Girlie Bits

I know the saddle issue has been discussed over and over, but I am having such a hard time with pain in my girlie bits when I ride. I have had an expert fitting, tried moving the seat up, down, forward, back, nothing seems to help.
The bike fitter ( a guy) seemed to think the issue was my butt and where it was positioned. But it is not the butt that is the problem, I just feel like the saddle is causing my labia, etc. to get scruched up, pinched, etc. I need to know what saddle is best for preventing this problem. The Selle Italia Gel Flow seems to get really good reviews. Does the cut out really help this problem?

For some of us, a cut out is the answer to what you're describing (including me). It's certainly worth a shot. But make sure whatever saddle you choose to try otherwise meets your requirements, especially in terms of sit bones width.

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Originally Posted by indysteel

For some of us, a cut out is the answer to what you're describing (including me). It's certainly worth a shot. But make sure whatever saddle you choose to try otherwise meets your requirements, especially in terms of sit bones width.

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Yes - also be aware that there are differences between saddles with cutouts. For example, the Selle Italia Lady (LDY) Gel Flow turned out to be MY saddle, but the the Selle Italia Diva made me numb because the cutout was longer/wider than the Lady Gel Flow. See if you can find an LBS in your area that will allow you to demo saddles. For me, I found they all felt pretty good until I rode further than 20 miles...so parking lot tests were not useful to me.

What saddle are you using now?

I am using the saddle that came with my bike. I have a Felt ZW 75 bike.

The way you describe your issues sounds EXACTLY like what I've gone through. The best saddle I've found is the Bontrager InForm Affinity RL. I wish it were a bit more T-shaped, but I can deal with sore inner thighs after long rides...I can't deal with chafed, pinched, numb, bleeding labia.

Keeping the hair at a minimum also helps greatly. If laser hair removal worked well on blonde hair I'd happily spring to have it gone. Once it gets much longer than 1/8" I start having some chafing woes.

many many of us had to dump the saddles that came with our bikes. Good reviews doesn't mean it will work for you. Sounds like you need to go somewhere else for a bike fit as well. if the front of your crotch is what hurts there is something that is drastically wrong. You can't SIT there. you must sit on your site bones.. good luck. find a fitter!

I will echo the flat saddle recommendation. The saddles that have been worst for me always seem to be the more domed ones. Flat and firm is good (YMMV)!

I've had a lot of good success putting women who like cut-outs on the Sella Italia Lady Gel Flow you mentioned. If the problem is mostly soft tissue pinching/smooshing/chafing and not that much pressure on the pubic bone itself, this could be a good place to start.

And as Muirenn mentioned, a saddle that is flatter across it's widest point and/or a little wider overall may work better for you.

That your fitter said the issue is where you're sitting on your saddle, is kind of a red flag to me, because it sounds like me.

I need a very T-shaped saddle with a cut-out. More wedge-shaped saddles will force me forward when I pedal, so I'm sitting on the nose and grinding my ladyparts into hamburger meat regardless of whether the rear of the saddle is wide enough for me or not. Before I found a good saddle for me, riding buddies had remarked that I was sitting too far forward on the saddle. It wasn't because of anything related to the cockpit setup, it was the shape of the saddle.

I do very well with a Specialized Lithia (squishier) or Jett (a little firmer) in a more upright seating position. On my road bike, I had to spend a bit more on a SI Turbomatic Gel Flow. For an opposing viewpoint on a domed saddle - I like it because it increases the effective size of the cut-out.

That's what I think too. I need a saddle that is wider and flatter. Even the fitter said the saddle on my bike was awfully curved in a downward arc. I think it feels too narrow also. I guess I will go back to the bike shop, he said I could come back any time with the bike and try some others.

I do have the Pro logo Kappa Dea saddle and I think it really is the problem. Wish me luck finding a better one.

I have the Selle Italia Max SLR Gel Flow saddle. This saddle has greatly helped my "girlie bits" problem. At first, the saddle was hard as rock on my sitbones area. Either the saddle softened up a little finally or I got used to it after 3months.

