My current favorite is a Specialized Power Expert with MIMIC. Originally marketed as a women's saddle, but a lot of us guys running it.

 

For long rides, a chamoix cream really helps. I've had good luck with the Soprasella refresh. My all time favorite saddle is this one (below), - worth a try for the price. I've not broken any yet, but a friend did, I think his seatpost had two small 'pinch' mounting points, all my seatposts have a longer clamping surface, and I use a torque wrench. The oldest one I have is about 3 years old, I have them on 5 bikes, 151g on my scale. full carbon fiber bow EVO sponge mtb road bike Seat cushion bicycle saddle | eBay

 

The SQlab Active saddle is the most comfortable saddle I've ever had. Will it work for you?.... who knows.

 

New to the sport and currently training for a 4+ hour event. Just hitting the training where rides are averaging 2+ hours daily with 4+ long rides. Went down the youtube rabbit hole and convinced myself that I needed a really firm saddle with minimal padding so I threw a selle itallia green X on my peloton (I know but the fam loves it) and put in probably 8-10 hours on it. 1.5 hours in yesterday, I couldn't go any more and threw the original highly padded saddle back on and wow sweet relief! Was wearing specialized RDX shorts. I know the sit bones will adjust but right now it's the biggest limiting factor in my rides.

What is your go-to saddle for long events with lots of climbing and not alot of tech? The new 3d printed saddles look insane then I pass out from the price tag...

I have the Specialized Phenom on both xc and gravel-bike-like-thing. I would like to think that something out there would work better for me but I have not found it yet.

 

The WTB Volt Carbon is highly underrated. It's only 165g, or you could go heavier and cheaper. I love the design, put one on my road bike as well to replace a Selle Italia SLR.

New to the sport and currently training for a 4+ hour event. Just hitting the training where rides are averaging 2+ hours daily with 4+ long rides. Went down the youtube rabbit hole and convinced myself that I needed a really firm saddle with minimal padding so I threw a selle itallia green X on my peloton (I know but the fam loves it) and put in probably 8-10 hours on it. 1.5 hours in yesterday, I couldn't go any more and threw the original highly padded saddle back on and wow sweet relief! Was wearing specialized RDX shorts. I know the sit bones will adjust but right now it's the biggest limiting factor in my rides.

What is your go-to saddle for long events with lots of climbing and not alot of tech? The new 3d printed saddles look insane then I pass out from the price tag...

 

Agree with the volt recommendation. I have the regular alloy on two of my three bikes. I have raced and ridden 5 plus hours and it has never been a problem.

 

I appreciate the Volt recommends, and the many others who say "will it (their favorite) work for you, who knows." I sold two Volts today after giving them a lot of trial and error on several bikes. My cheeks down favorite (see what I did there) for the gravel bike is Ergon SM Pro in s/m (I ride 142/143 other saddles), on the trail bike with more upright position it's a WTB Koda or Deva, and on the XC endurance bike it's anything medium width as long as I'm wearing my favorite bibs. I find a great bib on the other bikes doesn't work for my XC bike and its saddle. I'm looking at the MIMIC in the Power Arc, but am leaning toward another Egon SM Pro for the endurance bike or just repurpose the WTB Deva.
TLDR: no one can tell you (OP), it's trial and error, often time consuming, frustrating, painful and expensive but thankfully the likes of Specialized and Bontrager have 30 day return, and REI has 1 year.

 

For that, I prefer a suspension saddle.. but.. YMMV.. Same with loading up the chamois with cream of some variety... I mean, I've used noxema, bag balm, and fancy pants expensive creams.

 

New to the sport and currently training for a 4+ hour event. Just hitting the training where rides are averaging 2+ hours daily with 4+ long rides. Went down the youtube rabbit hole and convinced myself that I needed a really firm saddle with minimal padding so I threw a selle itallia green X on my peloton (I know but the fam loves it) and put in probably 8-10 hours on it. 1.5 hours in yesterday, I couldn't go any more and threw the original highly padded saddle back on and wow sweet relief! Was wearing specialized RDX shorts. I know the sit bones will adjust but right now it's the biggest limiting factor in my rides.

What is your go-to saddle for long events with lots of climbing and not alot of tech? The new 3d printed saddles look insane then I pass out from the price tag...

It’s one of these saddles?

