Women: What's your favorite saddle?

That would be amazing if you have!
The Diva will be around until someone grabs it... I'm not going to use it so if someone can make use of it then that's far preferable to it just sitting in the spare parts box gathering dust.

Missus had an interesting experience saddle hunting recently.

ALL top independent London shops denied women specific test saddles saying basically its not worth keeping them. Eventually someone suggested Specialized concept store; so she went there and the manager (Donna? possibly on here; i think) helped her get the shape she will be comfortable with and the required width. They have a 30 day return policy (even used) so you can test as many shapes and widths as you want.

She is very happy with the purchase and find it extremely comfortable. I am 70% sure that its Ruby something. Even she had Charge Ladle before.

That would be amazing if you have!
The Diva will be around until someone grabs it... I'm not going to use it so if someone can make use of it then that's far preferable to it just sitting in the spare parts box gathering dust.

Looks like this, all yours if you want it. Can bring it to Friday Brockley drinks if that's any use?

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That's very kind, thank you. Alas I have to hear off early on Friday to get to the first of many summer weddings. Will see if I can grab a spoon tomorrow but if not I'll give you a shout and see if there's another opportunity if that's OK?

Of course :)

I am actually tempted by Diva Gel Flow...if you sell it let me know (but I'm in Belfast NI so needs posted, will pay of course)

I've tried Concors which are pretty hard, that's not an issue for me, but I really need a cutout in my saddles.

I have a Charge too, funny enough I get numbing on that with longer rides. A selle SMP TRK/Hybrid is really worth a try IMHO. I cycled 40-50 on the TRK, had some minor irritation/sores but nothing major.

Boast post, but the Brooks swallow that I won at the classic, I did 100km+ on weekend with it and was fine.
Prior to that, I think I rode about 30 kms (so 30 kms of breaking in time).
Major fan of them!

Charlotte - I think I might have a Charge spoon knocking around - let me check my parts bin tonight..

I LOVE my Diva Gel Flow saddles - got two of 'em - one on my road bike and the other will go on my track bike if I ever get it off the wall and onto HH ahem

As for Brooks Swallow and Classic related news, mine is getting there...think I need to fiddle with the tension and adjust tilt now it's broken in a bit more!

Tricitybendix - would you be looking to sell that Ladle at all? I've had one on my fixed gear for years and have had no complaints but recently bought a road bike off this here forum and would like a black one but they've not available anymore...

I'd be eternally grateful!

Does anyone have a specialized oura?
I went and got a specialized Ruby, and I'm rather liking it, but I'm wondering whether it may be a bit too firm. It's great to know my sit bones are both on the saddle and feel them being there (hello 155 width) but my goodness I can feel them.
I haven't been using padded shorts though because it's only three commute.
Shape seems good. Need a couple of slight adjustments but even in the wrong position it seems better than the old one. Just very firm.
But then the oura felt ever so squishy. it's a minefield.

The Ruby was a success on the Dunwich Dynamo. I can't claim everything felt marvelous the whole time (there's a slight lingering undercarriage discomfort, but nothing too major) but at no point did I want to cry / tear off my lady parts etc
Money well spent I say.

Changed from Selle SMP TRK to Selle SMP Pro and really like it, the nose is narrower so no more chafing, but as it's 148 wide it still is wide enough for my hips/sitbones (as it turns out, you don't just sit on the sitbones, but also on the middle of pelvis)

Worth a try. They're very £££ so get a used one first.

(as it turns out, you don't just sit on the sitbones, but also on the middle of pelvis)

I found that pretty freaky the first time I've tried it, take quite some time to get used to.

Good shout on the SMP Pro, look like a better shape.

It makes sense, if you feel your hips from back to front you can feel the narrowing. I can sit down better on this one too, seems to be just right...AND no more complaining left hip tendon (which I damaged years ago doing too much bodypump...)

There's a Strike Plus on e-bay atm, that one is slightly wider. It's a bit of a low tolerance job finding saddles...SMP has lots of width increments which is probably good if you fall between sizes.

It does make sense, after decades of thinking of getting the right saddle shape so your sit bones is supported, along come SMP who throw that conventional wisdom right out of the windows.

I wonder if there's a shop that stock them? The Bike Whisperer is the only one I can think of.

Speaking of the centre channel, I've found a saddle that I think women might like, the Fizik Aliante Versus X saddle, bit like the SMP, but with more sitbones support and a flatter shape.

Incidentally I stumble upon this;

Reviewed: Fizik Aliante VSX, the accidental women’s saddle

Selle SMP I recommend e-bay...they're just too expensive new, but get a used one (still a cool £60 average + shipping) and if it doesn't work you lost postage and maybe a tenner.

I do think you need to have an idea on conventional saddle width, I doubt anything narrower than the pro is good for me. But by their 75% accurate predictions I need 143, not 148. However I knew from other saddles 143 = too narrow (no hip support), 150 seemed just right.

Hi girls!! Here's my favourite saddle: http://www.fizik.it/saddles/women-saddles/women-vesta-manganese/

Selle SMP I recommend e-bay...they're just too expensive new, but get a used one (still a cool £60 average + shipping) and if it doesn't work you lost postage and maybe a tenner.

@JWestland I've been doing quite some research on the Selle SMP, and must warn you that while the Selle SMP can be cheaper on eBay, the majority of them are fake, the saddle are only made in Italy and nowhere else, anything that said it's from China at slightly less than retail price set the alarm bell ringing.

It can be pretty risky going for a counterfeit product of which there are many (Specialized have problem with their Tarmac as they even managed to sell Counterfeit not realising this!).

I knowz...

...but should have mentioned that, so thanks for the add :)

Mine is the real deal, but yeah you have to be very careful with cheap new ones on e-bay.

Does anyone have any saddles that I could borrow to put on the other half's new beik to try out?

Yes - remind me in advance of the next time I see you.

I have a Selle SMP Extra you can try. It's in red, though.

There's an SMP saddle topic for further discussion, work well here as the SMP are unisex.

Some SMP models on sale at Pro bikefit and Planet X at the moment