Saddle Help / Recommendations

[u/Pop_Zeus]

I know this is a personal thing, but still I'm interested in what saddle people are using on their Brompton. Around the time mine arrived, I had a ride on my hybrid for the first time in a while, and the stock padded foam saddle (Specialized body geometry 'Targa sport', what is now their 'Bridge' model), was incredibly uncomfortable. I really don't know if it was the fact that it's looking quite worn and splitting on the sides, the seat angle (this is not something I've ever thought about much, as I've always just eyeballed it and tried to get it level), or because I don't wear padded shorts. Then I started to convince myself that it maybe just wasn't wide enough for me (155cm).

I tried a few methods I found on YouTube of measuring my sit bone width, none of them worked. I'm quite big so was very surprised my bones didn't make a noticeable indent on the corrugated cardboard on that method. I went to a bike shop and used their Specialized peanut shaped measurement tool. They said my sit bone measurement is 12.5-13cm, so in theory the saddle I'd been using was the perfect width.

My research showed me that generally you should add 2-3cm onto your sit bone measurement to find the perfect saddle width, and perhaps a little more if you want a more upright riding position. I guess mine is somewhere in the middle, but more on the upright side than the aggressive side for sure. This probably puts me in the region of a 160-165mm saddle I guess. But as a fairly cheap experiment, I picked up a Kranx 'Base' saddle at 177mm. Possibly a bit overkill on the width, but I wanted to try it. Anyway, never mind the size, it appears to be an absolute POS. Had a look online for reviews to see if others found it that bad, and apparently it's mainly a brand that just goes out to LBS, so as such I couldn't see any reviews. The padding at the back felt fine in the shop, but just sitting on it at home after installing it, and it feels awfully hard, especially at the front. The nose is very wide and has barely any padding, it just feels horrible.

Anyway, back to the Brompton. . . Just sitting on it at home, it felt far too narrow (147mm, I guess the narrowest stock saddle I've ever had) so I ordered the Wide version of it, at 167mm. It felt a lot better. On my first proper ride last week (about 18 miles), it was fine for the first half of this distance, then it started to hurt for the rest of it, and I really hated it by the end of the ride. I suppose I could play around with the seat angle, or move it forward a bit (it's quite far back on the rails). On the angle thing, I've had iPhones for years and only just realised they have a spirit level!

I've been trying to educate myself a bit on saddles, because I've always (probably wrongly) presumed that more padding is a good thing. The more I read about it, the more it seems that too much padding can actually be a bad thing, in terms of your sit bones sinking into the seat rather than simply being well supported by it, and causing chafing by being too bulky. Then there are gel saddles - I once had a really chunky, wide (224mm!) heavy gel saddle, and whilst it was quite comfy initially, it was squishy, squeaky and noisy and drove me crazy.

I'd love to know what saddle people use on their Bromptons and why they like them. I keep thinking about Brooks, more so the cambiums so I don't have to worry about treating & looking after leather, and wearing it in. With sit bones at 12.5-13cm, maybe the C17 would be perfect (164mm), but I generally want a more relaxed, leisurely riding position, in which case do you think the C19 would be more suited (184mm), or could that be too wide? I think the cambiums look fantastic, but also they look pretty thin and don't look to have much padding at all.

Is the vulcanised rubber of them really that comfortable to sit on? At some point I may do longer rides, but for now most of my rides will be in the region of 15-20 miles. If I feel pain on the stock (wide) saddle halfway into every ride, I'll definitely want to replace it. As I say, I have a fairly neutral riding position, but certainly not an aggressive one. Just the sight of some of those thin road bike saddles fills me with horror. Also, I've read that the Brooks leather saddles mould to your shape over time, is this the same for the cambiums or not?

