Is it the saddle or me?

[Bethany1]

Lithia is MUCH nicer but still have chaffing on the inside thighs. Nothing terrible, just minor. You can tell where your sit bones should be which is nice. So is chaffing a clothing issue or do I need a different saddle? Thanks to having my sit bones where they are supposed to be, I was able to spin better and ride faster at 14-15mph. Sit bones and front seem great. Now it's my thunder thighs..LOL.

The guy from Amazon had already sent off my Selle Italia Diva saddle but said I could return it. Amazon spec gave it a 152x270 but it sounds like it really runs at a 160? Should I try it out if he'll let me return it used?

I picked the Lithia because it had the smallest cut-out.

[Wahine]

Lithia is MUCH nicer but still have chaffing on the inside thighs. Nothing terrible, just minor. You can tell where your sit bones should be which is nice. So is chaffing a clothing issue or do I need a different saddle? Thanks to having my sit bones where they are supposed to be, I was able to spin better and ride faster at 14-15mph. Sit bones and front seem great. Now it's my thunder thighs..LOL.

A saddle with a narrower nose may be helpful but if your sit bones to pubic area are happy, you're on the right track. I would try just lubing up with Body glide on the inner thighs first and see if that solve the problem.

The guy from Amazon had already sent off my Selle Italia Diva saddle but said I could return it. Amazon spec gave it a 152x270 but it sounds like it really runs at a 160? Should I try it out if he'll let me return it used?

I would suggest trying it out. I have a lot of women that are very happy with that saddle.

[Bethany1]

Took the Lithia saddle out on the back roads. MUCH better even going over gravel. Emailed the store to see if the owner would let me try out the Selle Italia Diva as it showed up today. Wow..talk about fast shipping since I ordered it Wed. or Thurs.

[Dogmama]

I have a Terry saddle that is slightly rough so you can't slide on it. Best saddle I've ever had - and I've been a roadie over 20 years.

[Bethany1]

Store I bought the Selle Italia Diva said I could try it out. It's too small. If it was wider I think it might work. Looks like it only comes in a 153 via Selle's website. It's a gorgeous saddle and hate to return it, but thankfully I can send it back. Talk about awesome customer service from this company even though I went through Amazon.com. Guy has a nice online selection of stuff so hopefully I can use his store for other purchases.

Thanks for all the advice. Even if the Lithia doesn't work out in the long run, I know what I'm looking for now.

[Bethany1]

Sigh. Now I have pain in the back of my thighs where I sit on the saddle and numbs the back of my legs. Any fixes? And where the chamois seams are located rubs against my inner thigh. Not sure if I can exchange it for something else, but I'm miserable.

Edited:

After this, I do plan on getting a bike fit..waiting for money to come in.

I got a level out and first leveled the rails. Huge improvement. My saddle was not even close to level..if this is the correct method and figured it was a good place to start. I had put the saddle back on after taking off the Selle Italia Diva and didn't really think about it. I despise my seat post set-up for adjusting saddles..but that's another issue. Soft tissue pain isn't so bad and my thighs don't burn so much. Still needs some more fiddling for the soft tissue part though.

Took that off and compared to my Brooks B17 saddle. Did the same thing..huge improvement in fit. B17 rails aren't as long which makes fitting a pain from when I last had my bike fit. No thigh pain on sides or behind but felt like I was sitting on the metal part. The hard leather is actually more comfortable than padding.

So..is there a saddle that doesn't have padding or as much as the Lithia in the Specialized line of saddles?

I'm getting there...LOL. Well, maybe not since the other saddles have bigger rails.

[Dogmama]

My Terry doesn't have a lot of padding. You're absolutely correct - too much padding IS more uncomfortable than a firmer saddle.

Sounds like some different shorts are in order. What brand are you using now?

[Wahine]

If you seem to be getting close with the Lithia, what about going to the LBS ans checking out some of Specialized's other saddles with less padding but a similar shape. I'm personally intrigued by the Romin but just from pictures.

[Bethany1]

I plan on going back to the LBS to check out some saddles when I get the chance. Shorts are Pearl Izumi but a men's size that I bought in 2011..that's what the tag says and wondering if I've just worn them out. They've worked fine until this saddle. I have two pairs of men's mtb shorts with totally different padding that I like more.

The article nailed the leg pain exactly! So what within the Specialized line comes in as a "t-shape" to possibly try out?

[OakLeaf]

FWIW, I went from a 155 Lithia to a 155 Jett to a SI Turbomatic because I need a saddle with a pronounced T-shape, a narrow nose and a cut-out that's wide in the rear and long in front.

The Turbomatic is just slightly narrower in the rear than the Spec' 155s, so if you're on the edge of needing a wider saddle, that one won't work for you. It's also pretty pricey. But if you think you could get away with slightly narrower, you might see if you can find one to try.

[malkin]

My experience with shorts wearing out is that there is suddenly a moment where they become completely unsatisfactory. There may be a gradual decline that I just don't notice, but when they're done, they're done.

I've had the same experience with padding in walking shoes.

[Bethany1]

Went back to the LBS in Lincoln and we swapped out for a Ruby. I asked about a fit and hope to get one set up soon. As he was putting the saddle on he said my seat post wasn't high enough and had me sit on the bike with my heel on the pedal (this is a new one) and moved me up something like an entire inch..WOW. Then he sent me outside with the Ruby saddle to see how it fit. One inch made a HUGE difference and having a hard saddle like the Ruby Expert felt really nice. The cool thing about Specialized packaging is that there is a diagram showing where your saddle should be level. Great idea.

Fingers crossed that this is the saddle.