speaking of saddles

[KnottedYet]

I'm at 40 degrees from horizontal on my Brooks (Wahine measured me), and can get into the drops without squishing anything; but I just sat on my bike and pretended to have aero bars... eeek!

Who wants to make a gazillion bucks? Design an aero-friendly cut-out saddle without a ton of padding that is wide enough for the Wide Sit Bones Club.

Knot-doesn't-need-to-ride-horizontal-but-would-like-the-option

(and i'm giving up on hearing back from Trek, am now gonna try contacting Terry. That Rosie saddle looks like a step in the right direction)

[DDH]

my husband has a b17 that I bought him for Christmas, I wonder if I could try his on my bike for a few rides and see how I like it. I have a cut out on my bike now, but I have straight bars and I don't lean way over on my bike. I'm not straight up, maybe at 45 degrees or something.

I'm going to have to go look up the specs and see how wide the b17 is and see if I can try it. He's not been riding in a while so he wont' miss a couple days.

[anakiwa]

Who wants to make a gazillion bucks? Design an aero-friendly cut-out saddle without a ton of padding that is wide enough for the Wide Sit Bones Club.

I don't see why they haven't figured this out yet.
40 degrees ?!?

[KnottedYet]

yeah, if horizontal is "0" and straight upright is "90", I'm at a 40 degree angle. (so less than a perfect diagonal, like corner to corner in a square is perfect)

Supposedly above 45 degrees is a touring/commuting/utility position, and below 45 degrees is a racing/sport position. I ain't no racer, but 40 degrees feels right to me.

The more forward tilt (shallower) the angle of your torso, the more chance your soft bits have of making friends with your saddle.

I'm good at 40 degrees on my Brooks, and good in the drops (which puts me at maybe 35 degrees?) but boy, howdy, if I rest my forearms on the bars like if I had aerobars! OW!

I can't find the actual span of the Terry Rosie on their website. Can anyone tell me what it is?

[Thorn]

I can't find the actual span of the Terry Rosie on their website. Can anyone tell me what it is?

It was in the paper catalog. My memory wants to say 170 or 175mm (but the memory ain't what it used to be). It was wide enough that I was actually considering buying one to try out despite the fact that the cutout was narrow (fear of pinching if the cutout isn't wide enough).

Edited: Terry says it is 7" wide (177mm).

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Donna, no reason you can't 'try' the B17 out. But just keep in mind that the B67-B68 will be substancially wider.
I rode a B17 for a year and a half. I was generally comfy, but always felt like my bones were on the edge at the sides. Fairly hard place with no 'give'. Sure enough, when i finally was able to observe the sitbone dents forming on my saddle, they were sort of half on the edge of the side- partly on the steel underframe.
When I got the B68 there was an immediate difference and I was right away more comfortable. Now I can see the new dents and they are just inside the edges- not over the frame part anymore. Another inch of width would be even BETTER....but I'm grateful for what i have now.
What's wrong with these stupid saddle manufacturers? Same thing with too-small bike shorts made for women with little pelvises. We need a company called Built For Comfort Women's Bike Gear!

[DDH]

Wow, I just went and looked at that seat, I love the looks of it.

I haven't ordered anything yet, Terry gives like a 30 day time trial or something to don't they?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Wow, I just went and looked at that seat, I love the looks of it.

I haven't ordered anything yet, Terry gives like a 30 day time trial or something to don't they?

Wallingford gives several months to return your Brooks if you don't like it. http://www.wallbike.com/index.php

[GLC1968]

Same thing with too-small bike shorts made for women with little pelvises.

See, and I need bike shorts for women with a small waist and pelvis, but big legs. Can we produce those too if we start this company of yours, Lisa?

I haven't ordered anything yet, Terry gives like a 30 day time trial or something to don't they?

Yep, 30 days at Terry. I've sent saddles back to them and got credited right away, no problem.

[anakiwa]

yeah, if horizontal is "0" and straight upright is "90", I'm at a 40 degree angle. (so less than a perfect diagonal, like corner to corner in a square is perfect)

I can't find the actual span of the Terry Rosie on their website. Can anyone tell me what it is?

Somehow I thought you were talking about the angle of your saddle- 40 degrees sounded pretty extreme.

7 inches on the Rosie is right (catalog says 10.3 by 7, 326 grams).

[DDH]

Wallingford gives several months to return your Brooks if you don't like it. http://www.wallbike.com/index.php

Yea I know lisa, I want to try a brooks too and see which I like the best.
I think the wallingford gives you like 3 to 6 months something crazy like that. It's nice that companies do that, because some of these seats are expensive and would run into a lot of money if you kept buying until you found one you liked.

[KnottedYet]

6 months at Wallingford. And they are really nice about answering questions about the care and feeding of Brooks.

PLUS - they sell returned Brooks at a substantial discount on Ebay. (no returns on the used ones)

Thanks for the dimensions of the Rosie. Too narrow for me, darn... but I might take a look at it for our clinic anyway.

[DDH]

Hey Knotted, I know I need a new seat I really do, but is my poor seat causing my gentler girl parts to hurt? Does that mean I need to get a seat with a cut out?
I went on a 23 mile ride today which is far for some of these girls but this is the first long ride I have had this year. The rest of them have been around 12 miles or so. Anway, I got home and my sensetive area, is sore, and it burns when I go to the bathroom. Will a brooks still be okay if I am having this problem, or am I sitting to far forward. I can ride on the seat I have with just a little discomfort for a short ride, but I will never be able to work up to a long ride with these kind of problems. I went on a 30 mile ride last year and it about killed me. I am stuborn though and won't give up just because of a seat, but I am starting to smarten up and realize, UH DUH, I don't have to hurt. !!! LOL

[KnottedYet]

In all likelihood, the saddle is causing the trouble. (unless you need a complete bike fit)

Either you need a wider saddle, or one with less padding, or one with a cut-out.

If you don't have a generous amount of girly bits, you might be best off with a firmer wider saddle (like a wide Brooks) If sitting in your underwear on a plain wooden chair and leaning forward with your elbows resting on your knees causes your girly bits to be uncomfortably squished against the chair seat, you might be best off with a saddle with a cut-out. If your saddle seems wide enough and the top shape (T or pear) works with your hip angle and over all you like it, you might need to find one similar with less padding.

When you see a saddle that appeals to you, try it; but only if you can get a good return policy!

And if you find one you love, buy two!

[mimitabby]

another thing could be causing the rubbing, the placement of the saddle!! (It might be too high, or not tilted right.)