[Carl Mega]

I'm going a little crazy trying to find a good saddle for me. I was using a few Koobi Xenons fit great but they, ummm, break rather easily and I need some reliability in my life. I tried to find a similar shaped saddle and bought the new specialized Alias but I had to dump it quick because it caused me terrible pain. Hmmmm. I'm considering a WTB saddle but I'm a torn between the Pure Stealth and the Rocket Stealth...On paper, the Pure looks good because it's almost as wide as the Koobi (153 vs 150) but in person it looks huge...the Rocket looks OK but is way narrow (130). Long story short...I feel like I need to look into more options.

I know everyone is different and what works for you in a saddle may not work for me. That's fine but I need to hear some recommendations just to check out whats out there.

I need a reliable saddle that is comfortable on very long rides over multiple days.. I'm pretty skinny right now so I don't have a lot of ass padding. I don't need a softy - medium to firm padding works well for me. Reliability is an issue for me. Manuverability would be next followed by weight and then cost.

Some saddles I've owned: Koobi (good fit - breaks too fast), WTB SST (no good for me), Fizik Nisiene (good for shorter rides), Spec. Alias (no good for me), Berzerker (good for DH), Flite Ti (so-so not for longer rides), and many, many OEM saddles none of which stand out (shop freebies).

What would you try? Thanks.

 

[kustomz]

Titec Ithys-Gove........ I like them so much I bought three of them.

 

[Durga]

Terry Ti Fly

Good all-arounder.

Relatively light ~240, comfortable, no too big

Awesome reviews.

 

[ncj01]

Titec Ithys-Gove........ I like them so much I bought three of them.

2nd that, it's whats on my bike...the ti version.

Slightly lighter/sleek: new 2005 Titec Ti Pluto

 

[wooglin]

If you've got a decent shop you should be able to work with them. Mine will exchange a saddle for two weeks, no questions asked. So I can keep trying until I find what I like.

I ride WTB Vs on the trail, and a Brooks Pro or a Terry Fly on the road.

 

[brewdog]

SDG Bel-Air ==== Not the lightest but mighty comfy. It's kinda wide and short rear to nose. I also have a WTB Rocket which sees littel time compared to the SDG.

 

[mward]

Selle san marco aspide. I know it looks like a tiny racer saddle but once your butt gets used to it it's super comfortable. I've done 6 hours at a stretch on it with no discomfort.

 

[Alta825]

Fizik...

Fizik Gobi

Hands down the winner for me - mounted it up the week of brianhead 100 last summer and had absolutely ZERO issues(rode the full rigid IF SS) - pretty light too boot. None of this marketing BS of cutouts/chanels etc... just a great shape w/ a nice flexi shell

Check it out

 

[dr.welby]

If you found the Berserkr comfortable but want something a little smaller or lighter, the Ithys is exactly the same shape except for about a 1/2 inch shaved off the nose and little bit off of the back and sides. Other than that it's the same shape.

Personally, I love the Berserkr as an XC saddle.

If you're curious about the name Ithys, google "ithyphallic"...

 

[Guitar Ted]

You didn't mention what you didn't like about the WTB SST saddle? Too wide in the rear? You were looking at possibly getting other WTB choices? Consider this, The WTB Street Smart Ti saddle. This is supposed to be a commuter saddle, but I'm tellin' ya, it's an offroad/ road race saddle all the way. Kind of a throw back to the SST, except it's slightly shorter and narrower, with a less pronounced "bucket". I have this saddle and it weighed out to 195gm. on a kitchen scale. Smooth leather all across the top, like the ol' SST, with a tasteful black kevelar rear bumper.

Also, I would seriously think about the Gobi. It's sister, the Arionne is WAY comfy! I can't imagine the Gobi being any different!

 

[banks]

Bontrager FS2000
Avocet O2r

The WTB saddles hurt me.....

Scoty

 

[shark67]

i must agree with the good Doctor

I had a generic berserker and LOVE it, and then a guy I met at the LBS saw my bike, asked about my saddle and said he had another berserker I could have, I said sure and he gave me like the Team Berserkr with the embroidered logo and Ti rails. It is very cool and now I have 2.

I really like everything about it, and may try to put the berserkr on my road bike and see how that shakes out.

good luck

If you found the Berserkr comfortable but want something a little smaller or lighter, the Ithys is exactly the same shape except for about a 1/2 inch shaved off the nose and little bit off of the back and sides. Other than that it's the same shape.

Personally, I love the Berserkr as an XC saddle.

If you're curious about the name Ithys, google "ithyphallic"...

 

[GlowBoy]

Love my Rocket V Race(s)

I've got these on both of my bikes. Can't say enough good about it: skinny enough to be easy to get my butt behind it on descents when needed, soft enough to be comfortable, firm enough not to sink in and put pressure in the wrong places. May not be your cup of tea, but you asked. I'm 165 lb. by the way.

 

[Carl Mega]

Ahhh, this thread is surpassing my expectations. Lots of saddle choices mentioned I haven't considered before but now I have something to look into.

The SST didn't fit me well. It was OK. I rode it plenty tho but I always prefered the Fizik (saddle on my 'other' bike at the time). The Street Smart saddle looks just like the SST so it's probably not what I'm looking for. Thanks tho.

I never used to be so finicky about my saddles. I would disregard any minor discomfort and consider it part of cycling. The koobi changed that line of thinking w/ me...it felt good all the time but they are junk in terms of quality - two saddles failed causing me to ride out a combined 40mi while standing. One had less than 10 rides. For comparison, I have worn the leather off the Fizik - still going - and it's 6 years old. That's what I'm talking about!

Somewhat funny story: I sold my Bullit (which had the Berzerker on it) to a friend. He complains about the saddle calling it a 'tiny racer seat'!!! What a joke - I think it's bigger than what is on my Kawasaki. Need to show him one of those 105gram road saddles one day.

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[Carl Mega]

I think I found what I was looking for. Should I get it?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?

I need to get off this darn PC!

** No one liked my little joke? Maybe it was the cough medicine but I was floored that someone was sellling their old saddle with a self made cut out (looks like he did it with a butter knife) for "Comfort and lightness". Wow.

 

[BruceBrown]

2nd that, it's whats on my bike...the ti version.

I'll 3rd the Titec Gove. Sweet saddle that is light, durable and very comfortable which surprised me from the looks of the thing (no cut out, etc...).

BB

 

[endure26]

I've got two of the WTB Rocket V Stealth saddles and I'm very happy with them. I also have four of the Flites - 2 gels and 2 normal - that I'm also quite comfortable with. I tried a Brooks Swift - 'cause they just look so nice, but my butt didn't like it.

 

[Guest]

I've gotta reprazent...

Brooks Team Professional all the way. It was comfortable from the minute I first sat on it. I used a Koobi Silver for years and the Brooks surpasses it in comfort.

 

[NuMexJoe]

Regarding the Ithys-Gove, is it appropriate for a 200# rider with those Ti rails, or would the Amore with the Chromo rails be more sensible? Any of you Ithys-Gove fans close to Clyde status? I just bent my Koobi Au Enduro and this thread has given me some good ideas. Thx!
- Joe

 

[pseudo intellectual]

Terry Liberator

Just another model to add to the to try list. It's bigger than the Ti-fly. Has a big cutout that looks kinda stoopid but it seems to work. I like the fact that the saddle does not have a dip in the middle like the WTBs do. Saddles bend enough when you sit on them. Why accentuate this w/ the dip?