trickycoolj
08-12-2012, 10:43 PM
Hi all! I posted a bit here last summer when I was bike shopping but weather and life started to happen (I bought a house whoa!) and cycling got postponed. Needless to say, after hosting family friends for the 4th STP in a row and waiting at the finish line (and getting my brand new trainer back from one of them) I have rejuvenated my trusty new road bike, Silver Surfer. In the last weeks I've found a new (to me) paved and seemingly quiet trail that runs by a river and then follows an old railroad (definitely flat) and it's conveniently located between my house and work. I've jumped up from random 10-15 mile rides that finish off at the hamburger stand, to my first 30 miler yesterday! My legs feel great today, back is a little sore from the road position, but oh my the nether region took a beating!! So I find myself back, seeking the infinite wisdom of TE in looking for my 4th saddle.
I've gone through some of the requisite long saddle threads and have found some saddles that interest me, but considering many good saddles are an investment I want to make sure I'm going in the right direction for my needs.
I measured my sit bones by making the basic play doh and putting it in a ziploc and sitting on it on my coffee table in undies, no pants. When I remember to buy more flour I may make more to try a thicker impression without the ziploc. So far from what I can tell my sit bones measure 130-135 center to center, nearly 180 outside to outside and 80 inside to inside (I'm pear shaped so I've got a lot of fluff around the sit bones! Which is also why I want to try thicker play doh.) Either way I've concluded I've got wide sit bones.
The saddles I've tried so far:
Specialized Sonoma Gel 155 (this is several years old and doesn't match what the website shows now, it looks more like the current Dolce with suede like trim on the nose) I've had this on my MTB for a few years and it's my first cutout saddle which was amazing, I had no idea what those could do for me! It suit me well for the ~20mi ride I frequent on my MTB.
Bontrager Affinity 1 WSD (stock on my Trek Lexa) omg 15 miles on this seat and I had tingly numbness in the soft tissue up front. No good.
Specialized Women's Riva 155 - Got a groupon to an LBS that stocks Specialized with intention of getting another Sonoma for the Lexa. Well they changed the Sonoma to look like a cruiser seat. So the LBS guy and myself looked at all the Specialized saddles they had in stock that day and decided the Riva was most similar. It made the road bike more comfortable but I noticed I was getting some chafe on the left labia and that my sit bones didn't feel quite right once I exceeded 20 mi. When I measured the saddle with my sit bone width, they'd be toward the outsides of the saddle.
So I put the Sonoma on my Trek and the MTB is in the garage with no saddle! Rode my 30 miler and it was comfortable until the final 10 miles (which had nasty headwind). I felt like I was getting bruised on the left side again, I swear I'm putting these saddles on straight! I'd stand up to relieve the pressure or peddle with my knees out a bit to get away from the seat. Today in comparison to the other seats I noticed the nose on the Sonoma is significantly wider and it's quite cushy compared to my riding partner's Avatar. Understanding now from the saddle threads that padding can be a detriment at longer distances, I probably need to move towards a less padded saddle on the road bike. I really like riding in the drops now that I'm used to them, frankly I can't imagine going back to a straight bar!
If it's worth anything else, I wear PI Select shorts with the 3D Chamois. They seem just right, but maybe those plus gel saddle is too much? They don't seem too big, but I have lost about 15lbs since purchasing them last year and have purchased some more snug Novarra's that I'll try on my next long ride instead. I have not used any chamois butter, just nervous it may cause skin breakouts.
So far given my sit bone width that I have very roughly measured I popped over to REI this afternoon to look at the SI Diva Gel Flow. My sit bone width would be towards the outside edges again just using a measuring tape. They also had a Terry Liberator X in stock and that seemed slightly wider but still not enough and probably too fluffy. The Terry Liberator Y (mens) was oddly wider and seemed the only contender at that REI which seems to cater to cruising seats. After that I went over to Performance across the street. SI Diva was on sale and as I was contemplating it, an associate came over. "Can I help you?" "Yeah I'm looking for a saddle, my last few haven't worked" "Did you get them here? We have unconditional guarantee!" "No, but now I might" "So looking for a hybrid?" "Road bike." "Oh!" (Guess I don't look like a roadie whatever that is.) "I have wide sitbones, about 130mm" "OH WOW!! That's a problem." (Thanks jerk.) Then he sauntered off with another customer with an easy question. So that was a bust.
I now understand the bones are slightly narrower in a road position but I don't ride that aggressively, so I'm now unsure if 155 is even enough since I'm on the far edge or do I need to put a flower printed cruiser seat on?? I haven't made it through the entire Brooks thread but I'm seeing they seem to accomidate wider sit bones, but I'm concerned about lack of cutout.
