Saddle Review

I am a big fan of Specialized saddles and have been for quite some time. I remember when I first started cycling how difficult it was to find a saddle that worked for me and I went through a dozen or so before finally finding out about sit bone width and ended up purchasing my first Specialized Saddle which was the Alias.

I still ride that Alias on my Trek but recently had the chance to road test another extremely popular Specialized Saddle and that is the Specialized Toupe road saddle. The similarities to the Alias are many and my expectations were very high that I would like the Specialized Toupe saddle.

First Impressions

One thing you should know about Specialized saddles before you ever put your butt on one, is that they are a firm saddle. By firm, I don't mean hard, they are padded but it's a firm ride. One that your sit bones will have to condition themselves to somewhat. An experienced cyclist should be ok but a new rider will likely have to give it a few weeks before your sit bones get accustomed to this type of saddle.

It's a difficult concept to grasp but you WANT a firm saddle for long distance rides. The more hours you spend in the saddle, then the worse your behind will do with a plushly padded saddle. Trust me on this...firm is good.

Specialized Toupe

Like the Alias, the Toupe offers a very perineum friendly center groove as well as three different widths to choose from as opposed to many seats that only offer a 1 size supposed to fit all model. That's one of the reasons that I like Specialized so much, they get the idea that all people are not the size of a 130lb Tour de France rider and come in different widths, so the seats should too.

It's important to mention that the Specialized saddles being firm, will work best with a rider the sits on the saddle correctly. What I mean by that is you should ride with your hips rotated slightly forward, relaxed arms and shoulders and using your core, legs and arms to support some of the weight of your body. If you plant all of your body weight on the saddle like you were sitting in a kitchen chair, then you may not like the Specialized seating surface. If you do have decent form, then you should love it.

A gel version is available but honestly, you should work on your posture on the bike anyways, it's just good form and will make your pedaling more efficient and your rides more enjoyable. You could almost consider the seat a built in cycling coach. Once your butt starts hurting, you know your form is off.

Toupe Conclusion

The bottom line is that the Specialized Toupe is a great saddle at a decent price that comes in enough different varieties that you can pick one custom tailored to your own body geometry. The specs compare to other saddles in this category with the weight being very rider friendly.

The proven Body Geometry designed saddle features a very familiar center groove for those who might have issues with prostate or perineum soreness and the padding is designed for longer distance riding. It's firm but very butt friendly if you ride the bike the way it was designed to be ridden. Most saddles in this category will require that you practice good habits in order to be comfortable so do not be mistaken that this saddle is any different than most.

We're big fans of the Specialized lineup and the Toupe is practically their flagship model so give it a look and if you buy one then come back and leave your own Specialized Toupe Review.

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SPECIALIZED TOUPE 143 TEAM ISSUE SEAT SADDLE WHITE    US $127.50

NEW Specialized Toupe BG S Works titanium road seat 130    US $99.99

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Specialized Toupe Team Saddle 130 width Ti Rails    US $90.00

SPECIALIZED TOUPE Ti143 ROAD BIKE SADDLE    US $73.50

SPECIALIZED TOUPE TEAM ISSUE SOLID TITANIUM SADDLE 155    US $112.50

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New Specialized Toupe Ti 130 Saddle    US $57.75

Specialized Toupe Gel 143mm Saddle    US $50.00

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Specialized Toupe Gel Saddle Black 143 Titanium Ti    US $41.00

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The Terry ButterFly Carbon still features the signature cutaway center section that makes for a flexible and comfortable saddle against your soft tissues, which is definitely important. The low profile, flat top features multi-density, injection molded foam that's a bit stiffer in the rear for more power while pedaling. The shock-absorbing, super light carbon rails attach to the shell in an integral suspension bridge design to minimize road vibration.

Available in a smooth finish in either white or black leather. If you're looking for first class performance in a comfortable and lightweight package then the Terry ButterFly Carbon will fit the bill nicely.

Additionally most cyclists have a bevy of slightly used, some well-worn, tossed aside saddles that all promised tidings of comfort and painless miles, yet sadly they all fell short of the being the perfect bicycle seat. I fit among this "most cyclist" category, finding a mere one or two saddles that sufficed, but not one that ever really fit the bill. Up until I tried the Brooks B-17 saddle, that is.

