Which gravel bike saddle do you suggest?

[Henry_G]

Hey riders.
I love gravel biking and I love treating my Focus (and myself) with small yet useful upgrades. This time, I consider changing the saddle.

- Can you guys suggest any comfortable saddle for a gravel bike?
- Which saddle do you have on your gravel bike (if you do own one)?
- In case you have a road bike, which saddle do you have on it?

Cheers!

[Jesper]

(04-28-2021, 07:56 AM)Henry_G Wrote:  Hey riders.
I love gravel biking and I love treating my Focus (and myself) with small yet useful upgrades. This time, I consider changing the saddle.

- Can you guys suggest any comfortable saddle for a gravel bike?
- Which saddle do you have on your gravel bike (if you do own one)?
- In case you have a road bike, which saddle do you have on it?

Cheers!

Hi Henry,

I don't ride a gravel bike per se, but I do some off-road riding on my "converted" (I put 30mm tires on it, largest that fit the frame) general use road bike. I ride on a Selle Italia "Turbo Lite" saddle on that bike. It is comfortable enough, but I am not on the dirt for very long as I ride about 10 miles to get to the trail and then only do about 4 miles off-road at most so it is probably not an accurate metric for that purpose. On other bikes I use San Marco "Rolls" saddles. I have also used Vetta saddles which are probably a little more comfortable (and heavier) for touring with a slightly wider rear and ample padding (for me) compared to the more race oriented saddles.

[Henry_G]

(04-29-2021, 09:00 PM)Jesper Wrote:  tires

Jesper, thank you for your reply.
Always a pleasure.

Oh yes. Italian saddles are top class. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction, I will investigate their offering.
I have always been confused about all those brands - Selle Italia, Selle San Marco, Selle Monte Grappa, Selle SMP. Are they from the same "family"?

Some posh gravel rider suggested me this SLR Boost Gravel saddle https://us.selleitalia.com/en/saddles/slr-boost-gravel-superflow/ but it's out of my budget for sure, don't want to spend $300 on a saddle ... yet hahah.

[Jesper]

(05-12-2021, 05:05 AM)Henry_G Wrote:  

(04-29-2021, 09:00 PM)Jesper Wrote:  tires

Jesper, thank you for your reply.
Always a pleasure.

Oh yes. Italian saddles are top class. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction, I will investigate their offering.
I have always been confused about all those brands - Selle Italia, Selle San Marco, Selle Monte Grappa, Selle SMP. Are they from the same "family"?

Some posh gravel rider suggested me this SLR Boost Gravel saddle https://us.selleitalia.com/en/saddles/slr-boost-gravel-superflow/ but it's out of my budget for sure, don't want to spend $300 on a saddle ... yet hahah.

Wow, that is a bit expensive (I had to look). I think that my Vetta saddles (touring models) are probably the most comfortable for riding in a bit more relaxed/upright position. Thus, I tend to use them more often on commutes and rides with varying terrains (on and off-road). Having ridden the same San Marco saddle for about 30 years keeps me a loyal customer, and recently (probably for a few years now) they reissued the "Rolls" models at around $150 or so (think I paid about $60 new in the late '80s), but I have bought some online for about half that price for a new one.

The "Selle" moniker is merely "saddles" in Italian; kind of like seeing Discount Tire, Tire Kingdom, etc.; just different companies letting you know what they manufacture and/or sell by putting it their company name. I guess Vetta sells a bunch of stuff so no reason to specify; I have an old '70s Vetta frame set, not sure if it is the same company though.

[Nikko]

https://www.prologo.it/en/products/dimension-agx

[J_R_Schultz]

(05-15-2021, 05:40 PM)Nikko Wrote:  https://www.prologo.it/en/products/dimension-agx

I can vouch for this saddle as well. I came with my Felt Breed. It's very comfortable, and it looks cool.