Unfortunately, as mentioned above, saddles fit different women differently. I got lucky with saddle #2. Some people from TE bought their 5th saddle before finding their perfect saddle.
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2012 Specialized Amira Elite, upgraded carbon handle bars, Jett saddle 143mm switched to 145mm 2012 Selle Italia Max SLR Gel Flow saddle

2011 Specialized Ariel Sport,suspension post,Serfas Rx Women's Microfiber saddle

Ugh; this thread reminds me that I need to find a new saddle. I've long used a Terry Butterfly Tri (not Ti) Gel saddle, a style they eliminated within the last 18 months or so. I had a couple of extras, but they're finally starting to show their age. None of Terry's other options are right on the money, although I may just to just suck it up and accept the aesthetic of a black/white and pink saddle on my Bianchi.

Other suggestions are welcome. I need a cutout, and something with a little squish. I also need to remeasure my sit bones because I can't remember how wide they are. The Terry was the first and last saddle I tried when I bought my Bianchi in 2006, so I've never bothered to try any other brands or styles.

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Originally Posted by Muirenn

And some bought 12 and are still looking!

Make sure you get the next somewhere with a good return policy.

FWIW, the SI Gel Flow was a torture device to me. Used one for about 4 months. ;)

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Ditto, ditto, ditto...the SI Gel Flow was too wide, too squishy, and too pear-shaped for me. I know what my perfect saddle would be (145ish, firm, t-shaped, flat, dent/divot in the front, long, narrow nose). No one actually makes it, yet. The Ergon SM3 is sorta close, if the nose were narrower and they removed the ridges running the length of the saddle. I hope their road model ends up closer to that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Muirenn

And some bought 12 and are still looking!

Make sure you get the next somewhere with a good return policy.

FWIW, the SI Gel Flow was a torture device to me. Used one for about 4 months. ;)

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... or have a friend like me who will buy it from you if it doesn't work -- most saddles are fine for me (and I can tell right away if a saddle's one that Won't Work)... I've about worn out the Selle that my friend didn't care for and am shopping.

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Originally Posted by Muirenn

I'm having a hard time recognizing you with the new Avatar Zoom Zoom!!!!!

:p

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Me, too. I love the new bike, but I have to admit that I miss your old avatar! As soon as you get a pic of you on your new bike, I hope you make that your new avatar!

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Originally Posted by indysteel

Me, too. I love the new bike, but I have to admit that I miss your old avatar! As soon as you get a pic of you on your new bike, I hope you make that your new avatar!

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I totally will! I'm hearing October, so I'm counting down the days! :D

also, are you using chamois butter? I find slathering up my "lady parts" helps a lot too. Keeps them moving.

Time to revisit the fit test and tricks thread :)

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=25954

I needed a whole combo thing going before I eliminated that issue completely. No one thing did it. My now pefect "system":
-Brooks B17 saddle broken in. Wallbike has a 6-month return policy if you're interested.
-The chamois in Rapha shorts. Stupid expensive, but I got them 50% off and having two pair I love cost less than all the buying/trying I was doing before.
-Lady Anti Monkey Butt anti-friction powder. I prefer it to chamois cream. Just get in all the nooks and crannies and it's a big help, at least for me.
-I had my...er...undercarriage lasered off years ago, but keeping the rest nicely trimmed is key to be irritation free.
-Serious core work. When I started cycling a few months ago, I was in horrible shape though I hadn't really thought so. I've since learned that having a strong core makes a huge difference. If it's weak, I start drooping, putting too much pressure on hands, lady parts, throwing off my pedal stroke, etc. I also hate doing core work, but the results are worth it.

I hope you find a saddle that works or you. That's definitely the best place to start, but other things also help. Good luck!

I haven't read through all the replies, but I would certainly start trying different saddles. What works for one often doesn't work for another. Some people think they are not a cutout person, and then find a cutout saddle that magically works for them, and visa versa. There are so many variations to cutout saddles. My first one had a very thin cut out and I was definitely "squished" all the time. I tried another with a much wider cutout that I thought I liked at first, but DH and I decided that the edge of the cut out was so sharp that it caused different issues than my first.

We both ended up liking the San Marco Mantra. (Very odd, indeed, to have the same saddle as your husband!) It has a very large cutout and the edge of the cutout is softened more than the previous one that was similar.

Just know that while there are some saddles labeled women specific, the fact that they have a pink flower and a feminine name does not necessarily mean they only work for women, or more importantly that a "men's" saddle doesn't work for women. According to my LBS, saddles are saddles and work for both men and women. The one my husband and I use is not a men's saddle and it is not a women's saddle. It is just a saddle. Some maker make women's versions of their regular saddles, but there is nothing different about them other than the name and color. Sometimes they are a bit shorter in length, but that doesn't really change how it feels to sit on compared to the regular version.