saddle for a large lady?

[ScotiaLass]

I read the first post and thought "This is me" - large, female, training for a charity ride for the first time and suddenly realising that I've probably got the wrong saddle.

I take the point about going for padded shorts instead (or additionally to a new saddle), but frankly, women's specific padded shorts seem to go up to a small size 18, and that's it. My bum is a generous size 20 and the only shorts I could find that fit, are unisex and bulge in all the wrong places.

Any thoughts? Are there any brands or plus size retailers that do this?

I was considering riding that event....
I also have a pair of brand new padded shorts that may fit you if you want to try them?

 

[Profpointy]

with the caveat that I'm a different built, though by no means a racing snake, and I'm a bloke, I do think a comfy saddle, meaning the right one for you, is far more important than padded shorts. Whilst shorts might make the wrong saddle bearable, the right saddle is more important.
I'm a brooks man myself, - brooks saddles are rock hard leather, which shapes to your arse like a good pair of shoes - but they don't suit everyone as not everyone has a brooks shaped arse I guess. Though I eventually bought padded cycle shorts, and longs and 3/4 lengths and they are "a good thing", I've perfectly happily done 70 miles in ordinary trousers - well not happily exactly - I was utterly knackered, but my arse was just fine. At the risk of banging on about Brooks - for me at least I didn't have to do any breaking in, as is sometimes written about - it just suited me - but as I've said, they don't suit everyone.

 

[ScotiaLass]

Hi Middleton Mouse and welcome to CC!
If you are trying to ride the canal from Edinburgh to Glasgow without padded shorts no wonder your behind is sore!
Never rode a rougher path thanks to them wee sharp red stones (till the Wheel, after it's much better).
Also familiarize yourself with fixing punctures and keep your tyres well pumped up. Hard tyres a a bit more uncomfortable but them stones are lethal. Notice I'm not a fan of that stretch of canal
Good luck!

Thats why I was going to do the Edinburgh to Falkirk stretch but you know what I'll have to cross to do that......

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Thats why I was going to do the Edinburgh to Falkirk stretch but you know what I'll have to cross to do that......

... twice

 

[ScotiaLass]

... twice

 

[vickster]

Sorry have I got the wrong person? lol

I did mean jujubi, but see whether MM is interested

 

[jujubi]

ScotiaLass, I think you've got Middleton Mouse and me thoroughly mixed up now. :-D
She's the one doing Edinburgh to Falkirk and looking for a saddle, and I'm the one doing London to Brighton, whose fat arse doesn't fit into any shorts...

(If your offer of large shorts stands, though, I'm super interested...)

 

[ScotiaLass]

ScotiaLass, I think you've got Middleton Mouse and me thoroughly mixed up now. :-D
She's the one doing Edinburgh to Falkirk and looking for a saddle, and I'm the one doing London to Brighton, whose fat arse doesn't fit into any shorts...

(If your offer of large shorts stands, though, I'm super interested...)

I am easily confused!

Yes, you are welcome to the shorts, never been worn and as I've lost weight they don't fit now.

PM me...

 

[buggi]

the first thing you need to remember is, just coz you put on weight, this doesn't mean your pelvic bone size has increased. The trick is to get a saddle big enough for your sit bones but no larger bcoz then you get rubbing and chaffing (as you have found). Go to a reputable bike shop and ask them to measure your sit bones (i don't mean Halfords... I mean the scary bike shop with all the lads who look like they know what they're doing and you're afraid to go in in case you look like an idiot. I promise you won't look or feel like an idiot). Your sit bones are the pointy bits at the bottom of your pelvis. They will sit you on a pad which will show where they are. This has NO relation to the size of your butt so don't be embarrassed. Then they will get you a saddle to that measurement.
the second thing is to ditch the padding on the saddle and put the padding in the shorts. Your new saddle won't be rock hard plastic, it will have a some gel and give a little when you press it, but don't go for a padded saddle, get a good quality pair of padded shorts. Corinne Dennis has great customer service, and will do extra large size on request. Discreet padding too.

 

[jujubi]

Apart from being a bit overweight, I really have a naturally large build, so I think the original "male" saddle that came with my XL gents bike is too narrow.

There's a Specialized Concept Store close to where I work. Will drop in tomorrow and sit on whatever the scary lads tell me to sit on...

 

[Julia9054]

You can measure your own sit bone width. If you have stairs with carpet on, place a sheet of kitchen foil in the stair, sit on it and lean forward slightly like you are on your bike. Stand up and there will be an impression of your sit bones on the foil. Measure the distance between them in millimetres. The saddle width you need is this measurement plus 20mm.
I didn't fancy having mine measured in my local shop because, although the lads in there are lovely, I used to teach two of them and didn't fancy a discussion about my @rse!

 

[John the Canuck]

assuming you all go 'bare' under chamois padded shorts - would the usage of 'chamois cream' help

i just bought a new Bontrager - lovely fit, but the cream did help.....................john

Udderly Smooth Chamois / Anti-Chaffing Cream

 

[vickster]

Apart from being a bit overweight, I really have a naturally large build, so I think the original "male" saddle that came with my XL gents bike is too narrow.

There's a Specialized Concept Store close to where I work. Will drop in tomorrow and sit on whatever the scary lads tell me to sit on...

Note, you need to be wearing cycling shorts to have your sit bones measured. I had my sit bones measured by Specialized, bought an expensive saddle in the correct size (mainly as it was the only one to match my bike ) and wow it's uncomfortable, although I need to persevere. So the fitting helps but it's not the end of the story. Good shorts help but saddle positioning (and angle or lack of) is also really important

 

[Katherine]

Although padded clothing helps, its the saddle that makes the most difference. I have a wonderful ladies gel saddle and very rarely wear padded clothing as I don't like feeling like I'm wearing a nappy!
Building up the miles gradually will help with training, don't leave it too long between rides. Try and ride on a smooth surface. Good luck.

 

[cyclelover724]

Being a bit overweight when I first started cycling, I was concerned about finding a comfortable seat - I went with the second one on this list - pedalsteady.com/most-comfortable-bike-seat-for-overweight-cyclists/ - after about a week or so the soreness went away and has held up great over time - hope this is helpful!