Best Saddle of all time

Posted by: craw

Lol. Well it turns out I have the second narrowest sit bones. Just one step wider than the typical widths from WTB or Chromag. Dudes with 150 or 160mm sit bones must be gorillas.

Totally agree with this statement.  I assumed (incorrectly) that id probably have wideish sit bones.  Mine measured in at 11cm (so 13cm for the SQLab MTB saddle). 150-160mm saddles would be WAY too wide for me, which is probably why I didnt get along with most of the saddles I was trying out.  Even the ones in the 140mm range would technically be too wide.

<div>Brooks Cambium. Based on the old B-17. Most comfortable for my butt for all day riding of any sort that I have used recently.
</div>

<div>I had a Cinelli saddle back in the day. It was the best I had found, but then the rails collapsed under my 100kg one day riding down the road. I have not seen them in the local shops, but the GF is going to Italy in the autumn and I might have her pick one up while she is there. I loved that saddle</div>

Posted by: shoreboy

Posted by: craw

Lol. Well it turns out I have the second narrowest sit bones. Just one step wider than the typical widths from WTB or Chromag. Dudes with 150 or 160mm sit bones must be gorillas.

Totally agree with this statement.  I assumed (incorrectly) that id probably have wideish sit bones.  Mine measured in at 11cm (so 13cm for the SQLab MTB saddle). 150-160mm saddles would be WAY too wide for me, which is probably why I didnt get along with most of the saddles I was trying out.  Even the ones in the 140mm range would technically be too wide.

It also makes a difference the angle that you are sitting at - more upright = wider saddle for a given width of sitbones. So you could in theory rock a 130 on your road bike, 140 on your trail bike and a 150/160 on a cruiser type deal.

Posted by: nouseforaname

Posted by: shoreboy

Posted by: craw

Lol. Well it turns out I have the second narrowest sit bones. Just one step wider than the typical widths from WTB or Chromag. Dudes with 150 or 160mm sit bones must be gorillas.

Totally agree with this statement.  I assumed (incorrectly) that id probably have wideish sit bones.  Mine measured in at 11cm (so 13cm for the SQLab MTB saddle). 150-160mm saddles would be WAY too wide for me, which is probably why I didnt get along with most of the saddles I was trying out.  Even the ones in the 140mm range would technically be too wide.

It also makes a difference the angle that you are sitting at - more upright = wider saddle for a given width of sitbones. So you could in theory rock a 130 on your road bike, 140 on your trail bike and a 150/160 on a cruiser type deal.

This is true.  The SQlab 'fit system' takes this into account.

In related news I test rode a Chromag Moon when I took out a Rootdown BA for a test ride last year. That bike has a 75' STA, which is especially steep on a hardtail that only gets steeper when the fork compresses. On this bike I loved the Moon. But when I bought one for myself and put in on my Evil, which had a slack ESTA I absolutely hated it. Circumstances.

I definitely agree it depends on your position on the bike.  I have/had a Moon and liked it on one bike, but not on the next as well.  Since we are discussing ESTA's in another part of the forum (the Knolly Carbon vs Al shootout), it should be noted that the ESTA on your Wreckoning was stated at 74.8 degrees (low position).  Its the ASTA (actual) that is quite slack no?

Posted by: shoreboy

I definitely agree it depends on your position on the bike.  I have/had a Moon and liked it on one bike, but not on the next as well.  Since we are discussing ESTA's in another part of the forum (the Knolly Carbon vs Al shootout), it should be noted that the ESTA on your Wreckoning was stated at 74.8 degrees (low position).  Its the ASTA (actual) that is quite slack no?

Yes the ASTA on the Wreckoning was very slack, though not quite Knolly slack IIRC. It was slack enough that I sold the bike because of it. I'm about to embark on a Sentinel which has a steeper ASTA and ESTA so we'll see how that plays out. If that goes well (and I think it will) then I'll move to something even steeper and longer.

Posted by: craw

Posted by: shoreboy

I definitely agree it depends on your position on the bike.  I have/had a Moon and liked it on one bike, but not on the next as well.  Since we are discussing ESTA's in another part of the forum (the Knolly Carbon vs Al shootout), it should be noted that the ESTA on your Wreckoning was stated at 74.8 degrees (low position).  Its the ASTA (actual) that is quite slack no?

Yes the ASTA on the Wreckoning was very slack, though not quite Knolly slack IIRC. It was slack enough that I sold the bike because of it. I'm about to embark on a Sentinel which has a steeper ASTA and ESTA so we'll see how that plays out. If that goes well (and I think it will) then I'll move to something even steeper and longer.

