Battle with the Saddles is FINISHED, or maybe not.

YES! Finally, the saddle I should've bought quite awhile ago, but didn't because of it's hefty weight, is the winner by a long shot. The winner is the Selle An-atomica. The idea for the saddle originally started out as a modified Brooks saddle, but now it is it's own entity. The leather is a bit softer than a Brooks, it's waterproof (maintenance free) and the rails are much longer. This thing rides like a dream. It felt a bit awkward at first, and I needed to adjust the tension a few times at the start, but I soon forgot about the saddle underneath me. I probably still need to adjust it a bit more but I'm going to ease in to it so I can really feel the difference as it tightens. I hammered for five hours this morning and not once did I even think about my poor ol' sit bones. AMAZING. I've simply never had this before with a saddle. The thing moves with your butt and even when hitting bumps it absorbs much of the shock. It's like a hammock for the butt! For all your long distance riders I strongly recommend giving this saddle a try.

UPDATE!!!: This morning (5/14) I was attempting to modify the An-atomica to reduce or eliminate the chafing I was experiencing on the hind side of the thighs by shaving the sides down some, and it appears I may have shaved them a tad too much. Tragically, I've ruined the saddle. I had no idea the side skirts were that involved with the support of the bum, but it appears that is definitely the case and I had some odd sensations due to the narrowed skirt when commuting this morning.

So the battle with the saddles rages on. Since I knew there was no chance of receiving another An-atomica before my 300km brevet this weekend in the Berkshires, today I went and purchased a Brooks Team Professional at a local bike shop. The proof hide has been applied, and we shall see how it feels on the commute home and later tonight on a longer night ride to test the lighting system I recently upgraded to. The Brooks is way better made than the Selle An-atomica with sexy, huge, hammered copper rivets mated to a very firm honey colored leather. The shape is more appealing to my bum being slightly narrower in width as well as tapering in much sooner towards the nose. Shockingly, it is even slightly heavier than the An-atomica.