Women: What's your favorite saddle?

After some trouble finding the right saddle, (including Fizik Donnas, various other saddles), she settled on a Selle Italia Diva Flow. It’s now on all her bikes, and she won’t be without it.
She also tried the Power on the turbo, felt that pro and sworks were too solid, but was happy enough with the expert padding level.

I need to replace the saddle on my commuter and just discovered that Specialized have discontinued the Jett :-( the lithia looks a bit too padded. Any recommended alternatives?

Interesting article on sitting problems:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/mar/26/hannah-dines-saddle-research-pain-swelling-female-cyclists

Hi,
My wife is looking for a new saddle for a mountain bike.
She is new to mountain biking so not sure where to start with saddle choice.
The saddle that came with the bike has a cut-out with quite pronounced ridges which she finds very uncomfortable.
She has quite an upright position on this bike also.
thanks for any advice.

Is she in London? Can she get to the London Bike Kitchen to sample the Saddle Library? It's very hard to recommend saddles as it is so personal.

No we're not in London.
I know. It's difficult as her only other bike is a very upright town bike with a big sprung Brooks saddle.
The saddle on the MTB she doesn't like anything about it.

Hi all - having saddle thoughts.

I'm building my main bike to be a superlight and stiff hill climbing fixie.
Saddle, I previously had the Fizik Arone Donna with carbon rails - love the shape (Specialised were always too wide and big for me at the back), hated the rails - I am somewhat ham handed and always crack carbon.... sigh. Now I have a Selle Italia SLR Lady Flow Saddle - it's pretty good but the back is slightly wide and it's not super light but wanted to see if any of you lovely lot knew of any others I should try? Either womens or mens that work for women although had a terrible time once on my partner's Fizik Antares and can't get it out of my head now that it was because it as for men.

Ideally; lightweight, non carbon and narrow.

185g is close to being the lightest with alloy rails, + cutout.
Also depending on the version, 131mm is abougt as narrow as they get at the back?
Arione Donnas are 147 at widest point, so quite a bit wider, so maybe its more the shape rather than the width? You can get an Arione Donna with Ti rails that weigh 185g, same as the SLR lady flow.

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/selle-italia-slr-lady-flow-saddle/?lang=en&curr=GBP&dest=1&sku=102230545&kpid=102230545&utm_source=google&utm_term=&utm_campaign=Shopping+-+All+Products&utm_medium=base&utm_content=mckv|sB0bgKKfI_dc|mcrid|295292317327|mkw||mmt||mrd|102230545uk|mslid||&mkwid=sB0bgKKfI_dc&pcrid=295292317327&prd=102230545uk&pgrid=58852352866&ptaid=pla-586295264317&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsuzVl5_56AIVQuh3Ch11jQQfEAQYASABEgKR0_D_BwE

Its not light, but wifey adores the Selle Italia Diva flow, not light at 255g but the most comfortable saddle she's used.

Specialized Power Expert with Mimic might be worth a go, short nose saddle, anchors you in position, gets out the way when out the saddle and 200g.

Thanks @Acliff! I'll check these out!
I think it is a shape thing given the measurements you've highlighted. The search continues!

Hi all. Been using a cheap Specialized womens saddle with cut-out, standard width, for about 15 years, no issues. Generally not been too fussy with saddles so long as they aren't domed - do not like squashed bits. However in the last year or so, things have been getting more and more painful. I'm not cycling much, but I've had phases of being off the bike in the past and it hasn't been half as bad. I'm getting bruised sit bones. Last week set off on a long ride with padded shorts on, and within an hour was in mild pain. Just going out on the bike today I find the bones are still bruised.

Wondering from other people if it's something that changes with age? I'm pretty middle-aged these days and I definitely have less padding than I used to, but I also wonder whether the shape of my pelvis has changed or something. Should I be looking at padded saddles? More padding in shorts? (I've always opted for the thinnest type.) Going wider? Any recommendations? Cheap is good.

Hi Hoefla, unfortunately I can't help as I've not ridden much in recent months cos knee op. Actually, would it be worth contacting London Bike Kitchen to see if their saddle library still active? Could be a low budget way to kick off the research.

Hey S, long time, hope the surgery went well and you are back at it soon.

LBK saddle library is unfortunately closed. An added complication is I'm currently isolating and will need to undertake the same long ride in a couple weeks (to see elderly parent hence isolating).

After reading back in thread a bit and looking online, I want to try something with more padding, and give the Selle Italia 'gel' models a try.
What are people's experiences of Diva Vs Lady? (oh the hilarity).
They seem quite hard to come by, the only ones I've found online are Diva Gel Superflow at PBK for £83 and Lady Flow (2020 model but no mention of gel) at Planet X for a painful £130.

Anyone happen to have either of these types spare (doesn't need to be recent model etc) that I could borrow for a 70 mile ride?!

There's also this Discover Gel Flow at decathlon for a mere £30 but I can't see what size/width it is beyond "L". It's not a women specific model.

Ms mashton, Tori, now owns a bike for the first time in the 19 years we've been together!

It's for doing family rides, off roads, in parks, woods, disused railway lines and that kind of thing.

We did the first ride yesterday, a few laps round Dulwich Park and she complained of a sore pair of bums, so I am looking into a better saddle for her, as opposed to the stock Isla Bikes one that came on her Beinn 26. (Yes, she has the same bike as our 9yo daughter!)

Given that she will be sitting upright and not being at all aggressive, the Diva Gel looks like a good option. Currently £50 at wiggle, but I was wondering if anyone has a second hand one for sells?

Or another suggestion for an appropriate (and keenly priced) option?

Ha, I just saw the @hoefla post above. I assume that any spare ones went to her!

If not, check out the deal at wiggle.

I couldn't wait, I got it from PBK and it does seem to have improved matters on the last long ride.

I also got a second hand one from someone on here (for other bike) which I don't have in hand yet but you could borrow that if you want to try before buy. I think the Diva is a good all-round shape but might not be optimal for sitting upright.

Borrowing one for a trial would be brilliant, thanks! Do you know when you might get it?

My partner went through about 5 saddles and eventually settled on the standard brompton saddle. They also make wide version. Generally go for tenner or so on ebay etc.

Diva gel flow made me so so sore. But as with all things YMMV..

Sit bone sore or soft tissue sore?

Needing to find some saddles for my girlfriend to try out if anyone has one to sell or lend
Fizik Vesta was no good. Flat and not enough soft tissue pressure relief
My specialized power is a better shape. She has no numbness but is getting saddle sores on sit bones from it.
It’s designed for a lower more aggressive position and I think she’s too upright for the minimal/firm padding
So anything that isn’t those two, has a cut out or relief channel. And not too wide as she’s quite narrow hips/sit bones

Dredge… does anyone know of a saddle library in Bristol? Thanks