Saddle Fit: Tests, Tips, and Tricks

[emily_in_nc]

Bontrager's saddle research page. http://bontrager.com/technology/the_...e_of_inform/en

Hmmm...almost a contradiction in terms.

[KnottedYet]

Well, we all know my opinion of Trek/Bontrager's latest "offering" in saddles from what I saw at a seminar in San Francisco earlier this year, and my further opinion after tracking down their research.... but I'm trying to be impartial.

[Andrea]

My addition:

Don't be afraid to try saddles that aren't labeled as women's saddles. Look at size, cutout/no cutout, and shape.

I've been riding for a little more than 2 years, and I've been through at least 15 saddles. There's nothing wrong with any of the saddles I tried except that my underside didn't agree with them.

[zoom-zoom]

Well, we all know my opinion of Trek/Bontrager's latest "offering" in saddles from what I saw at a seminar in San Francisco earlier this year, and my further opinion after tracking down their research.... but I'm trying to be impartial.

Knot, can you expand upon this, a bit? Reason I ask is that I am finding my beloved Jett is giving me fits on my new bike. I LOVED it on my relatively upright Synapse, but on my SuperSix I'm getting pinched, up front. At least I think it's my saddle. It could also be due to the tights I'm wearing over my shorts (I'm just dying for warmer weather so that I can switch to knee warmers...this is the neverending Winter here in MI). But I am suspicious that it's because I'm relatively more aero on the new bike (in addition to more aggressive geometry I now have a 2cm longer stem, which I should have had on the previous bike, too...yay, I can ride in the drops, now!).

Last night I had DH tilt the nose of my Jett down a hair, but it didn't do much to alleviate the discomforts in my girly parts, since it made me start sliding forward too much--if anything it gave me more issues, since I was struggling to keep my sit bones on the rear of the saddle and was bearing more weight on my privates, instead..

I've been eyeballing that Bontrager Inform RL saddle, since I think that dip would work better for me than a sharp cut-out. I'm also looking at the Fizik Arione Donna. The footprint looks similar to my Jett and that long channel looks like it might not pinch and jam my labial bits quite so much.


But I can't find anyone who has tried this saddle...so I am leery. Our LBS carries Fizik and has test saddles...but I'm not sure if they can get test saddles in the women's models, or not. I have only seen them in the men's styles. I can't find any evidence that Fizik offers any sort of guarantee, unlike Specialized and Bontrager.

[Trek420]

One woman's perfect saddle is another gals implement of torture. When you find the perfect saddle buy 10 of 'em (sure as I'm posting the mfr. will decide all it needs is more fluffy padding). Saddles you love to hate? Sell 'em on TE. There's someone here who loves that saddle.

[TrekTheKaty]

I've learned from TE that my Bontrager saddle needed to come off my new trek right away! I rode it once (got a little chafed), then tried my husband's B17. I determined I wanted the B68 and ordered it. While I waited, I put the stock Bontrager back on. MORE DISCOMFORT. When I got home, I looked at it closer--there is a bump in the most comfortable spot--a woman's most sensitive spot--CHECK IT OUT. I'm now convinced it's a medieval torture device.

[CindyK]

I had a Terry Butterfly on my old Cannondale, never had many issues except some usually tolerable chafing in the bits. When I got a new bike the saddle was AWFUL (Specialized Ruby) so I ditched it and bought a Terry Falcon X as I wanted something a little more performance - oriented (and to fix the chafing). It has a bigger cut-out than the butterfly which completely solved the chafing issue but now I've developed these hard lumps in the crease between my thighs and labia. They are hard and don't seem to be fluid filled or infected in any way (not warm or red - in fact they aren't even visible I can just feel them. Oh and no broken skin). I went back to the butterfly for a 45 mile ride this morning and it seemed to be easier on the wierd lumps but it still chafes.

The Falcon is more pear shaped and MUCH more flexible than the Butterfly.

I took another look at the Ruby and I might give it a second try now that I've had the bike fit (of course, changing saddles will change that somewhat) and I'm going back to my bike fitter guy hopefully this week in any case but in the meantime does anyone have any thoughts? I don't mind buying another saddle but I'd like to make this the last one for a while...