[Henry_G]

(05-17-2021, 07:43 AM)J_R_Schultz Wrote:  

(05-15-2021, 05:40 PM)Nikko Wrote:  https://www.prologo.it/en/products/dimension-agx

I can vouch for this saddle as well. I came with my Felt Breed. It's very comfortable, and it looks cool.

Well this is a contender! Thanks!
@J_R_Schultz what is the longest you have done on it?

[J_R_Schultz]

(05-19-2021, 08:35 AM)Henry_G Wrote:  

(05-17-2021, 07:43 AM)J_R_Schultz Wrote:  

(05-15-2021, 05:40 PM)Nikko Wrote:  https://www.prologo.it/en/products/dimension-agx

I can vouch for this saddle as well. I came with my Felt Breed. It's very comfortable, and it looks cool.

Well this is a contender! Thanks!
@J_R_Schultz what is the longest you have done on it?

40 miles so far - Combination of road and gravel.

[PasoBill]

(05-12-2021, 08:58 PM)Jesper Wrote:  

(05-12-2021, 05:05 AM)Henry_G Wrote:  

(04-29-2021, 09:00 PM)Jesper Wrote:  tires

Jesper, thank you for your reply.
Always a pleasure.

Oh yes. Italian saddles are top class. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction, I will investigate their offering.
I have always been confused about all those brands - Selle Italia, Selle San Marco, Selle Monte Grappa, Selle SMP. Are they from the same "family"?

Some posh gravel rider suggested me this SLR Boost Gravel saddle https://us.selleitalia.com/en/saddles/slr-boost-gravel-superflow/ but it's out of my budget for sure, don't want to spend $300 on a saddle ... yet hahah.

Wow, that is a bit expensive (I had to look). I think that my Vetta saddles (touring models) are probably the most comfortable for riding in a bit more relaxed/upright position. Thus, I tend to use them more often on commutes and rides with varying terrains (on and off-road). Having ridden the same San Marco saddle for about 30 years keeps me a loyal customer, and recently (probably for a few years now) they reissued the "Rolls" models at around $150 or so (think I paid about $60 new in the late '80s), but I have bought some online for about half that price for a new one.

The "Selle" moniker is merely "saddles" in Italian; kind of like seeing Discount Tire, Tire Kingdom, etc.; just different companies letting you know what they manufacture and/or sell by putting it their company name. I guess Vetta sells a bunch of stuff so no reason to specify; I have an old '70s Vetta frame set, nor sure if it is the same company though.

[PasoBill]

I ride Selle Italia and Selle San Marcos saddles on my race/road bikes . . . and even on my cheap-ass $400.00 single speed. They're awesome. But about 14 months ago I bought my first gravel bike (a steel-frame Norco) and the first add-on I purchased was (after considerable research and knowing I would beat this bike hard in all sorts of weather conditions and so wasn't going to spend the big $$$ on a saddle ) a WTB Silverado (142mm (I'm 6'0", average build), steel rails, "standard" padding - that's all from their spec) and have loved it from the first ride going forward. Now some 2,400 miles into it (longest ride = 51 miles), it looks and feels great!

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

I typically use GT saddles (bio-morphic technology).

Recently, I got a Selle Royale Viper and I was genuinely surprised by it. I got mine for a steal (like $20). But good news is that they go for about $30 all-around, so they are very affordable in terms of bike saddles.

One of the most important aspects of getting the most out of your saddle in terms of comfort is that you've got a decent amount of tilt on it. You want an angle that takes the pressure off your balls entirely.

[Lemon]

(05-20-2021, 08:13 PM)PasoBill Wrote:  I ride Selle Italia and Selle San Marcos saddles on my race/road bikes . . . and even on my cheap-ass $400.00 single speed. They're awesome. But about 14 months ago I bought my first gravel bike (a steel-frame Norco) and the first add-on I purchased was (after considerable research and knowing I would beat this bike hard in all sorts of weather conditions and so wasn't going to spend the big $$$ on a saddle ) a WTB Silverado (142mm (I'm 6'0", average build), steel rails, "standard" padding - that's all from their spec) and have loved it from the first ride going forward. Now some 2,400 miles into it (longest ride = 51 miles), it looks and feels great!

