saddle hunting: have I got this about right?

[KnottedYet]

I finally got ahold of some research on pressure patterns for saddles with and without cutouts.

The study was done by a saddle company and used their brand of saddle, a cut out and a regular with the same dimensions.

And they did the study on WOMEN.
(but they didn't standardize for sit bone dimensions, which is a bummer to me)

The upshot of it was that the total weightbearing was the same for both saddles. The concentration and placement of the weight is what changed. The regular saddle had a fairly even pressure over the entire surface under the soft bits. The cut out had a few spots of intense pressure at points along the cut out, and of course none over the cutout.

So, if your anatomy is such that one of the intense pressure points aligns over a nerve or blood vessel or lymph duct, you will suffer mightily on that particular cut out. If the intense pressure points don't align with any vital bits AND your soft tissue finally gets relief from the pressure you'd have on a regular saddle, happiness ensues.

It's a trade off: take the pressure from this large space and concentrate it on this small space. Which is more irritating? The company concluded it was important for them to continue making both saddles due to the variety of female anatomy.

I'm guessing they will use the info from the study to design better cut-out shapes, too. Maybe avoid some of the real hot-spots of pressure.

BTW: I did try riding on one of the saddles in this study a couple months ago. It was agonizing for me because it was just too narrow for my honking gigantic sits bone span. Meanwhile, the owner of that saddle has happily ridden thousands of miles on it, replacing it with the same saddle every time.

Oh, and quick "do I need a cut-out" test: (highly subjective and YMMV) Sit on the front half of a plain wooden chair in your underwear. Keep your back straight and hinge forward from your hip joints. Lean forward until your elbows are resting on your knees. (mimicking torso angle at riding position) Are your soft bits smooshing into the chair? You might want a cut-out. Not smooshing, and you feel you could sit that way no problem? You might need a wider (to support your sit bones completely) or less padded (so excess padding doesn't press upward into your soft bits) saddle than your current one.

Edit to add: the study had some really gross pictures of labial lymphodema caused by poor fitting saddles. Since this is a family forum I won't post the link here, but if you want it PM me.

[lph]

You guys (gals) are the best

I'm def. thinking of trying a 150-155 width, since 143 feels too narrow when I'm sitting up, on the hoods. It also feels too narrow when I just lean forward for a short hill, but if I lift my butt and scoot back, and settle in to ride in an aero position for a while, it feels quite comfy. So I'm guessing that the 143 width at the back is enough for the narrower bones I sit on when aero, but not wide enough for the sit bones proper. I got my dh to check - my "aero" position was about 30 deg or less, while up on the bars it was more like 45 deg.

It's kind of funny that my sit bones are fairly far apart because I have very narrow hips on the outside. Build otherwise - more "athletic and stocky" than "thin and slight". Fairly narrow thighs, so I don't *think* a pear-shape will be a big no-no.

And - brilliant self-test, Knot! It's such a relief to find someone who knows what I'm talking about - the bike shops here in this particular cold corner of the world just try to sell me the "best-selling brand".

[KnottedYet]

T or Pear depends a lot on your Q-angle of your femurs and whether or not you have anteroverted hips.

Shape of the topside also depends on how your hip joint moves through the pedal cycle, what muscles are tight or loose, etc.

Someone with wider sits is more likely to have a wider pelvis over all and a greater Q-angle, and so might prefer a T.

But there's a gazillion variables.

Try something, make note of the top shape, make note of the chafing pattern (if you chafe) and change to the appropriate more T or more Pear depending.

I didn't invent that self-test out of thin air (darn!), and I've been doing so much saddle research for the clinic that I just don't remember where I found that one. Pretty spiffy, though. I like that kind of test. Privacy of your own home and all that...

[mimitabby]

Knot you get the gold stars once more. Thanks for locating the article and telling us all about it!!

[lph]

So! I ordered a new saddle today. Specialized Jett, 155 mm.

But I was soooo glad I'd done my homework, and read all the timely advice on this forum. I came into the LBS and said I'd like to look at a saddle 155 mm wide. LBS-owner looks at my narrow hips and says "No way, you don't need a saddle that wide!". And I could just look him straight in the eye and say "Oh yes I do."

I tried the Aspide Glamour Arrowhead first, but wasn't thrilled. It was wide enough in back, but the cut-out was quite narrow and the saddle felt a little domed from front to back. Basically, my soft bits in front felt squashed, even though it improved slightly when I tilted the saddle a tad forwards.

Then I tried the Jett 143, since they didn't have the 155 in. It was a bit narrow in back, but the wide cut-out was much, much better for me. I could feel pressure on the bones along the side, but not on the soft tissue. So I'm hoping the Jett 155 will be "just right"!

Funny thing: I was convinced that I needed a cut-out when I discovered that one of my dh's saddles was the exact same saddle, same width, as the one I've been riding on my road bike since last summer - except that it doesn't have a cut-out. And it KILLED me to sit on it!

[lph]

arglbarglgrmphfff Just phoned my LBS to ask nicely where the Jett 155I ordered was at, and was told that, ooohhh, lemmeseee, weeeelll, oh - they couldn't get hold of it. So why didn't they phone me to SAY SO?! That's sort of the point of my leaving my name, address and phone no. with them, not so they can phone me 6 months later when they finally get it in stock?

So now I have to go down there again and see if I can ride the Alias 155 instead *grmuble* *grumble* *mumble*.

[lph]

oooh, I got lucky anyway! Was about to go out and buy the Jett in white and pink which I really didn't want on my red and black bike, but a happy tush is worth a little clashing colour, right? And a bike buddy left me a message that he was in Copenhagen and had picked up the right saddle, in black

So I get it tomorrow, in time for my first ride with my workplace "team". I hope hope hope this works out. My sitbones and well, all the rest of it too, are aaaaaching after 75 miles, my longest ride so far! yesterday on my old saddle.

And if not, one of youse gets to buy it off me (The new saddle, not the sitbones)