Saddle width

[quattro]

I often read on this forum and others where people ask for input on saddles. The answers are usually the same, it depends on your particular body and the width of your sit bones. Which gets me to the point of my post. Why is it that saddle makers other than say Specialized and Avocet, do not advertise the width of their saddles. I have visited various saddle manufacturer web sites and can't locate this information. To me this is particularly important information when choosing a saddle. I have a box of different saddles I have tried over the years and keep coming back to my Avocet o2 40M. It is not the lightest saddle but it fits my sits bones just right. I have tried the Specialized saddle in the widest version and it's ok but not as good as my Avocet. I've tried the Selle Italia Pro Link, the widest listed in the Colorado Cyclist catalog, and it too is ok but not as good as my Avocet. I have tried the Fizik Aliante, a wider saddle than most other Fizik saddles, and it too is not as comfortable as my Avocet. The only mail order magazine I have seen that gies any information on saddle width is Colorado Cyclist. They seem to understand the value of this information to their customers. I have not seen saddle width information posted anywhere else. Just wondering why mail order houses and manufacturers don't feel this information is important enough to post, any thoughts? Do they just want everyone to end up with a box of saddles in their basement that don't work for them?

[bostondrunk]

San Marco does. Go to each model, and they have a sort of sketch below showing the measurements.
For that matter, so does Selle Italia on their webpage, I believe.

[72gmc]

Saddle width and length, bar drop and reach -- I've found info like this is rare among online retailers and catalogs (Excel Sports and Speedgoat are two that are good sources). So it's off to the manufacturer sites.

FWIW you could try the Terry line of saddles. I believe they're made by Selle Italia to Terry's specs, have more cush than many, and come in a range of shapes.

[davids]

I'm just not so sure that width is a critical peice of information on a saddle. I've found that the shape is everything, and that the relationship between the gross dimensions of width and length and the shapes of the complex curves are wispy at best.

Trial and error was the only way for me to find what worked. If the Avocet O2 40M works for you, buy a dozen and be happy!

[Big Dan]

Surely you can't be serious........ :eek:

[Smiley]

Width and length are important BUT don't discount shape , evidence by the many Brooks saddles with same width and length but differing shapes that ride so much differently . I would second you getting a stash of your favorite saddle if that one works best for you .

[GoJavs]

If you dig a little more, you'll find some pretty good threads out there on the net regarding saddle width. The i-bobbers are particularly adept at talking about such things. I don't own an Avocet 40M but have found that the San Marco Regals, Rolls & Stradas, the Selle Italia Turbos and the WTB SST's are also pretty reasonable alternatives.

Otherwise, stick to that 40M and sell us that box of saddles!!!

Good luck.