What's The Difference Between MTB Marathon, XC, & Gravel Saddles?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 มิ.ย. 2024
- So you want to buy a new saddle for your mountain bike. Chances are, this is because your current saddle isn't very comfortable for you. Choosing a saddle can be difficult - they have different widths, cutouts, and shapes! Everyone you ask has a different opinion because they have a different body shape/size or may ride a different MTB discipline. In this video, Doddy shows you through everything you'll need to know next time you buy a saddle.
In association with Selle Italia: gmbn.tech/SelleItalia
⏰ Timestamps 👇
01:04 - Saddle Anatomy
09:12 - Discipline Requirements
14:01 - Choosing the right saddle
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Have you found the perfect saddle yet?
yes i have. a specialized body geometry power.
WTB Volt Ti 👍🏼
After a bike fit, I got a Selle Italia X Bow for my gravel bike, and it made a huge difference in terms of comfort. Night and day.
Excellent series, precise info with zero BS.
BTW, nice and clear English, so comfortable for non-English ears (-:
Thousand Thanks, Mr. Dodd!
Thats great to hear! Thank you for the support!
I love doddy I watch him for hours he make things so understanding lol he has a lot to say
Hey, @Aggressive mtb rider! Thanks so much for the support on the channel! Doddy certainly knows his stuff! 👍
Very good to see something about XCO/XCM on the channel. Enduro and Downhill is not everything.
Yeah "jumping and shredding" is more fun and cooler thing for the young souls.. because its not require too much effort in their life (as they think)
@@rcs2003 I do both and I can understand that Enduro and Downhill gets the clicks for GMBN so I am happy that Doddy and Rich are holding up the XC flag from time to time.
@@chrisridesbicycles I absolutely agree with you
Hey Christian, We do try to include a variation of disciplines on the channel. We totally agree though! Going downhill isn't everything MTB is about! 👍
I found the right saddle through trial and error. This is a great video on the principles of saddle design.
Thanks for the support! Sometimes that can be the best way, a good bike shop and tools such as idmatch can help speed up the process👍
this was exactly the video I needed Thanks GMBN Tech for coming though again !
Very good explanation. Thank you!
Very informative and interesting, well presented Doddy. Loved this one 🤛
I'm a skinny old git and have tried so many saddles these past 30 odd years. Weird thing is that I've settled on a really cheap saddle for all of my 6 bikes....from road bike to full susser....I found a Planet X Uranus (smirk) to be the best fit and comfort for 5 years now.....Just fits me arse and works for long rides....Sod the weight as they are just comfy.
It's a very personal thing is a saddle.....
Snap. Amazon 1300 yen (about a tenner). Crazy cheap, but makes a day out in the forest much less clenchy.
Nicely done! Clear and thoughtful explanation, broken down into component bits of necessary understanding. A teacher's instincts on display here.
Great presentation!
Great explanation man, thank you! 🍻
Excellent. Learned a lot.
Great video! Been waiting for this one. The way Specialized and others have explained to me way back when was that if you ride often and long you need LESS padding and if you ride short rides and infrequently you need THICKer padding. If you ride often and long your sitbone muscles develop and grow strong and do not need thick padding, but because you ride often and long rides alot of cushion will eventually cause soft tissue irritation (taint damage) and if you ride short rides infrequently your sitbone muscles never really get developed and you don't ride enough to irritate soft tissue so pad up for comfort. Anyhoo... learned alot and I still haven't found the perfect saddle as I sit here and look at my Selle Italia and Specialized saddles. I think I will try an Ergon next. If the Specialized Power Arc was absolutely flat I think it would be my perfect saddle. The rolled sides help my hamstrings clear the saddle better than laterally flat saddles, padding is great, cutout is great, but the gentle flared back half of the saddle still sends me sliding onto the nose when I want to just sit on the back of the saddle and put the power down. I also find myself bouncing around on the Power Arc to find the magic spot and can't just easily find it. I do like the saddle, but it ain't perfect either. My Selle Italia is art, but also a taint-killer. It stays on the guest bike now. My longest races are 24 Hours of Moab (twice... ) Keep up the great vids!
Great video man, thank you. Cheers 🍻
I had no idea of all the difference that exists . I have to take that under consideration in my bike building. So much info. GOOD 👍 JOB.
Learned a lot, thanks
Great series Doddy. Keep up the good work.
Any chance you could do something on handlebar length. Is it related to height or arm length or both? Is there a calculation? Is it personal preference? Be great to have you perspective Doddy.
Thicker padding can aid in decoupling the lateral loading, which means that you skin and soft tissues don't experience the shear forces. (Kind of like a slip-plane device in a helmet)
This can really help with extended seated pedaling.
#AskGMBNTech Doddy, thanks for the great lesson on saddles. I would really enjoy a companion review on the different types of saddle-to-post mounting systems out there. I've used probably about a half dozen different seat posts each with their own idiosyncrasies. Some are pretty easy; others require the patience and dexterity of a surgeon. A comparison review and 'tips and tricks' on the best way to install saddles would be much appreciated!