[Owlie]

Those might be ingrown hairs, caused by irritation from the saddle--I get those too, even with the Jett, which is the best saddle that I've tried so far. (No broken skin, just feels bruised and irritated.) They weren't as bad with the Selle Italia I tried, but it's hard to gauge because half the time I was sitting on the nose because of how pear-shaped that saddle was, and because my rides on that were shorter.

What didn't you like about the Ruby? Specialized's offerings are among the most t-shaped out there, at least for commonly available saddles.

[CindyK]

What didn't you like about the Ruby? Specialized's offerings are among the most t-shaped out there, at least for commonly available saddles.

The Ruby just didn't seem to have enough padding, esp considering I'd been riding a Terry saddle for 8 years or so. But I got my bike fit after I changed saddles...Having the seat height, handlebars, and so on dialed in might help so I'm going to try it again. It is more T shaped than either of the other saddles and the cutout is a little longer too. I have high hopes

[Owlie]

The Ruby just didn't seem to have enough padding, esp considering I'd been riding a Terry saddle for 8 years or so. But I got my bike fit after I changed saddles...Having the seat height, handlebars, and so on dialed in might help so I'm going to try it again. It is more T shaped than either of the other saddles and the cutout is a little longer too. I have high hopes

If the Ruby still seems too hard, try a Jett. The footprint is very similar, just more padding.

[Awsmile]

I had a Terry Butterfly on my old Cannondale, never had many issues except some usually tolerable chafing in the bits. When I got a new bike the saddle was AWFUL (Specialized Ruby) so I ditched it and bought a Terry Falcon X as I wanted something a little more performance - oriented (and to fix the chafing). It has a bigger cut-out than the butterfly which completely solved the chafing issue but now I've developed these hard lumps in the crease between my thighs and labia. They are hard and don't seem to be fluid filled or infected in any way (not warm or red - in fact they aren't even visible I can just feel them. Oh and no broken skin). I went back to the butterfly for a 45 mile ride this morning and it seemed to be easier on the wierd lumps but it still chafes.

The Falcon is more pear shaped and MUCH more flexible than the Butterfly.

I took another look at the Ruby and I might give it a second try now that I've had the bike fit (of course, changing saddles will change that somewhat) and I'm going back to my bike fitter guy hopefully this week in any case but in the meantime does anyone have any thoughts? I don't mind buying another saddle but I'd like to make this the last one for a while...

Cindy K, I know this is an older post and you might not see this, but did you ever find out what those hard lumps were? I've gotten them also. The first time was on a beach vacation where we rented cruisers to ride on the sand - no cutout and absolute agony. Since then, the lumps show up periodically on rides of more than 25 miles on my regular pretty-good saddle. Just wondered if you still get them and if you were able to find a solution. Thanks!

[louisianalouise]

I hope someone can suggest something... I can't afford to buy any more saddles without knowing they will work!

I am a competitive road cyclist. I ride 13-15hrs and 6 days a week.

I had a Specialized Dolce for 6 months and used the Spesh Ruby saddle which was great. Then I bought a Cannondale Supersix and got a whole lot more aggressive which led to me switching to a John Cobb V-Flow. The Ruby's T shape seemed to cut off the blood supply at the point between my butt and upper thigh. Miserable rides, legs went dead from lack of blood, adopted a teammates old Cobb saddle that had a cosmetic blemish and she didn't use anymore.

Cobb V-Flow worked great for a year, THEN, in March 2012, I adjusted my fit for an even more aggressive position - dropped my bars, went compact so now I am even lower. Well, my saddle is now hurting my soft tissue so much that last weekend at Collegiate Nationals, I finished the 60min crit with a cut and bleeding labia. That is not even funny considering how much pressure I had on those pedals.

Another teammate recommended the Fizik Arione Donna - it has some wing flex thing that allows your legs to move easily but I don't want to put another $150 down the toilet so to speak...

Any suggestions?! HEEEEELLLP. Had to take 3 days off the bike to let everything heal up.

[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.