A lighter firmer saddle than Sella Italia Gel Flow?

[deskrider]

I used the "Ldy" Selle Italia Gel Flow for 7500 miles and I was getting really sore muscles and a tight back and then realized that sitting on that saddle made me feel like I was sinking in a hammock. I replaced it with the Diva (wide cutout) model and it felt soooo good to be on a flat top firm saddle. After the first 100 miles the trouble started with the Diva and as others have described I was sinking into or putting too much pressure on the cutout and got some pretty painful issues with the soft tissue. No sitbone issues, but wow, it was uncomfortable. Today I just put on a new Lady Gel Flow again, and almost instantly the soft tissue problems was gone, but now I'm back to feeling like this saddle is a bit squishy and I don't know how many miles it will take before I feel like I'm in a hammock again. I really want a lighter weight saddle, but I have no idea what my specific problem with the Diva was. Maybe it was too flat? (The gel flow is not a flat top), maybe the wide cutout was too much? Or maybe the slightly narrower Diva was a bit too narrow? How do I know what to try next? I don't want a heavy saddle--I want to lighten the bike too.

[Hi Ho Silver]

Have you tried the Selle Italia Diva Gel version without the cutout? It is a fairly flat top design, not squishy like the "Gel" part of the name would lead you to believe. It is the first and only saddle that I have felt comfortable riding.

[deskrider]

Have you tried the Selle Italia Diva Gel version without the cutout? It is a fairly flat top design, not squishy like the "Gel" part of the name would lead you to believe. It is the first and only saddle that I have felt comfortable riding.

My understanding is that the non-cutout version of the diva was discontinued. If you have information otherwise please share a link or part-number so I can look for it. Thanks!!!!

[jyyanks]

I literally just bought the Selle Italia Diva without the cutout. I bought it on ebay. It looks like this

http://www.highonbikes.com/selle-ita...at-saddle.html

[deskrider]

That looks good. If I don't buy it from a regular store, though, I guess I have no way to try and return. I'm still not sure if the cutout was 100% of my problem, or if it was compounded with more of a flat-top saddle. Any way to google this and find a store with it online? Or is it only an ebay thing now that Selle Italia no longer makes them.

[ehirsch83]

If you are going to look into one without the cutout also check out WTB's Deva- I love it and have been riding it for the past 3 or 4 years(i'm on my 3rd saddle now but killed one in a crash). I have the SLT with TI rails, which is lighter then the Pro.

http://www.wtb.com/products/saddles/racing/deva/

[Kathi]

Are you located anywhere near the Denver area?

I have a brand new WTB Diva, still in the box, that I thought was the best saddle for me until Specialized came out with saddles in widths. Turns out the Specialized Ruby is the perfit fit for me.

I think there is a used one floating around here, too.

[CAL]

I tried the Selle Italia max gel flite and then the Selle Italia Diva. The Diva was definitely an improvement, but my pefrect saddle is now the Specialized Toupe Expert.

[mardeebo]

I think you've described exactly what I'm experiencing in my Selle Italia Diva, too. I don't have sit bone issues, I don't have chafing, I don't get saddle sores, but man I get tender from the pressure just in front of my sit bone area after about 90 minutes. I tend to scoot forward in this saddle regardless how I have my saddle adjusted. I have about 2,500 miles total on this saddle and thought it was just me.

[TigerMom]

I don't know if you have ever had your sitbones measured, but I currently have the 145mm 2012 Selle Italia Max SLR Gel Flow saddle with my sitbones measured at my BG bike fit for 143mm saddles. My current saddle is pretty flat and even less "domed" shape than the Specialized Jett saddle. The 2012 Selle Italia Max SLR Gel Flow saddle is even firmer than my Jett saddle. In fact, I felt like I was sitting on 2 rocks for the first 2 weeks. This saddle has a HUGE cutout, so I do not have any soft tissue pain compared to my previous Jett saddle. Currently, the new saddle still feels firm and uncomfortable, but less hard than before. However, I have only ridden about 100 miles on my new saddle so far. As I yet have 7400 miles to go in order to match your 7500 miles on your saddle, maybe the new saddle eventually will soften up.
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2012 Specialized Amira Elite, upgraded carbon handle bars, Jett saddle 143mm switched to 145mm 2012 Selle Italia Max SLR Gel Flow saddle

2011 Specialized Ariel Sport,suspension post,Serfas Rx Women's Microfiber saddle