Your measurements?

[khgulledge]

hi everyone,

i'm new to these boards and in search of a new saddle to replace the stock that came on my trek pilot 5.0 wsd.

i'm having issues with pain in the area where my legs attach...also girly parts are starting to get mashed. i have found that i do ok as long as my rides are short in length (timewise), say, less than 2hr. but after that, on longer rides (like 4hr this past saturday), there was pain in the joint area and too much mashing. ended up with some lower back pain as well. i spend most of my time on the hoods, but would like to ride in the drops more, but there is just WAY too much mashing to be anywhere comfortable doing that. there also seems to be more mashing while on the hoods unless i sit up a lot more.

i haven't done the paper on the sidewalk measurement yet, but did do the "sit on your hands and have your husband measure between where you felt the bones" measurement. that came out to be around 5-5.25" or close to 130mm. i just don't know where to start when selecting a saddle. i do gather that, if my sit bones are 130mm apart, that i would want to get a saddle that is, maybe, 140mm wide??

i'm going to call my lbs (specialized dealer) and see if they have an a$$-o-meter, get measured there and see what they recommend. i just don't want to go spend a 100 bucks on a saddle and it not be right or hard to return as i would hear about it from the non-riding spouse....

thanks, karen.

[melissam]

Karen,

You might consider getting a Brooks saddle from Wallingford bikes (www.wallbike.com). They have a 6 month return policy, so you won't risk being stuck with a saddle you don't like.

A B-17S is $67 -- less than the $100 you're thinking of spending.

Also, Bill would probably chat with you about what you should get given your sit bone measurements.

I read the Brooks saddle thread and I'm considering getting one myself.

-- Melissa

PS I don't recommend reading this thread while you're at work, because you might be tempted to try measuring your bones and it would be embarrassing if someone came up to your cube while you were in the middle of measuring. I'm just sayin' is all...

[kiwi girl]

PS I don't recommend reading this thread while you're at work, because you might be tempted to try measuring your bones and it would be embarrassing if someone came up to your cube while you were in the middle of measuring. I'm just sayin' is all...

and I don't recommend reading this thread at work because you might read melissam's message and end up with pasta sauce all over your computer keyboard from laughing so hard

[khgulledge]

went to the lbs and had some adjustments made: had the nose of saddle lowered some so that it's tilted downward. that helped a lot, but last weekend, i had a 62 & 48 mi ride over the weekend and developed a rash on the inside of my thigh near the crease, so i haven't ridden this week.

went back to lbs and they are letting me try out a terry butterfly saddle. will test it out tomorrow on my group ride.

Thanks for the reply. Karen.

Karen,

You might consider getting a Brooks saddle from Wallingford bikes (www.wallbike.com). They have a 6 month return policy, so you won't risk being stuck with a saddle you don't like.

A B-17S is $67 -- less than the $100 you're thinking of spending.

Also, Bill would probably chat with you about what you should get given your sit bone measurements.

I read the Brooks saddle thread and I'm considering getting one myself.

-- Melissa

PS I don't recommend reading this thread while you're at work, because you might be tempted to try measuring your bones and it would be embarrassing if someone came up to your cube while you were in the middle of measuring. I'm just sayin' is all...

[melissam]

Kiwi Girl,

Sorry about your loss of pasta sauce. Hopefully you still had enough for lunch and were able to clean up the computer keyboard.

Karen,

Good luck with the Terry Butterfly. A lot of women really like the saddle, so I hope you do too!

Everyone else,

Here's a low budget way to get your measurements, all in the privacy of your own home, and with minimal potential for embarrassment.

1. Take a paper towel -- one standard-sized square should work, but use two if you want a margin for error.
2. Place the paper towel(s) on a plushly carpeted area.
3. Sit on the paper towel(s).
4. Get up.
The paper towel(s) should have two indentations where the sit bones are. If you don't put anything on it, the indentations should last indefinitely.

-- Melissa

[pooks]

Okay, so I tried to measure my sit bones.

I tried the lie-on-your-back-with-knees-raised method.

I tried the sit-on-firm-office-chair-on-piece-of-paper method.

NOTHING.

How embarrassing. So much padding, the bones don't leave an imprint?

Then I noticed what I'm wearing: My road shorts. PADDED road shorts.

Shut up.

I took them off and repeated both above methods.

Still no indentations.

Okay, now I'm REALLY embarrassed! LOL.

[morsecode]

Okay, so I tried to measure my sit bones.

I tried the lie-on-your-back-with-knees-raised method.

I tried the sit-on-firm-office-chair-on-piece-of-paper method.

NOTHING.

How embarrassing. So much padding, the bones don't leave an imprint?

Then I noticed what I'm wearing: My road shorts. PADDED road shorts.

Shut up.

I took them off and repeated both above methods.

Still no indentations.

Okay, now I'm REALLY embarrassed! LOL.

Feel free to ignore this suggestion, but it seemed to work for me...
do the chair method (I used a paper towel and a flat-seat wooden chair), but lift your legs up and engage your abs. You'll feel your bones on the chair and know you have an identation


Mind you, I still have no idea what saddle to go for

[Kitsune06]

I found it useful to rock back 'n forth a little...

Geez. My measurement's way bigger than I thought. No wonder my saddle hurts after a few miles- after taking the measurements and setting the measurin' sheet on the seat, all became clear. The 'peaks' of my sit-bones are half-straddling the seat. No wonder so much of my weight ends up being carried by my soft tissues and other bits. Ugh.

[Hub]

Has anyone tried painting their behind then sitting on paper to see
where the pink paint is ???

[mimitabby]

lol wouldn't the whole butt paint the paper pink?

[Hub]

Only if your sit bones are as well padded as mine!!

Seriously though- my workstudy student ( a lovely young man, who rides
a cobalt blue Specializied Allez) had just earlier measured his sit bones in
order to shop for a new seat. He started with the find your bones & use
a tape measure method. He then tried the methods listed on the thread--he had a little trouble with the sit on concrete- (his sit bones are not as well padded.) He then successfully measured again using 2 markers----line up a marker on each bone- then lean/sit on a piece of paper. He was pleased
with this measurement.

From the home of the Fighting Okra