need advice?

[vness]

so i finally got my sit bones measured (we used dampened flour in a plastic bag - worked great) and center to center I'm approx. 117.5. If I add 20mm, that puts me at 137.5 so a 143 should work????

I'm currently riding a Specialized 143mm Avatar and though I definitely feel my sitbones, I get terrible chafing and swelling in the tissue in front of them. On the positive side, though 'mashed', my 'girly bits' aren't too bothered, which is wonderful

has anyone tried the Selle Italia Max Flite? (150mm)
what about Selles' ProLink Gel Flow? (144mm)
should I consider a Specialized Jett or Lithia at 143?

and am I even right thinking I should be riding a 143mm saddle?

I do notice that if I slide forward, I can get some relief from the chafing so I figure I definitely need a T shape with a narrow nose. I'm only 5'1"

like many, I've been going nuts. Coming back from a 7 year lay off (YIKES!)
but I've ALWAYS had a terrible time with saddles

as money is tight (SIGH) I can't keep buying and trying different ones. Times have changed for me, for sure

ANY and ALL suggestions would be helpful. I'm not sure whether to stay with Specialized or try the Selle's. I do like some sort of cutout but nothing too big or the cutout itself digs into me

there are a couple of saddles on ebay I'm looking at

thanks for reading... I realize the issue is highly personalized but I know I need some advice as to whether I'm even looking in the right direction. I'm particularly concerned with riding the right width

namaste,
vness

[lph]

I don't think the width of the saddle in back (which is where your sitbones are, and where the saddle width is measured) will make much of a difference to chafing in front - that's more a function of cut-out or not, width of cut-out (I like a huge one, a narrow one just pinches me), saddle tilt (very important, just a tad down in front can remove all "front pressure" but can put too much pressure on your wrists), shape of the saddle (horisontally flat or curved) and width of the nose. Try looking at what you're actually sitting on when you slide forward and feel some relief from the chafing.

[OakLeaf]

I do notice that if I slide forward, I can get some relief from the chafing so I figure I definitely need a T shape with a narrow nose.

It sounds to me like you're on the right track (I'm the same way).

Specialized saddles are pretty T-shaped, and if you order from the website they have a 30-day return policy.

I'm not sure exactly what the differences are between Specialized's men's and women's saddles, but I'm going to guess that the women's saddles should be more T-shaped because of women's greater Q-angle. The Avatar is a men's saddle.

I'm on a Jett right now, but I am getting a little bit of the problem you describe when I get up over 80-90 miles. I'm wondering if I should've gone straight to a Ruby, if maybe the extra padding isn't causing some of the problem.

[kermit]

I've tried a prolink, it's VERY padded and the cutout was not as useful as I thought it would be. Comfy until the numbness starts from all the padding mushing everything. Have you looked into a ruby? I had gone through all the Specialized saddles and the ruby is great. Another option is Selle Italia SLR womens model. It should fit right into your dimensions and it's made for women. It's padded but the cutout is perfect. I found it a little too padded for me but everybodys different. Good luck, you are definitely on the right track.

[vness]

thanks to all who replied!
I needed to hear I was at least on the right track :))

I think the width of the saddle is what was causing the chafing. It's on the tissue directly forward of the sit bones, not the more forward pubic area. Possible I was sitting too far back? a more t-shaped saddle should help? I do know that when I was riding wider saddles, I had a lot more trouble with my "girly bits" being squished, in addition to the chafing. Total misery. Should I even be considering a narrower saddle (130mm??)? Are my 117.5mm sitbones too wide? I understand that saddles slope down, so the actual width doesn't necessarily accommodate your sit bones. Has anyone measured the flat surfaces on the Jett and Ruby?

I decided not to go with the used saddle on ebay. I noticed even last year's Jett had more stitching on it than this year (I've been reading a LOT of posts here :) and I like that Specialized has a 30 day return policy. I'm going to check a LBS I think (hope) stocks Specialized to see if they carry the saddles and if they too, have a 'try-out' period to keep shipping $ down.

I think the Selle Italia SLR women's model is too wide at 155mm.... doesn't look like it'll taper away enough to keep the chafing at bay... but it would be nice to try. Actually I wish the Selle's came in different widths like the Specialized do. IMHO, they're really onto something here.

Now I HAVE to ask this: what's with the plastic pieces added on the front and back of the Ruby?

