Saddle Fit: Tests, Tips, and Tricks

[zoom-zoom]

OK, so I ride the same bike (though it's a men's/unisex frame) and I have the EXACT same issues...I found the Arione Donna to be one of the WORST saddles for the problem, unfortunately.

I am patiently waiting for the Ergon SM-3 saddle to become available. In the meantime the best saddle I have found is the Bontrager Affinity. If the Ergon doesn't work I can live with the Bontrager, but I keep feeling like my perfect saddle must still be out there.

[louisianalouise]

Thanks Kirsten. I also have the Men's Supersix. It came with some fancy man saddle that I got rid of on ebay and now wishing I had kept it just to try!

I looked at the Ergon saddle - that looks very T shaped - do you also have problems with blood flow to your legs? I have a similar saddle on my Mountain bike but I really don't ride it enough to develop issues

The Bontrager Affinity looks like an option, but the description says it is for a more upright position. I wish that the people writing about the products were actually women racers who had used them and could verify these sorts of things!

I might put the Ruby saddle back on my c'dale and see if I can bear it. In the meantime I'll look for a Bontrager stockist to demo the Affinity!

2011 Cannnondale Supersix Hi Mod 1/any saddle that works
2005 Specialized XC FSR/Ariel 143

[zoom-zoom]

Thanks Kirsten. I also have the Men's Supersix. It came with some fancy man saddle that I got rid of on ebay and now wishing I had kept it just to try!

I looked at the Ergon saddle - that looks very T shaped - do you also have problems with blood flow to your legs? I have a similar saddle on my Mountain bike but I really don't ride it enough to develop issues

The Bontrager Affinity looks like an option, but the description says it is for a more upright position. I wish that the people writing about the products were actually women racers who had used them and could verify these sorts of things!

Funny, my husband took the saddle that came on my SuperSix and says it's his favorite saddle ever.

I do need a really T-shaped saddle...not for numbness issues, but because my inner thighs get all beat-to-hell on a pear-shaped saddle and I end up forced onto the nose too much.

The Affinity does claim it's for more upright riding, but it feels OK on my road bike. The little dip up front could stand to be a hair deeper. It works really well on my CX bike, since I am not quite so aggressively positioned on that bike.

[ridebikeme]

lousianalouise,

Are there any shops in your area that have a demo fleet of saddles? That would be a great way to try several saddles until you find something that is comfortable.



http://chasecyclery.blogspot.com

[Eden]

I cannot help but wonder if it is not entirely a saddle problem - as it appears when you switched to the Supersix is when it all started. Do you perhaps have an underlying bike fit problem that is not going to be solved with a saddle alone? (reach too long? cranks too long?)

You also said you switched to a more aggressive position, which also started problems. I would suggest that you go back - getting a few mm's lower probably isn't going to make or break you as a racer - but not being able to sit on your saddle sure will.

[louisianalouise]

Ridebikeme:
Yes, I have a great relationship with my LBS but like many places in the deep south, they have very limited supplies of women's gear. They have all the demo saddles a man can handle but no women's ones, except some large squishy ones. I have tried a couple of the men's ones, but this is one of few accessories that I feel like women's specific is a better bet. I'll probably buy a few and sell the ones that don't work on ebay :-/

Eden:
Thanks. I have had multiple fits, my coach has me comfortable and I recently had some tweaking at a professional camp. We've filmed me, pictures, etc etc. The Cobb V Flow was fine for a year - we adjusted my fit and I rode today after 3 days off but I am still hurting and now in new places too.

Perhaps we need to start again, entirely from scratch. It's so bad I don't even want to race!

Thanks for your input!

However, I will see if we can

[Owlie]

It's not a southern thing. Most LBSes that I can think of with demo saddles have plenty of mens'--but not women's--saddles.

I need an extremely T-shaped saddle, because I get chafing on the back of my thigh otherwise. How's your core strength? I know you're racing, so probably better than some of us (me included!). I had my fit adjusted to be more aggressive (though not racing-aggressive) and my Jett did horrible things to me, even though I found it pretty comfortable previously. It's getting better as my core strength improves, though.

My next bike is probably going to be a more aggressive one. I worry that I'm not going to be able to get a saddle to work with that--the rest of me is comfortable, but not those in contact with the saddle.