Need help finding the right saddle for my wife

[Tony]

I've spent a lot of money and time buying saddles for my wife. In the last year she has had a WTB Rocket V Stealth, Avocet O2 air 40R, Serfas ARC duel density pro, and a Forte PRO SLX. She is experiencing numbness, soreness on her rides. I take tools with me on our rides and adjust her saddle, not easy with this dumb designed Alien seat post. The only way to alleviate numbness is to point her seat downward, but this puts too much weight on her hands.
This is effecting her riding, not to mention our intimacy. I want to find her a saddle that works. She averages 100 miles a week. She is slender, athletic built, 5'6", 120 lbs
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Elefantino]

Welcome to the club, unfortunately.

My wife has used the same Serfas women's saddle for years, but after taking about six months off the bike she returned to it within the last couple of weeks and found it painful in the same tender and rather important area.

As a test, I put her on one of my SMP Gliders, and she reported immediate relief, although she felt it a tad narrow. I'm now going to see if I can pro deal a women's Lite 209, which is wider and has slightly more padding.

[eddief]

to make an informed recommendation :).

all seriousness aside, over the years and many bikes, this has always been a trial and error process for me.

on the other hand, Steve Rex is an expert fitter, he is in your hood, and might have a reccommendation. He and his wife have been tandeming for years, so there could be resources available for you.

[bikinchris]

My wife keeps coming back to the Avocet Air 40W saddle.

[likebikes]

terry butterfly?

I've got a very cheap used one I could sell you for your wife to try it out...

[RedRider]

Give her the gift of a bike fitting. Find an experienced fitter in your area and make the arrangements. Changing saddles affects the other contact points of the fit and an expert fitter will know how to set her up. He/she will have an assortment of saddles to sample and select the right one during the process.
The result will be a better overall fit and she will be more comfortable.

[dave thompson]

After near 8 years riding and countless saddles, my wife found her 'perfect' match last year; Selle Anatomica Titano X. She's using it on her 3-month long Trans-America ride starting next month. Her 2 riding partners also are on that saddle.

[brockd15]

I had a very similar experience with my wife. We actually took rides where I'd have a different saddle tied to my saddle bag just in case she couldn't tolerate whatever she was trying at the moment.

She kept going back to an Arione but we also had to point it down, which caused other problems. I finally got it set up in the right position for her with very, very minor adjustments. I dare not ever touch it again. I'm still not convinced it's the best one for her, but I have a hard time getting her to try anything else new at this point.

The Adamo Race and Road models have been the best for me, by far. My wife didn't like them, but it might be worth a try for yours.

[roguedog]

I agree with Eddie.. trial and error.

There are a few things though to at least make sure of:

Has she tried the butt-o-meter like in a Specialized shop so she knows what width of saddle to at least look at?

Given she's tried a few different saddles, can she narrow down if a cutout or a channel has helped at all or not which might help her point her in a general direction of a saddle group to not even try...

Also, in the same vein, I see she's tried some saddles that are flat vs some which are more shaped. Did she feel a different in that?


Also.. what kinda of bike does she ride and how does she ride it? Like Is it a road bike but it's set up for more upright? Or is she in a more aggressive position? Or is it a hybrid that's pretty upright?

I dunno.. just some of my learnings from my own trial and error fumbling.

Add: Having a shop or a fitter that will let you try out various saddles is a god send. Sports Basement down here has a pretty good program.. You can rent for a week for like $10 but the rentals can be deducted if you purchase a saddle through them. It's like fairly riskless way to try to see if anything works for you.

[quehill]

I'll be that guy:

Brooks B17

...if you're putting any pressure on, ahem, that bit with a Brooks, then you're doing something really wrong. They make a shorter ladies version, but the ladies I know report the regular version works just fine.

Cheers

[8aaron8]

Both my buddies wife and my wife have had great luck with the sells italia diva gel flow saddle. My wife was riding 80+ miles a week for awhile on it.

[ultraman6970]

Hi, well IMO is hard to tell but from all the saddles you have tested you have only one with a cut out.

Second detail, probably nobody here have seen her riding, so besides trying to find a specific female saddle with a cut out have you ever tried to lower the saddle height? Probably she is riding with the saddle too high and you/or her haven't realized that yet. hard to know w/o seeing her.

I would do this to try one day...

1 try a male toupe, or continue using that one with the cut out.

