Saddle question

[ny biker]

What kind of bike is the Utopia? And what width is the Evoke that came with it? Are you uncomfortable while riding, or just sore afterwards?

I tried an Evoke WSD last year. Long story, but even though it's meant for a more upright position I tried it on my road bike. I was able to do long rides on it, but was generally not comfortable and felt bruised afterwards. The topography was wrong, and also I think the nose was too wide. I am planning to try it on my mountain bike one of these days.

Bontrager offers a 30-day guarantee so you could try a WSD Evoke at no risk. You should be measured first if you don't already know your sit bone width. There's a good chance a stock men's saddle is too narrow for you.

If you bought the Butterfly from a source that offers a comfort guarantee, I'd say it's worth trying that, too.

[Orange utopia]

The Utopia is called a dual sport by trek/Gary fisher so I guess it is a sort of hybrid leaning more towards a mountain bike. I am not sure what the width is on the Evoke 1. I know the Evoke RL comes in different widths but I am not sure about the version they put stoke on the bikes, it isn't on their web site separate. I will try and measure it later today.

My DH picked up the butterfly for me from a LBS I will have to ask them if I can try it out and still return it if it doesn't work. I am also going to call the shop where I bought my bike and see if I can try and WSD evoke today. Thanks

[ny biker]

I'm not sure, but I think the saddles that come with new Trek bikes are mid-width, which for a men's saddle is something like 135 mm. The widest men's is 145.

[Orange utopia]

Sheila, that is an impressive amount of bike seat knowledge! I needy digest all of that and see if I can even answer some of those questions. Thanks for giving me a lot to think about. I will look at the brooks More closely. For some reason I thought they were way more expensive then what you linked to. That really isn't that much more then the Terry and it is even less then what I paid for the Ti version of the Terry I have on my road bike.

[Biciclista]

Orange, have you tried all the saddles that you mentioned you have? those WTB saddles might just be the thing...

[Orange utopia]

I have tried the Bontrager of course and the WTB SST that was on my old mountain bike. The Butterfly is on my road bike but I haven't tried it on the Utopia yet. The WTB SST was ok but I know from before that I'd wasn't comfortable for longer rides.

My plan right now is to try and get a WSD Bontrager evoke as an exchange for the men's model that came on the bike and either use that or the other WTB (speedV) for this weekend's ride. I was going to take my road bike on Sunday for about 25 miles but I want to try to nail down this saddle issue on the utopia so I think i am going to take it instead.

I should have tried all of the saddles we already have around here before buying the Terry butterfly. now I don't want to return it until I know for sure I am not going to use it because my DH got a deal on it but I don't want to keep it just because it was a deal. So I need to figure out if it is something I am going to use or not. I don't plan to buy another saddle until I have tried all of the ones I already have.

[Biciclista]

so what makes you want to try a Bontrager?

[ny biker]

The Evoke is not a "stock" saddle. It is the Bontrager saddle designed for more upright (mountain bike) riding that comes in three different widths and 3 different amounts of padding. There are men's and women's versions of each.

http://www.bontrager.com/products/components/saddles

Trek ships many new bikes with Evoke and Affinity saddles now. They are nothing like the old stock saddles they used to use. They might not be right for a specific buyer, but they are based on Bontrager's Inform research and design.

[ny biker]

I would still like to know more about what hurts with the current saddle. If it's truly sitbone soreness, it could be normal for someone who hasn't ridden a bike lately. If the pain involves the pubic bone, then there's a problem with the width, shape or both.

I know there are lots of people here who are conditioned to hate all Bontrager saddles, but there's also an increasing number of women on this forum who find them to be quite comfortable, because the saddles they sell now are not like the old ones.