SI Turbomatic, SSM Aspide Glamour, Ruby...T-shaped Saddle Chat HERE!

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OK, so depending upon how I measure my sits I get anywhere from 125-135mm (hard to tell, since my butt feels like it's covered in a layer of memory foam )...so maybe something in the 155mm neighborhood wouldn't be too wide.

Considering the above 3 saddles to replace my Jett 143 (which I would move to my cyclocross bike, since I wont be "in the saddle" as much on that frame, anyhow). I notice the Glamour lacks a cut-out...do those who use this saddle miss it? I'm pretty sure I need a cut-out, but found that the edges of said cut-out sometimes hit me wrong...some rides my saddle feels wonderful, other rides not-so-much (mostly I experience pinching of labia and relatively minor pressure). It definitely seemed to be a better fit on my previous bike, which had me more upright and was a little scrunched through the cockpit. Now I like riding in the drops a lot more (I can breathe!), but riding along in the hoods sometimes leaves something to be desired on longer rides.

[nscrbug]

I'm like you, Kirsten...in that I sometimes get that "pinching" of the labia on the cutout of my Ruby. Which is why I opted to try out the Affinity RXL, which I ended up returning today. I loved riding in the drops on the Affinity, because it offers a tad bit more padding on the nose over the Ruby. Riding in my drops on the Ruby is pretty painful (for me), because there is next to nothing in the way of padding on that nose. I can generally only last about a minute or two before I have to come back up on the hoods. On the Affinity, I could stay in the drops for a good 5 minutes...woo-hoo! BUT...after 400 miles of testing, my sit bones were just not happy on the Affinity...thus, the reason for returning it. Up next on my list...the SI Turbomatic.

Linda

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It's good to know that there are others having the same issues and looking at some of the other options. Right now the Turbomatic and Glamour Arrowhead look sorta appealing. Just tougher to find. I'd prefer a white saddle since, as DH pointed out, when we do our century in Death Valley a black saddle will get VERY hot during the periods when we're stopped and the sun's beating down on the saddle. Don't want to set my butt on a stovetop!

[Becky]

I didn't miss not having a cut out on the Glamour Aspide, but be forewarned: that thing is rock hard! I like a firm saddle (Selle Italia SLR Lady), but this thing was ridiculous. I like the Glamour a lot on my singlespeed mountain bike, but it was just too hard for road rides longer than 3 hours.

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I didn't miss not having a cut out on the Glamour Aspide, but be forewarned: that thing is rock hard! I like a firm saddle (Selle Italia SLR Lady), but this thing was ridiculous. I like the Glamour a lot on my singlespeed mountain bike, but it was just too hard for road rides longer than 3 hours.

Are you able to compare these to the Jett & Ruby in terms of firmness? This is something that's breaking my heart about the Fizik Arione Donna that didn't work for my anatomy--the cushion was perfectly in-between the Jett and Ruby...just perfect to me.

[Becky]

Are you able to compare these to the Jett & Ruby in terms of firmness? This is something that's breaking my heart about the Fizik Arione Donna that didn't work for my anatomy--the cushion was perfectly in-between the Jett and Ruby...just perfect to me.

Unfortunately, no, not with any credibility. I sat on both a Jett and a Ruby at a LBS and was looking for a secondhand Ruby to try. Someone else recommended that SLR Lady as a similar saddle to the Ruby and one popped up for sale soon thereafter.

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I just had DH help me measure my sit bones, again...and he got the same # that I get, roughly...about 130mm.

Which puts me pretty borderline on Specialized's chart for the 143 or 155. I am tempted to stay with Specialized, but go up a size. I seem to recall the suggestion a while back that my crookedness on the saddle could be due to my saddle being a hair too narrow, too--which makes sense.

So if I stay with Specialized...do I stay with the Jett, or try Ruby? I've mostly really liked my Jett and have done 3 centuries with that saddle. I tried someone's Ruby 143 last Summer and my sit bones were pretty angry after 10 miles, or so. I have a 150 miler coming up in 3 weeks, so I'm pretty antsy to find a better solution before that. Hoping to do another century in a week, too.

