THIS is a top-selling saddle?!

While at our LBS after hours the other day our shop friend was putting the finishing touches on a new road bike for a customer. This was the saddle he put on it:
http://www.pricepoint.com/images/sty...0%20SERDW1.jpg

My MIL swears by this saddle, but she has a VERY upright custom Seven. I had that saddle on my clunky mountain bike and it was like a torture device. That saddle was part of the reason I was so averse to ever get a road bike.

It's wide, short, squishy, heavy, pear-shaped...the exact opposite of my favorite saddle.

Our LBS owner said that is his most popular women's saddle...really?! :eek:

It does look awkward to ride for awhile on that.

Except for the "short," it sounds just like me! :D

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Originally Posted by owlice

Except for the "short," it sounds just like me! :D

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Ha, even the short sounds like me...though I'm more of a pear/hourglass hybrid. :p

I would bet that's what gets put on all the new bikes being sold to people who've not ridden before because it looks like a big comfy sofa.... then in a month or two when they either switch saddles or stop riding because it is uncomfortable that LBS doesn't usually hear about it....

They put one of those on my first bike (the Cannondale). After a long ride, I was ready to rip it off and throw it into the trees and take my chances with the seatpost! It was that saddle that brought me to TE, and convinced me to get my first Brooks.

Deb

I think Eden nailed it. People remember bike saddles being uncomfortable, so they THINK they want a big cushy thing. The ones that get serious about riding toss those things into the flowers.. :D

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Originally Posted by Eden

I would bet that's what gets put on all the new bikes being sold to people who've not ridden before because it looks like a big comfy sofa.... then in a month or two when they either switch saddles or stop riding because it is uncomfortable that LBS doesn't usually hear about it....

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I suspect you are right...but then you have someone like my MIL who has this on her road bike and on the tandem she rides with her BF. She's kind of a nut, though. I have never seen that saddle on any other road bike--pedaled by a female or a male (there is a men's version, too).

and saddles are personal. There's just no telling what will feel good... but... that does look RONG.

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Originally Posted by Muirenn

Serfas does make a lot of squishy stuff!

What I've never understood is the Rx claim. I mean, really?

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Means you'll need a doctor after 15 miles.... no, just say it "rex." As in, it wrecks the riding experience...

Or as in Tyrannosaddle Rex...

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Originally Posted by pll

Or as in Tyrannosaddle Rex...

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You know how the Terry Butterfly used to have a butterfly on the top of the saddle? I'm picturing one with a T-rex now. (That would be awesome, actually. Yes, I'm a colossal nerd.)

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Originally Posted by Owlie

You know how the Terry Butterfly used to have a butterfly on the top of the saddle? I'm picturing one with a T-rex now. (That would be awesome, actually. Yes, I'm a colossal nerd.)

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Ha, I should sharpie a T-Rex on the top of my Jett...just 'cause it would be funny. :p

It is a top selling saddle if its being pushed by the bike shop. If a woman comes in and tells the bike shop guy that her saddle hurts and he then steers her towards this saddle - then it's the bike shop worker that's really not helping that woman... And maybe she'll eventually end up on Team estrogen and figure out what she really needs.

If the bike shop guy on the other hand, takes the time to measure the woman's sit bones, ask what parts are hurting, etc... and explain about pressure points, etc... I doubt this would be a top selling saddle.

Now, it may be that women don't want to discuss their sore bits and are going in to bike shops, seeing this saddle, and grabbing it thinking it will fix everything without talking to bike shop guys.

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Originally Posted by Cataboo

Now, it may be that women don't want to discuss their sore bits and are going in to bike shops, seeing this saddle, and grabbing it thinking it will fix everything without talking to bike shop guys.

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I'd bet this is part of the problem. Plus our LBS is small and doesn't carry a lot of saddles. They carry mostly Terry saddles for women. I've never bought a saddle there, since all of their women's offerings are too wide/squishy/pear for my butt. I'm trying to convince the owner that he should try the Arione Donna, since he does carry Fizik and carries the men's versions and the women's Vesta. I would try the Donna from him if he carried it.

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Originally Posted by zoom-zoom

I'd bet this is part of the problem. Plus our LBS is small and doesn't carry a lot of saddles. They carry mostly Terry saddles for women. I've never bought a saddle there, since all of their women's offerings are too wide/squishy/pear for my butt. I'm trying to convince the owner that he should try the Arione Donna, since he does carry Fizik and carries the men's versions and the women's Vesta. I would try the Donna from him if he carried it.

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My LBS is pretty big, but doesn't carry a lot of saddles...or at least, not much in the way of women's saddles. You're stuck with the Specialized line or Serfas' cushy things. If those work for you, you're fine, but if not, you're out of luck. All the test saddles are men's. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Owlie

All the test saddles are men's. :rolleyes:

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You know what...I'm not sure women's test saddles even exist. Our shop has a full line of funky-colored Fizik test models...it doesn't even sound like they can get women's versions. I know our LBS does let women test saddles they carry...but they just don't carry anything that would work for me.

I guess that I am very fortunate in my LBS then - I wanted to test a saddle they didn't carry and they ordered one so I could do that. They do have women's versions of the SI and Fizik and other saddles they demo...

I asked our LBS buddy a while back to order that Arione Donna for me so that I could be a guinea pig, but I think he must have forgotten (he is seriously the busiest person I know. In addition to running the shop he is also a local and national JDRF Ride To Cure coach and an age-group winner in every bike-related discipline...road, CX, mtn. He pedals more miles than anyone I know, too). I need to bug him, again.

A lot of women are happy (very happy) sitting on Men's saddles. (Especially after something like that one!!)

The only Fizik women's saddle I've seen in the green demo version is the Vesta. Last fall I was thinking about ordering a demo online but found one at a LBS, which was odd because they said they didn't participate in Fizik's demo program and didn't seem to know where it came from. They let me pay $20 with the option of a refund or applying it to the purchase of a non-demo. The green saddle looked silly on my bike but I liked it enough to buy the non-demo Vesta. I've since switched to the Donna, which improves the more I ride it.

Funny, bc this is the saddle I just took OFF my bike. I was not liking the Bontrager stock saddle that came on my bike and had said so to my Dad. Well he rides the mens version of this so he got me the womens version. I appreciated his effort and thought the full cut out might alleviate the pain in the lady parts I was having. It might have been a slight improvement but not great. Tonight I went to the LBS and bought the Bontrager InForm Affinity. I don't know if it'll be any better but I'm sure hoping bc the MS 150 is just 3 weeks away! Hopefully the 3rd times the charm!? It has a 30 day comfort guarantee at least. And, my dad can return the saddle to REI since they take back anything!