Saddle help.
 

Went to my Bike store and had a sit bone measurement done. Seems I have wide sit bones and need a seat in the 160 mm range. They only had one in stock, a Specialized Romin EVO that I tried for about 4 rides. The width and shorter length was exactly what I was looking for but the lack of padding was an issue. What I was hoping is that possibly some of you might have a suggestion as to where I could look/try next. The Romin was a 168 mm so that is the range I would be looking at and the shorter length, do not have that spec.
Thanks in advance, Frank.

Padding needs to be in your shorts, not your saddle. At least if you are riding for more than an hour or so.

When the padding is in your shorts it will or should be form fitting and move with you as your legs go up and down. When on the saddle, padding can't move with you and just forms a depression around that part of your body that contacts it and then as you move your body has to plow that depression back and forth, wearing a sore into you.

If you aren't in the saddle a long time, then there is a different level of comfort involved that will make for more exceptions to any standardized saddle wisdom for road bikes.

As for your sit bones measurement. Were you in the position you normally sit while riding your typical rides? Sitting up straight and leaning forward will yield two different measurements.

Thank you.

I'm not sure the padding needs to be in the shorts versus in the saddle, but you could see if Specialized makes a saddle with the dmension of that Romin but a "higher" comfort rating. Specialized has become very "specialized" in saddle offerings and has in addition to perhaps 5 levels of width, I think it's four levels of comfort. If your LBS is not an actual Specialized shop or is limited in stock, you should be able to find out more by looking for something more suitable in the Spesh website, or use their website to find the closest store which Specialized lists as one of their specialty sellers. Ideally you will find a store where you can take your bike and your saddle and see what can be done. If you can get a more cushioned saddle and it actually solves your problem without bringing in any new ones, that will be cheaper than buying three pairs of new shorts, where you don't really know if they help you until you have them at home.

Look at the PowerComp or Power Expert saddles. They come in 168. I find mine pretty much disappears now that I’ve lived with it about two months living with it. Could also look at the Roman Evo gel models.

Thank you for this. I was wondering if these would be the direction I could look in. I really liked the Romin shape but would have liked just a little more cushion. Thanks for the input.

Good suggestion. I will do this. I was also looking at the Fizik line as they resemble the Specialized Romin. Thanks for the post.

I've also found over the past 25 years that I need a certain amount of padding in the saddle. Not much, just a very certain amount. Less than that and my butt never breaks in, more than that isn't comfortable either. I once took a Romin on a trial ride - a century - and the Romin padding was just fine, but the join between the top and sides was too sharp for my physiology. I need a smoother transition.

I decided to take a bigger swing at it and got a Bontrager brand and will give it a test today. Not a sofa cushion but more padding than anything I have ever tried before so I will know what is too much. Just too many styles and shapes. So confusing.
Frank.

If you aren't going for long rides or riding at any intensity, then one of those big wide saddles with springs that look more appropriate for a farm tractor might be better for you. Especially if you are sitting in a very upright position and not riding more than an hour. These might require a slightly lower saddle height than normal, depending on where the seat tube angle puts your BB.

Low intensity cycling and saddles for road bikes don't go together well for many.

I don't know of a simple answer to this, almost every cyclists issue at one time or another. I've given away a couple of cardboard boxes of saddles over the years. Performance Bike had a policy of no questions returns on saddles in perfect condition in their original packaging. So I used to order 3 at a time and try them out, hopefully keeping one. I don't know if they still do that or not, but they have quite a wide selection of saddles at good prices. I'd wash saddles to be returned and zip tie them back into their packaging.

Saddle experimentation is a real PITA as it were, but I don't know another way to do it. OTOH, some folks are perfectly happy with the saddle which came on their bike, thus having quite a wide latitude in saddle shape and padding. Not everyone is so lucky.

As noted above, the shorter one's rides, the less it matters. In my case, I never know if a saddle will work for me or not until after the 3rd hour. The best way to condition one's butt to a saddle is to take a short ride on it almost every day for a couple of weeks. People talk about breaking in a saddle. What's really going on is breaking in one's butt to suit the saddle.

