Women's saddles

[thejen12]

Since I got a custom bike with a geometry that actually works for me, I'm having trouble getting comfortable on the saddle. I've been riding the Terry Butterfly, but I think it's time for something new. I just tried the Terry Falcon X, but can't stand it after about 30 miles.

Any recommendations? Anything new out there that's getting good reviews? I'm thinking of trying the Specialized Jett saddle.

I know it's a personal decision, but sometimes reviews can help.

Thanks, Jenn

[Ginger]

Exactly where's the problem with your saddles?

I had a similar problem with my Terry Butterflies when I finally bought a custom bike that fit...

I like a narrow saddle and I've found the Specialized Body Geometry in a 130 width works for me, both in the sitbone area and the more forward soft tissue area.

[regularguy412]

Disclaimer: This comment is not about 'does this saddle make my butt look big..

OK. I rode for YEARS on a San Marco Rolls saddle. I thot it was 'the' one to have. The trouble was, it was too wide for my sit-bones. I just didn't know it.

Since you are likely now 'properly' fitted to your bike and are sitting in a more comfortable position, your hips / pelvic girdle are likely rocked more forward or back compared to your 'old' position. The sit-bones get 'narrower' the more forward your hips roll ftoward the front of the bike - and - wider the more upright you sit.

Measure your current saddle at its widest point. Then try one substantially narrower and one substantially wider. By substantially, I mean: at least 10-15 mm wider than current, and 10-15 narrower than current -- with a wide cutout down the middle and one with little or no cutout. Forget about 'women's' saddles. Try'em until you find the one that FITS. Most LBS will let you try several.

I didn't figure this out until AFTER I was properly fitted on my Serotta CSI.

Good luck.

Mike in AR :Beer:

[thejen12]

Exactly where's the problem with your saddles?

I had a similar problem with my Terry Butterflies when I finally bought a custom bike that fit...

I like a narrow saddle and I've found the Specialized Body Geometry in a 130 width works for me, both in the sitbone area and the more forward soft tissue area.
My usual problem is that the back of the saddle seems too wide and chafes at the lower portion of my butt, just a little above where it transitions into being my leg. If I try to adjust for that, for some reason my sit bones get really sore, like I'm sitting on something hard and pointy, almost.

I sat on the Specialized butt-o-meter and they suggested the widest size for me (I am a little skeptical). I have next Friday off and was hoping to get on my bike and go saddle shopping at a place that either lets me try them out or at least lets me return the saddle if not satisfied. One local Specialized dealer had a 7-day return policy, but they've gone out of business. I'll call around to a few before Friday.

Thanks, Jenn

[thejen12]

Since you are likely now 'properly' fitted to your bike and are sitting in a more comfortable position, your hips / pelvic girdle are likely rocked more forward or back compared to your 'old' position. The sit-bones get 'narrower' the more forward your hips roll ftoward the front of the bike - and - wider the more upright you sit.

Measure your current saddle at its widest point. Then try one substantially narrower and one substantially wider. By substantially, I mean: at least 10-15 mm wider than current, and 10-15 narrower than current -- with a wide cutout down the middle and one with little or no cutout. Forget about 'women's' saddles. Try'em until you find the one that FITS. Most LBS will let you try several.

Mike in AR :Beer:
Thanks Mike, this makes a lot of sense. My main position change is that my saddle is now a few centimeters further behind the bottom bracket than it used to be, and the top tube has been shorted to maintain the short reach I require. I guess that would rock my pelvis forward a little, since my feet are further in front of me.

Jenn

[sc53]

A woman that I ride with has discovered that the new Terry Butterfly is not the same as the old one, anyway it doesn't feel good anymore. So she's been trying out numerous saddles and so far the one she is liking the best is the Selle Anatomica, leather with a cut-out: http://www.selleanatomica.com/

[Ginger]

My usual problem is that the back of the saddle seems too wide and chafes at the lower portion of my butt, just a little above where it transitions into being my leg. If I try to adjust for that, for some reason my sit bones get really sore, like I'm sitting on something hard and pointy, almost.

Thanks, Jenn


Yep yep

I have a similar problem...enough so that the terry makes me "bounce"...I used to ride an old concours and had no issue, but many of the new ones have a bulge in the transition from the back of the saddle to the front.

Remember to look at the shape of the saddle from above. Some of the fiziks (and it doesn't have to be an expensive fiziks) don't have that bulge, and the narrower specialized is minimal.

[J.Greene]

This is not really a topic for a man but I'll add what I have. Most of the ladies that are in my life or I ride with like the Fizik Vitesse.

JG

[giordana93]

all good advice. there is nothing more subjective than saddle fit and because of that, reviews are essentially worthless except maybe to make a short list of candidates, but even then, a tape measure and your eyes are more reliable. unless you know that what fits you also fits the reviewer, and that's not likely. a few things to note as you shop:
1. avoid the softer, squishy saddles, what feels good in the first mile or when you press your thumb in it will be awful pretty quickly.
2. set up matters, alot. the angle of the saddle and the fore aft set up that allows you to sit in the sweet spot are both critical.
3. saddles that fit and work well for a 100 mile ride will take some conditioning to adapt to, and even the hard-assed guys in the crowd will likely have a sore butt after the first ride if they've been off the bike a while. so pay attention to "what" is hurting when you ride. your sit bone area should hurt a little (and will get better with conditioning) but other areas will never adapt if they are not comfortable from the start.
4. do you have a saddle that has worked in the past? measure it and write those #'s down, esp. the width. the other factors to look at, when comparing what is going to work for you are the shape: flat from front to back or not (compare the shapes of the fiziz aliante with the fizik arione to get the picture) and flatness from side to side, and finally how fast does the "skirt" or sides transition from the wide part to the nose, ie. what does the triangle look like when viewed from above. cut outs are really just one of the factors to consider, panacea for some, bane for others, and varies from saddle to saddle and tush to tush. you just gotta be patient and keep trying (and buy a box of the model you like when they go on closeout!) cheers

[giordana93]

My usual problem is that the back of the saddle seems too wide and chafes at the lower portion of my butt, just a little above where it transitions into being my leg. If I try to adjust for that, for some reason my sit bones get really sore, like I'm sitting on something hard and pointy, almost.

