Saddle Choices

J

Johnny

Well-Known Member
I realized that there are very few posts on saddles in the forums so I decided to make a thread about it.

I am trying to find a comfortable saddle for my haibike. The MTB saddle that comes with it is not bad but it does not have a cutout so it becomes somewhat uncomfortable for long rides.

I tried SR Respiro Athletic, while being good for road bikes it is definitely not for cross, mtb, commuters where you ride in a more upright position.
SR Respiro Moderate, this one eliminates the pain altogether so a good improvement however I cant sit stable on it, seems to be a little too wide (I tend to slide to the cutout)?

SR has an ebike specific saddle https://www.selleroyal.com/en/ezone but without a cutout I don't know how comfortable it would be.

I was looking into SMP saddles, I like the shape but I don't know which one would be good for semi straight cross hybrid type riding. I like the TRK model https://www.amazon.com/SMP-TRK-Mens-Saddle-Black/dp/B00ZEO0E9Y and this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MYB8UCE/ref=nav_timeline_asin?_encoding=UTF8&th=1&psc=1 but then again which size would be better?

Oh Smp also has an ebike specific saddle but it seems too wide http://www.sellesmp.com/en/saddles/tourism/e-bike/e-bike-medium.html more like a cruiser saddle.

It would be great to see suggestions and the saddles you use on your ebikes.
 
Brooks B-17 Imperial available from $100 to $115

Serfas Rx saddles are good too. $50 +/-.

I own both, 90% of my riding these days is on the Brooks. I've put thousands of miles on both and both work well. The Serfas is much softer. The one I have is the Rx-921L men's road/mtb. It's lycra covered, you don't slide on it, but really not ideal in the rain.

I started a thread on the issue a couple years ago here:

https://electricbikereview.com/forums/threads/saddle-sores.1751/

Saddles are such a personal thing, it's difficult to give or take a recommendation on a model. So don't take my word for gospel on the subject. Good luck!
 
I was definitely interested in Brooks but for those prices I really don't want to commit without trying them out. How is the imperial cut out for the sensitive areas (other than that I can imagine it being very good since it should fit the body well)?
 
Johnny said:
I was definitely interested in Brooks but for those prices I really don't want to commit without trying them out. How is the imperial cut out for the sensitive areas (other than that I can imagine it being very good since it should fit the body well)?
Click to expand...
For me the B-17 with the Imperial cutout works very well. I get serious numbness and nerve pain from saddles that don't have the relief cut. I rode my friends stock Haibike for maybe 2 miles and stopped only because of the pressure and pain. He had to change that due to his discomfort. The Serfas works well for me too, just not as good as the Brooks. To me nothing looks better than a Brooks, but that's way down the list from pain relief. There are a lot of saddles with the relief cut/groove, and there are tutorials on the web on how to measure your sit-bones to get the best saddle for your butt.
 
If you're riding on a MTB saddle, do you have a dropper post? Ride trails? You want to keep the saddle narrow so you can slide easily forward and backwards for balance. Not sure you get that with a Brooks. But I really can't tell what you ride except for that comment about a long ride.
 
rich c said:
If you're riding on a MTB saddle, do you have a dropper post? Ride trails? You want to keep the saddle narrow so you can slide easily forward and backwards for balance. Not sure you get that with a Brooks. But I really can't tell what you ride except for that comment about a long ride.
Click to expand...

This is a good point, use a saddle appropriate for your use. I ride a city bike on streets and paved bike paths and I replaced my handlebar and stem with a swept back raised up one because I could no longer bear weight on my wrists with the old low straight bar, this turned my bike into an upright and I found the lack of suspension hurt my back when riding over bumps so I replaced the saddle with a Brooks B66 sprung saddle and it helped me plus the black leather matches my PDW grips.
 
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I like my SQLabs Ergolux. They's send you out a fit kit to size your sit bones prior to ordering.
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
 
We don't sell seats in general as it is a personal choice. Although we do sell one seat, the SQLabs 621 active. It seems to provide a very comfortable ride for about 90% of our customers. The active means it has some lateral movement to prevent the chafing that can occur on longer rides.
 