2 Adjust the saddle using the lemond formula (starting point), or just go and lower her saddle 2cm, if she is ok get the saddle up 5 mm, and continue riding, I bet the numbness will show up when you get close to the old position. The problem is that if the saddle is too high you get seated in the "stuff", not in the butt bones you know.

3 good luck.

[Doug Fattic]

It is all about the right fit 1st. Raise her handlebars until they are about even height with her saddle. Probably this will require her saddle to go back too. Then of course that might mean shortening up her stem to keep the same seat to handlebar relationship so she is not too stretched out. This will take the pressure off of her sensitive area. I’m positive this is much more important than what saddle she is using. It is irrelevant if this new position is not as aerodynamic or biomechanically efficient as she would be with lower handlebars. She isn’t going to continue ridding and you aren’t going to be happy if she isn’t comfortable. Furthermore I’ve found a lot of women really like a good leather saddle (like a Brooks B-17) that also helps take the pressure off of the unmentionable.

[Peter P.]

I agree with Doug Fattic; if you're going through that many saddles, then there's a deeper problem, and that is FIT.

The fact that you have to point the saddle down tells me your wife lacks rotational flexibility in her hips as she reaches toward the bars and/or the bars are too low.

I would start to address her problems by raising her handlebars as much as possible. You may be able to flip the stem to obtain more handlebar height.

Follow Doug's directions and possibley RedRider's suggestion for a fit session, preferably by someone other than you. A fresh set of eyes, and preferably someone who understands women's fit issues (a woman fitter perhaps?) would be ideal.

[bikinchris]

I'll be that guy:

Brooks B17

...if you're putting any pressure on, ahem, that bit with a Brooks, then you're doing something really wrong. They make a shorter ladies version, but the ladies I know report the regular version works just fine.

Cheers

Another good choice. Besides the O2 40W, my wife did ride a Brooks B17 woman's saddle.
She absolutely HATES saddles with cutouts. they can pinch.

[oldpotatoe]

I've spent a lot of money and time buying saddles for my wife. In the last year she has had a WTB Rocket V Stealth, Avocet O2 air 40R, Serfas ARC duel density pro, and a Forte PRO SLX. She is experiencing numbness, soreness on her rides. I take tools with me on our rides and adjust her saddle, not easy with this dumb designed Alien seat post. The only way to alleviate numbness is to point her seat downward, but this puts too much weight on her hands.
This is effecting her riding, not to mention our intimacy. I want to find her a saddle that works. She averages 100 miles a week. She is slender, athletic built, 5'6", 120 lbs
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Have she ever had a really good anatomic fit done buy a really good bike fitter? Most saddle issues are fit related, not saddle design related methinks.

[Fatty]

"raise her handlebars!"
Jack em up to the moon, a cheap stem with a lot rise is an easy test.
We tried a few different saddles on the wifes bike and got the best results with a 17 degree rise stem.
It might not look right but hey , gotta keep Momma happy.

[RedRider]

With all due respect... trial and error is not the way to fit any bike especially your Wife's bike. Why subject her to any discomfort while you take a chance on saddles?
An experienced fitter, who has a selection of saddles, can solve the problem. You will have a happy Wife that wants to ride more. Money well spent.

[malcolm]

My wife had the same issue. Assuming fit isn't an issue. After many saddles her favorite 2 were, either a brooks B-17 or the womens specific Brooks (actually liked the B-17 a little better, it seemed longer). Her absolute favorite was a specialized that I can't remember the model but it was a mens saddle. I'll look tonight and see if I can find the specific model.

[RedRider]

But saddle problems are a fit issue. Period.

[malcolm]

But saddle problems are a fit issue. Period.

Bull. I have saddles I like and saddles I don't with the same fit. I agree most of the I just can't find the right saddle are fit or a combo of fit and fitness, but there are no absolutes.

[dan682]

My gf really likes the Fizik Vesta, but hated the Vitesse. She also has the bars level with the saddle.

[lhuerta]

DO NOT raise stem/bars before getting seat height and setback correct. If you value ur wife riding with u then spend a bit of $ and get a real bike fit...not one of those throw ur leg over the top tube and measure clearance fits, but a real fit where fitter starts with assessing fitness, flexibility and riding habits BEFORE adjustments to bike. Lou

[Tony]

Thanks for all the advise! I think I'm going to try and fit her before investing time and money into a saddle.
She is starting to get more competitive this year. She did a ten mile time trial several weeks ago and her average speed was 21.2. She doesn’t want her handlebar raised any more than it is already. She is asking for a shallow drop bar as she can't use the drops with her current set up.
I video taped her riding yesterday and compared the video to lots of YouTube videos of competitive women riding their bikes. It seems her seat is too high. I took measurements of the bend in her leg at the bottom of her stroke and it's somewhere between 25 and 30 degrees, closer to 25. It also seems that her TT is a little long on her bike. I have a Salsa stem that's 70mm long that I may also try. My first step is to lower her seat, thinking 5 to 7mm and hope no complaints about knee pain in the front of her knees.

