Saddles used by pros?

"C Wright" <wright9_nojunk@nojunk_mac.com> wrote in message
news:BF111A3D.3315E%wright9_nojunk@nojunk_mac.com...

Quoted message said:

Are there any web sites that list, or does anyone here know, what saddles
are used by the pro riders?
I know that using the same frame or components used by the pros will
probably not make me any faster on a long Sunday ride but using one of
their
saddles might make me more comfortable! I know that they ride the
equipment
that they are paid to ride, but I am guessing that their saddle choice is
perhaps a more personal one. In any event if these guys can go 200K day
after day there must be something of merit in their choice of saddles!
Chuck

A good site for reviews of lots of the equipment used by the pros is

www.cyclingnews.com

Cheers, helen s

C Wright says...

Quoted message said:

Are there any web sites that list, or does anyone here know, what saddles
are used by the pro riders?
I know that using the same frame or components used by the pros will
probably not make me any faster on a long Sunday ride but using one of their
saddles might make me more comfortable! I know that they ride the equipment
that they are paid to ride, but I am guessing that their saddle choice is
perhaps a more personal one. In any event if these guys can go 200K day
after day there must be something of merit in their choice of saddles!
Chuck

Do you have 1% body fat? If not, their choices may not be as relevant
to you as you hope.

C Wright said:

Are there any web sites that list, or does anyone here know, what saddles
are used by the pro riders?
I know that using the same frame or components used by the pros will
probably not make me any faster on a long Sunday ride but using one of their
saddles might make me more comfortable! I know that they ride the equipment
that they are paid to ride, but I am guessing that their saddle choice is
perhaps a more personal one. In any event if these guys can go 200K day
after day there must be something of merit in their choice of saddles!
Chuck

Probably not, their butts are probably so tough that a knurled steel
saddle would work, and not give them any trouble.

W

On 7/30/05 11:52 PM, in article
[email hidden], "Fred Barney"

Quoted message said:

C Wright says...

Quoted message said:

Are there any web sites that list, or does anyone here know, what saddles
are used by the pro riders?
I know that using the same frame or components used by the pros will
probably not make me any faster on a long Sunday ride but using one of their
saddles might make me more comfortable! I know that they ride the equipment
that they are paid to ride, but I am guessing that their saddle choice is
perhaps a more personal one. In any event if these guys can go 200K day
after day there must be something of merit in their choice of saddles!
Chuck

Do you have 1% body fat? If not, their choices may not be as relevant
to you as you hope.

Actually, with 1% body fat I would think that the choice of a reasonably
comfortable saddle would be even more important - no built in padding! 🙂

In article <[email hidden]>,

The Wogster said:

C Wright said:

Are there any web sites that list, or does anyone here know, what saddles
are used by the pro riders?
I know that using the same frame or components used by the pros will
probably not make me any faster on a long Sunday ride but using one of their
saddles might make me more comfortable! I know that they ride the equipment
that they are paid to ride, but I am guessing that their saddle choice is
perhaps a more personal one. In any event if these guys can go 200K day
after day there must be something of merit in their choice of saddles!
Chuck

Probably not, their butts are probably so tough that a knurled steel
saddle would work, and not give them any trouble.

The pros routinely get and stick with one design for their whole
careers, even using custom saddle covers to disguise off-sponsor
choices. Lance, for example, uses a saddle design that isn't strictly
offered by Bontrager, so they have it built as a semi-custom (it's a bit
complicated; Selle San Marco is the OEM for all "Bontrager" saddles, but
you or I couldn't get a re-branded Concor Lite from Bontrager, and Lance
can).

Long story short, you'll see them riding everything from surprisingly
chunky old-school saddle designs (Lance...) to the latest in insane
minimalist carbon fibre ass hatchets:

Minimalist:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2005/tour05/tech/?id=moncoutie_wilier/I
MG_0654

Moderate:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2005/tour05/tech/?id=mcgee_lapierre/IMG
_0478

Some rider on the verge of retirement:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2005/tour05/tech/?id=armstrong_light/cn
tdf05-lance_sslx3

-RjC.

--
Ryan Cousineau [email hidden] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

Ryan Cousineau said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

The Wogster said:

C Wright said:

Are there any web sites that list, or does anyone here know, what saddles
are used by the pro riders?
I know that using the same frame or components used by the pros will
probably not make me any faster on a long Sunday ride but using one of their
saddles might make me more comfortable! I know that they ride the equipment
that they are paid to ride, but I am guessing that their saddle choice is
perhaps a more personal one. In any event if these guys can go 200K day
after day there must be something of merit in their choice of saddles!
Chuck

Probably not, their butts are probably so tough that a knurled steel
saddle would work, and not give them any trouble.

