Where has "Touring" in saddle descriptions gone?

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
Galactic
Posts: 249
Joined: 21 May 2022, 7:42am

Where has "Touring" in saddle descriptions gone?

Post by Galactic »

First of all, apologies for Yet Another Saddle Thread. Have searched through the site, but not found my answer, and I really am rather confused :oops: .

When I look at manufacturer's descriptions of intended use for their saddles, Touring (or Trekking if you want to be all continental) is rarely to be found nowadays, whereas it used to be a common designator.

Is Gravelbike the closest description in terms of saddles? Commuter and Urban don't do the job (they presumably suit a fairly relaxed inclination, but don't suggest five or ten hours a day in the saddle), and obviously road is the designation for a shaped pallet knife on rails while I'm not really sure what MTB suggests in the saddle department.

What kind of rider are we old-fashioned pannier-toting world-exploring tourers (with or without drop handlebars)?
Barrowman
Posts: 441
Joined: 8 Jan 2022, 6:35pm

Re: Where has "Touring" in saddle descriptions gone?

Post by Barrowman »

Galactic wrote: 11 Aug 2022, 1:53pm First of all, apologies for Yet Another Saddle Thread. Have searched through the site, but not found my answer, and I really am rather confused :oops: .

When I look at manufacturer's descriptions of intended use for their saddles, Touring (or Trekking if you want to be all continental) is rarely to be found nowadays, whereas it used to be a common designator.

Is Gravelbike the closest description in terms of saddles? Commuter and Urban don't do the job (they presumably suit a fairly relaxed inclination, but don't suggest five or ten hours a day in the saddle), and obviously road is the designation for a shaped pallet knife on rails while I'm not really sure what MTB suggests in the saddle department.

What kind of rider are we old-fashioned pannier-toting world-exploring tourers (with or without drop handlebars)?
The kind that doesn't buy a new saddle every season . It's Largely Fashion I perceive :? .
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Where has "Touring" in saddle descriptions gone?

Post by simonhill »

I use a sprung Brooks. It's called a Flyer, hardly a name suited to my style or speed but a very comfortable saddle for touring.

The earlier version of it I had circa 198? was called a Conquest. Aimed at MTB, presumably as it will be conquering summits.

Maybe 'touring' doesn't have the required sell-ability, although trekking always has a slight feel of trudging to me.

I am a cycle tourist, but really more of a traveller who uses a bike for transport.
Galactic
Posts: 249
Joined: 21 May 2022, 7:42am

Re: Where has "Touring" in saddle descriptions gone?

Post by Galactic »

It's Largely Fashion I perceive
Oh, absolutely. Yet after years of touring, I still haven't found a suitable saddle for my posterior, and it seems ever more urgent that I do so. Hence my looking at saddle descriptions and attempts at deciphering manufacturers' patent fitting systems/categories.

And also, breakages happen.
mumbojumbo
Posts: 1525
Joined: 1 Aug 2018, 8:18pm

Re: Where has "Touring" in saddle descriptions gone?

Post by mumbojumbo »

Gone back to 1993.
tenbikes
Posts: 463
Joined: 11 Jan 2009, 6:41pm

Re: Where has "Touring" in saddle descriptions gone?

Post by tenbikes »

Perhaps they have been 're labelled 'e-bike saddle' ?

I mean, what the * makes a saddle e-bike specific? Insulated rails?

They all look heavy, wide and squishy. A bit like crap 'touring' saddles of old.

Back in the day I used to consider a saddle suitable for touring if it had the slotted tabs used to affix saddle bag frames. They were great! I also used the tabs to guy the bike at the campsite. These, in conjunction with guy lines from the drops , kept the bike securely upright, making it easier to load up on the morning, and for any chain lubing.
Last edited by tenbikes on 12 Aug 2022, 10:25am, edited 2 times in total.
a.twiddler
Posts: 347
Joined: 4 Jun 2009, 12:17am

Re: Where has "Touring" in saddle descriptions gone?

Post by a.twiddler »

Saddlebag loops, definitely. However else you might describe a saddle designed for touring, the presence of saddlebag loops ought to be a definitive indicator. At one time even the most humdrum saddle was likely to have them. Nowadays it's a bit hit or miss. Since saddle comfort is such a personal thing there are many saddles which might give all day comfort which don't have loops. Surprisingly my used Brompton came with saddlebag loops on its Brompton logo'd saddle. A Brompton is hardly the first bike that springs to mind when you think of touring (though there are those that use them for such) but it's such a useful touch.

