Saddle Recommendation Requested

[George Schick]

Over the past several weeks I've been overhauling a bike that belongs to a lady who can't afford much.  It's a Huffy Broadmoor so nothing fancy.  Anyway, I've been talking to her about changing saddles.  This bike has a step-through frame pretty much on the order of some of the Riv bikes like the Platy and it is equipped with run-of-the-mill bars, which means that she's riding in an upright position.  So she has one of those thick, heavily padded, wide, wide saddles that looks like someone cut it out of a mattress.  I have convinced her to look for something more suitable for efficient pedaling (she's apparently been riding around in the highest gear - 80 inch - at what must be a very low cadence).

So...what are some of you who ride Riv bikes that have been introduced in recent years that encourage an upright riding style using for a saddle?  Seems like some of the pics I've seen on this blog show bikes equipped with narrower leather models.  Not sure if she'll be amenable to those, but any input is welcome.  I've also talked to her about "sits" bone width and measurements she's taken seem to indicate that their around the 110-115mm range.

[Patrick Moore]

I've not used these on Rivs, but I have used them on other upright bikes; perhaps the Brooks B 66 and B 72 might work. IIRC, I used a B 72 on a Raleigh Sports and also on a hotrodded Worksman trike, both with upright pedaling setups; I forget what I used the B 66 on. 

For me, the Champion and regular B 17 might work for upright -- I know that I don't like them for drop bars.

Just for fun, Brooks made a saddle once that had both coil and loop springs for double cushioning; it weighed about 5 lb. Can any recall the model number?

On Thu, Dec 30, 2021 at 8:41 AM George Schick <bhi...@gmail.com> wrote:

Over the past several weeks I've been overhauling a bike that belongs to a lady who can't afford much.  It's a Huffy Broadmoor so nothing fancy.  Anyway, I've been talking to her about changing saddles.  This bike has a step-through frame pretty much on the order of some of the Riv bikes like the Platy and it is equipped with run-of-the-mill bars, which means that she's riding in an upright position.  So she has one of those thick, heavily padded, wide, wide saddles that looks like someone cut it out of a mattress.  I have convinced her to look for something more suitable for efficient pedaling (she's apparently been riding around in the highest gear - 80 inch - at what must be a very low cadence).

So...what are some of you who ride Riv bikes that have been introduced in recent years that encourage an upright riding style using for a saddle?  Seems like some of the pics I've seen on this blog show bikes equipped with narrower leather models.  Not sure if she'll be amenable to those, but any input is welcome.  I've also talked to her about "sits" bone width and measurements she's taken seem to indicate that their around the 110-115mm range.

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Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

[Patrick Moore]

One more remark: some years ago my daughter had one of those laid-back-geometry Electra Townies. It came stock with a wide padded, sprung, vinyl-covered saddle but was not tractor-seat wide nor excessively padded -- "firm padding" is an apt desription. When I briefly rode the bike (it accommodated a huge heigh discrepancy) it felt -- well, it felt normal; that is, I didn't really think about it one way or the other. Sorry, I have no idea of the maker or model, but I assume that such things are widely available, and that they are a lot cheaper than Brooks saddles.

[Elisabeth Sherwood]

Hi George,

A couple years ago my mother bought a Trek 7100 or similar (step-through upright/comfort hybrid). I didn't really think anything of it (positive or negative), other than, oh, that's a decent upright/comfort hybrid for her that she can ride around the neighborhood. 

And then one day I tried to ride it. I nearly died. It came/comes with a very short, very "puffy" saddle (although not soft -- you don't really sink down on the saddle), with very short rails.  So it pushes the rider quite forward, toward the bars, and then puts weight on the rider's hands/arms.  And because it's so darn short, with short rails, there's nothing you can do about it. You can't move it, or you, backwards to get the weight off your arms.

Anyway, went to the local Trek store (that's all there is here) and found a relatively wide saddle with longer rails. It's from Bontrager, but don't know what model (but it wasn't expensive).  It's actually quite wide -- it's probably 168mm at the widest part of the saddle -- and it's not at all "puffy", but it's really quite comfortable to ride.  (It has a center cut-out, but given the riding position it doesn't seem necessary!) My mother loves riding her bike now.  (And I can ride it and not think, "good lord! What sadist designed this bicycle??")

So, that's my advice -- find something kind of standard but wide enough to sit *on*, with long enough rails to move the saddle back and forth. 

Good luck!

Liz Sherwood

Washington, DC (thought currently in the Palm Springs area, where my mother's bike is... :-) )

[Elisabeth Sherwood]

p.s.  Went to Trek's website and this is the one we got for my mother's bike: 

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/equipment/cycling-components/bike-saddles/fitness-bike-saddles/bontrager-commuter-comp-bike-saddle/p/21588/?colorCode=black

And this one seems similar; a little narrower, and a little cheaper: 

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/equipment/cycling-components/bike-saddles/fitness-bike-saddles/bontrager-sport-bike-saddle/p/14011/?colorCode=black

Liz

[JohnS]

I had bought a Velo Voam Breeze saddle for a Hawthorne step thru that I had built for my wife but ended up giving it to my my hairstylist. She seems to like it. Unfortunately that model is on back order at the few sites that I checked. Seems to be the recurring problem with bike parts these days.

https://www.treefortbikes.com/Velo-Voam-Breeze-Saddle

Good luck,

JohnS

[Garth]

I'm partial towards Selle Royal Lookin saddles myself as I sit back on saddles where it spreads out the pressure from being isolated on inside of the sit bones.   These saddles are also a flat profile, which also assist in that. There isn't just one particular sweet spot, I tend to move around alot on saddles and these are sweet everywhere.   They come in 3 different widths, Athletic,  Moderate and Relaxed.  The Moderate comes in Men's and Women's sizes. I ride a Moderate. I don't subscribe to any sit bone width theories as a comfortable saddle just can't be dumbed down to numbers.

https://www.selleroyal.com/en/search/lookin?keys=lookin  (I'm referring to the Lookin Moderate, Relaxed and Athletic. Not the 3D Lookins)

Their Royalgel for me is a perfect balance between firmness and pliability, it's Goldilocks, not too firm, not too soft, always mmmmmmmm just right !  I've tried many padded saddles and no other comes close to these.

I gave up cycling for some 3 years from sit bone pain after trying a Brooks and buying into that nonsense of "you'll get used to it/break it in/conform". Actually that's a messed up message to send anyone. Sales pitches speak only for themselves.... to sell the pitch.... to keep the whole charade going by repetition. Either a saddle works NOW-AS-IS or it doesn't. I'd make a terrible salesperson.... hah !

Surely, take this with a grain of salt though as I have no idea what could work for anyone else. I gave up cycling for some 3 years from sit bone pain after trying a Brooks and buying into that nonsense of "you'll get used to it/break it in/conform". Actually that's a messed up message for anyone to adopt. Sales pitches speak only for themselves.... to sell the pitch.... to keep the whole charade going by repetition. Either a saddle works NOW-AS-IS or it doesn't. I'd make a terrible salesperson.... hah !

[alex g]

I have also had luck with selle royal lookin saddles. I have found the beauty of selle SMP saddles, expensive but very comfortable for some what upright road bike. I would be curious about their less expensive line ~$75-100.