Women: What's your favorite saddle?

My girlfriend has spesh toupes and has no problem with them.
Look at one of the wider ones to support her sit bones.

Plus a friend has Selle italia flyte diva

http://www.selleitalia.com/se_it3/prodotti/road/pagina_diva/

My girlfriend has spesh toupes and has no problem with them.
Look at one of the wider ones to support her sit bones.

Plus a friend has Selle italia flyte diva

http://www.selleitalia.com/se_it3/prodotti/road/pagina_diva/

^toupe won't do because it's far from the bike's style (see cinelli priest bars etc.)

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 (: )

The problem is, as said, that the bike is only used for little weekend trips and that's it. Will never wear in that way.

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)...

Ah ok that's interesting, then I can skip that Rolls, too.

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.

Won't do I guess (not 'classic' enough)

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.

I know that, but as you can imagine she wants the other way round (lower seatpost and more upright position). I guess she will have to face the fact that there is no way around a wider saddle

Selle Italia Lady Small Gel Flow gets my vote. By far the most comfortable saddle for me. Not sure it comes in brown though...

Can I ask, how about these Brooks 'Imperial' saddles with that cutout in the middle?

Are they any good?

And something else: why are the ladies versions that are called 'S' and are shorter more suitable for 'ladies'? What is the advantage for women in a shorter saddle?
This cutout is something I can imagine that it makes a difference, but the length?

The S is shorter, and wider.

Shorter = yes, but wider? exactly 1 mm, I guess that's not an actual difference

http://www.brooksengland.com/catalogue-and-shop/saddles/touring+%26+trekking/B17+Standard/

http://www.brooksengland.com/catalogue-and-shop/saddles/touring+%26+trekking/B17+S+Standard/

Heh, thought there was more like 1-2cm in it, I must've been comparing the wrong B17.

I've not seen them side by side, but I do think they are different breadths/profiles as well, around the mid section.

The feedback from Ms TM was that it was comfortable, just a bit hard to start with.

You can see how tiny it looks as well here

http://distilleryimage4.s3.amazonaws.com/f426ecf4574011e2884a22000a9f1588_7.jpg

If you try a B17s, buy from Tredz, they were cheapest online and if you review a product (takes 2 mins) you get an extra £5 off...

Can you partially break in the brooks for her?
I had to do this for my Mum's one.

I've a specialised avatar on my tourer comfortable immediately. It's a mans saddle they do female versions too.

Not sure if that's what your gf likes look wise but it works for me.

Measuring sitbones is a good idea if she hasn't already. There's a way to do that involving sitting on Alu foil can post link if you want.

Missed the classic and brown look bit sorry.

Would check sitbones in any case as too wide can also be umcomfy as you then plant the weight on the wrong place.

Ladies saddles are shorter as women used to all wear skirts ergonomically it doesn't matter and I prefer longer men saddles.

Check sjs cycles they are touring orientated you may find something there with the right look?

Wetting leather carefully helps breaking in so does saddle oil have links if you want to go that way.

Some people have a brooks bum and some need to do hard breaking in...

Can I ask, how about these Brooks 'Imperial' saddles with that cutout in the middle?

Are they any good?

And something else: why are the ladies versions that are called 'S' and are shorter more suitable for 'ladies'? What is the advantage for women in a shorter saddle?
This cutout is something I can imagine that it makes a difference, but the length?

Women's versions traditionally were shorter to accommodate the wearing of a dress. Don't worry about length - width is more important.

ive got a leather Bill Amberg honey coloured charge saddle on one of my bikes, it is very comfy. Does your girlfriend have a wideload out back?

I'm sure there was a thread for this already?

A lot of women ride the Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow, or the SLK.

I thought I was happy on a mens toupe until I did 90km. Put a Diva on at the half way stage and could sit down again. Try the Diva mate.

Can you partially break in the brooks for her?
I had to do this for my Mum's one.

This, just break it in for her. I weigh about 75kg and mine only took 600 miles. That's, what, a couple of months tops of you riding on it for her before putting it back on her bike?

When I last went through this situation wearing proper shorts was deemed to have made a more positive difference than any of the saddles we tried - i.e they all went from "uncomfortable" to "ok"... none were initially considered ok on their own.

I appreciate this may not exactly fit with the "no long rides/priest bars" scenario though! However it might buy some time to, at least, get used to a particular saddle - which may be all that's required for short rides?

Maybe try something like a Charge Spoon? Cheap, comfy and looks passable on a retro build - and at least it doesn't weigh half a ton like the Brooks...

I've now ordered that ladies version B17S Imperial, with that cutout,
we'll see how it works.

Maybe try something like a Charge Spoon? Cheap, comfy and looks passable on a retro build - and at least it doesn't weigh half a ton like the Brooks...

I've got a charge spoon on my cyclocross/everyday bike and it's fine for rides under 40 miles. Nice tan colour with blue rails to match my blue bike and brown bartape.

Longer distances require a better saddle though, but I use a Selle Dynamic, which in no way looks remotely retro.

I've got a charge spoon on my cyclocross/everyday bike and it's fine for rides under 40 miles. Nice tan colour with blue rails to match my blue bike and brown bartape.

Longer distances require a better saddle though, but I use a Selle Dynamic, which in no way looks remotely retro.

Completely agree - super comfy for commuting/mid distance. But not the best for long-distance - find the padding is too much for this.

I'm sure there was a thread for this already?

Oh yes - have merged the two threads as they both have helpful info in.

A lot of women ride the Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow, or the SLK.

I thought I was happy on a mens toupe until I did 90km. Put a Diva on at the half way stage and could sit down again. Try the Diva mate.

I've got both and use the Diva Gel Flow on my everyday bike - having tried HEAPS of saddles, I concur with La Wicks. Super comfortable.

Can I ask, how about these Brooks 'Imperial' saddles with that cutout in the middle?

Are they any good?

And something else: why are the ladies versions that are called 'S' and are shorter more suitable for 'ladies'? What is the advantage for women in a shorter saddle?
This cutout is something I can imagine that it makes a difference, but the length?

I have one of these... nearly killed me for the first couple of weeks! I persisted and now I love it. If you leave the 'corset laces' pretty loose the break in period is quite short.

Tried a San Marco Regal once and didn't manage 100 metres on it. I can only cope with saddles with the middle cut out.

A lot of women ride the Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow, or the SLK.

Anyone got a Selle Italia Diva Gel or SLR Lady Flow knocking around that they don't want/didn't get on with and want to sell to me? I've got the Diva Gel on one bike and an SLR on another and want one for my track bike now...