Saddle for a sore lady...

[Arch]

...not me...

A friend was just asking me about saddles. She would like to cycle more to get fit, but after any distance greater than just round her village it leaves her in a great deal of pain in the perineum area - due to her old episostomy scar. I mean this isn't a recent thing - her kids are teenagers - but it's always been a problem for her. I said that as far as I could tell she needs a nice wide saddle to support the sit bones, and probably a cut out to relieve pressure on the soft bits.

It's not a problem I've ever had, so I don't really know what the best ones are. Any ladies (or gents with experience form their other halves) out there got recommendations?

She's looked on the web, but advice all seems to be for women who've only just had episiostomies, not women who had them ages ago.

Another problem of course is buying one and it not working. Does any supplier do a test-and-return service?

 

[Mr Phoebus]

Hope she's using the right clothing too?

Someone complained to me about a sore perineum.
I found out that she'd been cycling everywhere in jeans.

 

[Arch]

I'll double check, but I get the feeling this is a problem that goes deeper than that. I do know she isn't wearing padded shorts or anything, but she shouldn't need to for a 6 or 7 mile pootle. Not sure if padding would help, as it might increase pressure allover. I think a cutaway saddle must be the thing she needs.

I did check, and her riding position is apparently quite upright, so I don't think she's having trouble with the nose of the saddle rubbing the wrong places due to leaning forward.

 

[bonj2]

this
or
this

 

[Yorkshireman]

http://www.citystop.com/bikes/The_Ideal_Bike_Seat.htm
Or
http://www.bicycleseats.org/easyseat-bicycle-seat.htm?source=google
There are others (UK suppliers too) that I've seen mentioned in other fora ... If I find them (soon) I'll post here.

 

[clefty]

I've got one of these, dead comfy, and not too big either
http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDetails.asp?productID=6509&categoryID=197

have no experience on the episostomy front, but am a girl, with a big arse ;-)

 

[Yorkshireman]

Found it! Recommended by a (former?) C+ poster "Fineart Mike" :-
http://www.spongywonder.com/

 

[Elmer Fudd]

Found it! Recommended by a (former?) C+ poster "Fineart Mike" :-
http://www.spongywonder.com/

I'm sure I've seen one of those in the local massage parlour.
No, hang on, a friend of a friend saw one of those in the local massage parlour.

 

[chris42]

my wife uses a mens racing saddle fizi:k arizone.
says it's much more comfy than womens saddles.

 

[Mr Phoebus]

Found it! Recommended by a (former?) C+ poster "Fineart Mike" :-
http://www.spongywonder.com/

That looks like one of those 80's drum synthesizers

Kelly Marie do-do do-do do-do do-do

 

[wafflycat]

The saddles that have worked for me in providing comfort are the Terry's ones (with cutouts). My tourer has a Liberator on it and my road bike a Race TiLite on it. Both are exceedingly comfortable. here's the link to the current Terry range for women http://www.terrybicycles.com/saddles/product.html?t=w

As an aside, as a woman with teenage offspring who also had an episiotomy (with complications) - I wonder why she is having problems after all these years, so to speak. None of my business - don't need to know the details, but would wonder if she's actually been back to the doc to ask for help. In this day & age, there's no need to put up with the vast majority of 'women's problems' yet too many women seem to put up with stuff they don't have to. How about subtley asking if she's sought medical advice - and perhaps encouraging her to do so, seek second opinions on the condition etc.

 

[littlered]

The saddles that have worked for me in providing comfort are the Terry's ones (with cutouts). My tourer has a Liberator on it and my road bike a Race TiLite on it. Both are exceedingly comfortable. here's the link to the current Terry range for women http://www.terrybicycles.com/saddles/product.html?t=w

As an aside, as a woman with teenage offspring who also had an episiotomy (with complications) - I wonder why she is having problems after all these years, so to speak. None of my business - don't need to know the details, but would wonder if she's actually been back to the doc to ask for help. In this day & age, there's no need to put up with the vast majority of 'women's problems' yet too many women seem to put up with stuff they don't have to. How about subtley asking if she's sought medical advice - and perhaps encouraging her to do so, seek second opinions on the condition etc.

I totally agree with you.

 

[trio25]

I would recommend she gets herself down to a specialized dealer where they can measure her sit bones, she then can use that measurement to check a saddle is the correct width. Nearly all the girls I ride with now have Specialized saddles, but check they cut-out is in the correct place for her. Some shops allow you to buy a saddle and if you don't like it return and exchange it. So it might be worth asking her LBS.

 

[Arch]

How about subtley asking if she's sought medical advice - and perhaps encouraging her to do so, seek second opinions on the condition etc.

I haven't checked, but as she worked for years as health visitor before coming to Uni, I suspect she's not just suffering in silence...

Cheers everyone for the links and recommendations, I'll pass them all on. Yorkshireman, those were the sort of thing I think she saw on the web, but didn't have a UK link for, so that's useful. It may be that a simple wide saddle with a cutout will do the job though, and I suppose she could always sell it on second hand if it didn't work...

It's a pity, because she says cycling is the only sort of exercise she'd really enjoy doing, but for the pain issue.

 

[bonj2]

what about a recumbent? she might find that comfy