The pros routinely get and stick with one design for their whole
careers, even using custom saddle covers to disguise off-sponsor
choices. Lance, for example, uses a saddle design that isn't strictly
offered by Bontrager, so they have it built as a semi-custom (it's a bit
complicated; Selle San Marco is the OEM for all "Bontrager" saddles, but
you or I couldn't get a re-branded Concor Lite from Bontrager, and Lance
can).

Long story short, you'll see them riding everything from surprisingly
chunky old-school saddle designs (Lance...) to the latest in insane
minimalist carbon fibre ass hatchets:

The photos didn't come up, just the main page, however I would not be
surprised to find out, that some pro's get 3 or 4 of the same saddle,
and rotate between them, their entire careers...... A bad saddle for
you or I would mean maybe a little shorter ride, for Pro's on a tour, a
bad saddle could mean the end of your race, or your season. Neither is
preferable.

W

C Wright said:

Are there any web sites that list, or does anyone here know, what saddles
are used by the pro riders?
I know that using the same frame or components used by the pros will
probably not make me any faster on a long Sunday ride but using one of their
saddles might make me more comfortable! I know that they ride the equipment
that they are paid to ride, but I am guessing that their saddle choice is
perhaps a more personal one. In any event if these guys can go 200K day
after day there must be something of merit in their choice of saddles!

The only saddle I noticed the entire tdf was
Leipheimer's regular Flite, the classic choice
for small-assed dudes.

Robert

"C Wright" <wright9_nojunk@nojunk_mac.com> wrote in message
news:BF12A6E9.334B1%wright9_nojunk@nojunk_mac.com...

Quoted message said:

On 7/31/05 3:12 PM, in article

[email hidden],

Quoted message said:

Chris Neary said:

While it might be of trivial interest to compile the

favorite saddles of the

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pro's, the simple fact is that they don't ride like the

rest of us makes the

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data of little worth.

Although I've never seen any data to back this up, my gut

feel is that due

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to the high efficiency and wattage of their pedal strokes,

a higher

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percentage of a pro's weight is carried on the pedals (as

opposed to the

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saddle) than is typical for us poor schlubs.

While your gut feel may very well be correct that a higher

percentage of the

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pro's weight might be carried on the peddles, couldn't the

counter to this

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also be argued? That is, if the pros are truly spinning the

the crank arms,

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would they not be applying considerable peddle pressure on

the upstroke (in

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addition to the down stroke) that would tend to pull their

butts back down

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to the seat?
Chuck

Not really. Even if they were applying "considerable pedal
pressure on the upstroke", this would be at the same time they
are putting even more pressure with the other leg on the
downstroke.

"The Wogster" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Bill Sornson said:

The Wogster said:

The photos didn't come up, just the main page

You have to copy and paste the cut-off bits to the links.

I hate that part..... None of those saddles look comfy, but looks can be
deceiving.....

W

Actually, as far as I can tell, the pros have higher saddle positions and
lower handlebar positions, so their torso weight tends to be more supported
by the arms and not their backside.
Then the pros can really power their bikes hard, thus they aren't really
supporting their body on the saddle that much. The pros are usually cranking
on the pedals enough to basically support themselves off the saddle more
than us "normal" people can.
Then the saddles are thin and narrow so as to not interfere with high
cadences and power pedaling for long distances, and to prevent chaffing or
rubbing on the inner thighs. Padding on the saddle usually means a slight
loss of power so most of them have little to no padding either.
When I was watching and admiring their super strength at powering up super
long steep road climbs for forever at high speeds too. I really don't think
they sit in the saddle much at all, or actually have much body weight
supported by their backsides. Maybe when they sit up for feeding at a
feeding station, or when they unzip and zipup their jackets or jerseys, or
the really good ones at taking a leak on the run, or if they are the first
to cross the stage finish line. So technically a minimalist saddle is
probably the best for them.

When I first started riding, being big and fat, i had those cushy comfort
saddles, then as I progressed down in weight and got stronger I moved on to
Brooks saddles, then as I progressed even more, eventually I wound up using
saddles like the Selle San Marco aspIDE Arrowhead (the non-gel model), and
it actually feels pretty good now. I ride it on century rides and it doesn't
bother me. I really like the cutout part so that it doesn't put pressure on
that nerve area between my legs.
So I can yes see the pros riding these saddles that do not look comfortable
to regualr people, but the saddles really are. But I think it has more to do
with your fitness level and how well toughened up your backside is.
If I lay off for a few months and then get back on a bike, I can betcha that
Selle San Marco aspIDE Arrowhead saddle will really hurt for a while until I
get by backside toughened up to it again.

Earl Bollinger said:

... I have the Selle San Marco aspIDE Arrowhead saddles on
both my touring and road bikes.

You spelled it wrong. It's "AssBleed" <eg>

Bill "as long as you're done having kids..." S.