Here is my wife's bike.
https://plus.google.com/photos/107709068384636814318/albums/5998466496077886657

[Doug Fattic]

Tony, I just wanted to make sure you understood that many women can’t tolerate having handlebars too low because that puts uncomfortable pressure on the sensitive area of their crotch. It is not just a saddle only problem. If she is wanting to be more competitive on her bicycle than it is even more important to find a competent fitter that understands women issues. Ridding a fitting bicycle can narrow the range and get her in the ball park of where she needs to be. Fit is too often compromised by the constraints of the geometry of the bicycle one owns and not by what is ideal. That is why riding a fitting bicycle can better determine what works best. Somewhere there is going to be the sweet spot on handlebar height where it is low enough to be efficient but still high enough to reduce discomfort. Everybody is different so only she can determine where that spot actually is. On average guys can have lower (and often much lower) handlebars than women without discomfort.

My 20 something daughter is very fit and competitive but still wants her handlebars to be level with her seat or she doesn’t enjoy riding. Somebody else her size and weight might be able to ride with lower bars.

[Tony]

Tony, I just wanted to make sure you understood that many women can’t tolerate having handlebars too low because that puts uncomfortable pressure on the sensitive area of their crotch. It is not just a saddle only problem. If she is wanting to be more competitive on her bicycle than it is even more important to find a competent fitter that understands women issues. Ridding a fitting bicycle can narrow the range and get her in the ball park of where she needs to be. Fit is too often compromised by the constraints of the geometry of the bicycle one owns and not by what is ideal. That is why riding a fitting bicycle can better determine what works best. Somewhere there is going to be the sweet spot on handlebar height where it is low enough to be efficient but still high enough to reduce discomfort. Everybody is different so only she can determine where that spot actually is. On average guys can have lower (and often much lower) handlebars than women without discomfort.

My 20 something daughter is very fit and competitive but still wants her handlebars to be level with her seat or she doesn’t enjoy riding. Somebody else her size and weight might be able to ride with lower bars.

Doug, I want to raise her bars, I do, however she doesn't want the bars any higher due to using a stem that she feels is unattractive, which I agree with.
I don't think this bike fits her well, too long a top tube. If I could be frank I'm somewhat apprehensive to see a bike fitter. There may be a strong chance that a fitter will say this bike is not right for her. I think before I take the chance of having to replace a bike that my wife loves I'll try and fit her myself. My last adjustments that I learned here recently has made a big difference for me on my bike. I'm going to try a couple things and if it doesn't help her then I'll go to Rex here in Sacto.
Thanks

[parris]

Just curious but what size is the frame? tt length etc.

[Tony]

Just curious but what size is the frame? tt length etc.

The Spanky's geometry for a size 51 is
Seat tube length 48cm, Top Tube length 53.5cm, chainstay length 41cm, Head tube angle 72.5 degrees, Seat tube angle 74 degrees, Wheel base 97.80cm, Standover heigth (mid top tube) 30"

[hokoman]

The Spanky's geometry for a size 51 is
Seat tube length 48cm, Top Tube length 53.5cm, chainstay length 41cm, Head tube angle 72.5 degrees, Seat tube angle 74 degrees, Wheel base 97.80cm, Standover heigth (mid top tube) 30"

I am no fit expert, but that is a long tt for a small bike... Btw, love the older ibis bikes and just happens to be MY size! :)

[donevwil]

I'm looking for a saddle for my wife as well. Her tried and true Selle Italia Trans Am Max is long out of production. She runs hers slightly nose down as well, but has no issues for 100+ mile rides. What I can say is that she hates typical "Women's" saddles (typically very short and very wide) except on very upright bikes for short miles. Some Terry's work, but they tend to totally revamp designs too often, so what works one year doesn't two years later.

[parris]

pm sent

[KonaSS]

Why are the bars and levers pointed at the moon? A fit looks like it is in order.

And you don't want one because you think she might need one? I.E - the bike doesn't fit?

