New Selle Italia ladies saddle for 2008

[rij73]

I wonder if TE will carry this saddle? I'm thinking about swapping out the Specialized saddle (Jett ???) on my Seven.....

They said they might, but that because of the weak dollar right now they have to be very selective about the European products they carry...

[Andrea]

I just visited with the owner of my LBS and she said that she talked to the head sales guy from Selle Italia and asked if they'd heard of any of the research saying that a channel could be better for women than a cutout (personally, I haven't heard it, but I haven't really looked, either). She said that the guy got really defensive and proclaimed that large cutout saddles were their best sellers, so they didn't plan on changing! She tried to get the point across that she wasn't talking about what sells best, rather what may actually work better, but he wouldn't really listen at that point

[KnottedYet]

I just visited with the owner of my LBS and she said that she talked to the head sales guy from Selle Italia and asked if they'd heard of any of the research saying that a channel could be better for women than a cutout (personally, I haven't heard it, but I haven't really looked, either). She said that the guy got really defensive and proclaimed that large cutout saddles were their best sellers, so they didn't plan on changing! She tried to get the point across that she wasn't talking about what sells best, rather what may actually work better, but he wouldn't really listen at that point

The research on Trek's end about cut-outs making no difference was in-house. Which is a bummer, cuz it's proprietary and I can't get at it. I know the names of the researchers, but can't get the goods. Pooey. (I think one of the researchers was doing it as part of his PhD thesis, and I'm trying to do an end-run by contacting his university to get a copy of the thesis... we'll see how that goes.)

Wonder if I could get me and my sits-bones hired by Trek to work in their women's saddle division. (hey, I met a few big wigs at the seminar in San Fran, dontcha think they want cute lil' me working for them? Just don't let 'em know I'm really a cantankerous rabble-rouser! )

[rij73]

Wonder if I could get me and my sits-bones hired by Trek to work in their women's saddle division. (hey, I met a few big wigs at the seminar in San Fran, dontcha think they want cute lil' me working for them? Just don't let 'em know I'm really a cantankerous rabble-rouser! )

Yes! That would be great... Then all of us TE'ers would have someone working for us on the inside.

ETA: I think university libraries always keep a copy of every thesis written at the school. You could probably get it via inter-library loan especially if you have any kind of academic affiliation.

[Beane]

The research on Trek's end about cut-outs making no difference was in-house. Which is a bummer, cuz it's proprietary and I can't get at it. I know the names of the researchers, but can't get the goods. Pooey. (I think one of the researchers was doing it as part of his PhD thesis, and I'm trying to do an end-run by contacting his university to get a copy of the thesis... we'll see how that goes.)

Wonder if I could get me and my sits-bones hired by Trek to work in their women's saddle division. (hey, I met a few big wigs at the seminar in San Fran, dontcha think they want cute lil' me working for them? Just don't let 'em know I'm really a cantankerous rabble-rouser! )

Um, I might be able to find this since (I think) the work was done at UW. I'm out of town this week on spring break but if you want I can ask around...

[KnottedYet]

Yes, please! I don't have my info here at home, but it was done at UWis in the bioengineering (?) department. It was a student project funded by Trek. I'm hoping it was part of a thesis so I can at least get the thesis. If it was in a thesis, it should be in the library and open info.

I have the faculty advisor's name and the two student's names, but that stuff is at work. I'll PM it. One of the students was James Potter, and he's on a published paper about pelvic motion during pedalling. I got that fine, but can't find the student project where they looked at weightbearing.

(interesting thing is that the paper on pelvic motion concludes that women have greater anterior pelvic tilt than men when pedalling - which would lead one to conclude that women NEED a cutout, since they're on the anterior structures more. But I also wonder if they set the women up according to their unique anatomy and flexibility on the test bike, or just by the numbers. Done by the numbers, a woman would be on the bike with a virtual "too long" top-tube, which would force her into anterior pelvic tilt. I am too skeptical.)

[Starfish]

I am too skeptical.)

Well, I think the history of medical and sports research, regarding outcomes for women, indicates that a certain amount of skepticism is in order.