Terry Saddles- Performance, Endurance, Sport

[Tanya]

I've tried to measure myself, but I can't get an accurate read (I was doing the wet paper towel in between paper trick). I will have to visit my LBS this week to get a real measurement done.

[KnottedYet]

Try using your hands. (I think it's more accurate, anyway.)

Sit on your hands, and feel for the two bones of your butt. They feel like elbows poking down into your hands.

Put the tip of your index fingers right under the part of the bones that is pushing hardest into the chair. (squish the very tip of your fingers between the chair and your sitbones)

Lift your butt from the chair leaving your hands on the chair, and have your assistant measure the distance between your fingertips. This is pretty much your center-to-center.

Then put your fingertips against the outsides of the bones. Push them right into the bones so they are on the outside of the bones. Lift your butt from the chair and have an assistant measure the distance between your fingertips. This is pretty much your outside.

Some people have sitbones that angle a lot from front to back. The sits are heavy thickened portions of the rami and can have unique personalities of their own. You can measure again on the forward part of the heavy "elbow" bit if you can feel that yours have a definite angle. The forward portion of the heavy thick part of the bone is what your weight rests on more when you are in a more aero position. DON'T measure the thin blade like portion that is in your crotch, that is the rami and you do not want a saddle there. Measure from your backside.

Repeat your measurements a few times, average them out if you want.

You can also get these measurements by lying on your back with your knees to your chest holding a measuring tape and poking around for landmarks.

[KnottedYet]

Your measurements tell you where to start in your saddle search.

The saddle has "cheeks" on the wide back part. Sometimes the cheeks are even domed up a bit. Your sitbone is meant to land in the high part of that dome to take advantage of the padding and the overall architecture of the saddle.

Measure the saddle from center of cheek to center of cheek. The saddle's center-to-center should match yours.

Next measure the saddle's overall width. Generally the saddle's overall width should be pretty much the same as your outside measurement, if not slightly wider. You want to be able to shift around to power up hills or use body-english around corners or just to give your butt a break, and STILL have the bones land on the saddle. (you sit ON a saddle, you do not INSERT it)

In the case of a suspended leather saddle (which you are not looking at yet) your saddle must be about 2 cm wider than your outside measurement so you do not have bones contacting the metal cantle plate.

[maillotpois]

Knott that is the best description I have ever read for how to measure your sit bones! Thanks!

[Tanya]

I'm still not positive that I measured correctly, but it seemed like the sit bones were about 7-8 cm apart from center to center, and then almost 12 cm apart at the widest. I think I'm still going to visit a bike shop to get my measurements done, because I'm not sure if mine were accurate.

[KnottedYet]

I'm still not positive that I measured correctly, but it seemed like the sit bones were about 7-8 cm apart from center to center, and then almost 12 cm apart at the widest. I think I'm still going to visit a bike shop to get my measurements done, because I'm not sure if mine were accurate.

With teeny-weeny sitbones like that, you could really choose just about any saddle that appeals to you as far as width is concerned. Don't worry about whether they are labelled men's saddles or women's, go for what feels best.

(For example: my center-to-center is about 15 cm and my outside is about 18 cm. Finding saddles that fit is a tough row to hoe in my universe... I found happiness with Brooks B67 and B68.)

[Tanya]

I'm thinking that I might have mis-measured. I know sit bones and weight are not related because your weight can change but your bones don't (I'm 5'7, 150ish lbs), but I think in general, I have a medium-sized bones. My wrists aren't tiny, but they're not particularly wide. But, who knows-- maybe I measured correctly and I just have narrowly shaped sit bones? I honestly never gave this much thought to the bones in my butt before.

I tried to lessen the pressure on my sit bones by adding a gel saddle cover, but I think it's actually worse. I slide around on the neoprene going up and down any bit of incline. I assumed that the gel would provide an amazing level of added comfort, but I wasn't wowed.

If my measurements are right and I can get a narrower saddle, that would be great, since there seem to be plenty of options. I ordered the Terry Damselfly and am crossing my fingers. If it doesn't work out, I'll swap it for another model. Do you have any input on what makes the Performance/Endurance/Sport models different, other than the sizes of the saddles? If the Damselfly doesn't pan out, would you recommend something from the Endurance series?