whosthatgurrl

I'm new, so forgive me if this has been asked before or if this isn't the right section.

So I'm 5'8", approx. 220lbs, with 45" hips and a larger butt. I recently bought a Motobecane Mirage with upright handlebars (cruiser style; sorry if that's not the correct technical term). I absolutely love it, but the saddle it came with is hard as a rock. After I bought it, I rode it home from the University campus, about a 7.5mi trip. I had to stop twice during the trip to get off and relieve the pressure on my backside. Thus, I'm in the hunt for a more comfortable throne. I won't be doing any racing or off-roading. I don't have a car, so this bike is my primary mode of transportation.

Thanks in advance.

VastCrew

You might want to look at Terry saddles.

VastCrew

Also maybe the selle royal. The moderate and relaxed are designed for wider sit bones.

Many bike shops offer services to actually measure your sit bones. a larger tush doesn't necessarily mean that you need a larger saddle. If your sit bones are properly supported your ride will be much more comfortable. Padded seats or a gel seat is usually not helpful!

goldfinch

If it is the bones you are sitting on feeling uncomfortable then it just might be a case of adapting to the seat. If you have not been riding before your 7.5 mile ride the first week or two on any seat can be hard on the "sit" bone area. Your butt just has to toughen up. But if you are chaffing or there is rubbing where there shouldn't be then a new seat may be in order.

I would give it some time. Today will be even worse. But if after a week or two it is still bad I would start shopping for a new seat. Stock seats on bikes like the Mirage are not great but it might be better to shop for a seat after your rear end has toughened up a bit.

The size of your rear end doesn't seem to correlate with how wide your sit bones are so don't assume you need a wider seat. The Team Estrogen forum has very good threads on how to shop for a saddle that works for you. For example: https://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=39475 What works for one person might be torture to another. For example, I like the Terry Butterfly. I know others who absolutely hate it.

Minneapolis has some great bike shops and they can be helpful in finding a seat that works for you. Ideally it would be a place that lets you try one out for a few days. If that isn't possible, at least one that lets you put it on your bike and try it out there.

I will be in Minneapolis on the 18th and 19th of this month. I have a Terry Butterfly saddle you could try if you are interested in trying one out.

Street Pedaler

I agree with Goldfinch. It can take a 100 or so miles (I'm currently at 220ish miles with a test saddle) for your butt to even get used to being on a saddle. At the very least, I'd try to give it a week or two of regular riding before I dropped money on a new one. If you're just starting out, any saddle will probably hurt until you get your butt into saddle shape.

CraigB

I always tell friends who are new to cycling that the only thing worse than the first day on a saddle is the second.

JakiChan

I have no advice. I just want to say:

Best. Thread. Title. Ever.

starkmojo

I hear Frddie Mercury when I read this thread...

Beachgrad05

so Fizik didn't work for you. I ride a Fizik and it works for ME. Saddles are a personal choice based on what works for you.

First i say ride more before you decide saddle is the issue. Is OP wearing cycling shorts with chamois? If not, highly recommend doing that first. understand the behind needs to get accustomed to riding and more padding is often worse.

I recommend OP finds a bike shop with WOMEN'S saddles and a test saddle program so she might find right one.

Pamestique 

You said your bike was upright - I looked it up... it appears to be a classic style road bike so uncertain how you are sitting upright (ever consider getting rid of those handlebars and getting a flat bar instead?). I suspect your saddle is probably way too low and maybe the bike is alittle small for you but that said... your butt should not be on a saddle (in otherwise your entire butt should not rest on the saddle). The saddle should support your pelvic region and although it sounds counterintuitive, the narrower the saddle usually the better. A big wide saddle is extremely uncomfortable.

Saddles are like shoes, they fit everyone differently and you have to find your personal style and "butt mate". I like the Terry Butterfly and the WTB SheSpeed; both women specific saddles and with alittle padding. You should not have to break them in. Get a good pair of riding shorts - like Terry's T-short or Shebeest and also use a chamois cream such as Chamois Butt'r or Assos Creme. I am about your weight and height and ride 50 - 60 miles with no problems.

Good luck with finding your love saddle - I almost wish there was a match.com for saddles!

Mr. Beanz

Gina (my wife) has some junk in the trunk and she loves the Specialized Lady's gel Dolce saddle. She liked it so much she went and bought a second one about a month later and put one on our tandem.

She also later bought a Terry Butterfly to try on our tandem. It was OK but not as nice as the Specialized saddle. Left a bit of bruising on her booty after the first 40 mile ride. The Specialized never did that, and was real good to her on an 84 mile ride and no complaints after the 100 we did last year.

Some riders swear off gel but as mentioned every one is different. Gina loves this gel saddle.





After a good 40-60 miles, she can still smile.

IBOHUNT

Truth!

Much like skydiving. First jump not so bad. Second one you know what's coming.

contango 

... and I guess if you do the second one you know the first one didn't go catastrophically wrong ...

IBOHUNT

Yeah, if at first you don't succeed then skydiving is not for you.

whosthatgurrl - if you can, take Ms. Goldfinch up on her offer. Also, look for a bike shop that will let you try before you buy. Specialized has some 'fit-o-meter' deal that is supposed to help you get what you need and they offer a try it out plan I've been told.

2 wheeler

Congrats on doing the "bike thing"!

I'm in the "toughen up the butt" group. It takes time for the posterior to get used to bike seats. It's not a fun process, but it is necessary for everybody that rides bikes seriously. There's no free lunch; a new saddle isn't necessarily the cure, you have to put in quite a few miles and get toughened up before considering a new saddle.

bbeck

Congrats on the bike purchase. As stated above give it some time. We all went through sore butt the first little while. I always recommend give it ten rides the reevaluate the saddle.

esther-L

I am also looking for a saddle for an Athena. I ride a road bike, and currently have a Terry Butterfly saddle. I have measured my sit bones, and they are wide. I weigh 168 lbs.
My bike came with a Selle San Marco SPID Glamour Arrowhead, and that saddle was too narrow for my sit bones.

The problem that I'm having is that the plastic shell of the saddle flexes a bit, and gives me discomfort.
Can anyone recommend a saddle where the plastic (or whatever) shell does not bend when you are pedaling?

Thanks!

goldfinch

The Terry shouldn't be flexing at your weight. I wonder if the saddle is broken in some way? I know a woman with a Terry Butterfly who weighs at least 40 pounds more than you and she has no problem with the saddle.

esther-L

I realized on Saturday that the foam around the cut-out is compressing, not the plastic shell.
I have had that happen on Terry saddles in the past after 3-4 years of riding on them. That is not supposed to happen on a saddle that I bought in late June! That foam should be firmer on a new saddle.
Possibly Terry has changed to using less softer foam. Possibly I've gotten a new saddle from a bike shop that has sat in a warehouse for 2-3 years before being sold. I am suspecting a change in manufacturing.

I am considering the Selle SMP TRK Lady Saddle. I need a saddle that is at least 152 mm wide.

FrenchFit 

My wife rides what might be called a fast cruiser, absolutely upright. We experimented with different saddles and she returned to the big old Giant saddle, more like a bar stool that bicycle seat. But, she loves it and it get the job done on 30-40 miles rides. It looks something like this: https://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/...sex/544/38733/

Crash_N_Carry

I'm a Clyde, but I swear by my Selle Anatomica Titanico X. https://www.selleanatomica.com

I'm one of those people who couldn't find a comfortable gel seat. I tried a few different seats before I settled on the Titanico X, but I couldn't stand any of them. Best thing I can suggest is to talk to your local bike shop and see if they'll let you try out some seats though. Everybody's butt is different and what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for someone else.