Quote Originally Posted by _kim_ View Post
after i learned that the "S" design was mainly to accommodate skirts, i began to seriously doubt its usefulness to me as, well, i rarely wear skirts (or skorts). plus, wouldn't the S saddles be a little more pear shaped/have a more gradual transition from seat to nose, thus increasing the risk of chafing?
Well, yes and no. Some riders prefer the longer nose saddle for better control on the bike. I prefer the shorter nose saddle and I feel in control of my bike and I have ample wiggle room. I have the shorter nose saddle on bikes that I sit more upright and I don't experience the chaffing. But on a road bike I went with the longer nose saddle because of the chaffing issue of a pear shaped women's saddle. Also, the women's Brooks saddles have shorter rails and you will probably need a setback seatpost to get your saddle adjusted to the right fore/aft position.

For a comparison of saddles, take a look at this.