# Users of Selle SMP and ISM Adamo??



## LO^OK (Feb 1, 2008)

Any users out there who tried Selle SMP and ISM Adamo?? Asking as I consider one of them. Anatomy and idea of comfort are surely highly individual. Yet interested to hear personal experience if somebody has tried both. Not in position to try before I buy. 

SMP appears to be of a higher quality and is priced accordingly. Nevertheless both saddles share a lot in concept: two padded rods forming a channel in between, with a nose either completely chopped off (ISM) or severely pointed down (SMP); in both cases the seat bones bear the load.


----------



## Bertrand (Feb 1, 2005)

I haven't used the Adamo, but I went through a fair number of saddles before I got the SMP Glider I use now. This saddle has saved my ass, so to speak. I just ride and forget about it. I get no numbness of any kind. I'm also a big fan of the curved profile, because I think it's a good match to our anatomy. (The Fizik Aliante has a similar profile) On the drops, or crouching down on the bike, there is no numbness or pressure. 

The main thing with SMP is to find the right model. Width is positively correlated with padding: wider saddles have more padding. I tried the Evolution, which has minimal padding, but found it very painful. Although I have narrow sitbones, the Glider is a good fit, and has a reasonable amount of padding. However, because of the saddle design I think I could handle a wider SMP saddle than I might with other brands. Knowing what I know now, I would probably try their newest model, the Lite 209. But I don't think I will ever buy any other brand of saddle. 

The other great thing about SMP is that if you buy it, and don't like it, it would be very easy to resell at close to your purchase price. Adamo may not have a similar resale value.


----------



## LO^OK (Feb 1, 2008)

Bertrand said:


> I haven't used the Adamo, but I went through a fair number of saddles before I got the SMP Glider I use now. This saddle has saved my ass, so to speak. I just ride and forget about it. I get no numbness of any kind. I'm also a big fan of the curved profile, because I think it's a good match to our anatomy. (The Fizik Aliante has a similar profile) On the drops, or crouching down on the bike, there is no numbness or pressure.
> 
> The main thing with SMP is to find the right model. Width is positively correlated with padding: wider saddles have more padding. I tried the Evolution, which has minimal padding, but found it very painful. Although I have narrow sitbones, the Glider is a good fit, and has a reasonable amount of padding. However, because of the saddle design I think I could handle a wider SMP saddle than I might with other brands. Knowing what I know now, I would probably try their newest model, the Lite 209. But I don't think I will ever buy any other brand of saddle.
> 
> The other great thing about SMP is that if you buy it, and don't like it, it would be very easy to resell at close to your purchase price. Adamo may not have a similar resale value.


A question. SMP is highly curved in contrast to flat saddles (Fizik Arione & Antares are the first to come to mind). Considering the curvature can you find naturally different pedalling positions on the saddle or one is fixed to a single ideal spot?


----------



## Andrea138 (Mar 10, 2008)

Mr. 138 uses a glider... it works :thumbsup:


----------



## lawrence (May 17, 2005)

I've used both and for quite a while, 1,000-3,000 miles on each of them. Hands down, the ISM Adamo or Typhoon are the way to go. If they are not comfortable, go with the SMP but go with the amount of padding on a saddle you like.


----------



## LO^OK (Feb 1, 2008)

lawrence said:


> I've used both and for quite a while, 1,000-3,000 miles on each of them. Hands down, the ISM Adamo or Typhoon are the way to go. If they are not comfortable, go with the SMP but go with the amount of padding on a saddle you like.


Thanks for joining in. Which ISM Adamo you used to ride, Racing or Road? These two models are in stock where I can order from. The other models are more recent and haven't yet crossed the pond.

Appearance is the lesser of my concerns, but, oh boy, these Adamos sure look wild


----------



## schmalts (Sep 10, 2008)

I use the SMP. So far it has fixed the prostate pains and problems I developed last fall. Never heard of the other saddle mentioned


----------



## schmalts (Sep 10, 2008)

Just looked up the ISM Adamo. What and ugly looking saddle. It would really have to do wonders before I strapped that thing on my bike compared to the Selle


----------



## Kenacycle (May 28, 2006)

I use the Stratos on both my bikes. I wouldn't ride anything else. 

I had had also tried Glider and Evolution before I settled with the medium width of the Stratos.


----------



## lawrence (May 17, 2005)

I'm riding a Terry Fly and really like that saddle. I swap out with a ISM Road Adamo still. I love how there is not pressure on the prostrate. I found the ISM Road Adamo very comfortable on 25 mile rides but when the rides got to be 40 miles and longer, it was not as comfortable. I would like to try the ISM Typhoon instead. Same saddle as the Road Adamo but with an added layer of gel. It takes one or a few rides to become use to the ISM saddle as it doesn't have a nose and it's 2" shorter than a regular saddle.

