Women's saddles

Chuchote

a) What are the characteristics of a good woman's saddle?

b) What are some good women's saddles?

DirkVoodoo

I would give the same answer as I would if you asked about men's saddles:

Impossible to answer! Or at least very difficult, one person's throne is another person's ass-hatchet.

I made the mistake years ago of buying a Fizik Arione. Lots of great reviews, used by lots of riders who gave it glowing recommendations! One 100km ride and it nearly killed me, shorter rides after that didn't fare better. I took it off and sold it.

Fizik have a good "spine concept" that worked for me...I went and bought the Aliante.

You will also find that your flexibility and position will change, so you may need to change saddle again. I quite happily use the Specialized Romin now.

My advice: Find somewhere that does test saddles (fizik and specialized used to do them) and try them out. They are like shoes really, except getting the wrong one can cause a lot more damage!

couerdelion

I'm not really qualified to talk about this being a man but the girls I know and talk to all seem to have much more problems with saddles than any of the lads.

There doesnt seem to be a one saddle suits all solution (same as with blokes)

Theres a good article here: http://www.cobbcycling.com/innie-or-outie/

Also there's a bike fitter in Derry who uses a pressure pad to work out where you are putting the most pressure onto the saddle and can then adjust to suit that.

robyntmorton

This post from Total Women's Cycling earlier in the year might be of interest, though essentially it says that there is no one easy answer to your question. https://totalwomenscycling.com/road-cycling/maintenance/gear-guide-choosing-a-saddle-73817/

Spudgun

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/selle-italia-womens-diva-gel-flow-saddle/ this is the saddle I use, I had a lot of discomfort and pain before I switched to this saddle. Good lady specific shorts help as well I learned this after a lot of trial and error
I found endura shorts work best for me and a bit of chamois cream just make sure its not a "tingly" feeling one I used this one
https://www.evanscycles.com/en-ie/elite-ozone-chamois-cream-00100470

really helped the hooha

Comma

A. Not easy to answer but personally a narrow, scooped saddle with a large cut out suits me best. Flat saddles, no matter how narrow are killers.
B. My favourite so far, while not completely perfect is a Selle SMP Drakon. It looks weird but works because there is no pressure where it matters at the front.
Another saddle I use is the Selle Italia, which Morgan mentions
above but I find the cut out is pretty useless and too far back from the nose. I have the saddle tilted quite a bit to the front to make it work.
On the turbo at the moment I am trying to get used to an ISM Adamo Prologue saddle which I bought secondhand. The cut out is great however the width is causing me problems behind and I think the answer is a narrower ISM saddle.
Best of luck if you searching!

nak

Trial and error are the only ways to sort it if you don't have access to a pressure pad fit. I was able to try a couple of Specialized saddles - the Oura (women's) and the Power (unisex) saddle work well for me. Not a fan of the Selle Italia range or Fizik.
The Power saddle is quite different to traditional designs, has a short nose and a big cutout. Had to change the setup on my bikes but am finding it really comfortable - survived the Paris Roubaix sportive a few weeks after getting the saddle unscathed which was unusual for me after such a long day on the bike. You have to find what works for you.

Chuchote

With advancing age my rear manages to become both capacious and bony, most unfairly. I don't know if narrow is the solution.

Annie get your Run

I found the one that came with my Merida uncomfortable for a good while after I got the bike but I've 'kind of' used to it now, it's not perfect but I'd be reluctant to change now and have to get used to a new one all over again, although I like the sound of the Selle SMP Dragon that Comma has mentioned. I presume no one in Dublin does that pressure mapping?

andy69

Chuchote wrote: »

With advancing age my rear manages to become both capacious and bony, most unfairly. I don't know if narrow is the solution.

Yeah but it's the sit bones I think that matter. My wife and her friend were both in cycleways and got specialized saddles after using the measuring thing they have. My wife is thinner but her sit bones were wider so her saddle was 155mm and her friend's was a bit more narrow even though (how do I say this without being killed) :-) ....well....she's a bit wider.

+1 on that SMP Drakon saddle....my wife switched to that after a while and it was the only one out of all the ones she tried that really worked for her.

Chuchote

andy69 wrote: »

Yeah but it's the sit bones I think that matter. My wife and her friend were both in cycleways and got specialized saddles after using the measuring thing they have. My wife is thinner but her sit bones were wider so her saddle was 155mm and her friend's was a bit more narrow even though (how do I say this without being killed) :-) ....well....she's a bit wider.

+1 on that SMP Drakon saddle....my wife switched to that after a while and it was the only one out of all the ones she tried that really worked for her.

And was it the one recommended by the pressure test?

andy69

Chuchote wrote: »

And was it the one recommended by the pressure test?

No but she did actually use that specialized one from the pressure test for a good while but then changed to a bike with an Aero Seatpost. Once she got that bike we had to go on the hunt for a new one because Aero seatposts take no prisoners...tried firstly that Diva one but it didn't do the trick, then a more expensive Selle one and lastly the Drakon one which she knew straight away was 'the' one. We used the 155mm result of the pressure test when getting the other saddles though.

eeeee

Everyone's cnut is different, so recommendations are useless unless the person recommending them is built exactly the same as you are with the exact same position on a similar bike.
Try as many as you can, see what's comfortable. I personally like Adamo's, I ride in quite an aggressive position.

Chuchote

I like to sit up and sail along, and am finding the new bike I just got really… how do I put this…? horrible. I don't ride on my cnut, however (at least not in the cycling sense).
Is there anywhere in Dublin that does these pressure-point tests?

andy69

Chuchote wrote: »

...is there anywhere in Dublin that does these pressure-point tests?

Cycleways in Dublin used to have one, not sure if they still have it now (haven't been in Dublin for a while)

nak

andy69 wrote: »

Cycleways in Dublin used to have one, not sure if they still have it now (haven't been in Dublin for a while)

That's only for the sit bones. Still in the shop, last of Specialized stock is on sale at moment.

Not aware of anyone doing full pressure mapping for saddles in Dublin.

Chuchote

Anywhere in Ireland use the Selle Italia fitting system? It looks good (though not sure if their saddles do)

http://www.thebicycledoctor.com/pages/selle-italia-id-saddle-fit-system

Comma

Chuchote wrote:

Anywhere in Ireland use the Selle Italia fitting system? It looks good (though not sure if their saddles do)

I've had that done (not in Ireland) and had a range of saddles recommened that would fit....and the saddle I chose did fit my sit bones/rear end perfectly so it might suit you. It did nothing for front end however!

Chuchote

I might just get a Brooks. Bike fitter was horrified at the idea, but I've had one before and liked it. Maybe it depends on the amount of care you give it, and his experience is with people who are cruel to their bicycles and shouldn't be let own one. Not that I spoil my bike or anything.