Women: What's your favorite saddle?

oh yeah, i had a look at those, I couldn't really decide what I though cos I hadn't heard of them and they seemed cheaper than a lot of brands I was worried about quality.
Would you say it's a hard or soft saddle?
Nice idea with the AssSaver! It never occured to me that cutouts would be unfriendly in the rain.... Another point to consider in the pursuit of happy bums!

Alex I have a Selle Italia Ladies Gel Flow you can try out if you want, I'm not using it at the moment - its a bit battered and well used - but you're welcome to try it.

I am a brooks convert, finally (after 3 attempts) - I've had a B17S on the Brompton for a year now and can happily do 30+ mile rides on it without any padding whatsoever, and no pain at all.
Jenne still thinks they are too short, but I get on with just fine. It did take a little while to break in, but now its like an old friend.

Alex: have you considered cycling a bit less and eating a few more pies and cake to create a bit of natural padding?

On a serious note I am completely with you re: padded shorts - really who wants to wear them everywhere. With the right underwear and saddle I can quite happily do 30 odd miles without...

Would you say it's a hard or soft saddle?

I'd say it's soft. Not too soft though, more like a firm soft saddle (eh?!)

But now that I read about the Brooks I start wondering if that could be a better candidate...

I don't think that this strategy will be successful, Alex. Your commute is an hour each way, and I have no doubt that this discomfort is caused by your lack of padding, not by an unsuitable saddle. It's not really a lack of moulding to you that's usually the issue but the chafing you get from sliding around on it while riding. You may get lucky finding a saddle that fits you well, but I'd first consider wearing padded shorts under other trousers or shorts or skirts that you wear, or to get trousers or shorts with padding built into them. Fair enough if you don't like padding, but don't expect as comfortable a ride as with it.

We are all different. Goes without saying, I know. And it is possible to never use padded shorts and be comfortable. I can't stand pads- feels like wearing a nappy to me and grossly uncomfortable. I never wear one. (In fact this weekend I spent half an hour unpicking one from a rather nice pair of Pearl izumi 3/4's my friend gave me). I ride daily, commute is 5 or 6 miles each way, sometimes more. But I ride 50 to 100 miles at weekends and spend my summer hols touring similar distances daily for anything from 5 days to 5 weeks. Can't remember the last time I suffered soreness/pain in those personal saddle contact parts. I use Brooks on all my bikes, but I have used all kinds in the past, including cheap, trashy plastic things. I may just be lucky, I guess.
My personal feeling is that saddle soreness is more to do with how your bike is set up and how that affects your weight distribution over those parts. But again, maybe that's just me.

We are all different. Goes without saying, I know. And it is possible to never use padded shorts and be comfortable.

Yes, obviously. We all eat, drink, or sleep, though, and I just don't think I'd ever come across anyone who didn't like padding--certainly no man, so perhaps it's a gender-specific thing?

Yes, obviously. We all eat, drink, or sleep, though, and I just don't think I'd ever come across anyone who didn't like padding--certainly no man, so perhaps it's a gender-specific thing?

I'm sure there must be other pad hating beasts like me somewhere? The rather nice Pearl Izumi 3/4 tights of which I spoke earlier were given to me by a friend with pad intact (too small for her, post baby) and I gave them a try as its years since I even attempted to wear a pad. I thought perhaps new materials and technology might have improved them (after all, sanitary towels have come a long way since my teens,). I was disappointed. It still felt like having a large uncomfortable nappy on. So out came the scissors- the tights are lovely now.

@Oliver - I too dislike padding. I've worn padded shorts for longer rides as it's conventional and just been a bit "meh" - I don't like the bulk and the weird absorbency (I guess that's a women-specific thing but to me it's quite an important comfort issue!), and then I've done the same length rides without padding and it's not been any more sore. A 1hr commute - should be manageable in normal clothes, no?

@nelaii: I'm a big fan of the women-specific Specialized saddles, cheap and comfy (to me) although they've discontinued my favourite one (Windie XC). I think the Riva is its nearest replacement - so is already the 'softer' version I think (comparing MTB vs road models), I doubt the Ariel would be softer. I found the grippiness of the Riva surface a bit uncomfortable (it's sort of flock-like?) as it pulls on clothes and creates friction, so the Ariel might be better just because it's a smooth finish. I also have quite a boney arse and have found it most comfortable on saddles with cut-outs, but sitting a little bit further back on them than usual. I also find the angle critical - I think my saddles are a bit more nose-down than average, yes I do have to shuffle backwards every so often but I don't get sore bits...