Thank you for addressing the gravel angle. Very helpful.
Glad you found the video useful, Michael! Cheers for the support!
Amazing info on saddles! Thank you
Glad you liked the video, Tadej! :)
I needed this
WTB have you covered 👌
Extremely helpful video as I trying to find which saddle suit my bottom. At times I will hv sore arse..... thanks doddy 😊
Great you found it useful, Alvin! Hopefully you've got some great ideas for saddles now! 👍
I have a Nukeproof enduro saddle as I have an older bike which I had to have external routed cable dropper. The bike has room for a 100mm drop but I could only get 125mm drop, the Nukeproof has a low stack height. It is comfy too.
I think the future is going to be in 3d printed saddles built for your specific bottom, kind of like the insole companies that get a mold of your foot.
Imagine dropping trow and sitting in some putty mold and sending off your butt print to get a saddle made for you lol.
More likely that you'd be scanned and sized in a shop though, not as funny though.
Good idea, lets start that up
Thanks Mr Dodd......Peace
Rolling a Terry Fly Ti up in here!!
I’m riding the Ergon SM Pro men and it’s been amazing
I just got the same one with the oil slick rails, really liking it
put a piece of an old innertube around both rails before clamping them - cheap hack to absorb vibrations:-)
Sounds like a good idea, Jakob! 👍
Great hack. Gonna try that when I use a firmer seat.
How many times did you wrap it? cuz otherwise seems like it wouldn't be any different than the feeling of laying thin rubber over your saddle.
Great video. Extremely helpful. Is the idmatch online still active? I can’t seem to find it 😅
Need a comparison of comfy saddles for touring
It's really a princess-and-the-pea scenario. my alltime fave saddle is Ergon's SM-E, their e-bike saddle with the up-turned tail, which is mounted on my 2019 GT Sensor acoustic bike. It's neither of the categories mentioned, yet checks all the boxes under me bum!
I only ride 3-6 hours a week and mostly downhill. My chromag saddle is perfect.
I have been looking for something like this for a long time. I am still looking for THE saddle. I have gone through 6 in the past 18 months.
Hi Tony, It's definitely worth checking Selle Italia's id match experience. It gives you a good idea of what the perfect fitting saddle for you might be. Hope this can help you! 👍
Prologic Akero AGX such a comfy saddle. Says 150mm but more like 145. Designed for gravel, but work great for mtb.
Interesting, can you slide on and off easily (for descents for example)?
my arse has been waiting for you Doddy to make this video,actually probably not the best choice of words but you get the idea :)
We're sure Selle Italia can help you out with that one! 😅🤦♂️
It would be nice to be able to try a bunch of different saddles for a day at a time.
I’m surprised you didn’t cover trail/enduro/downhill especially considering your background. Would figure these disciplines move around a lot like XC?
Hi, I have a question. Wich Saddle can you recommend me for MTB (Downhill and enduro)?. I mean, the one that can protect the most, the private parts against impacts?. I care more about protection. Thanks.
You for the good advice. I did nt know selle italia had that tool, and I was wondering what the l + number meant.
Yes it has been interesting as I am planning to build a new bike in around a year from now for cross-country use and making the best light weight out of the budget. So I thought it will be cheap if I ordered cheap carbon railed saddles from China which would do the job. But now I feel like it is more complicated then that and I should be going with a more experienced brand for example Selle Italia, Fizik or Ergon
Or Selle SMP, which was founded in 1947 and got no affiliation whatsoever with Selle Italia. Selle Italia was founded in 1897 which is bonkers.
I just use the saddle that came stock on my bike, I'm sure there's a better one for me out there but there's too many to choose from and why change something that works.
Keep in mind just bec it works doesn’t always mean it’s the best one out there. When I say the best I’m talking about comfort wise but to each their own
Doddy. What ever happened to VETTA gel bicycle seats?
Im using my roadbike saddle on my xc/trail mtb.
#askgmbntech
Hi Doddy
Been having tubeless problems that is really getting on my nerves.
My rear wheel has never stayed inflated ever since I set it up tubeless. It was always just a very slow puncture that I could cope with but over time it has got worse. It is leaking where the rim is joined together and I've tried changing the tape, adding another layer of tape and adding more sealant but nothing has worked. I've checked everything and tried everything but nothing is working and it is incredibly frustrating as I have to pump the tyre up numerous times on rides. Is there anything else I can do or is it a manufacturing fault of the rim? And am I just going to have to stick a tube in it?
The rims are WTB ST light i30 if that's any help.
Thanks
I'm on my 4th bike seat and still looking.... At this point I might as well start a collection🤣😂
I was in the same boat. I think I tried about 7 different saddles.
Lighting needs some work on this new camera position Doddy.
Treks standard bontrager saddles hurt so much
Cromoly, little bit cheaper 😉 not the first place I would look to save weight 😎
What you recommend for a xc trail mix
#askgbmntech, hi I just got a merida speed mission full suspension xc bike, and I need to change the rear shock but i don't know what measurements i should look at
What about Trail and Enduro saddles?