Selle Italia and Selle San Marco are grand quality!
I have had their saddles for commuters or hybrid bikes but my buddies have given shout-outs for their Selle San Marco road bike saddles.

[meamoantonio]

(04-28-2021, 07:56 AM)Henry_G Wrote:  Hey riders.
I love gravel biking and I love treating my Focus (and myself) with small yet useful upgrades. This time, I consider changing the saddle.

- Can you guys suggest any comfortable saddle for a gravel bike?
- Which saddle do you have on your gravel bike (if you do own one)?
- In case you have a road bike, which saddle do you have on it?

Cheers!

Changing saddles can be tricky, even if alot of people say or vouch for a particular product is good or great, it might not be the same story for you when it comes to comfort because we all have different sit bone sizes(its the part of the bone that gets almost all the weight when we're sitting down)

A decent bike fit session will tell you what size your sitbone is, and what appropriate saddle should fit you, maybe consider getting one of these before buying a saddle

Also a good rule of thumb that I learned, If you're comfy on a particular saddle for more than 200kms, you can stick to it for all your bikes regardless of cycling discipline

[GirishH]

Hello meamoantonio, I agree with your philosophy. A saddle/bike that one loves might be another's pain. And, I like that idea of one saddle that fits you used on all the bikes or different biking disciplines one pursues.

I used a fat bike last year (Framed Minnesota) for a 9-month-long biking trip in South America. It was not a high-end bike and I didn't change anything on the bike. Not even the saddle. After a few weeks or months, I was starting to use regular shorts and NOT padded biking shorts. That's because my body/bum got used to that saddle and vice versa. And, the terrain we rode in was paved, unpaved, mountainous, flat, and everything in between.

(06-26-2023, 01:13 PM)meamoantonio Wrote:  

(04-28-2021, 07:56 AM)Henry_G Wrote:  Hey riders.
I love gravel biking and I love treating my Focus (and myself) with small yet useful upgrades. This time, I consider changing the saddle.

- Can you guys suggest any comfortable saddle for a gravel bike?
- Which saddle do you have on your gravel bike (if you do own one)?
- In case you have a road bike, which saddle do you have on it?

Cheers!

Changing saddles can be tricky, even if alot of people say or vouch for a particular product is good or great, it might not be the same story for you when it comes to comfort because we all have different sit bone sizes(its the part of the bone that gets almost all the weight when we're sitting down)

A decent bike fit session will tell you what size your sitbone is, and what appropriate saddle should fit you, maybe consider getting one of these before buying a saddle

Also a good rule of thumb that I learned, If you're comfy on a particular saddle for more than 200kms, you can stick to it for all your bikes regardless of cycling discipline

[Talha]

Italia X-LR Kit Carbonio

[GirishH]

" Velo Plush" is the name of the saddle that my Framed Minnesota bike came with. I looked it up on Amazon and it's less than $30. But, it served great in all the terrain we rode through. It was gravel, dirt, mountain, sandy and some paved.

https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/mistergordo/day-5-tembr/

(06-26-2023, 05:53 PM)GirishH Wrote:  Hello meamoantonio, I agree with your philosophy. A saddle/bike that one loves might be another's pain. And, I like that idea of one saddle that fits you used on all the bikes or different biking disciplines one pursues.

I used a fat bike last year (Framed Minnesota) for a 9-month-long biking trip in South America. It was not a high-end bike and I didn't change anything on the bike. Not even the saddle. After a few weeks or months, I was starting to use regular shorts and NOT padded biking shorts. That's because my body/bum got used to that saddle and vice versa. And, the terrain we rode in was paved, unpaved, mountainous, flat, and everything in between.

(06-26-2023, 01:13 PM)meamoantonio Wrote:  

(04-28-2021, 07:56 AM)Henry_G Wrote:  Hey riders.
I love gravel biking and I love treating my Focus (and myself) with small yet useful upgrades. This time, I consider changing the saddle.

