JudeLaWyo

I recently bought a new bike and I need a new saddle to go with it. Any recommendations on a saddle with a little padding for women that you really like? Specifically one designed for women?

Rolla

My wife loves her Terry Liberator X saddle.

alcjphil

What sort of bike? What saddle did it come with? Sometimes extra padding is not only not needed but also less comfortable. Saddle height and angle adjustment can be just as important as the actual saddle you have. As well, most new riders need time for their bodies to adapt to riding a bike and experience soreness for the first few rides. How much riding have you done so far?

70sSanO

A number of years ago I got a Serfas Rx saddle for my wife. It is a bit bulky and weighs a ton, but it has worked well for her.

I think there have been improvements in saddles in general over that time frame and there are probably others out there.

John

Phil_gretz

A lot will depend on the relative height between the saddle and the bars and the length of the top tube + stem, which, along with flexibility, affect how forward the pelvis is rolled during normal riding. Only you can answer these things.

For the record, my wife likes the Terry Liberator, too. She has a WTB Deva on her mountain bike, and it's fine for her.

jnbrown

My wife has used:

Terry Butterfly
Selle Italia Diva
Specialized Power Mimic

The Specialized is her current favorite.

Mojo31

My wife as well.

sdimattia

I use Ergon SM W's Mountain bike saddles on all my bikes. They aren't "cushy" nor are they "racey" but my butt finds them comfortable.

Best bet is to go to a shop where you can try some out. Recommendations are great but ultimately, it's a little hard to assess what will be best for your rear over the internet.

tomato coupe

eBay is your friend when it comes to testing saddles. Buy a bunch and try them out for as long as you like, then re-sell the ones you don't like.

Leisesturm

The make and model of bike and the type of riding matter as to saddle choice. Most of the women specific designs lean to the sporting and all out race/triatholon end of things, because the city and touring saddles can be quite unisex without too much modification. WTB saddles are well regarded and affordable. They have a women specific model or two. Terry has a bunch, of course. I got my wife a Terry Falcon XX for our go fast tandem, I have the Falcon XY. She doesn't much care if a saddle has a cutout in the middle but it must have a notch at the back for her tailbone. This is her Brooks Affinity RL Women's (discontinued) at the back of our city tandem. It's a go fast saddle but we are going to do something about that. I just got some his/her SMP TRK saddles in which her women's model (extra wide) will replace the race saddle . The SMP TRK can work for a lot of different riding assignments

veganbikes

Nearly every saddle. Aside from any super wide, super padded saddles and any noseless stuff and other oddities like that but aside from that with the zero info you have given nobody can really say much aside from a saddle(s) they or someone they know has used. My butt personally likes the Brooks Cambium c17 Carved however everyone is a bit different on that front.

I would first either go to a shop or find a fitter who can accurately measure your sit bones (ischial tuberosities) and start from there. You will want to give them good info about your bike or better yet bring the bike in so they can see it and if you are going to a fitter, get a fit while you are at it, you will thank me a ton when you are done.

Korina

I love my Brooks B17 Aged. Get your sit bones measured and start trying saddles. Good luck.

jnbrown

I was actually going to try that saddle in the men's version. I need a saddle that is flat and it looks flat from the pictures.

kuroba

+1 to the Specialized Power Mimic. I had the original Power and it was really good already, but the Mimic is perfect for me.

DMC707

Im a man , but i will also say the Specialized Power line is one to really take a look regardless of sex , especially if they have a womnes specific model

I never thought i'd be able to stand more than a 25 mile road ride ever again until i got one . I had been relying on old school Turbo and concor saddles (which look great on my older road bikes ) - but my body positioning issues due to changes in fitness and more weight caused seasts like these to be very uncomfortable , so my dealer recommended the Power and i havent looked back

jaxgtr

My wife has gone several women's specific saddle, but has really liked the Bontrager Verse saddle. This is the first one she mentioned not bothering her on longer rides.

JudeLaWyo

I have a cervelo caledonia-5. it was fit for me, so I know the saddle it set correctly, it's just not comfortable. I rode the saddle that came with the bike for about 300 miles before starting to swap them out. I am on the third saddle. each one has been worse than the original The original was a fiziks, it fit well, just hard.

