Any recommended female saddles ?

[Ridgeway]

No2 daughter is back on her bike, ice ring is closed and she normally skates 3 x pwk and probably won't reopen until next season. She started road cycling towards the end of last year and we recycled a saddle off my wives old Pendleton bike. Two rides in and it was clear that she was finding it uncomfortable so i switched it out to a regular Scott road saddle (was an old one that came with the bike some years back) Some improvement but then Winter arrived and she hasn't been out until today and the she remembered even the 2nd saddle wasn't great by a long way.

So i need some recommendations for a decent female saddle if anyone knows of one or better still has experience of one. I know saddles are very personal but i at least want to start with something that has some good feedback as being comfortable.

So far after some reading i've come up with Selle Italia's Diva Gel Flow, anyone comment on that one ?

She set her sight's on a lake loop (176km) at the end of May and as i told her today, priority is a comfy bum

 

[fossyant]

Charge Ladle. MrsF has one on her MTB.

 

[Reynard]

Charge Ladle.

Cheap as chips (well, relatively) and seems to suit a lot of bottoms.

Have a Ladle on two of my three bikes. The third bike will be getting a Ladle soon as I can't be doing with the Selle SMP that came out of my parts bin. Ladles aren't that padded, but the shape is good.

 

[vickster]

I didn’t get on with the Diva gel at all

On my bikes, I have Bontrager saddles or the Charge Ladle (still Trying out as I’ve not really cycled in the 6 months since buying).

Generally it seems cut out saddles don’t suit me.

As with men’s saddles, one woman’s meat is another’s mustard... trial and error.
Get the width right by measuring sit bones and go from there.
Maybe get her some padded shorts too?

 

[Julia9054]

I had a selle italia diva gel flow on the last hybrid I owned. I found it very comfortable. Cut out saddles work for me. Not tried a Charge ladle but did have a Charge spoon which was an instrument of torture and went straight on eBay.
My favourite saddle is the Specialized Oura but I've had it a while so not sure if they still make it.
I second measuring sit bones

 

[vickster]

I had a selle italia diva gel flow on the last hybrid I owned. I found it very comfortable. Cut out saddles work for me. Not tried a Charge ladle but did have a Charge spoon which was an instrument of torture and went straight on eBay.
My favourite saddle is the Specialized Oura but I've had it a while so not sure if they still make it.
I second measuring sit bones

We must be completely different as I hated the Oura more than the Diva both cost £60+
too

just goes to show eh

 

[Mo1959]

So far after some reading i've come up with Selle Italia's Diva Gel Flow, anyone comment on that one ?

I’ve got them on all my bikes now. After wasting hundreds of pounds over the years trying different ones, they are what I plumped for in the end as suiting me, but saddles are so individual.

 

[furball]

Just buying something because it works for others is likely to be a waste of money.
You say she has tried two different ones already that haven't worked for her. What she needs to do is decide why the existing two didn't work and then look for something that addresses those problems. If chaffing at the front is the problem then a saddle with a channel such as the Diva are generally beneficial however if the problem is elsewhere this may not be the best option.

 

[Ridgeway]

Just buying something because it works for others is likely to be a waste of money.
You say she has tried two different ones already that haven't worked for her. What she needs to do is decide why the existing two didn't work and then look for something that addresses those problems. If chaffing at the front is the problem then a saddle with a channel such as the Diva are generally beneficial however if the problem is elsewhere this may not be the best option.

Good point but me as her father ain't having that "detailed" conversation

Think i need a good LBS with a nice lady cyclist and a few saddles to consider.

I suppose LBS typically don't take back "tested" saddles ?

 

[vickster]

Good point but me as her father ain't having that "detailed" conversation

Think i need a good LBS with a nice lady cyclist and a few saddles to consider.

I suppose LBS typically don't take back "tested" saddles ?

Some brands offer money back trials like Bontrager and Spesh I think

 

[LeetleGreyCells]

My wife hated the saddle that came with her GT MTB, we got a Selle Italia Donna - just as uncomfortable as the GT; bought a Charge Ladle and she has never looked back. My wife loves the Ladle as she finds it extremely comfortable . I love the Ladle because it only cost £20 .

 

[Reynard]

My wife hated the saddle that came with her GT MTB, we got a Selle Italia Donna - just as uncomfortable as the GT; bought a Charge Ladle and she has never looked back. My wife loves the Ladle as she finds it extremely comfortable . I love the Ladle because it only cost £20 .

The Charge Ladle suits a lot of bottoms (mine included) and is as good a starting point as any in the search for a comfy saddle. I got lucky, as that was my first stop on that particular quest, so I didn't have to look any further.

I can happily ride unpadded all day on the ladle fitted to my hybrid, which just about says it all, really.

 

[vickster]

My wife hated the saddle that came with her GT MTB, we got a Selle Italia Donna - just as uncomfortable as the GT; bought a Charge Ladle and she has never looked back. My wife loves the Ladle as she finds it extremely comfortable . I love the Ladle because it only cost £20 .

They’re now £30 and pretty hard to come by (Merlin have in stock)

 

[LeetleGreyCells]

They’re now £30 and pretty hard to come by (Merlin have in stock)

I'm not surprised. I think the price of everything bike-related has gone up. We bought my wife's saddle from an eBay UK bike shop (it was brand new). I've just had a quick search and they are £21-25 + p&p of £15.58 (as they are sold from USA). No one else on eBay is selling them.

 

[vickster]

I'm not surprised. I think the price of everything bike-related has gone up. We bought my wife's saddle from an eBay UK bike shop (it was brand new). I've just had a quick search and they are £21-25 + p&p of £15.58 (as they are sold from USA). No one else on eBay is selling them.

use a UK bike shop rather than eBay
https://www.merlincycles.com/charge-ladle-cromo-rail-saddle-132731.html