Hi, long term sufferer of uncomfortable saddles and sores. I've begun to question why I am so uncomfortable on modern saddles, yet my 30 year old foamy rains supreme. When I sit on my old saddle I cannot even feel my sit bones and much of the weight is distributed on my soft parts…but on modern saddles I am perched on them and eventually (through bibs and or none) seem to get sores. Looking around the market there appears to be no similar geometry to my 30year foamy other than brooks. Where has the bike industry gone wrong? I've ridden over 1000kms between old and new saddles, multi-week bike packing adventures, and yet I chose this old clunker.
by bgp3009
11 Comments
There are a lot more models now. You just need to find the one that fits your ass.
I rode a new Ergon Allroad like 120 miles and I was fine the whole time. No bibs either.
maybe that saddle shaped you?!
You actually hit the nail on the head. Older saddles put more pressure on soft parts, while new saddles try to distribute pressure across bony regions and while avoiding soft tissue entirely. Some men dealt with prostate or penile issues that could be attributed to these older saddle shapes. My understanding is that women also tend to find cutout-style saddles more comfortable. At a certain point, you have to pick your poison—and skin issues are generally considered less problematic than nerve damage.
Foamy saddles are incredibly uncomfortable for me. No thank you. A decently hard and narrow saddle is what my ass likes.
As another commenter said, you just need to find a saddle that fits your ass. There is a huge selection out there.
If you have a LBS with a saddle library, that’s a good way of trying some options.
I love the exact same Ergon saddle you’re holding and do not like, so yeah find one that works for you.
You ever get a bike fit to get a saddle that fits your sit bones?
Back in the day each model had to fit more people – for better or worse. If it wasn’t ideal, it probably wasn’t too bad either.
IMPO, modern ergonomic stuff is too specific. It tends to work well, or not work at all.
Your old saddle has conformed to you, and to a certain extent you’ve conformed to it.
Dunno what to say . . . I *love* my modern Terry Butterfly Century saddle.
Your old seat looks like a similar shape to a selle turbo.
You likely need a bike fit, or at least to reconsider seat height, placement or even frame size