saddle question (yes, another one!)

[irrealised]

Hi everyone,

I think I've read nearly every saddle thread on this board, and I still can't figure out which saddle to order for my mountain bike... but I think I'm narrowing things down. For right now my mountain bike is my main bike, so I'm using it both for trails and street riding. I want a decent all-purpose saddle, but I don't want to end up with something that's going to hinder me on the trails (if such a thing exists).

It's my understanding that some people don't like the Terry Butterfly as a MTB saddle because it doesn't allow you to move around as much - is this because of the shape or just the textured leather?

If it's the leather, would something like the Butterfly Cromoly saddle be better? It looks more slippery, but I'm not sure. Or does the shape have a lot to do with it?

I would really like to try a Terry saddle, but I'm not sure which one might work. Also on my list is the Specialized Ariel, but I'm not sure how that would be for long rides, so I think I'll try a Terry first - if I can pick the right one! Any ideas?

[tzvia]

Picking the right saddle is 10% science and 90% luck. I thought my saddle was too hard, some years ago, and bought a Terry Butterfly. Woops, wrong choice for me. The saddle just got softer and softer like an old worn out sofa, till my sit-bones were sinking all the way into it and hitting the base (didn't take long). It was not comfortable. So when I got a new MTB last year, I decided to stick with the WTB Deva saddle that came with it. It is not soft, it has firm padding and no cutout. Turns out to be a good saddle. I had my sit-bones measured, and found out I have wide sit-bones, and the saddle I thought was too hard, turned out to be to narrow. So I got another hard saddle (Bontrager Inform RXL) in the wider size, for my road bike, and love it so much I am going to get one for my MTB. So I would suggest you start with measuring your sit bones- (plenty of posts on that subject here) so that you have a starting point.

[irrealised]

Thanks tzvia. I'm sure you're right about it being mostly luck; I just figure with my luck I'll end up with a great fitting saddle that ends up being completely inappropriate for the kind of riding I want to do ;)

A little more information: I have measured my sit bones, and I'm closest to 143mm. Also, I'm currently using a stock WTB speed she that is 143, and the saddle fits well and works for a short ride, but after about an hour I have started realizing why so many women love saddles with cutouts!

Perhaps I'll order the Butterfly Cromoly, since it's the cheapest of the 3, and go from there. Or flip a coin.

[Miranda]

I have the saddle you ride now. My issue with it hurting my pubic bone on my road bike is that my bike frame is too big. I'm rolled too far forward on the pubic bone for reach. Getting a new road ride soon to solve that.

I put the same saddle on DH's mtb I took on a trip. Worked better. City riding. But, not so much saddle time. Versus a long road ride.

On trail riding my Bontrager stock saddle that came on my mtb is ok. Only cuz I'm not actually sitting on it very much. Trying to use that same saddle to ride pavement in the sub w/the kiddies (read sitting more) is horrid. It's a 143. I need a bit wider for being seated longer.

I just got the Terry Falcon saddle to try on my mtb. It's been better for spinning the hood. Haven't tried the trails yet. The only thing on the Falcon, or any any saddle, for mtb I would be mindful of is the length...

I say this cuz if you do a lot of "hop on/off, slide around, put a foot down" etc. vs. staying seated on the trail... the extra length on the nose could be bumping you in the spine.

The Falcon is a bit shorter of the Terrys. The SheSpeed is shorter yet. Also is my Bontrager stock mtb saddle. Somehow though, I think the Falcon is going to work.

Another nice thing about the Falcon is the narrow nose & wider rear platform combo. The mtb shorts are baggier, and I didn't want a fat nose catching on them. Or too sticky of a saddle surface (like the textured pretty Butterfly). Falcon is leather slick--but with a few back graphics =s bit of grip.

FWIW. Good Luck!:)

EDIT: here's a link to the Falcon (mine is black, looks sharp w/graphics on my mtb too)...
http://www.terrybicycles.com/saddles/womens/detail/2147800/current/falcon-x-saddle-black

[Cataboo]

I'm not going to contribute anything productive here - but just thought I'd mention that I seem to continuously have a bruise on my butt from my saddle nose poking into me when I've been cycling a lot.

I like my specialized ariel saddle for my mountain bike.

[irrealised]

I like my specialized ariel saddle for my mountain bike.

Is the Ariel also the saddle that's been poking you? :)

Miranda - I like the looks of the Falcon, and think I might go with that one first. It's not clear how it will be for longer rides, but I think it's worth a shot. I'll try the Ariel if I can't find a Terry saddle that works for me.

I definitely do a lot of jumping on and off my bike, and the saddle placement on my new bike is higher than on my old bike (I can't touch the ground at all when I'm seated), so I could see a long saddle nose being a real annoyance. Thanks for pointing that out, since I wasn't sure what to be paying attention to!

[Cataboo]

I don't really know, my butt's usually happy with a specialized saddle in a 155. so the mountain bike & commuter have ariels, one road bike's got a jett, the other's got a ruby... and one's got a selle italia ldy gel flow. I hate the last saddle. So some combination of those saddles gives me a butt bruise. I bruise easily, it's not painful or anything, there's just a purple dot on my butt.

[Naomi]

I like the Terry firefly, it's slightly narrower than the butterfly (which I have on my road bike) and it's easy to slide off the back of it for descents - on purpose, I haven't had this happen by accident yet!

[fatbottomedgurl]

I have the butt bruise too. About the size of a quarter.
I ride a Specialized Toupe 143 on my road bike. It has like zero padding but I like it that way. I like to be "on" the saddle, not "in" it.
I ride a 130 Phenom on my mtb (it's the twin to the Toupe). I like to be able to get behind the saddle for the downhills without my thunder thighs getting snagged. I think if my thighs were smaller that wouldn't be a probelm.:D

[Imperfectstorm]

Go to your LBS and get fitting for a saddle. The have a pad to measure the distace between your "sitz bonzs" and will be able to suggest the right model and width for you.:D