[ny biker]

I just had DH help me measure my sit bones, again...and he got the same # that I get, roughly...about 130mm.

Which puts me pretty borderline on Specialized's chart for the 143 or 155. I am tempted to stay with Specialized, but go up a size. I seem to recall the suggestion a while back that my crookedness on the saddle could be due to my saddle being a hair too narrow, too--which makes sense.

So if I stay with Specialized...do I stay with the Jett, or try Ruby? I've mostly really liked my Jett and have done 3 centuries with that saddle. I tried someone's Ruby 143 last Summer and my sit bones were pretty angry after 10 miles, or so. I have a 150 miler coming up in 3 weeks, so I'm pretty antsy to find a better solution before that. Hoping to do another century in a week, too.

If you mostly like the Jett and the Ruby was painful, I would think it would make sense to try the wider Jett.

I know everyone else on this forum loves firm saddles, but personally I find them to be torture. I need a little bit of padding under my sit bones. It's not necessarily a bad thing.

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I'm leaning towards the Ruby for a couple of reasons, though. I suspect my sit bones discomfort on that borrowed Ruby were due to it being too narrow, so the cushiest parts of the saddle weren't actually under my sits. It was also an older saddle with plenty of miles logged. And the 2011 Rubys (rubies? heh) apparently have a bit more of the gel padding compared to the previous versions. I also didn't have nearly the miles on my rear that I have now. Even my Jett sometimes gave me sit bone discomfort during the first half of last Summer. This year it never hurts.

And I've felt for a long while that my Jett is maybe a little too soft. I've been suspicious that I sink into that padding just a bit too much...and we all know what the result of a too-soft saddle is on our privates. If I go with the Ruby and decide it's just too firm, I always know I can happily go back to the Jett and use the Ruby on my cyclocross bike, since the time on saddle during those races and rides will be very minimal.

[Marquise]

I just got out my slightly used SSM Glamour Aspide to check and the padding is definitely firmer than the Donna. It's just a little wider at the widest point and shorter overall (because the Donna ends in sort of a point in back) but the taper from the widest part to the nose is pretty similar. The channel is slightly more pronounced at the nose end of the Donna. The SSM GA flexes side to side quite readily. I tried it pretty early on after I took up cycling and felt too much pressure up front. It's a nice enough saddle that I thought should try it again after I gained some more experience. I know my core strength is much improved so maybe I will one of these days.

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I have a feeling the Glamour is similar to the Ruby in terms of firmness...maybe even moreso, from some things I've read.

[buffybike]

Considering the above 3 saddles to replace my Jett 143 (which I would move to my cyclocross bike, since I wont be "in the saddle" as much on that frame, anyhow). I notice the Glamour lacks a cut-out...do those who use this saddle miss it? .

I own both saddles, and YES I do miss the cutout on the Aspide. Not a big difference though. I actually prefer the shape and padding of the aspide to the Jett...if they'd just add a comfortable cutout, i would never need another saddle! Are you LISTENING Selle San Marco???

[zoom-zoom]

I own both saddles, and YES I do miss the cutout on the Aspide. Not a big difference though. I actually prefer the shape and padding of the aspide to the Jett...if they'd just add a comfortable cutout, i would never need another saddle! Are you LISTENING Selle San Marco???

Look at this!

[SarahMN]

I have this problem with the Jett as well. I seem to want to move back on the Jett saddle, after 15 miles I am moving around trying to get comfortable mostly back however. I don't have a good idea of where my sit bones should be with this saddle. I get chafing on the back of my leg/butt crease with this saddle R>L. Not as bad as with the SI Lady Gel Flow. Sit bones measure 130mm. SI Turbomatic is in the mail.

[KnottedYet]

I get chafing on the back of my leg/butt crease with this saddle R>L.

Too pear-shaped, too gradual a transition from nose to sits.

Which might be why you are shifting around so much.

(ETA: good lawrd, I do sound pedantic, don't I? But it's true... too gradual and not T-shaped enough for the angle of your hip joints.)