New Rider with Saddle Troubles

[Grits]

The Selle Italia Lady Diva Gel has a nice wide cut out. It worked well for me when the Terry saddles did not. You can get it from Performance which has an excellent return policy.
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes..._1066809_-1___

[Catrin]

The Selle Italia Lady Diva Gel has a nice wide cut out. It worked well for me when the Terry saddles did not. You can get it from Performance which has an excellent return policy.
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes..._1066809_-1___

For me the Diva was much too wide, the LDY Gel Flow is also a good Selle Italia women's cutout saddle that might work if the Diva is too wide. There are a wide variety of options out there but, sadly, trying it out personally is the only real way to determine which works best for you. It is about more than the sitbones, it is also about the shape of the saddle and just WHAT hits WHERE...

[Wahine]

Finding the right saddle is tricky business. But keep in mind that if you have a narrower pelvis, a lot of "mens" saddles will work for you too. That opens up a whole bunch more models to choose from.

[CaliRider]

Now I'm second-guessing my decision to purchase a Ruby. I'm not convinced I need the cutouts. I had such extreme discomfort with the cutouts on the Butterfly. I think if the middle channel on my Bontrager would continue all the way down the saddle it would probably be comfortable. I also want less padding on the nose. I'm looking at the WTB Deva SLT or the Selle San Marco Aspide Glamour -- thoughts?

[Catrin]

Now I'm second-guessing my decision to purchase a Ruby. I'm not convinced I need the cutouts. I had such extreme discomfort with the cutouts on the Butterfly. I think if the middle channel on my Bontrager would continue all the way down the saddle it would probably be comfortable. I also want less padding on the nose. I'm looking at the WTB Deva SLT or the Selle San Marco Aspide Glamour -- thoughts?

I don't have time to find it right now, but there is a "cut out test" that you can search for here on the forum that will indicate if you've a need for a cutout or not. Search for it and see what you think, Knotted Yet was the one who posted it.

[OakLeaf]

Knott's cut-out test is pretty simple. You want to sit on a hard, flat surface like a straight chair or the top of a retaining wall with your sitbones firmly on the surface, and your legs and torso more or less at the angles they'd be when you ride. If your soft parts feel smashed against the surface, you'll probably want a saddle with a cutout. If they feel spacious, you might do better without one.



.... but, if you're feeling a need for a longer channel on your Bontrager, then it doesn't seem likely that you'll want a saddle that has no room for your soft parts (whether it makes that room with a cut-out or with a channel).

[zoom-zoom]

Depends upon the cutout, too...some worked OK, some were torture devices. My only regret is waiting so long to try an SMP saddle. It was like a game-changer!