Female Specific Bike Saddle

[ny biker]

Thank you so much for this information... its really useful!

I totally understand that all women are different and I think this is the perfect place to find out women's opinions!!

I did try to search but I think I underestimated how large this forum is! Its huge! Really useful however and I will check out the suggested searches to find out recommendations and saddles to watch out for!

Thanks again for feedback!

Sometimes I find it useful to use google to search this forum. For example, putting "teamestrogen.com sit bones" in a google search will give you links to threads on measuring sit bones, among others.

[moonfroggy]

or a better way to use google to search would be

"sit bones" site:http://forums.teamestrogen.com

works great for any forum

[Catrin]

or a better way to use google to search would be

"sit bones" site:http://forums.teamestrogen.com

works great for any forum

Cool, I didn't know that Google could be used in this fashion

KTK, as others have indicated, there are a massive number of posts on this very topic. You will find that the very saddle that works fantastic for one woman, will cause sheer agony for another. Our butts are highly individual and they like what they like. For some women a "woman's specific saddle" doesn't work and a male/unisex saddle does.

I do not think that there will ever be "one" saddle that will work for women - our butts like what they like

[KTK]

thank you for the useful responses...

I think I threw you all with the title! The aim of my project is to look into designing a saddle that is specific to the female anatomy rather than a male saddle that has been adapted for women.

I am trying to start from scratch with women's anatomy in mind. Obviously through extensive research I know that every women (and man) are different! I would like to design a system or product to these requirements.

So if you were to start from nothing do you think the saddle for women would look like the saddle for men?

I have successfully searched through all the threads on saddle and it has been incredibly useful to my research.

Thanks again for comments!

[OakLeaf]

I'm not sure any of us really understands what you mean by a "system."

But if you've read the threads, you know that we haven't been able to formulate a good test for saddle shape (T vs. "pear" or wedge). We're stuck on trial and error there.

I'm inclined to think that there should be a formula based on spacing of the sit bones, Q-angle as approximated by spacing of the knees in a neutral standing position, and perhaps external upper thigh circumference. Possibly the distance between the ischia at some point anterior to the tuberosities could be a factor, too. Or the angle of the ischia, as approximated by measuring the distance between the ischial tuberosities and the pubic symphysis.

If you can come up with a test for saddle shape, that would help LOTS. Even a solid, well-documented conclusion whether fleshy parts affect whether a certain shape of saddle will work for an individual, or whether it's based on bony proportions alone, would be a great start.



PS: This site has life-size top views of a large selection of saddles from Selle Italia, Selle San Marco, Koobi, AX-Lightness and Selle SMP, so you won't have to find actual samples of each of those to measure, in those dimensions, at least. But for other saddles - and for vertical dimensions of those - I don't know a similar resource.

[Rebecca19804]

Hi KTK

Welcome to TE. You are in the right place: TE is absolutely the best source of information and advice about women's cycling issues.

I have successfully searched through all the threads on saddle and it has been incredibly useful to my research.

With respect - you first posted less than 24 hours ago.

When I first started reading all the saddle posts here on TE, it took me DAYS to get through them all. And I was pretty single-minded doing it and I'm sure neglected work, friends, family, errands, housework, in pursuit of every pearl of wisdom about saddle nirvana.

Then I spent WEEKS thinking about what I'd read, comparing my experience, going back and re-searching for posts by TE-ers "most like me"... mulling things over again... doing the online window shopping thing all over again with fresh TE-informed eyes...

All the while, thinking, thinking, and even then...

Frankly... you'll have to forgive me if I look a little askance at your references to "success" and "useful" after less than 1 day.

Don't know what your project deadline is but I suggest you keep reading and then come back, say, after Christmas.

Cataboo was not kidding about "grumpy".

Best regards

Rebecca

P.S. I've just had knee surgery and can't ride my bike. I hate my most beautiful saddle and am ambivalent, to differing degrees, about the ugly ones... frustration + very raw nerve here! But I do hate a lame cop-out.

[OakLeaf]

Methinks that a student of "product design" might be better served trying to design something that doesn't need to conform INTIMATELY to the human anatomy in order to function properly.

But I'd still like to see you come up with a test for saddle shape.

[Trek420]

Don't know what your project deadline is but I suggest you keep reading and then come back, say, after Christmas.

Of what year? And then ... start reading Knott's posts on saddle fit.

[Cataboo]

Oh, it's an interesting question - how would we design a saddle (or a system of saddles, which I think she means, ones that come in various sizes, shapes) for women if we could start from scratch?

I'm having a hard time thinking outside the box from the saddle that we're all used to, to something completely different.

Something that could be nice is a system that has more colors - maybe with removable covers. I know, having a saddle that is the color you want is kind of a luxury that most of us don't get to have.

I know that you can tune a brooks saddle for how tight it is - Can we make a saddle that has an adjustable cut out - There's room in the nose for a huge cut out say, but if you don't need one or don't need much of one, you can add something into it. Maybe a saddle that say it starts off pear shaped, but if you tighten something at various points, you can adjust the shape into a T shape - But having multiple of these so that you can pretty much morph the saddle into the shape you want. You could do something similar with the sitbone section - then the removable covers would be leather or whatever that you shrink down to cover the saddle shape that works for you. This of course won't come lightly, and most of us are reasonable weight weenies - putting a 5 lb saddle on a 16 lb bike makes no sense. So there could be a prototype saddle that you borrow from the local bike shop to make these sorts of adjustments till you find the perfect shape, and then a custom saddle could be made from that.


Of course - a lot of women ride brooks saddles because it's a leather system that they break into the contours of their body - But if KTK could design a system that basically makes a custom saddle that is perfect for whoever orders it - say by taking a mold of the nether regions or a prototype very adjustable saddle, that would improve on the brooks system...

But whether or not custom saddles are cost prohibitive... How much are most of us willing to spend on the perfect saddle? Brooks and high end saddles are probably about $120... Is $200 a fair price for absolutely custom? And is that a profitable model?


That's the best ideas I can come up with. I think.

[KnottedYet]

KTK - be sure to talk to some physiotherapists about bike saddles, especially any who work with pelvic problems (incontinence, pain, etc) Find some models of the pelvis, both male and female. Sit in on a cadaver study, if you can.

Skeletally and perineally you may find that men and women are more alike than you think. The difference is in proportions more than anything.

In my experience, women don't need a different *kind* of saddle than men, they just need one that fits their proportions properly.

Manufacturers are starting to get the idea that saddles should come in sizes, like shoes, which is great. More sizes, more variety in proportions and shapes, and a clear way of categorizing them; and I think the world will be a better place.

[Rebecca19804]

And then ... start reading Knott's posts on saddle fit.

+1. In fact, if there's a way of sorting search results by poster, make anything posted by KnottedYet on saddle fit top priority reading. The item she posted a few minutes ago is just the tip of the iceberg of her wisdom on this topic, IMO.