I think most people doing really long rides like that tend to prefer very firm saddles, and probably chamois cream with a thin, firm chamois. Saddles are so much about personal preference, but I really like my SQlab 610 Active. It has a tad more padding, and is for a more upright position, compared to the 611.

 

i found saddles with a cutout or channel in the middle eliminate numbness for me. see the selle SMP lineup for an example.

 

I've been riding the Specialized Sitero Plus and really like it. I don't use a chamois.

 

I've been riding the Specialized Sitero Plus and really like it. I don't use a chamois.

 

Google how to measure your sit bones and then buy the right size saddle.

 

nvm

 

nvm

 

Reply to TwoTone's post above:

Doesn't always work. I have extremely narrow sit bones yet am most comfortable on 150mm plus width saddles. You never know until you try a saddle if it works.

But it's a better starting point then guessing and random recommendations from a forum.

 

They are stupid-expensive but the 3d-printed Specialized Power saddles have been a game changer for me. Rode WTB Silverados forever and when I switched it was amazing. No chafing, no numbness and I ditched the chamois.

I got a used Power saddle to test the shape, and then waited until one of the 3d printed ones showed up on PB for ~$200. Still a lot of money but not so bad bad when calculated as (($/hrs of use)*comfort) 😄

 

Sorry for the detail. Are you talking about this saddle?

Power Pro with Mirror

Mirror goes Pro. Our best-reviewed saddle technology, based on two decades of Body Geometry research and development, is now available on the Power Pro ...

www.specialized.com

The Silverado is my favorite saddle but not perfect. I’ve been tempted by the Specialized saddle.

They are stupid-expensive but the 3d-printed Specialized Power saddles have been a game changer for me. Rode WTB Silverados forever and when I switched it was amazing. No chafing, no numbness and I ditched the chamois.

I got a used Power saddle to test the shape, and then waited until one of the 3d printed ones showed up on PB for ~$200. Still a lot of money but not so bad bad when calculated as (($/hrs of use)*comfort) 😄

 

I find it really hard to recommend saddles. What works for me, might feel like an ass hatchet for someone else. I also have some fairly narrow sit bones. I prefer Specialized saddles. For MTB, I like the Phenom and Power in 143mm. A lot of Specialized dealers have demo saddles available to try out.

 

I have an Ergon SM Pro, it is on the hard side. Many times I started a ride thinking “I paid $120 for this?” But a half mile into the ride I don’t think about it again.

It is uncomfortable on a long flat ride though. It works well mountain biking because you’re in and out of the saddle. But if you’re just pedaling along for an hour on a flat path it gets uncomfortable after a while.

 

I'll second the Ergon SM saddle it's been awesome. I have one on three bikes and actually prefer the Comp over the Pro. I've also started to pivot away from bibs and were Clubride boxes with a very minimal chamois. My riding buddy also uses the same saddle and has ditched chamois all together.

 

I really like the Sdg radar ti saddle, it’s 138 mm,
but every butt is different,
good luck

amazon has one for 50 dollars right now.

Ergon wasn’t to my personal liking.

 

I have fairly narrow hips and race ultra endurance (10-36 hours), no chamois. The two saddles that work well for me are the BikeYoke Sagma in 130mm and the Ergon SR Comp, size S-M.

 

I run the WTB Silverado Narrow 135 on all 3 bikes and never use a chamois. Works for me!

 

Why not a Chamois ? I can't imagine riding without one. There are good and bad Chamois out there and you do have to be willing to spend money for good ones. I wear Lycra Bibs under my baggy shorts. I have found that the liners that come with some baggy shorts are of poor quality. The best buy out there is a pair Pearl Izumi Attack with a ELITE Escape 1:1 Chamois.

 

You want a leather saddle like a Brooks or Selle Anatomica. No other saddle will work as well. They take some time to break in, but once they do, they match you perfectly. Instead of foam being compressed, it's like a hammock where you're suspended. There's a reason. so many long distance riders use them, usually without bike diapers.

 

You want a leather saddle like a Brooks or Selle Anatomica. No other saddle will work as well.

