Somebody told me at a bike shop about it being better for dudes to use those seats with a hole that would keep you from having problems. My bike doesn’t have one of those, I was wondering how much of this is true and if it’s worthy to invest in one of those seats.
Saddle with hole in the middle
newriderjeff,
Yes there is some science behind the holes in saddles. There are arteries and other important bits down there that should be taken in consideration when you’re spending long periods of time in the saddle. Specialized Body Geometry saddles have been around for a long time and are available in all sorts of shapes and price ranges, hit up a local shop and talk to them about anatomical saddles.
I’ve been riding for about 15 years and just bought my first saddle with the “hole” I the middle. I went with the Brooks B17 Imperial and am getting ready to install it on my cargo bike. I’ll let you know if there’s a difference to me after I break it in. Rule of thumb:if you’re fine with a “normal” saddle, why change?
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I’ve put 50+ miles on my hole-in-the-middle saddle and can’t tell a difference yet. I’ll see what the next 50 show.
Look at that, there is someone here. Hi Josh, hi music man, thanks for answers. Brooks is cool, I want one of those anyway. Was it hard to get set up?
They’re a little heavy on the maintenance to set up but once you break them in with occasional maintenance they’ll last 20+ years. I bought mine on Amazon and didn’t opt for the Brooks recommended “prep” treatment; I applied waterproof mink oil (liberally) by hand to the under side of the saddle and used saddle soap on the top. It’s been over 2 years and still my most comfortable saddle (B17).
Thanks music man. Mink oil and saddle soap. I like the B17, even if the springs on the Flyer look cool.
@NewRiderJeff @music_man Brooks is very nice, but yes the break-in period and initial costs can deter some people from buying a Brooks saddle, but they do last a lifetime. Leather saddles will slowly adjust to fit your body and it’s anatomical needs. Even as you change over the ages the saddle will change with you.
With that being said, I’ve heard some people have troubles with their Brooks saddles after they’ve lost a considerable amount of weight. The saddle is not able to re-support it’s self once it’s been broken in at a higher weight.
-Josh
Hi-o Josh, thanks for the warning. I don’t have to worry about getting too light for my saddle - I’m too skinny now. The B17 is going to make my bike much cooler. Thanks you guys, not what I expected to do.
I know I’m late to this party, but I thought I’d share my experience with cut-out / anatomic saddles.
My quick summary is that they’re helpful, especially if you’re sensitive and/or having issues. They give everyone some pressure relief.
I’m lucky in that my body isn’t terribly particular about saddles. It’s also been a function of being on teams where the saddle changes from sponsor to sponsor and having to adapt. Nonetheless, I’ve found every cut-out saddle to be at least a little bit more comfortable for all the right reasons, and they aren’t any harder to setup or ride. As far as I can tell, the only problems with cutout saddles are they may be slightly heavier.
As is typical with saddle advice, you should buy from a local shop that will let you test ride some before you commit to buying.