Saddlebag loops are the sort of thing that you take for granted but you miss them when they're not there.
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Where has "Touring" in saddle descriptions gone?

Post by simonhill »

If loops are the benchmark, all my saddles have them.
Brooks Flyer.
Brooks B17.
Brompton (about 3 years old).
mattsccm
Posts: 5101
Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 9:44pm

Re: Where has "Touring" in saddle descriptions gone?

Post by mattsccm »

Was the label ever really there? Was it valid or even with any point if it was?
Galactic
Posts: 249
Joined: 21 May 2022, 7:42am

Re: Where has "Touring" in saddle descriptions gone?

Post by Galactic »

Was the label ever really there? Was it valid or even with any point if it was?
I guess it's a way of quickly narrowing down saddles that support a relaxed (neither speedy nor upright) posture and not too much padding. So a 'city' saddle is likely too wide and too soft, and a road saddle is to narrow and hard for most tourers.

And yes, it was there as a label, still is on a few brands (but not so much in English language markets). So for example, a look at www.selleroyal.com in English shows no touring saddles. Yet in German there is a section "Touring & Trekking", in French "Randonnée et voyage" etc.


Perhaps a better way of phrasing the question would be:
Since most saddles are no longer marked "Touring" or "Trekking", what is the closest label (gravel, mtb, e-bike etc) for the purpose of narrowing down suitable touring saddles when looking at manufacturers' websites?
mattsccm
Posts: 5101
Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 9:44pm

Re: Where has "Touring" in saddle descriptions gone?

Post by mattsccm »

The above post surely proves that there is no validity in the term. If you are touring you will want a nice supportive, probably firm saddle that will see you through hundreds of miles of hard work surely?
Ah, but then we have to define touring :roll: To me thats a multi day ride as anything less is merely a day ride. See my point?
andy_l
Posts: 56
Joined: 19 Jan 2008, 2:13pm

Re: Where has "Touring" in saddle descriptions gone?

Post by andy_l »

I've had a Brooks Flyer for about 20 years and it's been fine - apart from only recently managing to get an extra bit of layback with a different seat post. But that subject is covered in some detail in other posts...
I was first recommended a sprung Brooks saddle in the Netherlands in 1985, when I worked there, and my colleagues asked why I didn't already have one.
roubaixtuesday
Posts: 5815
Joined: 18 Aug 2015, 7:05pm

Re: Where has "Touring" in saddle descriptions gone?

Post by roubaixtuesday »

andy_l wrote: 22 Aug 2022, 9:36pm I've had a Brooks Flyer for about 20 years and it's been fine - apart from only recently managing to get an extra bit of layback with a different seat post. But that subject is covered in some detail in other posts...
I was first recommended a sprung Brooks saddle in the Netherlands in 1985, when I worked there, and my colleagues asked why I didn't already have one.
Saddles are intensely personal. I'm not convinced a "touring" definition would help anyone: I regard sprung saddles as the output of Beelzebub's own workshop and would no more choose to sit on a bicycle than I would choose to stand on a pogo stick on a train.

But each to their own.
deeferdonk
Posts: 166
Joined: 11 May 2019, 2:50pm

Re: Where has "Touring" in saddle descriptions gone?

Post by deeferdonk »

i have just looked up my current preferred saddle the Selle S5 superflow, on Selle's website.
On it's "datasheet" it classifies it as a sport touring saddle, but as they don't have that as a category heading on their website, it now appears in the "Commuting" section.
iandusud
Posts: 1577
Joined: 26 Mar 2018, 1:35pm

Re: Where has "Touring" in saddle descriptions gone?

Post by iandusud »

Having cycled regularly for 50 years it was only when we got our tandem 4 years ago that decided to try a Brooks leather saddle. I had always been put off by the weight as I try to keep my bikes as light as reasonably possible (I'm not a weight weeny but I don't see the point in unnecessary weight). However a tandem with two riders weighs so much that another 250g is not going to make a noticeable difference. Anyway I was an instant convert. By far the most comfortable saddle I've ever used, even from new. My experience of previous saddles has however taught me that the longer you are going to spend in the saddle (pertinent to touring where you might spend all day in the saddle) the firmer the saddle the better. So it is hardly surprising that solid leather saddle with no padding, but with give, works so well.
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