Need a noseless saddle...help!

[ny biker]

That stock Bontrager saddle is one of the more hated saddles on this forum. Though many people love the Bontrager Evoke and Inform.

The stock Bontrager saddle is not the same one that used to come on their road bikes. It's the Affinity 1, sold individually as the Affinity R, which is the most padded version of the three Affinity saddles. I found it to be too padded but I gave it to a friend who preferred it to the Affinity RL (which is less padded). I think the mid-width version is the stock saddle but I'm not sure; it would be the 144mm width if I'm right. If there's no pain, then the width is probably okay.

[emily_in_nc]

I would try a saddle with a cut out way before a noseless saddle! I get urethral irritation/chafing with saddles without cutouts, including a WTB Speed She saddle with a channel that I was hoping would work, but it made me sting when I peed or was showering after a ride. For me, the Terry Butterfly works well, and no more irritated urethra.

I had the same problem when I moved down here and started riding a beach cruiser with a cushy saddle. My urethra and clitoris were very irritated after riding the saddle for awhile and actually hurt. I bought a cheapie saddle (no name brand) with a cut out (the best I could do here as the selection is extremely limited), and altho my sitbones had to get used to a harder saddle all over again, the pain/irritation "in the middle" of my lady parts went away immediately.

But I do agree with Eden -- kidney pain without urethral irritation or bladder infection sounds strange to me as well and may not be saddle-related.

[Cyclingfun]

Thank goodness I've found this forum and can read and share about personal things that make good sense and are spot-on relevant! I was really worried that saddle problems were going to be the undoing of all my ambitions with cycling (quite lowly ambitions, I should quickly add, but important to me all the same). I recently bought an Adamo Road saddle and, so far, my soft bits are fine and I can well and truly feel my sit-bones taking the strain. A bit limited by the weather to really give the new saddle an extended trial but am hopeful. I hope the Adamo has enough nose, with regard to the steering comments - I've never really thought about the connection between steering and the saddle but I will now!