More attention being given to saddles issues for women

[zoom-zoom]

Yeah, those look too wide through the nose. I know EXACTLY what I need in a saddle, but NO ONE makes it...I need a flat profile (not domed/arched from side-to-side), a longish, narrow nose, t-shaped, with a big, deep dent. The Bontrager InForm Affinity is close, but still not as T-shaped as it could be and the dent could be deeper.

I'm giving up on the regular InForm. I've tried the 140 and 150 and it's just too wedge-shaped. I am incredibly sore in the muscle/crease where my thighs meet my crotch. I end up constantly sliding forward into the big bump on the front of the saddle. On the indoor trainer it worked, but on the road it's a total no-go.

Has anyone tried the SI Max SLR Gel Flow? It looks like this:


I can't get a good look at the rear profile. One graphic I saw made it look flatter than the Turbomatic, which would maybe make it a good try for me. I liked the Turbomatic Gel Flow, but it was so domed that I felt like I was hung up with the saddle pressing into the area between my sit bones.

[GLC1968]

I totally hear you on the deeper dent, that was the deal breaker on the TT bike. I think I am OK with slightly less t-shape than it sounds like you are, but I do ride out on the nose a little more.

The cut out on that Max SLR Gel Flow looks awesome! If you try it, I'd love to hear what you think of it.

[Trek420]

Did they pay someone to write that article? Would we all wear the same size shoe? The same bra? Why the same saddle?

There are women who ride mens saddles and vice versa, not because they don't know better, because it fits them. We've had this discussion before and will again; hip width has nothing to do with saddle size, width, cut out or lack thereof etc.

Best summary of TE accumulated wit and wisdom and absolutely shames that NYT writer's lack of knowledge here:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=39475

[zoom-zoom]

Yeah, the article was dumb, but I'm glad that Scientists are finally starting to look at the saddle issues women have and not assume that since we're not having ED issues that everything is just hunky dory. There are SO many more options for men. A lot of saddles I'd love to look at only come as wide as a 130 or so, which isn't at all doable.

[Trek420]

There are SO many more options for men. A lot of saddles I'd love to look at only come as wide as a 130 or so, which isn't at all doable.

It's not the lack of options, it's the lack of info that galls me. There are plenty of wide saddles out there. They are marketed wrong.

Marketing says they are for the casual rider, someone who rides more upright or feels they must to be comfortable, and newbies "Here's a comfy wide saddle for you. Oooh, here's a sheepskin cover for it"

If you're a real, serious rider (which marketing takes to mean road bikes) or want to look like one "Here's a skinny, narrow saddle for you! Oh, you're a woman! You get a cut out."

There, problem solved!

Nobody is fitting the bike much less fitting the saddles. It's the fit and the sits bones, stupid. There, I said it. I feel better already.

[OakLeaf]

Best summary of TE accumulated wit and wisdom and absolutely shames that NYT writer's lack of knowledge here:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=39475

Yup.

Someone seriously needs to link to that in the comments.

Anyone with a less public profile want to volunteer?

[Trek420]

ah, the anonymity of the internet. Seems to me one would just set up an anonymous name in the comments section of the article and say "Hey, a whole bunch of amazing women cyclist are saying your article is uhm, less than sufficient, a bit short on substance, lacking in depth .... "

Or write a letter to the editor.

[OakLeaf]

They've changed their commenting system, you can't just change screen names at will. I could set up a whole 'nother account, and maybe I will in the morning, but I've already shut my computer down for the night and I'm not going through all that on my phone.

[Trek420]

They've changed their commenting system, you can't just change screen names at will. I could set up a whole 'nother account, and maybe I will in the morning, but I've already shut my computer down for the night and I'm not going through all that on my phone.

And it's been done! Thank you "Saddle Quest" whoever you are

And there goes the "cyber neighborhood" as we get discovered by the readers of the NYT.

Welcome to TE

[Owlie]

Yeah, those look too wide through the nose. I know EXACTLY what I need in a saddle, but NO ONE makes it...I need a flat profile (not domed/arched from side-to-side), a longish, narrow nose, t-shaped, with a big, deep dent. The Bontrager InForm Affinity is close, but still not as T-shaped as it could be and the dent could be deeper.

I'm giving up on the regular InForm. I've tried the 140 and 150 and it's just too wedge-shaped. I am incredibly sore in the muscle/crease where my thighs meet my crotch. I end up constantly sliding forward into the big bump on the front of the saddle. On the indoor trainer it worked, but on the road it's a total no-go.

Has anyone tried the SI Max SLR Gel Flow? It looks like this:


I can't get a good look at the rear profile. One graphic I saw made it look flatter than the Turbomatic, which would maybe make it a good try for me. I liked the Turbomatic Gel Flow, but it was so domed that I felt like I was hung up with the saddle pressing into the area between my sit bones.

Are you me? Seriously, you just described something close to my ideal saddle. Particularly the deep dent/cut out and the t-shape. Go figure--I need something that no one seems to make. I think there's a physical limitation there too, but you're right--men have a lot more saddle options.

Trek420, in my case, it's not the width so much as the shape and depth of cutout/indentation. I'm in the 125-130 sit bone width range, so there's still options, it's just they're all the wrong shape (I need a quite T-shaped saddle) and the cutout isn't deep enough for me in a more aggressive position.

[zoom-zoom]

Are you me? Seriously, you just described something close to my ideal saddle. Particularly the deep dent/cut out and the t-shape. Go figure--I need something that no one seems to make. I think there's a physical limitation there too, but you're right--men have a lot more saddle options.

Trek420, in my case, it's not the width so much as the shape and depth of cutout/indentation. I'm in the 125-130 sit bone width range, so there's still options, it's just they're all the wrong shape (I need a quite T-shaped saddle) and the cutout isn't deep enough for me in a more aggressive position.

Ditto. There are saddles that are wide enough, but they're often pear/wedge-shaped or they have a sharp-edged cut-out that digs into me or no cut-out at all. The exact saddle I need just flat-out doesn't exist. I need something like the SSM Aspide Glamour, but with a big, deep dent. No one makes anything even remotely close to that.

[OakLeaf]

Owlie, the Turbomatic isn't cheap (although they finally did start making it with steel rails for quite a bit less than the carbon version) - but it really sounds like it would work for you.

That Max SLR Gel Flow has a nice looking cutout, but it's so wedge shaped, I can tell just by looking at it my sitbones would be setting not much behind the exact front to back center of the thing.

[zoom-zoom]

Yeah, I keep looking at it debating whether or not it would be too wedge shaped, but it probably would be. I'm still bummed that the Turbomatic was so domed side-to-side. I really liked that saddle, but it made me feel like I was resting between my sit bones. I seem to need really flat, slab-like saddles.