Anyone in the Seattle area know if there's an LBS with a trial program? I frequent Greggs, Recycled, Cycle U, Performance and REI but none of them are very vocal about trial programs if they have them. Well, Greggs has a fleet of men's fizik's but I don't think that's what I need.
Sorry for the novel, but I'm hoping that if I put as much as I can out there maybe someone with similar saddle needs can maybe point me in the direction of things to look into or try! In the mean time, I'm going to let my soft bits and sunburn calm down before I hop back on for serious 20+ mileage.
I've gone through some of the requisite long saddle threads and have found some saddles that interest me, but considering many good saddles are an investment I want to make sure I'm going in the right direction for my needs.
I measured my sit bones by making the basic play doh and putting it in a ziploc and sitting on it on my coffee table in undies, no pants. When I remember to buy more flour I may make more to try a thicker impression without the ziploc. So far from what I can tell my sit bones measure 130-135 center to center, nearly 180 outside to outside and 80 inside to inside (I'm pear shaped so I've got a lot of fluff around the sit bones! Which is also why I want to try thicker play doh.) Either way I've concluded I've got wide sit bones.
The saddles I've tried so far:
Specialized Sonoma Gel 155 (this is several years old and doesn't match what the website shows now, it looks more like the current Dolce with suede like trim on the nose) I've had this on my MTB for a few years and it's my first cutout saddle which was amazing, I had no idea what those could do for me! It suit me well for the ~20mi ride I frequent on my MTB.
Bontrager Affinity 1 WSD (stock on my Trek Lexa) omg 15 miles on this seat and I had tingly numbness in the soft tissue up front. No good.
Specialized Women's Riva 155 - Got a groupon to an LBS that stocks Specialized with intention of getting another Sonoma for the Lexa. Well they changed the Sonoma to look like a cruiser seat. So the LBS guy and myself looked at all the Specialized saddles they had in stock that day and decided the Riva was most similar. It made the road bike more comfortable but I noticed I was getting some chafe on the left labia and that my sit bones didn't feel quite right once I exceeded 20 mi. When I measured the saddle with my sit bone width, they'd be toward the outsides of the saddle.
So I put the Sonoma on my Trek and the MTB is in the garage with no saddle! Rode my 30 miler and it was comfortable until the final 10 miles (which had nasty headwind). I felt like I was getting bruised on the left side again, I swear I'm putting these saddles on straight! I'd stand up to relieve the pressure or peddle with my knees out a bit to get away from the seat. Today in comparison to the other seats I noticed the nose on the Sonoma is significantly wider and it's quite cushy compared to my riding partner's Avatar. Understanding now from the saddle threads that padding can be a detriment at longer distances, I probably need to move towards a less padded saddle on the road bike. I really like riding in the drops now that I'm used to them, frankly I can't imagine going back to a straight bar!
If it's worth anything else, I wear PI Select shorts with the 3D Chamois. They seem just right, but maybe those plus gel saddle is too much? They don't seem too big, but I have lost about 15lbs since purchasing them last year and have purchased some more snug Novarra's that I'll try on my next long ride instead. I have not used any chamois butter, just nervous it may cause skin breakouts.
So far given my sit bone width that I have very roughly measured I popped over to REI this afternoon to look at the SI Diva Gel Flow. My sit bone width would be towards the outside edges again just using a measuring tape. They also had a Terry Liberator X in stock and that seemed slightly wider but still not enough and probably too fluffy. The Terry Liberator Y (mens) was oddly wider and seemed the only contender at that REI which seems to cater to cruising seats. After that I went over to Performance across the street. SI Diva was on sale and as I was contemplating it, an associate came over. "Can I help you?" "Yeah I'm looking for a saddle, my last few haven't worked" "Did you get them here? We have unconditional guarantee!" "No, but now I might" "So looking for a hybrid?" "Road bike." "Oh!" (Guess I don't look like a roadie whatever that is.) "I have wide sitbones, about 130mm" "OH WOW!! That's a problem." (Thanks jerk.) Then he sauntered off with another customer with an easy question. So that was a bust.
I now understand the bones are slightly narrower in a road position but I don't ride that aggressively, so I'm now unsure if 155 is even enough since I'm on the far edge or do I need to put a flower printed cruiser seat on?? I haven't made it through the entire Brooks thread but I'm seeing they seem to accomidate wider sit bones, but I'm concerned about lack of cutout.
Anyone in the Seattle area know if there's an LBS with a trial program? I frequent Greggs, Recycled, Cycle U, Performance and REI but none of them are very vocal about trial programs if they have them. Well, Greggs has a fleet of men's fizik's but I don't think that's what I need.
Sorry for the novel, but I'm hoping that if I put as much as I can out there maybe someone with similar saddle needs can maybe point me in the direction of things to look into or try! In the mean time, I'm going to let my soft bits and sunburn calm down before I hop back on for serious 20+ mileage.