Saddles Thread?

[janeh]

I have a Selle Italia Gel Flow saddle. I have tried a few including a Brooks B17. It has been pointed out in some of the Thorn booklets that Women's saddles can be too short and I think I agree with that. It is nice to be able to move backwards and I thought the Brooks women's was too short. The Selle Italia is not too bad.

Jane

[JWestland]

Hi Janeh

I prefer a longer saddle too.

You can straddle the saddle too if you ride out of saddle, can't do that with the shorter ladies saddle on my fixed bike.
And a longer rail means more adjustment.

It's a man saddle on the XTC atm, but it's fine.

[il padrone]

Brooks womens saddles go right back to the 1890s bike boom, when women took to the wheel. They were not developed for any physiological reasons, but rather to make life easier for women riding their drop-frame bikes with long skirts. A long saddle (better for spring and comfort) would snag their skirts, so the shorter nose saddle was developed.

If you like a hard saddle, or ride in skirts, get a womens model. Otherwise a 'mens' saddle will be more comfy.

[Andre Jute]

Brooks womens saddles go right back to the 1890s bike boom, when women took to the wheel. They were not developed for any physiological reasons, but rather to make life easier for women riding their drop-frame bikes with long skirts. A long saddle (better for spring and comfort) would snag their skirts, so the shorter nose saddle was developed.

If you like a hard saddle, or ride in skirts, get a womens model. Otherwise a 'mens' saddle will be more comfy.

This, while true, isn't the full story. There are some anatomical differences. Women have more distance between their ischial tuberosities (sit bones) so need a wider saddle than men. I can heartily recommend Brook's B73 as the most comfortable of the Brooks saddles straight out of the box. It's essentially a B67 with coil springs at all three corners, not as soft as it looks, not as unforgiving as a B17.

Andre Jute

[Danneaux]

It's a man saddle on the XTC atm...

No, it isn't....it's a Jawine saddle now! 

Women have more distance between their ischial tuberosities (sit bones) so need a wider saddle than men.

<nods> As a generality, with individual exceptions. My slim-hipped sister asks me to mention she finds "women's" saddles uncomfortably wide and prefers a narrower one designed/marketed for men. Same for two of my past girlfriends. Back angle/riding position can make a difference for all; the ischial tuberosities become effectively wider for many folks with rearward rotation. If riding in a full tuck, I can get by with a much narrower saddle then I can in my regular touring position.

All the best,

Dan. (...who figures outliers are the exception  )

[il padrone]

There are some anatomical differences. Women have more distance between their ischial tuberosities (sit bones) so need a wider saddle than men.

Quite correct for many (but not all) women. However the Brooks S models are generally no wider than the mens model, only shorter. So they do not resolve this anatomic issue at all. Certainly women should get the B67 if they have wider hips. A female friend uses the rather lovely B18 and swears by its comfort, but it is not any shorter than a B17.

[JWestland]

I cycle a 143 racing saddle (eg medium for men, 130 is smallest) and a 153 ladies saddle (Charge Ladle) on the fixie.

Like Dan says depends on sitbones, on average women's are wider, but that doesn't mean you can't ride a men's saddle.

Both are fine but the specialized is comfier even though it's harder.

"If riding in a full tuck, I can get by with a much narrower saddle then I can in my regular touring position."

Hm that might be a factor, as I sit more forwards on the XTC and upright on fixie. Could try swapping saddles and compare if anybody is interested?

[Andre Jute]

Hm that might be a factor, as I sit more forwards on the XTC and upright on fixie. Could try swapping saddles and compare if anybody is interested?

I'm keenly interested in ergonomics, so I'm hanging on your lips. We're generally told that the more horizontal your back, the narrower your saddle should be, the more upright you sit, the wider it should be.  But I have no personal experience, having always first fitted a known-comfortable saddle (or seat -- i rode on a Cheeko90 until it wore out) and then adapted -- in the case of my Trek, reengineered -- the bike around it.

Andre Jute

[sdg_77]

Sat at home admiring the snow so I thought I would catch up on a few forum threads ...

Saddles do seem to be almost universally 'martmite' in that what one person likes another will find awful.

I had a Fizik seat as the original on my Cannondale Synapse 'Sunday Morning Bike'.  These were getting good reviews in the magazines, but after about 10 minutes I could tell it was not going to suit me.  Replaced it with a Specialized Avatar and find that really good - lots of long(ish) Sunday rides and a couple of centuries later, it still seems like a good choice.

The MTB has a Specialized Sonoma - pretty good, but the main reason for buying it was I thought it would be at least ok, which it is, and it was not too expensive so the inevitable prang won't be such a financial pain when it comes.  Of course,  that was a while ago and so far,  no falling off incidents.

My Sherpa has a B17 which was really just based on the low price being a chance to try one.  I had one when I was 15 but that was a looong time ago.  The B17 on the Thorn has been a pleasant surprise, it felt quite stiff at first and I expected a few problems with it not having a central dip, but after only 4 or 500km it became almost as comfortable as the Avatar and after a tour across the Hadrian's cycleway it has developed some obvious sit bone dents.  Just me guessing but I think the harder surface allows a little more airflow which stops any heat build up on long summer days on the road .... not that we had much of a summer last year.

Lastly - my old Claud Butler commuter has the ladies seat which came with my wife's Thorn,  she didn't hate it,  but was not keen either, she has the ladies Specialized Lithia on both her Sherpa and Sunday Morning bike.

So the upshot of all this ... when ever someone asks me about buying a new bike I usually suggest they allow some of the budget for a replacement saddle ;-)

Oh and for sit bone measurements,  I find aluminum foil on the stair carpet works well enough ... perhaps the banister just makes it easier to stand up without sliding off?


regards
sdg.

[Andre Jute]

Saddles do seem to be almost universally 'martmite' in that what one person likes another will find awful.

Any further attacks on Marmite, the greatest British invention, will result in you being put on punishment rations.

[JWestland]

Ratios of mostly Marmite of course 

Going to try saddle swap next week unless snow holds as then I won't ride Dixie so can't do comparison.

Fixed is great for traction but mine doesn't have winter tires and she's 700c vs Thorn 26 inch...

[sdg_77]

Marmite,  hmmm - it's not quite up there with the train and longitude is it ? ;-)

sdg.

[Andre Jute]

Marmite,  hmmm - it's not quite up there with the train and longitude is it ? ;-)
sdg.

Marmite is for the confident cyclist who is comfortable exploring the byways within reach of his bicycle. He doesn't need the train, or longitude. He doesn't need gadgets to tell him where he is, or a map; he looks at the countryside and he has his memory of how it looks in each season, at each crossroads.

Marmities, Unite! You have nothing to lose but the SUVs on our roads.

Andre Jute

[jags]

hobbes where does your mind be 

[rualexander]

Vegemite is better though,