Any recommended female saddles ?

[goldcoastjon]

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 ?

And why *shouldn't* you have detailed conversations with your daughter about finding a comfortable saddle for her anatomy? It CAN be done across genders and age groups, politely, diplomatically, and discreetly. (A bike shop salesperson (male or female) will need to discuss these kinds of details with her to help her out...)

Many shops (at least here in California) DO have test saddles, loaner saddles, and demos to try out. More importantly, is her saddle in the correct position (in all three orientations: height, fore-and-aft, and tilt) for her? Moving a "terrible" saddle 1/8" forward or back can make it "terrific" if it was in the wrong place at first...

And *do not forget* women-specific leather saddles from Brooks, Selle Anatomica, and Rivet Cycle Works. My wife, Linda, had terrible saddle-fit problems until she tried. Brooks Pro "S" on a 1991 trip to Eugene, Oregon: it was comfy from the very first ride and she still has it. Deb, Rivet's owner, is a personal friend and an active brevet rider. She has a very educational website: https://rivetcycleworks.com.

Rivet also has a VERY generous no-questions-asked trial period!

Give Rivet and the Brooks Pro S a try...

 

[fair weather cyclist]

So, now that the missus has started doing 30+ km rides, she said her saddle is killing her. No surprises there, it's the cheap stock saddle that came with her giant contend. Looks painful just to look at it.

After reading this thread, my best strategy is to start from the cheapest good option and upgrade to more expensive one ONLY if necessary

First, I'll get her a Charge Ladle (currently 29 quid at Merlin Cycles). If that doesn't work, it's going to be a Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow (£60 quid on Wiggle). Last resort, which I hope to avoid, is the Specialized Mimic (currently 83 quid at Rutland Cycling).

 

[DCBassman]

So, now that the missus has started doing 30+ km rides, she said her saddle is killing her. No surprises there, it's the cheap stock saddle that came with her giant contend. Looks painful just to look at it.

After reading this thread, my best strategy is to start from the cheapest good option and upgrade to more expensive one ONLY if necessary

First, I'll get her a Charge Ladle (currently 29 quid at Merlin Cycles). If that doesn't work, it's going to be a Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow (£60 quid on Wiggle). Last resort, which I hope to avoid, is the Specialized Mimic (currently 83 quid at Rutland Cycling).

Not forgetting the Madison Leia, a Ladle-alike if Ladle not available!

 

[vickster]

So, now that the missus has started doing 30+ km rides, she said her saddle is killing her. No surprises there, it's the cheap stock saddle that came with her giant contend. Looks painful just to look at it.

After reading this thread, my best strategy is to start from the cheapest good option and upgrade to more expensive one ONLY if necessary

First, I'll get her a Charge Ladle (currently 29 quid at Merlin Cycles). If that doesn't work, it's going to be a Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow (£60 quid on Wiggle). Last resort, which I hope to avoid, is the Specialized Mimic (currently 83 quid at Rutland Cycling).

Blokes saddle, so not surprising.
Has she had her sit bones measured?
You can always get saddles second hand on eBay

 

[fair weather cyclist]

Have she had her sit bones measured?

She had and surprise surprise the lbs which is a specialized dealer suggested the mimic. I'll keep that as my last resort/safe bet

Well...safe-ish bet as it's never really safe until she tries it for a reasonable amount of time.

 

[vickster]

She had and surprise surprise the lbs which is a specialized dealer suggested the mimic. I'll keep that as my last resort/safe bet

Well...safe-ish bet as it's never really safe until she tries it for a reasonable amount of time.

It's not what saddle that's important but the width. I had mine measured by Specialized too, got the width
...that's worked for certain brands of saddle just not the £80 Specialized one I bought as it went well with the bike colour scheme. Most uncomfortable saddle I've had...followed by the Diva Gel flow (both have shown that cut out saddles don't suit me)

 

[T4tomo]

I think a fabric scoop is similar to a charge ladle, albeit £50. I'm now involved in women saddle searching as the other half has been told she needs a slightly wider saddle during bike fit. A selle italia diva flow sorted out the sit bone discomfort, but caused issues at the front, so a Scoop is on its way.

Eventually got the OH sorted with a couple of Bontrager Women specific 165m saddles - both seemed to work fine, so one is on one bike and one on the other - one was a Versa, the other (from ebay) a slightly wider than the original Anja that came with the bike.

Our learnings was that width was as / more important as shape /brand.
Wiggle & Sigma sports happily refunded carefully tested and re packaged saddles. Tested on indoor turbo with any tags or labels kept intact & attached. She tried about half a dozen but her and her bottom are now happy.

 

[Reynard]

Not forgetting the Madison Leia, a Ladle-alike if Ladle not available!

And cheaper than the Ladle as well.

After plenty of hours in the saddle (!) I can't tell the difference between the Leia and the Ladle. My bum is happy either way.

 

[Proto]

My #2 daughter goes big miles and her saddle of choice is a Specialized Toupe, 143mm, which is supposedly male specific.

She’s used them for some years now, wouldn’t use anything else. Must be comfy , she’s just done the Rapha Pennine Rally, Edinburgh to Manchester, 500km non stop, on it.

A few other women racers I know use them too.

Worth a look?

 

[vickster]

Would be way too narrow for me!

 

[Reynard]

And too narrow for me also. Not massively so, but just enough for the edges of the saddle to start pinching me in places where I'd not be pinched. The sensation of sitting *over* a saddle rather than on a saddle is one I don't care to revisit.

 

[DCBassman]

And too narrow for me also. Not massively so, but just enough for the edges of the saddle to start pinching me in places where I'd not be pinched. The sensation of sitting *over* a saddle rather than on a saddle is one I don't care to revisit.

Oh no. Oh nonono...

 

[fair weather cyclist]

First, I'll get her a Charge Ladle (currently 29 quid at Merlin Cycles). If that doesn't work, it's going to be a Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow (£60 quid on Wiggle). Last resort, which I hope to avoid, is the Specialized Mimic (currently 83 quid at Rutland Cycling).

Change of strategy: after reading on the merlin cycles website that Charge is a "british based cycle brand" I decided to buy something else. As a EU national, since Brexit I've decided to boycott uk companies and products whenever possible and whenever there was a reasonable alternative.

Therefore I got the EU based () Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow and it looks very promising. Wider, more padding where needed and softer padding where needed. Can't wait for the weekend so the missus can take it for a spin.

 

[Reynard]

Change of strategy: after reading on the merlin cycles website that Charge is a "british based cycle brand" I decided to buy something else. As a EU national, since Brexit I've decided to boycott uk companies and products whenever possible and whenever there was a reasonable alternative.

Therefore I got the EU based () Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow and it looks very promising. Wider, more padding where needed and softer padding where needed. Can't wait for the weekend so the missus can take it for a spin.


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Good luck!

If it works, brilliant, but quite likely, your missus' bum doesn't give a flying flamingo about where a saddle comes from.

The right saddle is far more important than politics. Likewise, the right saddle is more important than aesthetics or brand loyalty. Because the wrong saddle can be painful and actually cause damage to parts a lady doesn't want to cause damage to.

 

[fair weather cyclist]

If it works, brilliant, but quite likely, your missus' bum doesn't give a flying flamingo about where a saddle comes from.

But I do, and since I'm the one who bought and paid for the saddle, non british saddle it is