greg3rd48 

I am finishing building up my wife's soon to be Cannondale R600 but I am undecided on what saddle to use. The thing is that I really do not know what saddles are preferable for women road cyclists. My wife previously rode a hybrid but wants to join me on the road this spring. I want this to be an enjoyable experience for her so I do not want her sitting on an uncomfortable saddle. Can any female forum members or male forum members who have prior experience steer me in the right direction? I do not want to break the back and would consider a used saddle. If any info is needed to expand upon this please let me know. Thanks.

Jadesfire 

I changed the stock saddle on my bike to a Selle Italia Diva that I got off of Amazon for ~$120. Made a world of difference to me, but as others will probably also mention- no one saddle will work for every person.

Marcus_Ti

Saddles are one of those things that blind shopping for someone else will never ever work.

It takes trying lots of saddles to find one that isn't torture to sit on, regardless of your personal plumbing.

greg3rd48 

I know and there aren't many options at the LBS to chose from. I will just hedge my bets and choose a reputable one based upon riders' experience and feedback. Thanks!

gsa103

Find a good local Specialized dealers, they've got a wide array of saddles and can probably help you find a good one.

dcsix

Agree with Marcus, and as you are probably aware bike fit is the whole ballgame to being comfortable. You might consider spending a bit for a proper fitting, unless you two are dialed in and able to go through it together. I have noticed that Specialized has several saddles specific for women, and lots of dealers will let you exchange after a short period of time.

^^^ looks like gsa noticed that, too.

cydewaze

We got my wife a WTB Deva, and she really likes it (i.e. she's stopped complaining about her crotch/butt hurting). But you can find it for a lot less than the price on the WTB site.

Deva | WTB

Aubergine 

I have several bikes (including my touring bike) with the Terry Butterfly saddles. My wife likes her Serfas RX saddle, which has a bit more gel in the butt end. I have used that saddle as well and it does seem very comfy, although I don't ride it as far as I do on my butterfly-equipped bikes.

I also have tried various Brooks and Ideale leather saddles. For Brooks, I have tried the B-17S and B-17. I prefer the "plain" 17 over the S. My favorite Ideale saddle is a nicely broken in old model 39 that is on my ancient Peugeot.

As you can tell, my behind isn't all that dogmatic about saddles, but I think I'd have to say that a high-quality Butterfly is my favorite over all.

greg3rd48 

It is so specific to the rider that I am almost tempted to take her to another shop to try some saddles out. I love my Selle Italia Max gel flow on my Fuji but I also really like my B17 on my Peugeot. Leather really will not suit this bike though.

Aubergine 

I cannot imagine you would buy the seat without her there!

BtW, if leather won't suit, try a Cambium model like a C-17. I tried one out and it was comfortable from the start. Looks pretty sharp too.

greg3rd48 

@Aubergine I was thinking of getting one online like I have for myself but I suppose having her try saddles out is the best option. Just a matter of finding a place with a large selection. Thanks.

Aubergine 

Yes, at least for a first good saddle, it is best to give them a try. I have bought some saddles on line, but they have either been ones I know will work, or eBay used saddles I was curious about (those Ideale saddles, primarily.)

Carbonfiberboy 

My wife's magic carpet is a Specialized Oura Expert. Yours will have to go to the shop to get her sit bone width measured. Width is the most important thing to get right.

Frank72

Got the Selle Italia Diva for my wife and she loves it! Bought it at a UK bike shop for 1/2 the cost.

Machka 

I'm a woman.

I have tried a few women-specific saddles.

I ride a men's Brooks B17 Standard.

Doge

I dealt with this for years through four tandems and female stokers - one whom I married. The principals are the same as for men's seats, just there are more skeletal variations for women. Sit on the two sit bones. That means trying seats or finding a seat fit kit that measures that. Issue is for all non-riders there is a fat layer between seat and bones. It still may take 1-2 weeks to tell what works best. I favor shorts with minimal pad so the pads are not getting in the way of the actual pressure points.

f4rrest

Mine likes the Specialized Lithia. It's nicely padded, which is helpful if they're transitioning from a somewhat cushy seat.

Be sure to figure out what size she needs. These come in 143mm, 157, and 168. If in doubt, go wider (don't tell her though).

I've ridden it myself for an hour comfortably.

karenashg

The answer is the same as to "what saddles are preferable to men road cyclists?"--i.e., it varies according to the individual. I've been happy on a Brooks Swallow, and miserable on a Terry Butterfly. And I know women who were exactly the opposite.

For what it's worth, I currently ride a Selle Anatomica on all my bikes, and know a lot of men and women who have been very happy with that saddle. And some who haven't.

wedgeSG

They are pricey, but when all else fails try a Selle SMP that corresponds to the info you have gained on the quest for the perfect saddle. So many different configurations, and difficult to find the exact position on the post, but when the planets align all will be right in the universe. The Wife loves her SMP Lady Dynamic. In the big picture of bike component purchases, Is there any single part more important than the wife's throne?

dtrain

Terry Butterfly on my wifes road bike. She likes it.

JohnJ80

^this. My wife loves hers.

J.

Hypno Toad

Lisa (my better half) loves Terry and Brooks. She has Butterfly Century on her road bike for her longest rides, Butterfly TI for her fatbike (better for shorter rides), and Brooks B-17S on her city bike and flat-bar road bikes.

rmfnla

Mt wife cares more about form than function.

She prefers this POS Bianchi saddle, steel rails and all, because she like animal prints.

The funny thing is she can put in 50 miles on it without a single complaint.

I think she wrote Rule #5 ...

a1penguin

Consider finding an LBS that has a demo saddle program and she can try a variety of saddles. You might have to call around to find one that has a good variety of women's models.

mudmouse

I like my Specialized Jett saddle for regular rides, and Brooks B17 Imperial when touring.