Selle Anatomica X series saddles

[Lum Gim Fong]

Anyone have anything to say about theirs?
Like it?
Compared to Brooks?

[Joe Bernard]

Awful contraptions. The sides dig into my thighs, I much prefer B17s.

[Fullylugged]

Have them on 3 bikes. Love them. Got the 1st when RBW was selling them. Comfy from day 1. Don't wear as long as Brooks. Have had both slotted and unslotted and equally comfy for me. Get the one that goes with your weight. One of mine is drilled for laces. A prior owner did that to eliminate thigh contact. That's never been an issue for me and I unlaced it.

[Ron Mc]

Tried 2 and ran out of stretch in 6 mo/

I have a Brooks Select pushing 20,000 mi.  

[Kainalu V.]

I bent the rails on the heavyweight version, but that was with the saddle almost all the way back. I'm around 210 and I love my Brooks saddles.
-Kai
BKNY

[Tony McG]

I had them on all of my bikes until I discovered the Brooks C-17 Carved. They are okay for the first 100 miles, but they get wet from sweat and stretch too much for the 2nd hundred. My next saddle will probably be one the new Cambium All Weather C-17.

[Tom M]

Have them on our tandem and on my single bikes. No problems with any; still lots of threads in the adjusting bolt left. I've gotten some where on my shorts, but no digging into my thighs. It seems with S-A that your mileage will vary, but literally and figuratively.

Tom Milani

Alexandria, VA

[Lum Gim Fong]

Thanks for the info.

Now just looking for a good place to buy but seems to be a lock on the pricing. Looks like $135-$199.

[Tom M]

Check out their sale page: https://selleanatomica.com/collections/factory-outlet 

[Clayton]

I have the regular steel (now chromo) carriage Selle Anatomicas on all three of my bikes. One is four years old (the one on my 'car') and still going strong. I can't find a more comfortable saddle than these. They just work for my anatomy. Now, that being said, I have bent rails. Their 'seconds' saddles have had some leather stretch issues, where one side stretches more than the other. It seems the leather had half the saddle from a softer section of the hide, so I recommend against the 'seconds'.   The edges of the leather are not rounded off, so I chamfered off the edge for more thigh comfort.  I am not happy with customer service, as I felt the first saddles with the long rails made from Hi-ten were a complete fail as a product. I weigh 145 and I bent the rails riding mostly on the street with a suspension seat post!  I have had three back surgeries, so I ride light too. Ridiculous that it should bend under me. The company would not replace the saddle.  After my anger and venting to the owner, I went ahead and bought three saddles anyway, ensuring they were using the 'new' chromoly rails. Selle Anatomica's are way more comfortable than a Brooks, at least on my butt.  So far, I haven't bent any more rails.  I might try a Rivet someday, but I have settled on these being my saddle of choice. Now, if I could find some handlebars that won't antagonize my peripheral neuropathy,  I will be happy.  

[Kieran J]

I've been riding two SA (non-X) saddles on my commuter and road bikes for years. It's the Lay-Z-Boy of leather saddles. I keep trying to transition to a modern road saddle but keep going back to the SAs like an old pair of comfy jeans. They are not super durable - the one on my commuter is nearing the end of the tension bolt, so I should see about getting a longer one (I believe SA can provide these). The newer gen ones are said to be a little better constructed.

I never got on well with the Brooks saddles I tried. While the shape of the B17 was nice, they were too hard and led to crotch numbing, even on short rides.

KJ

On Thursday, June 28, 2018 at 9:33:11 PM UTC-7, Lum Gim Fong wrote:

[Fullylugged]

You can re-leather a saddle for less than new cost, and they now sell a longer bolt so you can get more life from it. The mistakes I see leading to short lifespan involve over application of "saddle sauce" ( I use Obenauf's from RBW) and over tensioning of the bolt. I'm 10 years on the oldest one I own, and about 3 years on the newest. One has slightly bent rails. I loaned it to a buddy to try (he bought his own) and he is 200+ lbs. It hasn't gotten worse since then.

[Ron Mc]

The mistake you're going to see here was made at the factory - that's the bonding resin bleeding through - being squeezed through as the saddle stretched

The mistake people make with Brooks is picking the wrong saddle for their riding position.  

My two upright bikes have B17s, my two drop-bar bikes have Swallow - I've found Swallow to be the most invisible saddle I've ever ridden, including SA.  

I've never used anything but Obenaufs, and I use it sparingly - like once/year to prep saddles for summer sweat.  

I've been through all of them, and came back to Brooks.  

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/65-years-old.129681/page-2#post-875927

For anybody who can't live with Brooks, I'll put in a vote here for Fabric Scoop Radius.  My daughter has tried B17 Imperial S, Specialized (on recommendation), Rivet (on trial rental) and adores this saddle.  

and don't think it relates to tough - she's a nationally ranked wrestler

[Clayton]

I wanted to mention to not over tighten the leather. Tighten it just enough to take out the slack.  My tension bolt would loosen on it's own, as there wasn't enough leather tension to keep the bolt from unwinding. I used blue Locktite on the nose bolts, and tensioned them just enough to take the slack out. You sit 'in it' more than a Brooks, more like a hammock. Tension and tilt are a bit finicky to get right, but when you do, experience butt bliss.  Beware of over tightening, and adjust when the leather is cold and it should last a long time. My heaviest use saddle is going on four years old and I have years (of tension bolt length) left. 

Clayton

#DirtDanceDesigns

On Thursday, June 28, 2018 at 9:33:11 PM UTC-7, Lum Gim Fong wrote:

[Mushroom Man]

I agree with Fullylugged, comfy from day 1. I prefer it over my Brooks but perhaps the B17 just needs to be broken in more. The Anatomica does seem to sag easily, the Brooks feels more sturdy. 

On Thursday, June 28, 2018 at 9:33:11 PM UTC-7, Lum Gim Fong wrote:

[Ron Mc]

Perhaps B17 is the wrong saddle for your riding position.  Had that discussion with someone this morning, and recommended Swallow.  

Good week for riding (finished up a big project at work), and finished 130 miles for the week this morning (and won the sprint, but only by passing Daniel at the last traffic signal - he should have had me by a block - 4 of us in the lead group were 3 minutes ahead of the next group).

Brutal sun this afternoon, and a good afternoon for an indoor project.

My highest-mileage Brooks was showing front frame through the leather, and needed a rare stretch bolt tighten (quarter-turn).

Expected, and accumulated stretch from this summer's sweat.

So I laced it this afternoon to get that last 5000 or so miles before I replace it with the new (closeout) saddle I have stashed - it's essentially back to new shape, with just a little pucker around the rivets.

This isn't a good back-lit photo, with the exception it shows the smooth lift you get in place of a center ridge when you lace a stretched Brooks.

and yes, I cut my finger with the leather awl (nothing bad)

[Ron Mc]

My first SAX after the first 7 miles

stopped at the Blue Star bike shop to borrow a tool

[Ron Mc]

also worth noting, while the Rivet stretched appreciably at first, it stabilized over time, as promised by Debra.  The SAX never quit stretching.  

[Fullylugged]

I do want to try a Rivet, just to see how they are. My next leather saddle will be one.

[Steve Palincsar]

Which model?

On 07/01/2018 06:20 PM, Fullylugged wrote:
> I do want to try a Rivet, just to see how they are. My next leather saddle will be one.
>

--
Steve Palincsar
Alexandria, Virginia
USA

[Lum Gim Fong]

Thanks for the info.
I got a black X2.
July 4 15% off sale.