Who ride stripped sadle? How is ur long term experience?

[3Pio]

After trying few saddles, the one that is my main choice is Selle Italia Carbonio Flow SLR S2... After 15000 km on my C60 with that saddle, leather was damaged so i got there a new one (allready 7500 km on that saddle)...

This days im riding my second bike most of the time (bad weather), Cannondale CAAD12, and there i tried with Specialized Romin Evo Pro, which is ok, but seem that i prefer Selle Carbonio... So stripped the first Carbonio i had to bare carbon, smooth the edges with some sand paper and i just made a test ride of 70 km..

Im suprised that i feel pretty ok (except some slipping on bare carbon, but nothing serious)... So now wondering should i order a new Carbonio Flow at all and just use this stripped one .....

So is there many of u who ride stripped saddles? How is ur long term experiences vs non stripped same saddle? Comfort, Shorts damage, slipping...


Just to mention the stripped version of this saddle is 102gm vs 128gm when was brand new...

[VTR1000SP2]

3 plus years on an unpadded saddle and see no point going back to one. Shape mattered more than padding which you’ve proven with the flatter Carbonio flow vs Romin.

A good chamois takes care of the padding.

The only bikes I own that have padded saddles are city bikes.


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[ChiZ01]

padding does more harm than good, this is why my favorite saddle is Brooks C13

[onemanpeloton]

This is what the selle italia website says

A simple yet effective example to help you understand how important this information is is to think in terms of a soft couch. It’s great for lying down on to watch a film for 2 or 3 hours, but for a long sleep you need an “ergonomic” mattress with a firmness adapted to support the body throughout the night. In the long run, excessive softness would not be good for the spine, and you would wake with widespread back pain.

The same applies to saddles. For very short rides of up to 2 hours, “generous” padding is fine, ensuring a sense of comfort is maintained through the ride. But as time spent on the bicycle increases, the thickness of the support should be reduced, to ensure maximum efficiency and comfort.

Obviously this parameter is not inversely proportional to infinity. In fact, after 5/6 hours you need to start to using saddles with increasing thickness of padding.

[themidge]

Shorts have padding. I think that's all that needs to be said. If it weren't still in mint condition I'd strip my slr as well .

[Sizzler]

I couple years ago I picked up a nice Ritchey WCS saddle and shortly after I was hit by a car. The padding on the saddle was shredded but it was still relatively new so I just tore it off. Turned into my favorite saddle, I have been using it for road and mtb riding, it's sooooo comfy!

[bikeboy1tr]

I just made the switch to a SMP Composit which has a leather covering with no padding and liked it so much that I purchased the full carbon SMP which I have only had some short rides of 1hr 20 but it seems to be okay at this point. I was riding the Fizik Arionne on every bike I have but yesterday I went for a ride with one of my bikes with the Fizik and couldnt believe how uncomfortable the padded saddle was after only an hour. Think I need to purchase some more SMP as the shape seems to work for me and now that I am used to it padded saddles just dont cut it.

[nickf]

The only bike that has padding on it is the gravel bike. With the rougher roads, an extra layer is nice. My two road bikes have unpadded carbon saddles. Have done 100+ mile rides on each without any issues. Width and shape are the important factors.

[dricked]

I just made the switch to a SMP Composit which has a leather covering with no padding and liked it so much that I purchased the full carbon SMP which I have only had some short rides of 1hr 20 but it seems to be okay at this point. I was riding the Fizik Arionne on every bike I have but yesterday I went for a ride with one of my bikes with the Fizik and couldnt believe how uncomfortable the padded saddle was after only an hour. Think I need to purchase some more SMP as the shape seems to work for me and now that I am used to it padded saddles just dont cut it.

Seeing as how you’re from the same area (possibly), you find the bare carbon ok on our terrible roads? I’m ok for about 2hrs with minimal padding but at the 2.5-3hr mark I’m pretty uncomfortable on the rough roads. I was considering bare carbon but wasn’t sure I could do it.

[bikeboy1tr]

Actually i have not had the carbon saddle out on the road but having riding the rollers for 1hr 20 with it and having no issues I would imagine the road should be easy for a 2 hr ride cause any saddle I have used in the past on rollers inside is no issue out on the road. Most saddles are uncomfortable when on the rollers but the carbon saddle has the same shape and dimensions as my Composit saddle. If you go to https://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/bi ... bout-smps/
he has a good indepth article on SMP saddles. According to him the carbon rails make things more comfy.

[RocketRacing]

Due to life/time... my rides are mostly 1 hour or less, but bare carbon saddles (lupina) have been by far the most comfortable. Mind you, i expect that is more due to some compliance than padding. However, my naked saevid alien saddle was just relentless... but it was stiff as a rock.

I have done some 2.5 hour rides on my trainer this winter a few times... on a bike that had a base level syncros saddle. Cro mo rails, rubber top, but no real padding. Man my butt is sore at the end. Mind you, over an hour of that was hard climbing. I want to try a lupina and compare.

[simoncx]

Mine aren't bare carbon but I stripped 2 prologos and a slr and recovered them with no foam only thin cow leather I found on amazon. I tried riding them bare and it was very comfortable but the 2 are on my mtbs and they would get a little slippery when wet, the thin leather layer solved the slipping. Personally I hate saddles with padding, good bibs have more than enough padding.

[3Pio]

Usually when i ask/post about something here after few days i spend more money buying/upgrading parts.. But glad that i post this question , since this time will save me some momey for new saddle probably

Selle Italia SLR Carbonio FLOW dont have too much padding even brand new, so know what u talking about how minimal pading or no padding is better then too much padding.. Anyway i'll definetely give a chance riding like this, and if weather is just a tad better tommorow probably i'll have 140 km ride where i'll use this bike/saddle.. So if i feel comfy enough, i'll keep it.. Otherwise i'll order new one..

And i must admit im a bit suprised from the fact that many of u riding non padded and stripped saddles.. Thanks for ur posting in this thread...

[rides4beer]

My saddle is basically bare, very thin layer of foam with a leather cover, would probably be just as comfortable completely bare. I haven't had any issues on 4+ hour rides.

[glepore]

Add me to the bare or barely padded camp. I agree that leather is nice, however, as it helps with the slipping noted. I get leather from ebay, and it bonds easily and quickly with either cheap weldwood contact cement or mastik one.