- Can you guys suggest any comfortable saddle for a gravel bike?
- Which saddle do you have on your gravel bike (if you do own one)?
- In case you have a road bike, which saddle do you have on it?

Cheers!

Changing saddles can be tricky, even if alot of people say or vouch for a particular product is good or great, it might not be the same story for you when it comes to comfort because we all have different sit bone sizes(its the part of the bone that gets almost all the weight when we're sitting down)

A decent bike fit session will tell you what size your sitbone is, and what appropriate saddle should fit you, maybe consider getting one of these before buying a saddle

Also a good rule of thumb that I learned, If you're comfy on a particular saddle for more than 200kms, you can stick to it for all your bikes regardless of cycling discipline

[Lss555]

Definitely agree with you guys on depends on the person but was thinking the other day do they make saddles with almost have a shock in it? As I remember sitting in a dump truck when is was younger one time that had a seat that moved as the truck moved and basically had shocks in the seat so you wouldn’t get bounced around as the truck bounced around. Is there such a thing for bike saddles? As that would seem pretty ideal for gravel riding

[meamoantonio]

(06-30-2023, 03:37 AM)Lss555 Wrote:  Definitely agree with you guys on depends on the person but was thinking the other day do they make saddles with almost have a shock in it? As I remember sitting in a dump truck when is was younger one time that had a seat that moved as the truck moved and basically had shocks in the seat so you wouldn’t get bounced around as the truck bounced around. Is there such a thing for bike saddles? As that would seem pretty ideal for gravel riding

This is a really good idea for gravel! But maybe some engineers here can shed light on hownit can be done, so far Ive seen "pivots" or some small dampeners on the rear triangle of gravel frames that absorb and dissipate any vibrations, I think you lose some stiffness on the bike of you have this so a pure saddle solution should be really beneficial for everyone, I bet this is something they would probably test in Paris Roubaix or similar races

---

(06-28-2023, 02:13 PM)GirishH Wrote:  " Velo Plush" is the name of the saddle that my Framed Minnesota bike came with. I looked it up on Amazon and it's less than $30. But, it served great in all the terrain we rode through. It was gravel, dirt, mountain, sandy and some paved.

https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/mistergordo/day-5-tembr/

(06-26-2023, 05:53 PM)GirishH Wrote:  Hello meamoantonio, I agree with your philosophy. A saddle/bike that one loves might be another's pain. And, I like that idea of one saddle that fits you used on all the bikes or different biking disciplines one pursues.

I used a fat bike last year (Framed Minnesota) for a 9-month-long biking trip in South America. It was not a high-end bike and I didn't change anything on the bike. Not even the saddle. After a few weeks or months, I was starting to use regular shorts and NOT padded biking shorts. That's because my body/bum got used to that saddle and vice versa. And, the terrain we rode in was paved, unpaved, mountainous, flat, and everything in between.

(06-26-2023, 01:13 PM)meamoantonio Wrote:  

(04-28-2021, 07:56 AM)Henry_G Wrote:  Hey riders.
I love gravel biking and I love treating my Focus (and myself) with small yet useful upgrades. This time, I consider changing the saddle.

- Can you guys suggest any comfortable saddle for a gravel bike?
- Which saddle do you have on your gravel bike (if you do own one)?
- In case you have a road bike, which saddle do you have on it?

Cheers!

Changing saddles can be tricky, even if alot of people say or vouch for a particular product is good or great, it might not be the same story for you when it comes to comfort because we all have different sit bone sizes(its the part of the bone that gets almost all the weight when we're sitting down)

A decent bike fit session will tell you what size your sitbone is, and what appropriate saddle should fit you, maybe consider getting one of these before buying a saddle

Also a good rule of thumb that I learned, If you're comfy on a particular saddle for more than 200kms, you can stick to it for all your bikes regardless of cycling discipline

This is a really good saddle, Fun Fact: Velo the brand actually makes most of the saddles (selle italia, selle san marco, fizik and many more)