I believe it was the SMP Evolution I borrowed. I found it hard and not as comfortable as the ISM Road saddle though it can be comfortable for some. I would have liked to have tried a more padded SMP saddle. Though the SMP relieved some of the pressure on the prostrate compared to a regular saddle, the relief of pressure was no where near what the ISM does. All men should try the ISM saddles before they choose to ride on another saddle. When I ride a lot with a regular saddle, my PSA numbers were higher; when I rode a lot after I switched to the ISM Road Adamo, my PSA numbers were lower. I don't know if this is a coincidence.


----------



## DS1239622 (Mar 21, 2007)

Love my Selle SMP Strike Glider. No numbness, very comfortable.


----------



## Bertrand (Feb 1, 2005)

*Sweet spot*

I find that on the Glider there is one sweet spot that I stay on most of the time, although I do a bit of shifting around, depending on whether I'm climbing or feebly attempting to sprint. This is unlike any other saddle that I've tried, eg Aliante, Terry Ti Race, SLR, Toupe, etc. Of course, this makes adjustment on the SMP more critical than it might be on another type of saddle. 

You might it would be uncomfortable to be in the same spot for an extended period of time, but to me the analogy is a good bucket seat in a car. Once it's adjusted, you settle in and you're good for the long haul. 



LO^OK said:


> A question. SMP is highly curved in contrast to flat saddles (Fizik Arione & Antares are the first to come to mind). Considering the curvature can you find naturally different pedalling positions on the saddle or one is fixed to a single ideal spot?


----------



## LO^OK (Feb 1, 2008)

Bertrand said:


> I find that on the Glider there is one sweet spot that I stay on most of the time, although I do a bit of shifting around, depending on whether I'm climbing or feebly attempting to sprint. This is unlike any other saddle that I've tried, eg Aliante, Terry Ti Race, SLR, Toupe, etc. Of course, this makes adjustment on the SMP more critical than it might be on another type of saddle.
> 
> You might it would be uncomfortable to be in the same spot for an extended period of time, _*but to me the analogy is a good bucket seat in a car. Once it's adjusted, you settle in and you're good for the long haul.*_


Very true but apply strictly to cars where the driver can modulate his efforts from a fixed position. Don't know for you but when I change my hands (and upper body) position - on the drops, hoods or grab the top of the handlebar - I tend to move on the saddle for optimum pedaling; guess that adjustment is in the realms of 2 - 3 cm.


----------



## crazyc (Jun 5, 2008)

I have the Selle SMP Stratos on two of my bikes and I can
not live with out them. A combined 3k with total comfort.


----------



## Bertrand (Feb 1, 2005)

*shifting position*

Yes, that kind of movement is possible in this saddle, and is probably what I was referring to in my earlier post. But compared to other saddles I've used, I don't need to move around on the saddle to reduce discomfort 



LO^OK said:


> Very true but apply strictly to cars where the driver can modulate his efforts from a fixed position. Don't know for you but when I change my hands (and upper body) position - on the drops, hoods or grab the top of the handlebar - I tend to move on the saddle for optimum pedaling; guess that adjustment is in the realms of 2 - 3 cm.


----------



## cwg_at_opc (Oct 20, 2005)

i had to get a saddle with a cut-out due to some perineal pain and swelling -
my urologist said get a saddle with a cutout if i wanted to continue riding.

i've got two SMP evolutions, one for the regular road bike, and one
for the tri bike. no issues, it was comfortable immediately, similar
to the SI Flite classic and Flite TT i had been using, but without the
pain ;-) i prefer the older version without the stitching, since the stitching
seems to chew on the inside of the legs of most shorts.


----------



## mimason (Oct 7, 2006)

Went from the Glider to the Evolution to an SLR Carbonio Flow. I like the SMP's and give them an overall B+ rating preferring the Evolution for me. I am still searching for the A player and hoping it is the SLR but time will tell. So far so good. For numbness the SMPs are the best.


----------



## z rocks (Sep 9, 2007)

+1 SMP Evolution. so far very good.


----------



## rockcrusher (Sep 26, 2005)

I have been using the ISM adamo road for about a year now. While very comfortable it takes getting used to as it is wider than most saddles. Ultimately you will get used to pressure on the pelvic bones and you will be comfortable. Have had a few incidences of numb nads for some reason, possibly too tight bib shorts or too old bib shorts or both.

Setting it up took a lot of tries. I am still not completely sure I have it in the right location as you essentially sit on the front half of the saddle and the rest is just there for whatever. Mentally you want to use up that area. 

Negatives are the weight and the set up/break in time. Kind of a boat anchor and takes awhile for your arse to get used to the saddle width. Looks wonky, like a bmx saddle or something.
Positives are once set up and your arse is broken in the saddle is all day comfortable. The rails are long for adjustments. Saddle is designed with a bike hook for triathlons, or just hanging your bike.


----------

