hey ladies! i’m working on building a new bike right now…I’ve never really paid much attention to “women’s specific saddles;” much less really ridden one. Any of you out there tried them and liked them? I currently have 2 Selle San Marco saddles. 1 is tri-specific (which I LOVE), the other is super hard, super aero, super agressive. Not comfortable, but easy to get used to once I “break into” it. thanks for the help!
Search this forum for saddles and you will find many threads with suitable choices. There are about six top saddles, but you ought to find a LBS that will allow you to try them before you buy them.
There’re some online sites that will help you learn more about saddles or even demo programs. Feel free to e-mail me at jcATracewheelrentalDOTcom. I don’t know if I can share those sites on a forum and I certainly don’t want to cause trouble.
JC
I have tried Specialized Jett and wasn’t too impressed. Back on a men’s saddle now.
what is the sell san marco saddle you love? I ride a specialized JETT (it comes in three different sizes based on your sit bones) and I like it on my road bike, but not that great on my tri bike. It’s a flexible saddle and works “enough” to get by - probably because I am hesitant to keep trying new saddles and the sores that come along with it. I wouldn’t mind soreness in the pubic bone, etc. I’m talking folliculitis that is KILLING me. I wish my legs got tired before my “area” started hurting. If you have a saddle you love for triathlon and aero position - please share. Thanks. oh, i have people that swear by FIZIK but I didn’t have the best luck with it. Again, road bike set up is ok but not on a tri bike for a few hours in the aero position.
I’ve tried quite a few saddles over the past year. I love my new Selle SMP Stratos. Very comfortable on longer rides.
that’s the one i’m after right now - my specialized velo pronto sl-wz1 is ok, and tolerable now that i’ve actually got it straight on the bike (was a little twisted to the left for awhile and causing some major issues that nearly had me running to a doc), but i think the stratos may spell the end of my junk problems. too bad i won’t be able to afford it until the fall, at least…
cheers!
-mistress k
Yep - it’s pricey, but I can tell you it IS definitely worth it!
I had to take 2 months off riding because I developed an infected lymph node from perineal congestion from long rides. No probs now.
i really appreciate your feedback on this - it’s a ton of bucks to lay out (even on ebay), i haven’t been able to find any of the SMP strike saddles at an LBS to even try out in-store, and you’re the first female from whom i’ve heard a review! the guys love them (except for a very small percentage), but they tend to have different issues with saddlery.
thanks a bunch! 
cheers!
-mistress k
After trying the Adamo saddle for the second time in two years, I have become a convert.
I am considerably more bike-fit than the first time I sat on it. The wide space in the center relieves soft tissue pain and transfers it to the pubic bone region.
However, I had to spend a loooonnnnngggggg time on a bike getting to this point.
I’ve been going through saddle options myself. I rode on an Adamo Race for nearly a year before I grew tired of the infected “something or other” on the right side of my sit bones (sort of where your underwear seem would lay). I think I may be another one of those folks for whom the Adamo is a bit too wide.
I was able to test-ride a SMP Pro at my amazing LBS and enjoyed the ride a bit better than the Adamo, but not enough to purchase one at the time. I may test ride this saddle again once everything is completely healed up “down there”.
My most recent test drive was the new Selle San Marco Mantra. I had really high hopes for this saddle. The cut out seemed large enough and it looked more like a traditional saddle (the whole aesthetics thing), but this saddle really did some damage down below (same sort of issues that I have with the Adamo only more severe and on BOTH sides on my crotch). I also still felt pressure on the soft tissues up front which tells me that I need a completely open saddle (like the SMP or the Adamo). After 3 rides on the Mantra, I have decided that it’s time to get rid of it.
The search continues… and in the meantime, I’m still riding the Adamo.
…I grew tired of the infected “something or other” on the right side of my sit bones (sort of where your underwear seam would lay)…and on BOTH sides on my crotch). I also still felt pressure on the soft tissues…
In case you think of it, do not go for a Terry Butterfly Tri Gel. You just defined my issues PERFECTLY. I also might recommend against the lower-end Fizik the comes stock (or used to) on the QRs.
SIGH…I think this is only becoming a more expensive endeavor as more people point towards the SMPs. I need something narrower than the Terry, but with enough cush and apparently a cutout for the “stuff” to breathe and rest.
Has anyone tried Cobb’s saddles?
i have a bontrager inform rl wsd and it is nice. i always thought i had to have a cut-out, but this saddle has a nice depression so no pressure there. It also comes in 3 different sizes. I have the 155. I have wide sits bones. i used to ride the adamo ism and could feel them hanging off the edge, but the girly bits didn’t hurt so i figured it was a good trade off but once i started doing 4+hr rides i couldn’t take it anymore. so i went through several saddles last year before lp and ended up with the selle smp trk on my bike a week before the race and it worked out ok. rode on that for a little while more and then decided it was too soft.
i really like the saddle i have now, but it is not “the one”, so i am going to try some others. if you do go to a trek store or buy online they have a 90 day guarantee so if don’t like it you can return it.
i would recommend going to a trek store on one who sells specialized and finding out what size saddle you need- it will save you lots of time when trying to find the right saddle.
I had/have the exact same troubles. Tried the adamo for a year and things got worse down there, just like you described, ‘infected’ something - i think it’s lymph nodes that are congested from lack of drainage due to the pressure. Anyways, the Adamo was good for short rides, but anything longer than 2 hours, I had the congestion and ‘bumps’. The Selle seems to be doing the trick. My bike dealership fitted the new saddle and the pressure has shifted and it is much more comfortable. I agree that the nose ends of the Adamo are just a bit too wide. I’ll let everyone know by the end of the summer how my new Selle works.
Whoops - apparently I was accidentally logged in as my husband!
The Selle I’m using is the Stratos.
You might try an ISM saddle.
Hope there’s some engineering and marketing people paying attention… three threads on saddles in the top five of “The Womans”.
Ordered in one of the Bontrager RL saddles…should get in next week or something…will let you know how it goes…
I hope so as well, as a rider and as a doc. it’s a real issue with the different pelvic geometry.
Hey Ladies, I need your help. I’m trying to order a new saddle no later than this weekend & I just cannot decide… I have narrowed down my saddle options to the following 2 (-3) saddles and need input from people who may already have them.
For those that do have them, I have 2 questions: Do you use them on both your Road & Tri bikes? If both, do you still have any pressure / numbness / chafing issues with them on either bike (& did changing the seat position between 1 bike & the other fix that)?
- Selle Italia SLK Lady Gel Flow
- Specialized Jett
(3. One of the Selle SMP series, if the first 2 prove not to have enough of a cut-out)