You want one maybe but I'd prefer nearly anything else. Nearly every endurance rider I know wears bibs with chamois.

 

The current Ergon SMC saddle works very well for me. I actually toggle between this and the older SMC-3 saddle (the SMC-3 saddle is a little firmer and not as contoured front to back). The current Ergon SM saddle was just too firm for my bony butt. Interestingly, a lot of endurance/ backpackers who don't wear chamois on their multi day adventures like the added padding of the SMC saddle in the gel version. Check out the link below for many racers on the SMC saddle.

Rigs of the 2021 Arizona Trail Race (AZTR)

The 2021 Arizona Trail Race kicks off this week, following a challenging 800 or 300-mile route across the state. We’re excited to share a collection of nearly 30 rigs that are signed up for the grand depart. Find a gallery of photos and details on each bike and its rider here…

bikepacking.com

 

Thanks for the replies everyone. I ended up ordering an Ergon SM Comp, we'll see how it works out. I'm also keen on trying the WTB SL8. It looks like a thinner, flatter Volt, and it comes in a pretty narrow 127mm width.
Regarding the no chamois bit. I've tried a few padded shorts over the years. Some were okay, some made things even worse. But the main thing is that I just hate the diaper feeling, and extra sweat.




Should I change my order to an SMC? The SMC is a bit wider than the SM, right?
I'm pretty skinny with a bony butt as well.

 

Hit up a few good bike shops and ask if they have saddle demos. I found a WTB Volt 142 Titanium was just about perfect for my butt. Bought one from them and the rest on ebay for 1/3 of the price when they come up. I wanted on for all the bikes, and friends.

 

I ditched the chamois for <2 hr rides years ago and the Chromag Lynx works well for me.

 

Hey HollyBoni,

Everybody's butt is different, so give the SM saddle a shot, especially if you are looking for a saddle on the narrow side. My bud loves his Ergon SM saddle, but it didn't work for me. The small/medium SM saddle is definitely narrower than the small/medium SMC saddle.

 

Got the SM Comp yesterday. In terms of firmness it's a couch compared to the Specialized, and the flat shape seems nice so far. First long ride on Saturday, fingers crossed!

 

I also ride without padded shorts. The ergon allroad is the most comfortable saddle I've had so far,road/off road.

 

I'm not sure what kind of saddle I should look for. Any other recommendations or ideas?

Please use our online saddle selector tool: Saddle Selector · Ergon Bike

This online tool will quickly identify the correct Ergon model, sub-model and size best suited for your riding habits, personal riding needs and body measurements.

 

Admittedly, I didn't read a single response because I don't need the answer, but here is the answer I think you need: focus on the shorts and get one of these. I ride both of these with no Chamois all the time.

1. Voler XC Short ...unless you have a need to carry one of the bigger phones
2. Specialized Enduro Shorts (size down one size) ...also, they are discontinued and only came with the SWAT bibs

 

Why are shorts so important? If anything, I thought underwear would matter more?
I ride in Endura Hummvee shorts when it's warmer, and some basic Decathlon pants in the colder months. I've used Under Armour boxers for a long time but I just switched to Merino and it's been awesome.

Tried to put some more miles on the Specialized Power to see if I can get used to it. I think the shape is good, I don't have that chafing feeling and my a$$ isn't sore after a long ride, but this thing is just so damn hard and uncomfortable while i'm actually riding. I had to ride out of the saddle a bunch because I just couldn't take it.
Took the Ergon SM for a short spin, but so far it felt super weird. I just couldn't find a comfortable spot on the saddle, no matter how much I moved around. If the weather is good i'll try it on some longer rides this week.
I found a WTB SL8 in Narrow width (127mm) for cheap, I think i'll buy it, I want to see how a truly narrow saddle feels like.

 

I can ride the 130mm Sagma and Ergon without padded shorts.

 

This medium width came stock on my bike and is very comfortable, narrow and wide are also available.

Volt

Explore the Volt Saddle, engineered for all-terrain comfort and durability. Perfect for any ride, offering reliable support and top performance. Upgrade your saddle today.

www.wtb.com