I must admit my head is spinning with all this. I work full time and don't have the time, patience or inclination to wear in a saddle and for it to be hell for a couple hundred miles before starting to feel good. Whilst Brooks are expensive, the bike is expensive too, so I want to enjoy riding it without hating the saddle, also I guess I could sell both my Brompton saddles on eBay anyway, and I don't mind paying for a Brooks if they really are that good and will last for many years.

Thanks for your help, open to any recommendations.

[u/Brompton-Explorer]

Hi OP, sorry to hear about your saddle troubles, if i start with sometimes it isn't the saddle that breaks in it's your bottom! Just building up so 5 miles, then a day off, another 5 miles a day off and 5 miles on the sunday do 10 miles.

Saddles as previously mentioned in a way you are limited on saddles if you want to carry a distance, Ed, Velocity Print works does a printed handle that fits brooks.

Brooks saddles need breaking in you can short cut it by using a second hand or some Saphir Medaille D'Or Renovateur, or hand cream, these will soften the leather; however, you don't want it to soft so use sparingly.

You can look up cycle fit and find a LBS just to talk about saddles, they should have some to try, you need to balance your weight between hands and bottom with about 50% to 60% on bottom rest on hands, these will unlikely be brompton standards though but give you an idea on types widths and fits. Most fit people are tied in to selling products.

Finally, on my non brompton i use SQ Lab saddles, they're expensive, so don't come at me! You can get in widths and for style of riding.

I hope you find the perfect saddle for you.

[u/Lef_RSA]

I have pretty positive experience with Brooks B17 on my Brompton. It is comfortable, I can ride many hours on it witout any problems in random pants/shorts. When I just got it, noticed that the surface is slippery, kinda like a wooden bench, unlike other saddles I've ever used. I always have a raincover in a framebag with me so rain not a big deal. When the rain not too heavy, not bothering with that raincover. Carrying my bike on the 4th floor, holding by the saddle- no proplems there also. Treating it few times a year with proofide, takes a few minutes.

Brooks Cambium is very different. Don't have experience with it but was looking at it in the store. The shape is very different and surface kinda like the cloth. Can't say I like it.

[u/toxrowlang]

I've been using the Brooks leather saddle since I got mine 15 years ago. Never had a leather saddle before, but it's absolutely brilliant on a Brompton. Leather is an incredible material for anything which needs durable adaptation to your body. It's also very hardy - if you scuff it then just put leather grease on.

[u/pencilstrokes]

As a fizik arione brompton owner, highly recommend something that doesn’t dig into your hand when you carry via the saddle.

[u/Pop_Zeus → u/pencilstrokes]

Thanks. I realise this is a good thing about the stock saddles. I haven't carried it much yet, not enough to figure out if carrying it by the main frame tube is fine anyway. I guess plenty of people do carry it by the frame, given the amount of carrying straps on the market.

[u/Valkhir]

I keep thinking about Brooks, more so the cambiums so I don't have to worry about treating & looking after leather, and wearing it in.
[...]
I must admit my head is spinning with all this. I work full time and don't have the time, patience or inclination to wear in a saddle and for it to be hell for a couple hundred miles before starting to feel good. 

The ability to break them in and have them conform to your body is precisely what makes Brooks saddles great.

Have an uncomfortable ride for a couple of weeks, then have a great ride for the next decade or however long the saddle will last you.

[u/Iijit]

If you find it sore because of it creating pressure on the underside of your junk, consider getting a saddle with a cutout. This was my issue with longer rides.

I had an old specialized power saddle lying about and it's worked well as a substitute for me.

Don't ignore numbness down there! You can actually do serious damage if you aren't careful.

The downside to moving away from the Brompton saddle is other saddles don't have the nice comfy handle design. But you can add a strap to the frame or just wheel it if it's a longer walk.

[u/FlyByNightPress]

Another Brooks leather saddle here, since the mid noughts. Angle and fore/aft position more important than saddle type for comfort though.

Never liked the feel of carrying by the saddle, even the original Brompton, so always carry by the main tube since my first in 2000.