[douglas]

You might want to have your wife get her sit bones measured. If she is experiencing discomfort in the front, then she is sitting on soft tissue and not her sit bones. The saddles you list as the ones she has tried are all different widths. Was one better than the others? That width would be a starting point. I can ride a Brooks B-17 and a Brooks Team Pro when I ride in a more upright position but find both of those saddles irritating in the same way as your wife is experiencing when I try to ride in the drops. I've switched to a Specialized Toupe and find riding in the drops much more comfortable.
I think that you can have a bike which fits you perfectly but you still will only be comfortable on certain saddles.

[jmoore]

If she liked the Avocet, send it to me and I'll recover it. No reason not to put it back on.

[Tony]

Why are the bars and levers pointed at the moon? A fit looks like it is in order.

And you don't want one because you think she might need one? I.E - the bike doesn't fit?

At the time she did not have any interest in using the drops so I adjusted her bars and levers to make her riding position more comfortable.

I'm not ready to see a bike fitter YET, not because I think she needs a fit. I'm sure she needs a fit. Due to the TT length a bike fitter will most likely recommend a different frame.
I would like a chance to make this bike work before this happens.

I've been studying her riding position from all angles and feel her saddle is too high. I think she's accustomed to riding with a high saddle. I'm going to lower it and encourage her to give it a chance.
I keep adjusting the saddle forward thinking it would help with the reach, however, every time I've done that she wants the saddle back. I'm looking for a shorter stem with the same rise, and bars, thinking this will help also.

[Tony]

If she liked the Avocet, send it to me and I'll recover it. No reason not to put it back on.

I found out today by asking her what is it that she didn't like about each saddle. The main reason she didn't like the Avocet is that the kevlar material in the back was ruining her shorts, wearing out the inner thighs.
Thanks

[donevwil]

This may be the appropriate time to plug Jason and Recovered Saddles (http://www.recoveredsaddle.com/). Very, very best (and by far the most reasonably priced) out there.

[jmoore]

I found out today by asking her what is it that she didn't like about each saddle. The main reason she didn't like the Avocet is that the kevlar material in the back was ruining her shorts, wearing out the inner thighs.
Thanks

I can get rid of the Kevlar and replace with leather (the whole cover would be replaced). Very simple on the Avocets.


edit: how are her inner thighs wearing out from the kevlar on the back of the saddle?

[Tony]

edit: how are her inner thighs wearing out from the kevlar on the back of the saddle?

I don't know, I think its because I put her saddle forward to help with reach to the bars She pulled out two of her best shorts and showed me where the fabric in the inner crotch area is wearing against the kevlar sides on the saddle.

[bikinchris]

Sounds like you have a lot of fit issues. If the frame doesn't fit her, you need to know that. Those drops would be uncomfortable for anyone.
It seems she has a very long top tube to reduce toe overlap, then you seem to have long reach bars (meaning the sweep forward from the tops is long).

Moving the saddle forward to reduce reach is not a good idea for a someone who is a high performance rider.

She might enjoy a woman's frame, with a recovered Avocet and short reach bars with a short drop probably level with the saddle (properly adjusted both for leg extension and for-aft). Then she should be bale to ride the drops for extended periods and enjoy riding much more.

[Tony]

Sounds like you have a lot of fit issues. If the frame doesn't fit her, you need to know that. Those drops would be uncomfortable for anyone.
It seems she has a very long top tube to reduce tow overlap, then you seem to have long reach bars (meaning the sweep forward from the tops is long).
.

She doesn't use those drops.

I agree, I'm shopping for stem a short reach bars.
Thanks

[WickedWheels]

Tony, I just wanted to make sure you understood that many women can’t tolerate having handlebars too low because that puts uncomfortable pressure on the sensitive area of their crotch. It is not just a saddle only problem. If she is wanting to be more competitive on her bicycle than it is even more important to find a competent fitter that understands women issues. Ridding a fitting bicycle can narrow the range and get her in the ball park of where she needs to be. Fit is too often compromised by the constraints of the geometry of the bicycle one owns and not by what is ideal. That is why riding a fitting bicycle can better determine what works best. Somewhere there is going to be the sweet spot on handlebar height where it is low enough to be efficient but still high enough to reduce discomfort. Everybody is different so only she can determine where that spot actually is. On average guys can have lower (and often much lower) handlebars than women without discomfort.

My 20 something daughter is very fit and competitive but still wants her handlebars to be level with her seat or she doesn’t enjoy riding. Somebody else her size and weight might be able to ride with lower bars.