How much firmer is the Ruby? I've read that some even find the Jett too firm so I'm hesitant to go straight to the Ruby.

questions... questions... all I really want to do is try them out!! LOL

hope I'm not being too much of a pain.
Thanks again for helping out - this site is such a Blessing!

namaste,
v

[OakLeaf]

I do know that when I was riding wider saddles, I had a lot more trouble with my "girly bits" being squished, in addition to the chafing. Total misery. Should I even be considering a narrower saddle (130mm??)? Are my 117.5mm sitbones too wide?

What wider saddles did you try? I need a very T-shaped saddle, so what happens to me on a pear-shaped one is that I can't pedal while sitting on the butt part of the saddle. No matter how wide the butt part is, effectively I'm sitting on a very narrow saddle, because the pedaling motion of my legs forces me forward onto the nose, and that's why my Kaiser roll gets chafed on saddles like the Terry Liberator I had before the Lithia.

If the parts between the sitbones are getting chafed, it's usually one of three things: the saddle is too narrow (absolutely or effectively); the nose is tilted up too much; or the cutout is wrong for you.

I'd think you would definitely want to try a 130 as well as a 143; either one could possibly fit you. But I have to ask how you got a sitbone width to a half a millimeter... I don't know that that's possible without an X-ray!



ETA: as far as measurements, not sure how helpful this is, but on my 155 mm Jett, measuring from one silver stripe to the other on the widest part of the saddle - which is pretty much the seating area - gives me 133 mm.

[vness]

What wider saddles did you try? I need a very T-shaped saddle, so what happens to me on a pear-shaped one is that I can't pedal while sitting on the butt part of the saddle. No matter how wide the butt part is, effectively I'm sitting on a very narrow saddle, because the pedaling motion of my legs forces me forward onto the nose, and that's why my Kaiser roll gets chafed on saddles like the Terry Liberator I had before the Lithia.

That's exactly what would happen to me! I was also using a Terry and I can't even remember how many before that, since it was over 7 years ago. But I'd never measured my sitbones and just followed the policy that "women need wider saddles" back then. How do you like the Lithia???????

If the parts between the sitbones are getting chafed, it's usually one of three things: the saddle is too narrow (absolutely or effectively); the nose is tilted up too much; or the cutout is wrong for you.

I wondered whether the saddle was too narrow (it's a 143) BUT I definitely feel my sitbones on them and as I'm schooching forward to clear the tissue in front, I'm not even getting the full width. I've been trying to figure out how to describe the area... inside and to the front of the sitbones (as I'm not sitting upright). Since the "sits bones" are the base of the ischial tuberosity, is it spine of the ischium and the fatty tissue around it? (I'm actually attempting to look this up) not that I'm guessing this helps any. I could try tilting it ever so slightly... and it could be the cutout...??????

But it's part of what makes me wary about what width to actually purchase

I'd think you would definitely want to try a 130 as well as a 143; either one could possibly fit you. But I have to ask how you got a sitbone width to a half a millimeter... I don't know that that's possible without an X-ray!

It said to take the measurement twice and go with the median... I ended up with 1/2 a mm LOL but I guess I could just go with 117 or 118 :)

Thanks for the info on your Jett. Do you like it? It does sound like we had similar issues.

Thanks again

[OakLeaf]

The Lithia was close enough for me to ride it for nearly 6,000 miles, until it was good and worn out, but it was a bit too squishy for me. That's why I went with a Jett next - nearly identical shape, but firmer.

I've only got maybe 600 miles on the Jett so far. It's definitely better for me than the Lithia, but as I said, on longer rides I do get what sounds like exactly what you're describing. I'd say it's right between the lesser trochanter of the femur and the ischium, which is what leads me to think I need an even more T-shaped saddle. Not sure there is such a thing short of a Brooks... But again, it's possible even less padding would solve the problem - and again, the Jett is close enough that I'm keeping it 'til it's worn out.

OTOH I'm not sure that I'm completely adapted to the Jett yet, and/or that it's completely broken in.

[vness]

I've only got maybe 600 miles on the Jett so far. It's definitely better for me than the Lithia, but as I said, on longer rides I do get what sounds like exactly what you're describing. I'd say it's right between the lesser trochanter of the femur and the ischium, which is what leads me to think I need an even more T-shaped saddle. Not sure there is such a thing short of a Brooks... But again, it's possible even less padding would solve the problem - and again, the Jett is close enough that I'm keeping it 'til it's worn out.