One of the guys in our riding group just got a Sentinel.  He seems to like it.  It is his first 29er.  He isnt at the extreme end of the height range though.  It is a loooong bike (wheelbase) compared to what I am used to.  Longer than your Wreckoning was by a fair bit as well I think.  Eventhough the wheelbase felt long to me, the cockpit feels quite short.  The steep STA and short stem it comes specced with probably contributes to this feeling alot.

Posted by: shoreboy

Posted by: craw

Posted by: shoreboy

I definitely agree it depends on your position on the bike. I have/had a Moon and liked it on one bike, but not on the next as well. Since we are discussing ESTA's in another part of the forum (the Knolly Carbon vs Al shootout), it should be noted that the ESTA on your Wreckoning was stated at 74.8 degrees (low position). Its the ASTA (actual) that is quite slack no?

Yes the ASTA on the Wreckoning was very slack, though not quite Knolly slack IIRC. It was slack enough that I sold the bike because of it. I'm about to embark on a Sentinel which has a steeper ASTA and ESTA so we'll see how that plays out. If that goes well (and I think it will) then I'll move to something even steeper and longer.

One of the guys in our riding group just got a Sentinel. He seems to like it. It is his first 29er. He isnt at the extreme end of the height range though. It is a loooong bike (wheelbase) compared to what I am used to. Longer than your Wreckoning was by a fair bit as well I think. Eventhough the wheelbase felt long to me, the cockpit feels quite short. The steep STA and short stem it comes specced with probably contributes to this feeling alot.

I was originally going to get a Pole but cancelled after the third production delay. The Sentinel splits the difference between the Wreckoning and the Evolink and is more easily sold again if I decide longer and slacker is the way to go. I've been on too-small bikes forever so this doesn't seem excessive. I've heard those comments about long reach steep ESTA bikes feeling short - which suggests that the XL Pole's 535mm reach is probably how big a bike has to be to overcome that feeling.

Like others my favourite saddle of all time was a Flite Titanium. It moved between 5 different bikes before it was toast. I've hated every saddle since until the stock saddle on my Range, a SDG Circuit that I actually like a lot.

Posted by: shoreboy

Posted by: craw

Lol. Well it turns out I have the second narrowest sit bones. Just one step wider than the typical widths from WTB or Chromag. Dudes with 150 or 160mm sit bones must be gorillas.

Totally agree with this statement.  I assumed (incorrectly) that id probably have wideish sit bones.  Mine measured in at 11cm (so 13cm for the SQLab MTB saddle). 150-160mm saddles would be WAY too wide for me, which is probably why I didnt get along with most of the saddles I was trying out.  Even the ones in the 140mm range would technically be too wide.

Seems spot on. Mine measure around 13cm so the saddle should be about 150mm wide (I'm 193cm tall). When I rode saddles which were 135mm (isn't it some kind of standard width?) I felt like my ass is slipping to the sides constantly...

Posted by: GawiQ

Posted by: shoreboy

Posted by: craw

Lol. Well it turns out I have the second narrowest sit bones. Just one step wider than the typical widths from WTB or Chromag. Dudes with 150 or 160mm sit bones must be gorillas.

Totally agree with this statement. I assumed (incorrectly) that id probably have wideish sit bones. Mine measured in at 11cm (so 13cm for the SQLab MTB saddle). 150-160mm saddles would be WAY too wide for me, which is probably why I didnt get along with most of the saddles I was trying out. Even the ones in the 140mm range would technically be too wide.

Seems spot on. Mine measure around 13cm so the saddle should be about 150mm wide (I'm 193cm tall). When I rode saddles which were 135mm (isn't it some kind of standard width?) I felt like my ass is slipping to the sides constantly...

Is that how that works? I measured at 142 and SQLab recommended the 140, which I've been riding happily.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1601/0029/files/SQlab_FitKit_Brochure_Inside_2016_Rev110116.pdf?12970387247907851297

Here is their fit kit page. Surprised they recommended a 140mm, but 150mm is the biggest size so I dont really know. According to their fit sizer, you would need a 160cm (140cm +2cm for MTB position) which doesnt exist. Maybe try re-measuring with some cardboard to see if you can replicate the results you got in the shop? On the other hand, if its now comfortable, I guess all this measuring and conjecture doesnt really matter :)

Posted by: shoreboy

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1601/0029/files/SQlab_FitKit_Brochure_Inside_2016_Rev110116.pdf?12970387247907851297

Here is their fit kit page. Surprised they recommended a 140mm, but 150mm is the biggest size so I dont really know. According to their fit sizer, you would need a 160cm (140cm +2cm for MTB position) which doesnt exist. Maybe try re-measuring with some cardboard to see if you can replicate the results you got in the shop? On the other hand, if its now comfortable, I guess all this measuring and conjecture doesnt really matter :)

Maybe because I was so close to 140 they rounded down?