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I am a 16mi/day commuter and have been for the last two years. When I bought my bike the first thing I replaced was the warn stock saddle with one of those "couch on a stick" models. Say what you will, I put over 3300 miles on that saddle before the rails broke.

I now need a new saddle. The LBS whats to sell me a $70 leather one that is frankly out of my price range. (I bought the whole bike for $50). What is a good second saddle that will hold up to an admittedly rough commute, be comfortable and not break the bank?


Update:

The bike is a Alta Mongoose frame with 1.5" road tires. During the summer I ride in padded bike shorts, winters are often in rain gear. Once a month or so I need to ride in slacks and dress shoes when I have a meeting downtown. I also take it out for an occasional weekend ride.

An older picture, I have since added fenders, new tires, and a better rack: An older picture, I have since added fenders, new tires, and a better rack

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    Could you provide us with more information about your bike and how its set up? It's difficult to recommend a class of saddle without knowing more about the bike, the posture of the rider, whether you ride in street clothes or padded shorts, etc. Sep 27, 2012 at 17:47
  • Check your local department stores such as Target. They generally have a few seats at moderate prices -- not the best quality but serviceable, and you get to see what you're buying before you buy it. Otherwise, in the Sac area, there's bound to be a "low budget" bike shop that sells cheaper stuff. Sep 28, 2012 at 16:05
  • Velo Plush is a brand I like a lot. Sep 28, 2012 at 18:41

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Product req questions are now Off Topic.

So you need to figure out what you want from your new saddle.

Start by measuring the width of your existing saddle, right where your sit-bones make contact. Then use the cardboard or rice-sack method to measure your physical anatomy. This will give you a number in millimetres.

Then look at the general shape of your old saddle - is it pointy? Do the sides flare out late or early? You either want a saddle that matches the overall shape, or tweaks any area that you feel could be better.

A new saddle is a chance for you to try a slotted design in the middle, should you suffer from numbness.

Finally the padding and covering are important too - your old saddle will probably not be worn out given it was a rail that broke. So squish it with your thumb and try to gauge the thickness. The covering is 90% likely to be some kind of vinyl or plastic. If you like it, duplicate that. If you don't like it, consider what else is available.


Now you say your bike only cost you $50 of your currency. There's an implicit "...so I don't want to spend much money on it" and I disagree with that.

The saddle is one of the three contact points between you and the bike, with the pedals/feet and bars/hands being the others. I'd have no problem buying some good shoes or pedals or bar grips for a bike.

Saddles are generally more difficult because they are quite hard to trial. Some cities in the world have saddle libraries where you can hire a saddle for a month for a small fee, ride it, and then swap it for another one.

Leather saddles are even harder to trial, because they conform to the rider over time. So they're somewhat like 10 pin bowling shoes.

Remember, any part can be removed from the bike and used elsewhere, so a nice saddle can be swapped onward if you break the bike.

Also ask around some other cycling coworkers, or check your city for a bike cooperative. I have a number of spare saddles that I'll never use, which have turned up from bike teardowns or clearance sales.

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    I know - question is 6 years old. Better to have an example answer than off-topic answer.
    – Criggie
    Jan 26, 2019 at 20:41
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http://chargebikes.com/parts/spoon/

I have this for Mountain Bike and Brooks B17 on the others. It you cannot spring for the Brooks then I think the Spoon is pretty good

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  • Second the recommendation, but I have no idea how widely distributed they are (or where the OP is for that matter ... I'm just guessing $ means USD)
    – Useless
    Sep 30, 2012 at 22:07
  • They are available here jensonusa.com/!dohyKxy1GL07dTQj7OhNmA!/… and on sale
    – Phelan
    Oct 2, 2012 at 8:50

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