OTOH I'm not sure that I'm completely adapted to the Jett yet, and/or that it's completely broken in.

if I may ask, what's your sitbone width? Have you ever tried a Ruby? After reading your posts, I'm thinking either the Jett or the Ruby might work... now if I can only be sure what width to order LOL

[OakLeaf]

if I may ask, what's your sitbone width? Have you ever tried a Ruby?

<digging my butt-print out of my cycling pack and measuring...>

You know, center-to-center it's only about 120 mm. Outside-to-outside is more like 153. I was figuring I should be on a saddle that supported the whole area - it never really occurred to me to try something narrower but still T-shaped.

Hmmmmmmm. Food for thought for my next one - but that's likely a season and a half away. Although, I will say that when I demo'ed a Specialized bike back in '06, I was still getting chafing up front. I'm not sure what saddle that was or how wide, but by the archived specs on that bike it should've been a Jett (or maybe a Dolce, I'm not 100% sure of which component package it was that I demo'ed, but it was a Ruby bike and definitely not the Dura-Ace equipped Ruby Pro) and I would expect that demo bikes would be equipped with 143s. One of the pairs of shorts I had for that weekend was definitely part of the problem, but the other pair should've been good; it's actually a 22-year-old pair of first-generation Terry shorts that is still one of my favorites.

Tilt could've been part of the problem, of course. As a large group on demo bikes, we were only set up pretty quickly on them - seat height was about all they did IIRC. I brought my own shoes and pedals.

And I haven't tried a Ruby. That was going to be my next one. That, or a Selle SLR Lady Gel Flow which people speak highly of.

[radacrider]

Hi, good luck with the saddle search.

I have a Lithia on my "SUV" bike and a Ruby on my road bike. To be honest, I don't "notice" the Ruby at all when riding. After some miles on the Lithia, I do notice it some, probably the gelynish of it.

I was in one of the LBS recently and could swear the new Lithia's are softer than mine.

Both saddles, for me, are free from girly bit discomfort.

I like the Lithia on the SUV cuz I may not always wear padded shorts or liners, just jump on and go. Otherwise, I would probably swap out for the Ruby.

[Kiwi Stoker]

I have the Jett on the tandem and the Ruby on my single road bike.

I appreciate the Jett's extra padding because even though the tandem has a suspension seatpost because I sit right over the rear wheel, I feel everything.

My road bike came with the Ruby saddle so I decided to give it a go. It's great, just enough padding and I adapted to it really well. I wouldn't however put it on the tandem.

I would choose the saddle that fits the "ride" of the bike. If you are coming from a very soft saddle, yes the Ruby will take a bit of getting used to.

[vness]

after getting more & more miserable as well as more & more confused about what to try, I finally picked up an older model Jett 143 with the stitching (ouch?) that my LBS had on a bike. Truthfully, it doesn't look "that" much different than the Avatar overall and even though my sit bones measure about 117mm, I'm also not sure I don't need a 155.. sigh

Plan is to ride it fri, sat & sun, and if I like it enough, order a newer one (w/ti rails and no stitching) for about $25 more than what I paid. Unfortunately I don't have the time to heal from the past couple of days, so I'll be trying it with tissue already swollen & chafed. Taking today off since I rode late yesterday and am so sore I could scream.

I am also very interested in the Selle Italia SLR Lady, though the pear shape is a bit of a concern, as is the width, if, in fact, I do need a 143. lol... do I sound as confused as I feel? LBS is ordering one anyway.

Thank you ALL for your input. Yes, I was looking at the Bontrager (only because I agree that I don't really ride "on" my sit bones anyway since I'm not very upright on the bike) but the shape really put me off.

This forum is a lifesaver. There are so many threads about so many 'other' things I relate to here.

Bright Blessings
namaste,
v

[stokerpam]

I've tried several saddles over 8000+miles including Butterfly - didn't work - and have finally settled on the Specialized Lithia. Tried Ruby & Jett briefly too but in the med size, & I need the wider one for stoking since am more upright. Not perfect but my favorite so far. Also wonderful is "Assos Chamois Creme" on places prone to chafing. Works better than chamois buttr or aquaphor even tho costs a lot more. (Several people rec Sugoi shorts - see if they work for you - sizes run small) Ride 45-60mi ~3x/wk