Saddle Fit: Tests, Tips, and Tricks

[Biciclista]

re: Terry Butterfly
I bought one, used it only once. Sold it right here on TE.

the answer: not good for ME.

[OakLeaf]

Rox, you might not want to give up on the Adamo on your road bike yet. I've found that any new saddle really changes the way I sit on the bike, and thus the fit - even going from a Spec Lithia to the very similar but firmer Jett required a couple of tweaks. So if you really love your Adamo, you might consider springing for a bike fit with that saddle.

Current Terry saddles don't work for me either - they're quite wedge (pear) shaped. They're quality saddles and a lot of people love them, but it all depends on whether it fits.

[azfiddle]

I just got a new bike with a Specialized Lithia Saddle. My old bike had a Specialized Jett, which I used I used for over a year and a half without problems

After two rides (55 miles total), I feel like I'm getting more pressure in soft tissue toward the front, and some irritation along the panty line- both a big change.

I had a complete fit before taking the new bike out of the shop, but did not ask to have my old saddle put on the bike.


Any opinions on whether it is more likely the new saddle or more due to position of the saddle and/or different bike geometry and my position on the bike?

[OakLeaf]

My opinion - both.

The Lithia is squishy and more likely to cause soft tissue chafing and pinching.

When I switched from a Lithia to a Jett, it really changed the way I sit on the bike, and I had to tweak the stem, handlebar tilt, and lever placement, and IIRC the fore/aft placement of the saddle, too. So if you were fit on the Jett, you might have to re-do the fit to be happy with the Lithia.

You wouldn't think it from how similar the saddles look, but that was my experience.

[ultraviolet]

The Lithia was the first Specialized saddle I tried. The squishiness made for considerable soft tissue pressure for me. I switched to the Avatar (a little less squishy than the Lithia) and those problems went away. I ended up with a Ruby on my road bike (not at all squishy) because it has a lower profile*, and I love it.

* (Because of the way the seatpost and seat tube are shaped/work on my bike, I needed those extra millimeters to perfect the fit. It was cheaper to switch saddles than try to get my hands on a new seatpost.)