Novus Boost Evo Sport Greentech

Experience uncompromising quality and superior comfort with the Novus Boost Evo Sport Greentech. Built with respect for nature.

www.selleitalia.com

with these shorts

Specialized RBX Comp Bib Short

The Specialized RBX Comp bib shorts offer plenty of comfort for all kinds of riding, whether that’s on roads or out on the byways and gravel tracks, thanks to a decent pad and a slightly compressive fabric. They’re light, airy and well shaped, though the lack of flatlocked seams is a slight...

road.cc

on a Peloton exercise bike riding indoors?

My main suggestion to start with would be to go and measure your current setup on the Specialized Chisel mtb with a tape measure, specifically the saddle height, the saddle setback relative to the bottom bracket and also the saddle angle (using a spirit level laid on top of the saddle) and then try and replicate that on the Peloton exercise bike.

It’s probably difficult to get the bar position of the Peloton the same as your mtb but if you can I’d try and get that as close as you can too.

If you’re consistently having sit bone pain (the two bony points where your main weight is supported on the saddle) then on the Peloton bike experiment with lowering the saddle height. Keep lowering it, by a few cm at a time, and see if that improves sit bone comfort at all. You’re possibly sat too high and rocking a bit on the saddle.

For indoor riding don’t stay in one position too long either. Make a point of getting out of the saddle frequently, as much as every 5 minutes from the very beginning of the ride, so the soreness and discomfort doesn’t get the opportunity to build.

For saddle and shorts recommendations it’s difficult as everyone’s different. I tend to get on well with one of the various thicker padded Specialized Power saddles, in a 143mm width, and Castelli or Endura lycra cycling bib shorts but it’s not guaranteed happiness. With chamois cream I use more rather than less. Pre ride I do a thick layer of cream over the short pad, and then a thick layer on the skin as well.

 

...experiment with lowering the saddle height. Keep lowering it, by a few cm at a time...

Assuming you mean a few mm at a time, but what do I know?

 

Big fan of Ergon saddles too. I’ve got the SM Pro and the SM Enduro. I’d say they’re both on the firmer end of the spectrum and the Pro is better for longer XC riding.

 

I’ll also recommend the Specialized Power saddle. I ride that on my gravel and my Specialized MTB is very similar to the power saddle, which is a Bridge. I run a Specialized Taupe saddle on my road bike, but that saddle is 11 years old and I’ve been thinking of getting another Power As the replacement.

And yes to chamois cream as well and a good bib short/chamois.

 

giving advice on a saddle is basically impossible..you really need to try one that suits you and you will only know once you use it for an extended period of time over long rides...

The only way is to try one and see...and if it doesn't work move it on the classifieds and try again...

 

I’ve seen it mentioned that you should go to your local shops and see if they have test saddles… it’s easier for them to have a few marked out of inventory so people can test opposed to people buying and returning saddles that don’t work.

 

Thanks all - tons of good suggestions here!

 

I just tried an Ergon SM. Looks similar to the Phenom but quite a bit less costly. Good support and pressure relief but I could really feel the shape of the saddle under my butt. Just too squared off and even though a bit more padding than the Phenom it felt hard. Going to return (thanks REI).

 

I have a fizik 3d printed job coming tomorrow. I don’t have high hopes but curiosity got the best of me. I’ve been using Fabric Scoop for 5 years now. Fine for an hour or so, then I start feeling it. Who knows, maybe the fizik will be a game changer.

 

PRO Stealth MTB saddle is great!

 

Saddles are either hit or miss. What is comfortable to one person can be an ass hatchet to another. Besides the saddle shape...I've found that saddle tilt (once you figure out height and fore/aft) makes a significant difference in how "comfortable" a saddle can be. Since I don't have much of a handlebar drop on my MTBs...I like my saddle slightly nose up from level with the ground. I've got two mountain bikes and one road bike...they all have Spesh saddles. Power, Phenom (12 year old one), and a Power Arc.

 

I've never undertsood using different saddles on different bikes, makes it difficult to replicate position and feel bike to bike. To each his own but I would never do it.

 

Anyone using the SQLab 612? What version and how’s it working out for you?

 

I use a 612R 140mm on my gravel bike & it works great for my ass. On my mtbs & trainer bike, I'm on 611 Active but being around 145lbs, they aren't very active. I see they have a V2.0 of the active chassis that I may try at somepoint for my full sus bike but I'm not in a hurry as the current version is very comfortable for me.

 

Brooks Cambium, needs some break in, not that light, most comfortable saddle I’ve ridden, got three of them, need to go wider than a typical padded saddle.

A good chammy is key, need coverage over those sit bones.

I’ve tried every seat mentioned, Ergon and SQ Labs we’re terrible, lost a fair bit of change trying the SQ seats ….