makes a good TT saddle compare to a road bike saddle ?

[NGMN]

Lots of people are riding Adamo/Cobb type noseless saddles. Essentially, they allow for you to "roll" your hips forward more. This allows a more aerodynamic position with less crotch discomfort.

Most of these saddles have two prongs that sit under your sit bones and then a big gap for your soft tissues.

I'm on a Performance Bike tt/tri saddle as I found the adamo to be too wide in the prongs. One drawback of a normal saddle even with a cutout is that your junk rests on the nose; instead of just kind of free hanging. But most of the circulation benefits seems to be maintained with a good cutout.

[Wadl]

Well, for the noseless (or "2 noses" saddle), I understand. But there is another one, very short and big compare to the normal road bike saddle which are flatter and longer...

[seandonovan]

WBut there is another one, very short and big compare to the normal road bike saddle which are flatter and longer...

Do you have a picture that'll help illustrate this? Not very clear what you mean.

[ProudDaddy]

Could just be angle of photos. Or possibly he is referring to a Dash Tri.7 saddle. I have the longer TT 9 but point has already been made about purpose - sit on sit bones and rotate hips forward, which enables super aero position with least amount of discomfort (crotch and breathing) which enables maximum sustainable power generation.

[CarlosFerreiro]

The less nose the more positional choices you have while staying UCI (5cm behind BB) legal.

[yourdaguy]

Because the UCI only lets you have the saddle within 5cm of the center of the bb. Which is a stupid rule that applies to a 5' rider and a 6'8" rider equally. So, in order for a professional rider to get the position he needs to do his best in a UCI (Ultimate Cycling Idiots) race he has to call in the engineers and they have to pay for a special saddle that no real human would ever buy.

[spinwax]

Im on a Dash Stage 9. Weird looking mofo, but the best move I have made in terms of comfort. My TT times actually got faster with this thing because I quit moving around and thinking to myself how uncomfortable I was.