Brooks B17 "N" or Selle An-atomica

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Aren't the an-atomica saddles made from much thinner more flexible leather than the Brooks saddles?? I can't imagine that cutting a slit in a Brooks would make much difference in terms of the girly bits pressing the leather down. If the problem pressure area is up near the nose anywhere I would think it would make even less difference.
Also, if you cut your Brooks you won't ever be able to sell it for much if you decide you don't like it. Just a thought....

[KnottedYet]

Kit, before you send your beloved Brooks in to get slaughtered, can I ask a really stupid question?

You've probably already dealt with this... so forgive me.

You did level only the NOSE of your Brooks, right? So that the nose is level, and the back flares upward? (the back rivets will be higher than the nose)

[Kitsune06]

I've experimented pretty thoroughly w' saddle tilt. It just still mashes the h*ll out of my bits. Especially up front. Level, tipped up, tipped down I slide forward and put too much weight on my hands...

i'm just getting sick of having my bits rubbed raw. Even curled tight with tight abs, tucking tailbown down as low as I can in the 'pelvis neutral' position, when I get into the drops, things 'heat up' down there from friction and I know if I go more than 20-30 miles, things will be chafed beyond recognition.

[KnottedYet]

Are your bars too low?

[Kitsune06]

The tops of my bars are perhaps an inch or 2 lower than my seat. It's not, by any means, a 'relaxed touring position'... but I've seen a *lot* of bikes with much more of a difference in seat height in relation to handlebar height...

[FreshNewbie]

Kitsune sounds like you are having exactly the same problem I was having with my Brooks Hope it works out for you, saddle search is such a PITA

[KnottedYet]

I guess you are faced with giving the Brooks back to Miz Cakes (it didn't bother you in the upright position, right?) and seeking out a cut-out saddle for Merqueri.

Trek420 has a Selle Italia on Menace that she really likes. Her 3 year old saddle is only now starting to wear out, even after all those ALC rides. It's not too padded/not too firm. Of course, it is WAAAAAAAY too small for me, but it seemed like a nice saddle.

I have a Serfas Niva (the one I was riding on the TE to Redhook ride) that I'd be happy to send you when my 2nd Brooks arrives.

And Quillfred has my old Fizik. She's not using it. Maybe she could send it to you? Or maybe I could get it back from her and send it with the Serfas. It doesn't have a cut-out, so I don't know if it would be an improvement, but it might help.

I've also got the Velo Plush that came on my Kona Smoke. It's a surprisingly decent saddle. Long narrow nose with a groove. No cut out, but also no support under the groove. (like the nose has a cut out, but the cushion and cover are over it) The plastic undercarriage is cut away. Decent width at the sit-bones. It's a bit more pear-shaped. I could send that, too.