If this saddle is comfy for you I suggest getting 10 of these so if ever they stop manufacturing, you will still have a stable stock of it so you can continue riding with optimum comfort. Ive served alot of customers who had problems with saddles they are used to that stopped production, these guys had a really difficult time finding a replacement

[GirishH]

Interestingly most of the older bicycle saddles had suspensions/shocks very similar to the ones you found under the dump truck or older cars..:-) Attached are a few pictures from the internet..:-) In India, I remember seeing villagers and everyone riding fixed-gear bicycles from faraway places on these saddles. Enjoy

(06-30-2023, 05:10 AM)meamoantonio Wrote:  

(06-30-2023, 03:37 AM)Lss555 Wrote:  Definitely agree with you guys on depends on the person but was thinking the other day do they make saddles with almost have a shock in it? As I remember sitting in a dump truck when is was younger one time that had a seat that moved as the truck moved and basically had shocks in the seat so you wouldn’t get bounced around as the truck bounced around. Is there such a thing for bike saddles? As that would seem pretty ideal for gravel riding

This is a really good idea for gravel! But maybe some engineers here can shed light on hownit can be done, so far Ive seen "pivots" or some small dampeners on the rear triangle of gravel frames that absorb and dissipate any vibrations, I think you lose some stiffness on the bike of you have this so a pure saddle solution should be really beneficial for everyone, I bet this is something they would probably test in Paris Roubaix or similar races

---

(06-28-2023, 02:13 PM)GirishH Wrote:  " Velo Plush" is the name of the saddle that my Framed Minnesota bike came with. I looked it up on Amazon and it's less than $30. But, it served great in all the terrain we rode through. It was gravel, dirt, mountain, sandy and some paved.

https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/mistergordo/day-5-tembr/

(06-26-2023, 05:53 PM)GirishH Wrote:  Hello meamoantonio, I agree with your philosophy. A saddle/bike that one loves might be another's pain. And, I like that idea of one saddle that fits you used on all the bikes or different biking disciplines one pursues.

I used a fat bike last year (Framed Minnesota) for a 9-month-long biking trip in South America. It was not a high-end bike and I didn't change anything on the bike. Not even the saddle. After a few weeks or months, I was starting to use regular shorts and NOT padded biking shorts. That's because my body/bum got used to that saddle and vice versa. And, the terrain we rode in was paved, unpaved, mountainous, flat, and everything in between.

(06-26-2023, 01:13 PM)meamoantonio Wrote:  

(04-28-2021, 07:56 AM)Henry_G Wrote:  Hey riders.
I love gravel biking and I love treating my Focus (and myself) with small yet useful upgrades. This time, I consider changing the saddle.

- Can you guys suggest any comfortable saddle for a gravel bike?
- Which saddle do you have on your gravel bike (if you do own one)?
- In case you have a road bike, which saddle do you have on it?

Cheers!

Changing saddles can be tricky, even if alot of people say or vouch for a particular product is good or great, it might not be the same story for you when it comes to comfort because we all have different sit bone sizes(its the part of the bone that gets almost all the weight when we're sitting down)

A decent bike fit session will tell you what size your sitbone is, and what appropriate saddle should fit you, maybe consider getting one of these before buying a saddle

Also a good rule of thumb that I learned, If you're comfy on a particular saddle for more than 200kms, you can stick to it for all your bikes regardless of cycling discipline

This is a really good saddle, Fun Fact: Velo the brand actually makes most of the saddles (selle italia, selle san marco, fizik and many more)

If this saddle is comfy for you I suggest getting 10 of these so if ever they stop manufacturing, you will still have a stable stock of it so you can continue riding with optimum comfort. Ive served alot of customers who had problems with saddles they are used to that stopped production, these guys had a really difficult time finding a replacement

[Lss555]

Right on, ah I suppose I’ve probably seen those on like cruiser bikes before and just never consciously realized it. I suppose they’d be heavy but could defiantly be a good shout if your looking for comfort