Saddle width measurement and SQ Lab

[ariw]

I am trying to gain some longer ride comfort, and thinking that my saddle on one particular road bike might be too narrow. How are you guys measuring width? It seems like outside to outside wouldn't account for the shape of the saddle.

Also, I used a piece of cardboard to measure sit bones a la the SQ Lab method, and thought about buying one of those. Any experience with them, good or bad?

TIA,
-Ari

[harblhat]

I've used an SQLab 612 Active saddle for a couple of years now and despite the odd shape it has been the most comfortable one I've tried among many. There are a few notable differences that you should be aware of if you decide to try it out:

- The cross-section is very flat, so if you are used to curved saddles (think Fizik Aliante) then this will be a big change
- The 'hump' at the rear of the saddle is a natural place for your sitbones and gives something to push back on when riding
- The same 'hump' can also encourage you to rotate your pelvis forward, which can help neutralize and take strain off your lower back (see http://www.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2007/09/road-bike-posture.html)
- The nose is quite wide, which is good as a perch if you shift forward under power. However your legs may rub it and wear the area out faster.

The Active saddles have an elastomer between the rails and the saddle which allows for the natural rocking motion of your pelvis when pedaling. It's a bit of a weight penalty but was totally worth it for me in terms of comfort.

[cmg]

buy used saddles off eBay. if they work keep. if they don't re-sell on eBay. cheapest way to determine if you like curved or flat tops.

[ultraman6970]

I do agree, the only way to know is to test different brands and models personally because width wise some saddles only come in one wide.

I would start maybe with old stuff like selle bassanno and vetta, then if you want to try a good economic saddle the fabric scoop is the way to go IMO.

[dem]

Numbness is something I've never solved completely - some people are just lucky!

As you point out, it's pretty much impossible to compare "width" across saddle types. You'll need to buy a bunch and experiment - anyone who says otherwise is selling you something (probably their saddles.)

I'm trying out an ISM next, which looks super funky.

[ultraman6970]

Numbness IME has to do with 2 things...

1- saddle too high, the testis gets compressed... then they call you numb nuts after a few hours in the saddle...

2- Clothing, some shorts or bibs looks like the others but they feel totally different.

[ariw]

I know that i could just try different saddles until I found a better one, but I was trying to apply at least a little data to the process :-). I am also fused at l5-s1, so the active part of the sq lab appeals to me. I think that my troublesome saddle is a little narrower than my other ones, so I am going to give the sq lab a try in a slightly wider model.

Ari

[9tubes]

I've ridden a long time and found that width measurements are only part of the story, and not a very important part.

The key seems to be how much the saddle is flat (left-to-right, not lengthwise). More barrel shaped saddles will fit differently than flatter saddles.

Back in the day there weren't many racing saddles. I used to wonder why there were Selle Italia Turbo people and Selle San Marco Concor people, and neither could get comfortable with the other saddle. Yet they were pretty close to the same width. The difference was that the Concor was more barrel shaped. Some thought it was an ass-hatchet, but I thought it was comfortable enough for mountain bike racing back when we used hardtails.

[Ronsonic]

Originally Posted by 9tubes

I've ridden a long time and found that width measurements are only part of the story, and not a very important part.

The key seems to be how much the saddle is flat (left-to-right, not lengthwise). More barrel shaped saddles will fit differently than flatter saddles.

Back in the day there weren't many racing saddles. I used to wonder why there were Selle Italia Turbo people and Selle San Marco Concor people, and neither could get comfortable with the other saddle. Yet they were pretty close to the same width. The difference was that the Concor was more barrel shaped. Some thought it was an ass-hatchet, but I thought it was comfortable enough for mountain bike racing back when we used hardtails.

As a flat-saddle guy I can tell you that the Concor was specifically designed to dig in between the sit bones and wedge the human pelvis asunder.

[uber]

I think the SQ is definitely worth a try. Specialized used to have a return policy that would allow trying different saddles allowing you to pay only for the one you keep. SMP dealers many times have a selection of demo saddles as well. I think SMP are well designed, but it takes a fair amount of trial and error to get the angle and fore/aft just right. They are not the lightest saddles. If SQ does not work for you, trying the most popular saddles could help. There is a reason why so many people ride them (Flite, SLR, Alliante, Arione, and the San Marco classics). I have recently been doing well on a San Marco Shortfit. The wide cut out and shape allow many people to roll forward without numbness producing compression. Good luck.