Johnny said:
I realized that there are very few posts on saddles in the forums so I decided to make a thread about it.

I am trying to find a comfortable saddle for my haibike. The MTB saddle that comes with it is not bad but it does not have a cutout so it becomes somewhat uncomfortable for long rides.

I was looking into SMP saddles, I like the shape but I don't know which one would be good for semi straight cross hybrid type riding. I like the TRK model https://www.amazon.com/SMP-TRK-Mens-Saddle-Black/dp/B00ZEO0E9Y and this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MYB8UCE/ref=nav_timeline_asin?_encoding=UTF8&th=1&psc=1 but then again which size would be better?

Oh Smp also has an ebike specific saddle but it seems too wide http://www.sellesmp.com/en/saddles/tourism/e-bike/e-bike-medium.html more like a cruiser saddle.

It would be great to see suggestions and the saddles you use on your ebikes.
Click to expand...

I use the SMP TRK saddle on my Haibike AllMtn Plus. I like to ride somewhat upright and for that purpose I raised my handlebars with stem risers. It's a great saddle! The design of the cutout is one of the best, and the downturned nose is a good feature for mounting and dismounting. Very comfortable for hours of riding, and good support for my sitbones. But each person is anatomically different, so you really have to try one to see if it fits you.
 
Thanks a lot for the answers. The Serfas RX was available in a REI close by so I gave it a try.

For SMP TRK I had to order it online and it became painful to try and return saddles.

I haven't taken it for a long ride but so far it feels very comfortable and it may be a good saddle for commuting. However it is wider than I like so frequent mounting/dismounting may not be possible. Still I have to say Serfas is significantly better than SR Respiro moderate.

If I have to change it in the future I am planning to try Ergon, SMP TRK, Brooks B17.
 
After almost 2 months I have mixed feeling about Serfas saddle. Sometimes it feels very comfortable sometimes it feels the angle needs adjustment and I feel slight chafing. Though I almost never felt any fatigue or soreness after the ride.

What is the angle you use your saddle (flat, tilt downwards, upwards )?
 
Johnny said:
After almost 2 months I have mixed feeling about Serfas saddle. Sometimes it feels very comfortable sometimes it feels the angle needs adjustment and I feel slight chafing. Though I almost never felt any fatigue or soreness after the ride.

What is the angle you use your saddle (flat, tilt downwards, upwards )?
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I have it exactly level. I think if you need to angle your seat, you have a problem: either you're sitting too close or too far from the handlebars. It should in most cases be level.

As far as comfort, it's not 100%... I ride with my back straight, and because of that, after a few hours in the saddle, the backside starts to hurt. I can't quite put my finger on what's wrong, maybe I need to lower the seat (requires sawing off a part of the seatpost)
 
Dmitri said:
I have it exactly level. I think if you need to angle your seat, you have a problem: either you're sitting too close or too far from the handlebars. It should in most cases be level.

As far as comfort, it's not 100%... I ride with my back straight, and because of that, after a few hours in the saddle, the backside starts to hurt. I can't quite put my finger on what's wrong, maybe I need to lower the seat (requires sawing off a part of the seatpost)
Click to expand...

Make sure you have proper leg extension, and perhaps try lowering the handlebars so you have a bit of a forward cant and put a little more weight on your hands.
 
Alphbetadog said:
Make sure you have proper leg extension, and perhaps try lowering the handlebars so you have a bit of a forward cant and put a little more weight on your hands.
Click to expand...
My leg extension is spot on, but I don't think bikes were ever designed to be ridden in a perfectly upright position. As a result, I'm getting a bit more strain onto my spine/lower back than I would have otherwise. It feels really good though! It only starts to hurt after a few hours.
 
Butts are like snowflakes, no two alike. There's such an enormous selection, finding the right one
is just an educated guess. good luck with that. I've got a bucket of old saddles.
 
Although I had posted this in a different topic, I'll post here. I started with a Velo on my Rad Rover and it was just to much foam cushion which became very uncomfortable. After a little research, I came across the Brooks company. I chose the B67 because it favors a more upright position. I took to it immediately even though It has not been broken in yet.

VZUXEC5.jpg
 
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