Saddle Fit: Tests, Tips, and Tricks

[Muirenn]

I imagine if you Google search "Women's saddle fit test" you get this discussion. I've often said this is the best place in cyberspace for women cyclists and this proves it. Susan? Your little discussion board is famous.

Just googled 'Saddle fit test,' sans the 'women's,' guess which thread came up SECOND in google?

[OakLeaf]

I think we've done enough work for them.

Eh, if it were a saddle manufacturer maybe, but they're just trying to spread the knowledge, and that's all good AFAIC. At least they credited Knott and this board with her cut-out test, though a linky would've been nice.

[Trek420]

they're just trying to spread the knowledge, and that's all good AFAIC.

That's the opinion at Chez Knott More knowledge more better.

At least they credited Knott and this board with her cut-out test, though a linky would've been nice.

Huh? We did not see that. Oooh, found it! Cool, and thanks, Oakleaf!

[Muirenn]

I didn't see that either until after Oak pointed it out.

[damon_rinard]

Whoa! That's a little earie. Looks like they're TE lurkers!

Hi Sheila, Sorry to be a spook - yes, I am an occasional lurker here, mostly because of the high-quality problem solving demonstrated by this group of smart women not afraid to discuss the details that really matter. I've avoided posting until now, out of respect and also in order not to disturb the cooperative spirit here, which I think could be partly the result of a (virtually) women-only environment. I'm only posting now because Trek420 graciously invited me to do so; I hope it's okay. This is my second post. My first post is introducing myself in the "Getting to know you" thread.

Even the percentile of men and women being such and such a width. I've linked to that discussion many times for people here. That is the thread where someone placed the coins on a saddle and took a picture. Really great discussion. And play-doh, huh? Wonder whose idea that was?

I agree, the stats on sit bone width are a nice reference. I guess we used the same database. Is the play-doh technique yours? If so please let me know how you'd like to be named and I'll revise the article to give proper credit, as I did for the Cutout Test after Knott called me on the phone. I had PMed her but not in time for her to see it, so I was really happy to hear from her and be able to use her real name in giving credit for the test!

The point of taking center to center and adding 2 centimeters to get saddle width is a problem, though. My center to center is 118, and yet my outside distance is around 155. I can't use a saddle more narrow than 150, and wider is better. Yet this puts me on a 138. That needs a caveat.

Agreed, and as OakLeaf mentioned, maybe you'd like to add that as a comment on the article? I'm aware of that concept, which is why I wrote: "...equal or greater than the center-to-center spacing between your sit bones, plus about 1 centimeter on each side."
And "Saddle width >= sit bone spacing + 2cm" (emphasis added).

What do you think?

Respectfully,

Damon Rinard

[damon_rinard]

Hi OakLeaf,

Thanks for pointing out that we gave Knott credit. I looked into the link, which I thought was in the article, and it is - the words "The cutout test" are hyperlinked to the individual post Knott made. But the web page style simply changes the color of the linked text to red, which doesn't stand out enough to be an obvious link. So we're editing the article now to specifically give the link, and in a more obvious way. Thanks for mentioning that!

Respecfully,

Damon Rinard

[Trek420]

I'm only posting now because Trek420 graciously invited me to do so; I hope it's okay. This is my second post.
Damon Rinard

And a hale and hearty welcome to TE! Just remember to leave the seat down.

[damon_rinard]

And a hale and hearty welcome to TE! Just remember to leave the seat down.

Thanks for the welcome, Trek420! Don't worry, I'm well-trained - seat's always down. But the saddle's at just the right height.

[Tjokkits]

hello everybody, my first post apart from getting to know detail. so I am the proud owner of a whole garage full of saddles, not cheap ones, but I am not getting it right, so maybe somebody here will have ideas.

so ive been riding quite comfortably on spez avatar 155 for years, until I started riding a bit more aggressively, from thereon they are to cushy and caused chaving. Got sella italia slr (ladies one) but think its too narrow, chaving again. Spez ruby okay for up to 3 hour rides then same thing, and I find the saddle flexes too much to my liking.

now this is the thing, went for bike fit on my new stumpy fsr, the guy sold me a fizik arione donna, and whalla, no chaving!! but.... it squashes other tender bits badly. I tried to make it work, drop front a bit etc but no. apart from that the best saddle ever though. so where can I get something with that shape but a cut out or deeper indentation?

[Muirenn]

Since you liked the avatar, I suggest trying the Specialized Toupe in a 155. If that doesn't let you ride agressively enough, try the Romin. You can use the women's equivalents (Ruby and Oura), but I see little difference, except the high end women's correlate to the 'expert' cheaper men's in style. But the men's cost less. Plus, more choices in men's.
(I've used Ruby's and Toupes for years, and currently love the Romin).

If you don't like those, you could try an SMP. But those are super pricey, and may not be necessary. Plus, they are sized quite differently.

[Sky King]

hello everybody, my first post apart from getting to know detail. so I am the proud owner of a whole garage full of saddles, not cheap ones, but I am not getting it right, so maybe somebody here will have ideas.

so ive been riding quite comfortably on spez avatar 155 for years, until I started riding a bit more aggressively, from thereon they are to cushy and caused chaving. Got sella italia slr (ladies one) but think its too narrow, chaving again. Spez ruby okay for up to 3 hour rides then same thing, and I find the saddle flexes too much to my liking.

now this is the thing, went for bike fit on my new stumpy fsr, the guy sold me a fizik arione donna, and whalla, no chaving!! but.... it squashes other tender bits badly. I tried to make it work, drop front a bit etc but no. apart from that the best saddle ever though. so where can I get something with that shape but a cut out or deeper indentation?

I ride the Rivet Independence which is very similar in shape - is leather without any padding so no squash anywhere! We sell them so i attached the link

160mm X 280mm

[Scrappy]

SkyKing - I just purchased 2 Rivet Saddles, the Pearl and Independence but haven't tried either of them yet. How do they compare in comfort (for you) to Brooks + Brooks Imperial?

Scrappy

[Sky King]

SkyKing - I just purchased 2 Rivet Saddles, the Pearl and Independence but haven't tried either of them yet. How do they compare in comfort (for you) to Brooks + Brooks Imperial?

Scrappy

I have the Independence on my Gilles Berthoud and Pearl (Cromo) on my Surly ECR. I had the Rivet Pearl TI on my Rivendell. I never liked the Brooks B17 for me. I sorta liked the Brooks Imperial however the "fenders" - the long sides on the Brooks saddles make my upper leg and lower Glutes go numb after about 35 miles, that doesn't happen with the Rivets. The Independence's long narrow nose took a bit of getting used to but now I like it - I only have about 300 miles on the Independence. Let me know what you think!

[jobob]

I *really* like my new-to-me Rivet Pearl Ti -- hi SkyKing! -- even more than my previous fave Brooks Team Pro, which, for me, is more comfy than the Brooks B17.

The Rivet Pearl is da bomb.

[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!