Specialized Alias

Price Paid:  $0.00 at From a Friend

Favorite Ride:
'79 Trek 920 Fixed Gear Conversion

Bike Setup:
'79 Trek 920 touring fixed gear conversion with upright handle bars with massive sweep back, many salvaged parts, 700cx 23 Specialized Armadillo Elite tires.

Summary:
My Specialized Alias saddle was a hand me down from a coworker at a bike shop. I must say it is the most comfortable saddle I've ever sat on. I am a fit rider doing many fixed gear endurance rides.
I don't have a lot of fat in the butt. So the sit bones are right on the saddle supports. Therefore I can't use a saddle with too much padding. My sit bones will settle into all that gel and padding causing muscle pain. The Alias saddle is a great combination of firmness and compliance.
I've had no issues with numbness either in the extremities or the man-parts. Not a peep has this saddle made since installed. The rails make no noise at all. I am hyper sensitive to sounds on the fixed gear as the drive train is merely a whisper.
Riding distance on a fixie requires climbing strength combined with high cadence spinning on the descents. While not being so slippy you constantly feel as if you're sliding off the saddle, the Alias is easy to reposition on enabling one to scoot back for climbing power, and move forward towards the nose for faster spinning.
A 75 mile ride on Tuesday, a 69 mile ride on Thursday, and I can still sit comfortably! I'm impressed. Bottom line, this is a good choice of saddle for somebody in fit cycling shape, wanting to do 40+ mile rides comfortably. Quality cycling shorts are definitely a big help. Don't skimp on cycling shorts.
My next saddle will be the Specialized Toupe, a perfect blend of firmness and flex.

Strengths:
Perfect firm support with a little padding, long distance comfort, easy to maneuver on.

Weaknesses:
I am a satisfied user. I have had no negative issues with this saddle. No, I'm not paid by Specialized to say so.

Similar Products Used:
Selle San marco, Selle Italia Flite

Price Paid:  $55.00 at Revo

Favorite Ride:
San Clemente to O'side

Bike Setup:
CANNONDALE R2000,ULTEGRA SL, KSYRIUM SL,CONTI GP4K,

Summary:
NEEDED A NEW SADDLE BAD, THE COOKS AT REVO, SOLD THIS SADDLE TO ME AFTER THE WHOLESPECIALIZED SITBONE CRAP. AFTER PUTTING UP WITH THIS TORCHER SEAT. I AM DUMPING IT FOR A FIZIK ALIANTE.

Strengths:
NO NUMB NUTTS

Weaknesses:
A REAL PAIN IN THEE ASS

Price Paid:  $150.00 at LBS

Favorite Ride:
Any

Bike Setup:
Archon w/ Campy Record

Summary:
Saddle is comfortable and price is reasonable.

Strengths:
Comfort/price

Weaknesses:
weight??

Similar Products Used:
Toupe ( felt like I was sitting on gravel), Fizk Arione

Price Paid:  $140.00 at Mike's Sportz Outdoo

Favorite Ride:
Tour de Rio Grande, ABQ, NM

Bike Setup:
Stock Specialized Roubaix Expert Ultegra

Summary:
My Specialized Roubaix Ultegra came with a seat similar to this one. Not terribly comfortable and worse, it started squeak. No one wants to ride with a squeaker! Took it back to dealer, who traded it out for this model. Same problem.

The issue appears to be my size (210 lbs) and the way the rail suspension is secured: they just slide in little metal brackets. I've tried lubing them with various products to no avail. Appears to me to be a design issue common to this type of saddle.

Will be looking at other manufacturers. Any advice?

Strengths:
Materials, weight, channel design, cosmetic appearance

Weaknesses:
SQUEAKS!!! Might not be an issue for a flyweight. Not planning on breaking 200 lbs for another 6 months and won't keep saddle long enough to experiment. Not terribly comfortable after 3 hours.

Similar Products Used:
Other Specialized saddles of this design

Price Paid:  $99.00 at LBS

Favorite Ride:
anything

Bike Setup:
Devinci Silverstone SL4

Summary:
i had a hard time trying to find a good road saddle, i tried using my mtb saddle on the road but didnt work even though was great on the mtb, so after trying a couple other brands i went and got measured and gave this a try, just amazing, i didnt even think about it on the first ride, no pain, no numbness, still same comfort after 3 months, saddles are personal so only way ur gonna find the right one is trying different ones, specialized may be onto something with the whole measurement thing, give it a try, worked for me

Strengths:
comfortable! custom sizes, reasonable weight 250g

Weaknesses:
hard to find a good price, not available on many online stores (then again you wouldnt be able to do the measuring thing online)

Similar Products Used:
bontrager, selle italia, wtb