Brooks B-17 Saddle Review

I had read and heard repeatedly cyclists praising the Brooks B-17 saddle, but having tried so many other name brands that were also highly praised, I was reluctant to invest in yet another "hopeful" (especially since Brooks saddles have a reputation for starting out rather "hard" and require a long "breaking-in" period.)

Boy am I glad I bit the bullet and ordered one anyway. After about 100 miles on my Brooks B-17 saddle, I am a firsthand believer. Let me tell you why:

Though hard to the touch, the Brooks B-17 saddle felt so incredibly comfortable that I didn't even feel where my sit bones and the saddle met. After having adjusted the seat positioning for my height and riding style, I found that much of my weight was actually shifted off of my backside and transferred to my arms. The result was less weight planted directly on the saddle, making my ride much more comfortable. As well, the Brooks B-17 saddle is wider than the norm for today's standards, and I found the added width aided in support of my backside.

The added bonus here is that even though the seat was so comfortable initially, I know it will only get better once the actual break in period has been met. That's the nice thing about Brooks saddles - since they are designed to conform to one's backside, the result is comfort designed especially for you.

Although the Brooks B-17 saddle is firm, I noticed that it absorbed "road shock" when I encountered a rather rough patch of pavement. I am not sure if it is due the suspended leather, the high rails, or a combination of the two, I just know that it was a very welcome change for me.

Another point to note is that the nose section of the Brooks B-17 saddle is more narrow than most other saddles offered in today's market. Being as the Brooks nose remains narrow through its length and tapers somewhat abruptly where it meets the rear part of the seat, I found the sudden transition more accommodating for my inner thigh area. Other saddles seem to have longer tapering transitions between the nose and rear of the saddle, which has resulted in painful chaffing of my inner thigh. It was such a welcome change not to suffer this with the Brooks saddle!

Plus I noticed that I did not slip in this saddle, or feel the need to reposition myself as I have with other seats. (Perhaps it was due in part to the fact that I did not sweat in this saddle as I do in vinyl ones; leather being more weather friendly. Perhaps it was due to the set of holes punched along the seats nose which seemed to allow air to pass over my crotch area during my rides. Either way, it was great!)

Conclusion

My verdict? Hands down, the Brooks B-17 is the best ride I have had, period. Sure you will hear people complain that the Brooks saddle is too hard, too uncomfortable, but you can't surmise that with your eyes, or with your hands. Of course it is hard; it is designed to be. But not on your backside. Try it. If adjusted properly, I am willing to bet you will not be disappointed. I wasn't. And I can promise you I will ride the Brooks B-17 saddle for a long time to come.

One of the more popular women specific seat is the Selle Italia Lady.  For the longest time women were stuck with trying to adapt a seat designed to fit a man's anatomy to their own, and this simply is not optimal for comfort.  The male and female geometry is quite different and the seats, while they appear very similar, are designed quite differently as well. If you are looking for a bicycle seat for women, then the Selle Italia Lady is one you should strongly consider.

Some of the features of the Selle Italia Lady women's specific seat include, an anatomically specific cutout designed to reduce pressure on the sensitive soft tissue areas, differentiated thickness padding across the seat top designed to match the female anatomy, female specific seat shell and a durable Nylon N6 shell that will look great and keep the costs reasonable.

Females tend to have wider sit bones than males and a female specific bicycle seat will accomodate this anatomical need very well.  A poorly designed bicycle seat can turn your recreational ride from a very pleasant and invigorating experience into one of excruciating pain and in some cases even more severe medical problems down the road.

This is the seat that my own wife chose after going through almost a dozen other seats, the Selle Italia Lady in black is what adorns her Bianchi 928 Carbon.  It's available in black or white, measures 262mm L x 160mm W and weighs in at 280 grams.  An extremely nice seat.

MSRP is approximately 149 dollars...so compare below and see how much you can save on your Selle Italia Lady bicycle seat purchase.  Happy Riding.