Maybe she just needs a different saddle

[Tony]

Tony, I just wanted to make sure you understood that many women can’t tolerate having handlebars too low because that puts uncomfortable pressure on the sensitive area of their crotch. It is not just a saddle only problem. If she is wanting to be more competitive on her bicycle than it is even more important to find a competent fitter that understands women issues. Ridding a fitting bicycle can narrow the range and get her in the ball park of where she needs to be. Fit is too often compromised by the constraints of the geometry of the bicycle one owns and not by what is ideal. That is why riding a fitting bicycle can better determine what works best. Somewhere there is going to be the sweet spot on handlebar height where it is low enough to be efficient but still high enough to reduce discomfort. Everybody is different so only she can determine where that spot actually is. On average guys can have lower (and often much lower) handlebars than women without discomfort.

My 20 something daughter is very fit and competitive but still wants her handlebars to be level with her seat or she doesn’t enjoy riding. Somebody else her size and weight might be able to ride with lower bars.

I took Parris's advice and borrowed a trainer from a friend. Spent some time with her on the trainer and think we made some real progress! I lowered her seat 7mm, 32-34 degree bend in her knees. I ordered a 3T ARX Alloy 70 mm Stem and a FSA Omega Compact Handlebar with 80 mm reach. This should reduce her reach by 70 mm compared to her current set up. I closely mimicked this setup by placing clamps on the bars and mini cell foam attached to the clamps to act as hoods. It made a real difference in reducing pressure in that area.

[WickedWheels]

First you have to get her fitted.

Second, get rid of that Alien seatpost. Find something that's easier to adjust.

I've had a lot of luck fitting women to the Selle Italia Diva. It has a fairly organic shape that doesn't usually creat hot spots. It's flexible enough to move with the body, while providing support. The cut out is generous and soft on the edges, allowing it to get the padding out of the way.

There is no one answer. An uncomfortable saddle is not strictly a fit issue or else we'd all be riding the same saddle. It may not be bike related at all. Perhaps it's her shorts? I once had a woman tell me coming into the new season her saddle wasn't comfortable and when I asked what has changed she said, "I think it's because my boyfriend has been riding me too hard." I'm not insinuating anything, simply saying it could a million things and there are no concretes.

[Peter P.]

It's very obvious to me from the bike photo that she can't ride the drops comfortably. The downward tilt of the saddle (mentioned earlier, I believe) along with the highly upturned bars give it away. The bar position also tells me she's trying to compensate for too long a position on the top tube/stem.

The bars can't be positioned any higher. To me, she clearly needs a shorter top tube/stem combo. That will change her back angle, rotate her hips, and relieve pressure on the saddle points. I don't even need to see her on the bike to confirm my observations.

As long as your wife is insistent on keeping that bike, she will not find comfort.

[RedRider]

Putting a 70mm stem on this frame along with a short reach bar might resolve some of the issues you described but the handling of the bicycle will be compromised.

[Tony]

As long as your wife is insistent on keeping that bike, she will not find comfort.

I'm hoping your wrong, Peter.
She has two bikes from Ibis, a Mojo and Spanky. I know she loves owning these two bikes. Many times she gets compliments regarding her bike, be it at our local breweries or bike trail. I know she take pride in this.

We now know it doesn't fit her properly. If these changes do not help or effect the handling I will do my best to encourage her to get a new steel bike.

[bikinchris]

She doesn't use those drops.

I agree, I'm shopping for stem a short reach bars.
Thanks

TOE. Toe overlap. I promise I know how to spell. Apparently, I just don't know how to proofread.

[John H.]

She can't use her drops because the handlebar/shifter setup on that bike is a mess.
Get a short reach and shallow drop bar like a Zipp CSL with 70mm reach.
Set it up where the drops are close to flat and the hoods flow nice and flat from the tops.
Then- get rid of that USE post and get one where you can actually move the seat around.
Then see what kind of saddle she might need.


Thanks for all the advise! I think I'm going to try and fit her before investing time and money into a saddle.
She is starting to get more competitive this year. She did a ten mile time trial several weeks ago and her average speed was 21.2. She doesn’t want her handlebar raised any more than it is already. She is asking for a shallow drop bar as she can't use the drops with her current set up.
I video taped her riding yesterday and compared the video to lots of YouTube videos of competitive women riding their bikes. It seems her seat is too high. I took measurements of the bend in her leg at the bottom of her stroke and it's somewhere between 25 and 30 degrees, closer to 25. It also seems that her TT is a little long on her bike. I have a Salsa stem that's 70mm long that I may also try. My first step is to lower her seat, thinking 5 to 7mm and hope no complaints about knee pain in the front of her knees.