I think my saddles are a bit more nose-down than average, yes I do have to shuffle backwards every so often but I don't get sore bits...
+1! It's the same for me!

Incidentally I will also be selling the above (will get around to posting properly - but in the mean time if anyone's interested):

Charge Stool: £10 (I have about three to sell)

nelaii, what colours do you have the Stools in?

I have this one for sale

http://www.lfgss.com/thread94824.html#post3178018

Yes, obviously. We all eat, drink, or sleep, though, and I just don't think I'd ever come across anyone who didn't like padding--certainly no man, so perhaps it's a gender-specific thing?

Are you kidding? Sheldon Brown?

And me.

Anyway looking for a saddle for my girlfriend. Just seen PMs so might be sorted.

Sella Italia vite here. I loved the one on my modern bike so much that hubby bought one for my vintage bike too. Have completed many long rides on it (geared I'm afraid) and never suffered discomfort. It also helps having a good pair of shorts of course :-)

Ladies of LFGSS, a question if you will.

I'm looking at getting a Brooks for the Mrs for xmas.

I've found a nice b17 pro, but thought I'd check here, have any of you ridden a regular b17 rather than the lady specific model? Is the lady specific a must?

Any help much appreciated.

It depends on her shape, tbh. All you're really going to get by way of an answer is the ladies with narrower sit bones going "yeh mens are fine" and the ones with wider ones going "no! must be girly or she'll die!"

One trick I read somewhere was to have the person sit on a large stack of damp paper towels so you get an impression of where the pointy bits of the pelvis are. You'll then be left with a mould that you can compare to saddles to see if the depressions are inside the saddle area or if they're hanging over the sides. God only knows how you're going to convince your missus to do that, though, especially if you have to tell her you intend to take a papier mache cast of her ladyarea to Evans to show it to the shopkeeps hanging about in the saddles section.

I asked Scherrit at the Bike Whisperer if there's any point in getting the shorter version, as the only difference are the nose being shorter.

Normal Brooks are fine.

Are you sure? The womens definitely looks wider and flatter...

Men's version is 170mm wide, the ladies version is 177mm wide. There is a difference, but not a massive one.

I checked the Brooks B17 and the S version, the S is 1mm wider.

What men version were you looking at? all I see is 175mm for men, and 176mm for women.

I was looking at the Pro, which is narrower...

I don't think there's a B17 Pro, unless you meant the Team Pro which is a different shape.

B17 left, Team Pro on right;

Ooh! Oooh! I can totally (sort of) answer this question! I'm a girl, obviously and have had no issues at all with the Swift (which is nearly the same as the Team Pro). Love it, and now it's all bed in and lovely. There wasn't a women's specific version of it so I just took the plunge and hoped for the best and I love it.

Hi,

I need a saddle recommendation from you guys (or better girls).

My gf has a road bike that is build up more like a relaxed touring bike (i.e. cinelli priest bars instead of road bars etc..)

The problem is the saddle. So far we have tried the following:

Brooks B17/B68 and others: all those Brooks, no matter if 'aged' or not, she finds 'too uncomfortable'. The bike isn't ridden that much and never on long distances anyway, so this is probably true and won't change.

Supercorsa/Turbo: no likey as well

At the same time she doesn't want something really comfy or wide (dutch/gel/whatever), because it looks shit, and that's true, too.

So, what could be the best compromise?
How about a Rolls, are they a bit more gf approved?

By the way, the colour has to be brown-ish (ideally honey)

Has the Brooks been proofided and worn in? Can take upto 1000 miles of use innit.... (my GF is going through this pain stage too (: )

I had feedback from a female friend that a Rolls was very uncomfortable due to the shape of the nose, which protudes up a bit like a ridge length ways (not sure how to describe)...

You could always try a Charge bucket, if you can face putting a Charge product on her bike. Not ridden one but they look pretty squishy.

If you have already gone though a scoble-amount of saddles, you could instead experiment with with stem length. Due to the relaxed position of the bike, more of your GF's weight will be over the saddle. A longer stem should mean that less weight is over the saddle.