I sat on the Specialized butt-o-meter and they suggested the widest size for me (I am a little skeptical). I have next Friday off and was hoping to get on my bike and go saddle shopping at a place that either lets me try them out or at least lets me return the saddle if not satisfied. One local Specialized dealer had a 7-day return policy, but they've gone out of business. I'll call around to a few before Friday.

Thanks, Jenn

I'm a guy but have a similar problem with lots of the saddles today, they start at a given width but feel " in the way" in the transition between the tail and nose; I also was supposed to take the mid-sized specialized according to the butt meter and it was wrong, wrong, because you don't sit on a saddle like an office chair, at least most of us, and as you roll forward you need a narrower platform; I went the narrower route and have been ok, but again will repeat how important the seat angle is in setup. a true micro-adjusting seat post helps alot for that. I've also heard good things about the fizik vitesse (isn't it the basis for the "men's" alliante?)

[rustychisel]

Yep, my partner rides about 200k a week and swears by her FiZik Vitesse (currently a CP gel model and in need of replacement as the leather is kinda thin and does get worn after a couple of seasons).

[SpeedyChix]

For years I rode Avocets, then Terry Butterfly. Eventually settling in with the very early WTB SSTs. I found the flatter top profile of those saddles worked well. Gave an Arione a try but the edge transition was a bit too quick/sharp. Went to and have been using the Alliante. Seems to work real well. Better for aggressive riding than being upright though.

Tried a Fizik Women's Vitesse HP Wing Flex last year. Gave it three rides...not a good fit. I don't understand the Alliante & Vitesse feeling so different but they do.

Overall a saddle the right width for your sit bones in your usual riding position will win out. For example, a Brooks B17 is WAY too wide for me, both at the rear sit bone points and in that mid section.

[palincss]

A woman that I ride with has discovered that the new Terry Butterfly is not the same as the old one, anyway it doesn't feel good anymore. So she's been trying out numerous saddles and so far the one she is liking the best is the Selle Anatomica, leather with a cut-out: http://www.selleanatomica.com/

I rode with her yesterday and today, and she's decided the Selle AnAtomica is a keeper. It will remain on her Waterford.

[mikki]

Hey Jen,

I had a similiar problem with the Terry saddle. It started bending in the downward position exactly at the edge of my sits bones and OUCH!! did that hurt!!

I have a Fizik for women and although it is NOT split and I came off a split one, I love it. Don't even notice it; I guess that's a good sign. Took me a few weeks to not miss the air that I was used to with the split saddle as I kept thinking I was feeling hot spots. But that went away and I am really comfortable now.

How do you love your custom?

[thejen12]

Hey Jen,

How do you love your custom?
Hey Mikki,

I love my custom in every legal way! :D

Still working on the saddle, though. I got a Specialized Jett in the widest width and it gives me no trouble in the girly bits, but sore sit bones after 4 hours or so. Fortunately, it has room to move around, so I am still able to ride it longer, unlike the two Terry saddles I tried where I just wanted to get off the bike and hitch-hike home. Lousy non-leather cover, though. Now I'm trying the Selle San Marco Aspide Glamour Arrowhead (maybe they can come up with a longer name).

I used to ride the Fizik Vitesse, but I can't stand it now. :confused:

Jenn

[mikki]

I used to ride the Fizik Vitesse, but I can't stand it now. :confused:

Jenn

Hi again Jen,

I don't think mine is the Vitesse, but the Arione for women. My bike is in the shop right now. I love my saddle.

The one pictured here isn't the Vitesse, is it?

[Tobias]

Since I got a custom bike with a geometry that actually works for me, I'm having trouble getting comfortable on the saddle.Jen, I hope you don’t mind me asking since I’m just trying to learn, and to understand what other riders value.

On the surface these two points could be interpreted to be a little at odds with each other. I’d like to assume that being comfortable on the bike is part of a geometry that works. Therefore, I’d like to ask what part of the new geometry works for you, what is it that you like compared to your previous geometry?

P.S. -- And yes, I know that the perfect fit doesn't work with the wrong saddle.

[thejen12]

Jen, I hope you don’t mind me asking since I’m just trying to learn, and to understand what other riders value.

On the surface these two points could be interpreted to be a little at odds with each other. I’d like to assume that being comfortable on the bike is part of a geometry that works. Therefore, I’d like to ask what part of the new geometry works for you, what is it that you like compared to your previous geometry?

P.S. -- And yes, I know that the perfect fit doesn't work with the wrong saddle.
Hi Tobias,

The custom geometry puts the handlebars within reach (I have a short reach), while still getting my saddle properly behind the bottom bracket. This allows me to use all my leg muscles without incurring searing upper back pain, and is really a great improvement for me. I was all but unable to ride a stock bike because of this upper back pain (which had worsened over the years and did not relent between rides), so that's how the custom design improved my riding comfort.

The saddle discomfort kicks in at around the 3-4 hour mark, so I had to work my way up to that level of riding before I experienced it on my custom bike. My last couple of years on a stock bike I could hardly ride more than an hour. I'd like to work my way back up to ride lengths of 10 hours or so, and the saddle is becoming an issue - probably because my body is in a slightly different position on the custom bike.

Jenn