JudeLaWyo

I have had three saddles fit on my boke so far and each one has been worse than the first. They are just not comfortable as I add miles on my ride. the first twenty miles they are okay, but more than that, and they start to not feel good. The original saddle on the bike was a fizik, but it did not have any padding. It fit well, but was tough on the bones in my rear end. I am very lean. So I was looking at the fizik saddles with padding, but the shop where I got my bike doesn't have any in right now, and no idea when they will get any in. They have been great about swapping out every saddle at not cost and refitting each and every one. If I want to try that saddle, I will need to order it, but I am thinking that is the way to go, since so far, it fit the best, just needed a little cushion. Just thought thought if there was some concensus on another saddle they had, it would be worth trying another....

sdimattia

It’s pretty flat, rounded on the sides of course. The back tapers up slightly.

Leisesturm

If you are buying sport saddles you should think seriously about padding YOU and not worrying about how much padding the saddle has. Cycling shorts can be found with 'gel' padding and regular padding inside the chamois, which is not actual padding, but is intended to provide a low friction interlace between your moving thighs and the fixed saddle. If you already wear padded shorts, I respectfully suggest you think very, very carefully about looking for saddles with even more padding. Padding simply is not the problem. Too much padding is as bad as too little. Give yourself a chance to ... toughen. Also understand that comfort is not really the goal. You should absolutely not be in pain, or experience any numbness, but its a saddle. Not a seat. You are meant to be rather active and standing out of the saddle as much as on it. If you pick any one of the saddles you have tried and found horrible, if you pick one and persevere to overcome your issues you can prevail. Good luck.

jnbrown

thanks for the pictures. Do you find the padding helps?
here is my current saddle, it is custom made and I have two of them.
I like it but it I need a third saddle and these cost $300 and are really firm.
so am looking for something less expensive with a bit of padding.


MELD saddle

sdimattia

I have very little "natural padding" myself and I wear jeans or jean shorts when I ride. I've never tried padded shorts. That being said, I find the saddle comfortable for up to 30-40 miles (in jeans), before my rear starts to get a bit sore. I'm sure with padded shorts I'd be able to ride longer, in comfort. I've tried both the gel and non-gel versions of the Ergon saddle and I don't really feel a difference between the two, at least not to justify a $30 increase on the gel version. It's definitely no streamlined race saddle, there is bit of "squish" to it while still being firm. Padding is maybe 3-5mm thick? It will probably be most similar to the saddle on the right in your picture.

martianone

My partner and I have been riding together for about 40 years,
for about half of the time - she would complain about her saddle.
Tried more saddles than handbags.
i have usually ridden a leather suspension type of saddle, her
comment about them was-she would rather ride on a fence post.
one nice afternoon, 20ish years ago, we had gotten ice cream and
were riding home - probably 10-12 km from home- she pulls over and
starts in complaining about her saddle - it was a padded beast we called
the BarcaLounger. This started out as the latest miracle saddle. The saddle
groaning was beginning to wear on me some. At that stop point, I took the
fence post (a B17) from my bike and put it on her bike and insisted she try it.
put the barka-beast on my bike. After some grumbling and a few saddle tweaks
we rode home. Not too many saddle comments on the way home, she wanted to
try it a little more. When we got married, my wife took my name; 20 years later my
saddle- still cannot find either.
She now won't consider anything else. She as a titanium rail Brooks Pro on her
CF road bike and a B17 on her touring bike. She is happy riding either for hours
without saddle complaint.
I know a leather saddle can be hit or miss for some, Different style leather saddles
work better on certain bikes. The B17 wouldn't (didn't actually) work well on CF bike.
plus bike fit and saddle adjustments seem to have a huge impact on leather saddle comfort.
i think this aspect of any saddle comfort is often under emphasized, even very small
tweaks are important.

JudeLaWyo

Some people really love their leather saddles and that was another style I was thinking of trying as well. I have never tried one. thank you.

Calsun

A saddle meant for women will be wider to support the pelvic bones properly. Many to choose from and many are sold by REI.
https://www.rei.com/search?q=bike+se...er%3AWomen%27s

Some are better for a stationary bike and others for road bikes and others for a mountain or trail bike. Take time to read the reviews before making your purchase.