Hi Doddy,
I was think of getting a canyon spectral but it’s a bit over forked for the terrain I’m ridding on so I was wondering if I could take out the 160 mm travel shock and replace it with a 140?
Thanks
Why not get a shorter travel bike to begin with? (Not suggesting the Neuron).
The bike is built to a specific geometry and messing with that will negatively affect the bike. Downsizing will lower the BB height giving you more rock strikes among other issues. Plenty of choice out there if you don't need a 160mm travel bike. Buying one and then drastically changing its geometry makes little sense.
I wanna ask. Is bike fitting on aggressive mountain biking like DH and enduro(pro level) as meticulous as road cycling and XC?
Personally, I wouldn't think so. This is because your a lot more dynamic on the bike, rather than sitting for hours on the road. However, its definitely important to get the best out of your bike and contact points.. I just reduced my bars from 780mm to 750mm and I'm really surprised how much more I can press into the front end for grip, turn and pull far easier. Certainly improved my ride..
@@EMTBLife Interesting. What height are you if you don't mind me asking? I'm 5'9 and use 780mm width. I'm wondering if going narrower will compromise handling and balance...
@@tonwhelan I'm 5'9 also.. far more feeling and responsive for me..
#AskGMBNTech this vid says Ti rails can take out some vibration and we’ve heard that Ti frames can do the same thing, why is it that you never (or rarely) see Ti handlebars? It seems like this would be a great application for this material.
Edit
Ok, just done some Googling and these do exist, strange I’ve never come across them before
Mainly the price. For a 40mm rise titanium bar you will pay around 250-300 Euros. There´s not many ppl willing to spend the money only in order to try it out.
Some have many problems with fatigue, others none. Plus, for most ppl its hard to figure out where the problems they are dealing with are actually coming from.
Can't find the ID match on the web site
how do you get onto the calculator??
Also remember that you steer with your saddle. And not al the saddles gives you the same confidence while steering.
There are people who have been cycling for a lifetime and who have never realized how much they use the saddle for steering.
I have Selle Italia SMP on all my bikes... nothing better for me.
That's great, @Cathode Active! Selle Italia saddles are definitely one of the best fitting brands out there! Thanks for the comment!
Unfortunately since the creation of this video it appears that Selle has decided to remove their online idmatch software, and instead monetize the whole thing. Looks like that will disqualify them as and option for a new saddle purchase for me.
Gravel bikes have gravel under the saddle, XC bikes have a whole mixture of mud/leaved and stuff under the saddle, and Marathon MTBs have Snickers under the saddle.
You have to be a certain age for that to make sense.
@@Cous1nJack 😉😉😉
Ti 316 material is actually stainless steel grade of 316Ti as a 316 family stabilized with around 0.4-0.5% Titanium only. Other elements are Chromium circa17%, Nickel circa 11%, molybdenum circa 2% and the rest is iron. It is misleading if 316Ti is said as a titanium based alloy. It is a stainless steel grade..!!!!
Other contents of this video are quite informative though….
I didn’t even know there was a difference 😂
Charge Spoon Saddle is the Best for Price,Comfort,Durabilaty and style....end of !!!
Everything functions properly th-cam.com/users/postUgkxHL1v1R3NE5x4KiYfyt8dnQmyNYz7qi5L Nothing was damaged in the box aside from a decal on the fork. The decal was missing a piece of a corner but I ended up peeling them off anyways. Assembly is easy BUT make sure you tune up the derailleurs. Both the front and rear need adjusting. I'd advise going to a bike shop but I opted out and put in 10+ hours with the help of TH-cam. Ended up fraying a shifter cable but all in all I learned from the experience. The Brakes work well but the front caliper needs adjusting or at least mine did because the rotor was rubbing against the pads. Make sure you swap out the seat, grips, and pedals. For the short run you'll be fine though. I've read that this bike isn't built yet for hard trails but I just need it for the city. PA has some of the worst roads and being in a mountain this was a great choice. Worth the investment!
Here is my calculator: 6-2 260. (188cm. 118kg) Overweight , non -flexible with a back stiff AF guy who only does slow casual road cruising and rail trail bikebacking on a hybrid style flat handlebar bike. 😂 Help me out with a seat. IdK
Doddy, what happened? You forgot the eMTB saddle 😀
E-Bike optimized 😅
there is no online calculator.
Great video but please sort out your lighting, it makes you look ill. Too dark and gloomy, work space needs a lot more soft lighting. Older videos have better lighting so something has changed for the worse.
I've always said ''a saddles not fit sitting down, but resting ya arse''...Ha !!
When you start to hit 50 years old. Need a saddle to hold a far more droopy sack lol
Sorry, I confused this with an informative tech segment. I dont trust anything thats "sponsored" to be independent and trustworthy. This is why I unsubbed from the channel and avoid it generally (saying that there have been a few vids by Neil recently that dont have the whiff of shill about them.)