I too need/ride a 160mm wide saddle. I've experimented with quite a few in recent years..the Romin evo being one, and no joy. The most comfortable saddles I've ridden have no padding at all. The Romin didn't fail me due to the lack of padding..it just wasn't comfortable.

A saddle I rode on several bikes for a few years was the Selle SMP TRK. Looks a bit usual, but a comfortable saddle. I've since been swapping g my TRKs out for various Brooks saddles.

In order of most comfort, the best is a B17-Imperial. After that, a B17 Standard or a C17 cut out. I tried the C17 Standard..nope..the cut out version is much better...for me.

I wouldn't use saddle padding as a criteria in your search..it can lead you down continued rabbit holes and cost you some $.

Thank you. I am just so darn frustrated at this point I decided to try something totally different from what I had been doing to get a reference point I am dealing with REI here in Raleigh as they have a great return policy and a pretty good selection of seats. Not that money isn't any object but at this point I will spend what I need too within reason, as if I can't find a saddle I will be taking up hiking and moving away from riding.That is not a real option just the frustration talking. I will figure it out and thanks again to you and all that have taken the time to post.
frank.

The Terry Liberator X is 163mm wide. My wife just got one (it's listed as a woman's saddle) and it's firm and supportive, but not brick hard. I wouldn't hesitate to ride one if I needed the width. You mentioned REI-they are listed as selling it. Terry has a 30 day comfort guarantee, tho we won't be using it. There are several variations of the Lib X-she got the Lib X Gel: Terry Women's Liberator X Gel Bike Saddle | Terry

Have you just started back riding with this bike after being off a bike for some time? There is something to be said for just letting your butt get used to it.

When I started back doing three and four rides of some distance per week, instead of the brief leisurely ride around the neighborhood one or two times a month, my butt got sore and pained too. I even went through the time honored process of changing saddles only to get temporary relief from each of them. Finally, after my butt, muscles and other stuff got into shape for the new demands I was making of them, then the pain went away and I found the saddle not to be that much different that the one I'd started with.

Even more recently the times over the winter I might not ride for a month or two and other times I've had to lay off from riding, I still get some butt pain when I start back. After a dozen rides in three or so weeks, it's all good again.

As Iride mentions, if you're new to riding..you need to toughen up your butt..it takes miles..after 3-5 rides things should get better.

Other than that, you sound like a classic customer for a Brooks saddle. I've picked up several used off of ebay for a reasonable price. Look for used saddles that look new on top, very little or no dimples from riding. Buy a used one, if it doesn't work, you can pretty much get your money back re-selling it.

As it turns out the biggest issue is/was that I was trying to get my 155 mm+ butt on a 145 mm seat. All of the adjusting and riding is not going to help with this so I simply have to get the correct, for me, width saddle and work from there. I have a 160 mm Bontrager on it now and it made a huge difference. Rode 22 miles on it yesterday and it was a not at all a bad experience. So now at least I have a real direction. Thinking of going with a Fizik 160 mm Argo Tempo R next to see if the shorter seat would be of any help. Thanks again for all the input. I really appreciate it.
Frank.

I would consider a Selle SMP Well M1. 163mm. Of course, your butt ultimately chooses the saddle.

Fizik Argo R-5 saddle. This is what I have ended up with. It seems to check off all the boxes I need at this point in my life. Have ridden it now for a few weeks and it is the most comfortable of all the saddles I have tried. My wife say it has been eleven so far but that is because she doesn't know about the other four, not that I have kept them from her. :lol:
Thanks for all the input.It is very much appreciated.
Frank.

Here's an out-of-the-box suggestion... the Gilles Berthoud Marie Blanque (ss rails) or Agnel (ti rails) measures 157mm wide and 248mm long. After a recent saddle search that yielded disappointing results I decided to take a totally different direction by purchasing a leather saddle (Gilles Berthoud Aravis). I had always avoided leather saddles because I just couldn't wrap my head around the concept and thought it could never be comfortable. Plus, they're bloody expensive! Long-story short, the Gilles Berthoud is hand's down the best saddle I've ever ridden and worth every penny. I admit they may not be for everyone, but it's worth considering.