Bike seats, or saddles, are, perhaps, the most uncomfortable thing on the planet that comes into direct contact with the sit part of the anatomy. In fact, it's hard to imagine making these things any more uncomfortable if that were the intended goal.

A few years ago I cut back on my bike time just because of concerns about certain, um, problems that were beginning to manifest themselves. Nothing serious, mind you. Just enough of a concern to prompt some careful consideration.

Last June I got back on my road bike in a serious way. One important purchase was a new seat. I chose a Selle Royal saddle with the latest technology. For a clearer perspective on just what that means I suggest you consult with a local bike shop owner. I'm not going to take time to describe something that I am clearly not qualified to do and that could go out on the web perhaps resulting in some unintended consequences.

Anyway, things have been just fine. No complications. Just a little bit of tingling in my toes that can't be traced directly to anything saddle related. No worries.

But I've been reading about different bike parts for the past few weeks. Since the last week of the 2004 Tour de France I've been saving up for a new road bike. I recently purchased my new ride and took it out for the initial adventure. The new saddle was not a good fit. I found myself unable to enjoy the new bike. I was sliding back and forth with no way to stay stable. The new saddle had to go.

Common wisdom says that the saddle is the most personal part of a bike and that fitting a saddle isn't something that should/can be proscribed by another person. Still, it helps to find out about the experiences of fellow cyclists. I checked the reviews that are easily found out on the web. I narrowed my interests to a few different candidates. I proceeded to find out that these saddles are not carried by any of the local bike shops I frequent. My search continued. I dug in intending to extend my search far into the future. But that was not to be.

A day after the search began I was in a Bountiful bike shop. The bike tech suggested a Fi'zi:k Arione saddle. It looked strange. And what's up with the company name. It's Italian, I guess. I also wondered about the lack of a groove down the middle. I thought center grooves are integral to the latest technology. I was doubtful. But I was also intrigued.

My next stop was to the shop in Kaysville where I had purchased my new bike. That day they had received the very Fi'zi:k saddle that I'd just seen in Bountiful. They also made a positive recommendation. The $125 price tag didn't seem so intimidating when I was offered a $60 trade-in for my not-so-comfy standard issue seat. I paid the difference and in just a few short minutes the installation was complete. An initial 5 mile ride yielded a positive reaction from my sit anatomy.

I've now put 136 miles on my new Arione. After the first 75 I was a bit concerned. Let's just say that upon further consideration I realized that it had been 17 days between bike rides. Too long. That probably accounted for some of the soreness. The last 61 miles have been relatively pain free. A very good thing.

So, if you must, I suggest that you give the Fi'zi:k Arione saddle a try. Just keep in mind that 5 minutes around a parking lot won't tell you much. Unless, of course, the saddle is totally bad. Even 5 miles won't really give you the full story. I'd say that the true measure of a saddle's worth takes at least 100 miles. Even that may not be enough, depending on your typical ride time and road conditions.

Why doesn't the Arione have a groove. I don't know. I guess it doesn't need one.............
10:22:30 PM    comment []