(Another) Saddle Question....

[longhaultrucking]

My Surly LHT came yesterday and SPA Cycles put one of their saddles onto it. The Nimm get's pretty good reviews as a B17 alternative but I've found that already after a short ride it's really punishing my behind - I can feel bones in my behind I never knew existed! Is this to be expected being leather or if it's not fairly comfortable straight away does logic follow that it will never be? Can it be loosened somehow or made more comfortable? I've got a 300 mile ride coming up in a few weeks so don't want it ruined by an uncomfortable saddle. The b17 is going on Amazon for under sixty quid delivered so I'm fairly tempered to swap it out - advice welcome! (other than that I'm absolutely loving the Surly!).

[andymiller]

Leather saddles come in different shapes/sizes and the leather differs in elasticity. I'd doubt that the leather used in the Nidd is all that different from the B17. The Nidd is 7mm narrower than the B17 (I don't know about the length) so that might make a difference. IME it's the shape of the saddle that makes most difference, although if you are used to riding with a softer saddle then a hard saddle may seem less comfortable initially. If you have a saddle you are comfortable with then you could check the dimensions and compare them with the Nidd and B17.

It's fairly easy and cheap to return stuff to amazon so you could always try the B17 - but I doubt that there's a magic wand you can wave here.

EDIT: are you using cycling shorts with a chamois? You can ride with a leather saddle without, but at least to start with you might find it more comfortable to ride with one.

[tatanab]

Just like a new pair of leather shoes - it takes time for the leather to change its shape (if it ever does), and/or your feet/backside to get used to the difference. Some people simply do not get on with leather saddles. What saddle are you using on other machines?

[longhaultrucking]

I've never actually owned a bike since I was a child and have just borrowed them or nicked my dad's bikes and I've certainly never toured long-distance on one! So I have absolutely no experience to relate to. As I said, so far I'm not encouraged by how the nidds leather saddle makes me feel (despite it looking good and being obviously well made).

[andymiller]

Try another saddle if you want, but I suspect that the issue isn't the saddle.

First of all I would invest in a pair of decent quality chamois - look for one with a moulded chamois rather than a piece of foam.

[khain]

You can usually soften the leather a little with a suitable cream, e.g proofide for Brooks. However, making your saddle too supple might allow the fibres to get overstretched which could ruin the saddle so tread cautiously.

Brooks saddles are pretty hard as well. Their comfort is somewhat overrated in my opinion. However, they tend to retain a similar level of discomfort even on very long rides, whereas non-leather saddles become increasingly less comfortable to the point of agony.

[tatanab]

I've never actually owned a bike since I was a child.

Therein lies the answer. Your backside is not used to a saddle- any saddle. It will take time to get used to sitting on a saddle, and more time and experimentation to find one that suits you. I prefer leather saddles and I rode a Spa Wharfe for a short while. It was decidedly firm but comfortable enough, with promise of more comfort once broken in. I had it only a short time because I found a good offer on my favourite saddle - a Gilles Berthoud Aspin on which I recently toured for 1500 miles over 3 and a bit weeks with not a twinge of discomfort.

First of all I would invest in a pair of decent quality chamois - look for one with a moulded chamois rather than a piece of foam.

I do not believe there are any shorts that still use Chamois, I think they are all foam or foam and gel. I think you meant a moulded pad rather than a little bit of unformed foam. As it happens, I prefer absolutely minimum padding but then I have been club cycling over 50 years so know what suits me.

[hamster]

Agreed on some decent shorts - around £30 from a bike shop should see you sorted.

Saddle choice is personal....what works for one is agony for another. However a San Marco Rolls (£40ish) or Charge Spoon (£18-20) seem to work for much larger shares of the population than most and could be a good starting point.

Saddle angle is just as important - start from a level saddle, possibly experiment with the nose a fraction (2-3mm?) higher than the rear.

[JackRabbitSlims]

Yes, getting used to being back on a bike again.....for long periods of time, can be quite the adjustment.

Touch wood, I have never had issues with saddles in the past. Fizik on the Road and MTB rigs and a B17 on the Touring.
I used the B17 for around 6 months on my commuter before swapping it to the tourer....it does take a while to break in and the leather with soften and mould to the shape of your sit bones and seated position on the bike.

Agree that a proper cycling short or bib short will add to the comfort, as will making minor adjustments to the saddle position itself. I found a slight upward tilt of the B17 was needed for me.

There are other Brooks models that may be suitable for your anatomy.

[longhaultrucking]

Thanks all for really informative replies. I just did a short 23 mile dash and the first half was pretty miserable but oddly the second wasn't bad at all. I'll apply the proofhide stuff and maybe experiment with the angle.

[DaveP]

Definitely worth persevering, especially as you are unaccustomed to sitting on a saddle, but its your call. Don't let it make your life miserable.
FWIW while the Brooks saddles are made from natural leather the Spa saddles are made from a laminated leather. The fabric boded to the underside makes them relatively resistant to changing shape, a good thing from the component life point of view, possibly less good from the comfort viewpoint...

[Roadster]

A leather saddle gradually adapts to your bum but a tender bum also has to toughen up and adapt to a leather saddle. Having recently gone through these processes myself, I'm doubtful whether both can be completed within "a few weeks": in my experience, a few months would be a more realistic time-frame...

By the way, don't overdo the Proofide (no "h") or it will do more harm than good. Ignore the misguided "shortcuts" on the Internet and follow Brooks' instructions closely.

[hamster]

It's definitely about shape too. I have a B17 narrow which is OK, the Team Pro was dreadful but my favourite remains the San Marco Regal, which is bliss from straight out of the box. The only problem is that I wear through the covering every 5 years.

[georgew]

I've never actually owned a bike since I was a child and have just borrowed them or nicked my dad's bikes and I've certainly never toured long-distance on one! So I have absolutely no experience to relate to. As I said, so far I'm not encouraged by how the nidds leather saddle makes me feel (despite it looking good and being obviously well made).

You will find the saddle more comfortable if you loosen the cord which is used for tensioning and adjust the tensioning bolt at the nose allowing the leather to have more "give". The problem you are experiencing is due to the thickness of the leather but when this has become more supple the tension can then be then readjusted.

[mjr]

It's definitely about shape too. I have a B17 narrow which is OK, the Team Pro was dreadful but my favourite remains the San Marco Regal, which is bliss from straight out of the box. The only problem is that I wear through the covering every 5 years.

I agree. I had problems with sores forming when I rode a saddle that was too triangular for me and chafing the inner thigh. I'm a big fan of what I regard as the classics - B17, B67, Regal, Rolls, Turbo, Concor, Unicanitor, Lycett - and what I regard as their imitators - Brooks Flyer, Spa, Monte Grappa, Brev.M, ...

I think there's a lot in favour of a simple saddle shape or a hammock (whether from leather or spring webs). I'm rather sceptical of modern platform-y saddles and the use of thick padded pants to cope with them.