Your measurements?

[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.

[DebW]

When I started riding 10-speeds in the early 70s there were only men's saddles, so I rode on them of course. Actually, there were some wide Brooks saddles I could have used if I wasn't afraid of looking like a dork (that was my loss). Around the late 70s, Avocet started making women's saddles. I got one and I still remember the first ride on that saddle. Previously I could ride only 15 miles before my crotch got so sore that I had to stand alot and perform other gyrations. With the new Avocet W-II Racing saddle, I rode 50 miles with my butt ON the saddle! It seemed like the most amazing thing at the time.

[Rebeccah]

With the new Avocet W-II Racing saddle, I rode 50 miles with my butt ON the saddle! It seemed like the most amazing thing at the time.

I've got a 30-year-old Avocet W-II that has been hurting my butt all these years. I just realized that the sore spot isn't my ischial tuberosities ("sit bones") all this time, it's forward and inside of that, my pubic rami (the bones that go from the sit bones, inside the legs toward the front "pubic bone"). The only time I'm more comfortable is if I go down on the drops, push way back on the seat, and pedal hard -- but then my "girlie bits" get squashed, and I can't keep it up 'cause my legs get tired.

I guess I either need to move the seat forward or get a different seat.

I haven't successfully measured my sit bones yet, but it's looking like the *comfortable* part of them is at least 6" apart.

Rebeccah

[morsecode]

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

exactly!

[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

[pooks]

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.

I'm trying to figure this out ... ? He does what with the markers? (Are you talking felt tip markers?)

If you go to a bike shop and sit on one of their measuring devices, is that the most accurate? I have this image of me putting my well-padded bum down on it and leaving behind nothing but a smooth surface with a ridge where my crack is, sigh.

ETA: When I tried the "sit on a curb" method, I ended up with a piece of paper that was dimpled/pimpled with little indentations where the rough concrete had almost pierced it, in two roundish circles, but no clear definition where the bones were.

[mimitabby]

I'm trying to figure this out ... ? He does what with the markers? (Are you talking felt tip markers?)

If you go to a bike shop and sit on one of their measuring devices, is that the most accurate? I have this image of me putting my well-padded bum down on it and leaving behind nothing but a smooth surface with a ridge where my crack is, sigh.

ETA: When I tried the "sit on a curb" method, I ended up with a piece of paper that was dimpled/pimpled with little indentations where the rough concrete had almost pierced it, in two roundish circles, but no clear definition where the bones were.

measure from center to center of the indents, but imagine if you will, a bike
saddle. you'd want it to support a little of the area around it too.