Just bought my first road bike and put it on a trainer for the winter. Still tweaking the saddle and such for a more comfortable ride but I’m not there yet.
Just bought my first road bike and put it on a trainer for the winter. Still tweaking the saddle and such for a more comfortable ride but I’m not there yet.
Especially saddles in my experience. Saddles are like shoes: even two different models from the same manufacturer can fit very differently. Posture makes a difference, too. I have a box full of saddles that I have accumulated over years of trial-and-error on various bikes.
The frustrating thing about saddles, I guess just like shoes, is that no review will let you know whether it will work for you or not.
I also have a collection of saddles, several of which are “the best saddle you can get” offering “extreme comfort”, yet they aren’t on my bike(s).
Then new riders get the idea that big, soft, cushioned saddles will make them more comfortable. For most people, this type of saddle just makes things worse. And those “skinny, flat, hard” saddles might actually be the best option for some!
I believe there are Selle Italia dealers who offer demo programs for their saddles. I’m sure other brands do the same, but it’s a very rare service. Honestly, more bike shops should do it themselves, because I guarantee they’d sell more saddles if people were confident they’d be able to find the right one without buying one after another.