Resistance to change

I would like to think that I am a pretty progressive guy, at least in terms of paying attention to new technology. I may not be a "first mover," but I like reading about the latest stuff and figuring out how I can use it. Of course, I also look at all the new bike stuff and geeking out on the latest components, frame designs, etc. However, there's one area that I have yet to move away from: my saddle. Here's why:

For the past 10+ years I have used the same type of saddle, a Selle Italia Turbomatic 4. This is a big, heavy, low-tech saddle that evolved from the Turbo saddle that Miguel Indurain used back in the early '90's. There was a Turbo II, then a Turbomatic 3, and finally the Turbomatic 4. This is a saddle that probably 1/3 of the european pro peloton used in its heyday. Comfy and ready for riding all day.

I liked the feel and stuck with it under the "comfort is king" mantra. I knew every curve of my saddle, to the point that I could even tell if my rear tire was slightly low on air because of the change in pitch of the saddle caused by the tire going down. Sure, I attempted to stray a couple times with some new fangled saddle, but everything felt like a piece of steel or about as wide as a ruler. Usually both. I didn't need to change, and frankly didn't want to, but Selle Italia discontinued the Turbomatic 4. Not a problem at first, thanks to eBay. I loaded up on six of them and put them on my road bike, tt bike, fixed gear, and mountain bike. Spares were used when a saddle was crashed or went bad (unlike the new carbon saddles, the foam in the old saddles starts to sag and plastic bases bend). I'm now down to my last saddle.

So I decided to try another saddle one more time. But this time, I relied on some new technology. At 24 Hours of Booty this year, the Trek guys had the new Bontrager saddle fitter thingamajig that could measure your sit bones and recommend a new InForm saddle in the appropriate width. Sounded a little gimmicky, but I tried it anyway.

I bought an InForm RXL in the 146mm width per the saddle fitter. The saddle is very minimal with hollow titanium rails and felt pretty damn firm, especially compared to the old faithful Turbomatic 4. I measured it as close as I could with my Turbomatic position and took it out for a spin. And, much to my amazement, it felt not only bearable, but actually as if my sit bones were taking the load like the saddle propaganda advertised. I felt fine on it in one ride with no soreness either. Amazing. It feels strange to not have the sides of the saddle rubbing my inner thighs like the Turbomatic, but that's a good thing. Also lightened up the bike by almost a pound, which I can only really tell when I'm out of the saddle stepping on the gas and the bike is rocking back and forth.

So I'm a happy camper with my new saddle, and a little proud of myself that I could finally let my old saddles go. It was kind of strange to have an $8,000, full-carbon bike with an old school '90's saddle anyway....