Here is my wife's bike.
https://plus.google.com/photos/107709068384636814318/albums/5998466496077886657

[pdmtong]

Bluntly, you are wasting two things that no one has enough of: TIME and MONEY. The band-aids are not addressing the root cause.

Get a proper fit. Invest in a new bike. Your wife loves to and wants to ride. That puts you in the 1% population here on Paceline. I bet if you put her on a 15# carbon with Ui2 electric THAT FIT she would pretty quickly forget about her Ibis(s).

[bikinchris]

Bluntly, you are wasting two things that no one has enough of: TIME and MONEY. The band-aids are not addressing the root cause.

Get a proper fit. Invest in a new bike. Your wife loves to and wants to ride. That puts you in the 1% population here on Paceline. I bet if you put her on a 15# carbon with Ui2 electric THAT FIT she would pretty quickly forget about her Ibis(s).

I agree. She wants to ride. Pamper her in every way you can. And carbon is not needed. A good steel bike frame with light parts will do fine. Light wheels are the key.

[plattyjo]

As a female cyclist, I love a variety of saddles -- and what works on a particular bike seems to depend on the bike's geometry/set-up.

I had a men's Fizik Aliante on my custom road bike but now use a Vitesse (both worked fine); a Brooks B-17 on my Ebisu touring bike; men's Brooks B-17 on my track bike; Fizik Arione VS on my CX and randonneuring bike. I was having terrible knee pain using my CX bike for randonneuring, when I finally discovered the culprit was my women's Gilles Berthoud saddle (http://www.plattyjo.com/leather-saddles-and-me-were-just-not-meant-to-be-sort-of/). I tried tons of saddles/seatposts when I realized that only a men's road saddle could work on these bikes (and confirmed with a fit issue.)

Still sort of mystifies me but trying out different saddles + proper fit = success.

[Louis]

Many times she gets compliments regarding her bike, be it at our local breweries or bike trail. I know she take pride in this.


IMO the ugliest bike in the world that fits well and is still comfortable after hours and hours in the saddle is way, way better than one that gets compliments at the coffee shop but doesn't fit.

However, once you know what frame geometry works for her, I can guarantee you that you'll be able to purchase a frame that works and gets her compliments, be it off the shelf or if necessary, custom.

[Doug Fattic]

Tony’s wife is an illustration of the challenge of fitting some women (usually smaller) to a production frame with 700C wheels. In order to avoid toe overlap with the front wheel when it is turned, the designers have to get the center of the front wheel out there somehow. That means a steeper seat angle, swallower head angle and possibly a bit longer top tube/shorter stem combination than is ideal. The problem is that this combination can not put the contact points of many women in the right place. Or provide the most optimum handling for its purpose. A greater percentage of average sized guys can properly fit a 56 or 58 cm frame than average sized gals can find on smaller frames. Some compromise is necessary somewhere to get them to ride a bicycle the closest to their size they can find. The solution of course is to use smaller wheels but that brings its own issues. There is a lot of prejudice when straying from the norm. I’m a custom builder so that means I have less patience with attempts to cram a body onto something built to a formula rather than a specific individual. Unfortunately the costs to find the best solution can be beyond some budgets.

[clyde the point]

I have this saddle for sale $80 TYD. Selle Italia Lady Gel Flow. Not for my wife's tushie. Ridden once by her and no go.

http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu277/clyde-the-pointer/IMG_0658_zps3d49ed7a.jpg
http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu277/clyde-the-pointer/IMG_0659_zps91ef26e0.jpg
http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu277/clyde-the-pointer/IMG_0660_zps36bd8b69.jpg

[binxnyrwarrsoul]

"IMO the ugliest bike in the world that fits well and is still comfortable after hours and hours in the saddle is way, way better than one that gets compliments at the coffee shop but doesn't fit."

This!

[Tony]

"IMO the ugliest bike in the world that fits well and is still comfortable after hours and hours in the saddle is way, way better than one that gets compliments at the coffee shop but doesn't fit."

This!

There's much more to this than just coffee shop compliments. She loves this bike.

I recently bought her a stem and short reach/drop bar. Through this process of trying to fits my wife I leaned a lot. I've been fortunate to have help from forum members, friend who lent his trainer, and friends helping with the fitting. She now seems to fit perfectly with these changes. She's very happy!

[Mike V]

I have a Avocet Air 02 40R with no Kevlar she can have.