Good saddle for a small woman

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Hi all. Sorry to be redundant, but I did read a bunch of the various threads on saddles and still don't know where to start.

I am currently using a Peformance Forte Women's saddle. When I bought it last year, it felt pretty good (though I had it tipped forward a bit). I put it on my new bike I just got (Trek 1000) and it feels soooo hard! I have the seat flat (no tipping) and it is so hard on my sit bones.

I'm about 5'0" tall, 110-112 pounds and have kind of a boney butt and small hips. :o I don't want to get a saddle that is too wide because that will chafe, but if it's too narrow, it'll probably be touching the wrong areas of my sit bones and make me sore. Are there any other smaller women who have found a saddle that works for them? I've heard that Terry is good (but which model?) and Selle is decent as well (but which model?) and the Serfas RX Women's got good reviews, but looks a little big. ???

Any suggestions anyone has would be helpful. I will be doing mostly 20-30 mile rides a few times a week and doing longer organized rides (40-60 miles) once a month this season.

Oh and I need a seat with a cut out and a nose that isn't too long because those things will give me frontal problems.

THANKS! :D

Its like beauty, its in the eye of the beholder. Seat comfort is the most subjective topic in cycling. I have a Selle Italia Ldy Genuine Gel (with slot in base) I use for teaching ladies. Some love it and want to take it home some hate it.

Try the Selle Italia Ldy Gel Flo and the Serfas Rx Ladies, they are quite different, one should suite you.

I know just how annoying protruding sit bones are and it makes it virtually impossible to find a comfortable saddle. Over the past 18 months I have tried a number of saddles, and the same problems just keep occurring:

- when you ride with the saddle flat you get intense pressure placed on your sit bones and it travels up causing excruciating lower back pain.

- so to take some of the pressure off your sit bones you tilt the saddle forward, which in turn puts pressure on the front of your "mickey" causing painful friction.

- then there are saddles that are just too wide (mostly women specific saddles) causing a rubbing rash on the inside of your leg.

I have ridden on selle italia and specialized women's saddles and all that I have tried have caused one or more of the above problems. I am not sure about the Terry saddles as we do not have a distributor here in Australia, but looking at the dimensions they look too wide as well.

The best saddle I have found is the salsa saddle with an adjustable suspension system (ASS). I am not sure if salsa is distributing this saddle yet as I got my saddle as a demo to trial for them. It is an ugly looking saddle with chilli's embroided all over it, but the width is perfect, it is not too hard, and has a small slope at the front which is the equivalent to a cut-out.

Just persist with test riding saddles and I'm sure one day (hopefully near in the future) you'll just sit on a saddle and there will be no turning back.

Another one to look at is the Selle San Marco Atola Gelaround. I bought one on sale for my mountain bike and fell in love, when I got my road bike I put it on that because the saddle that came with it was really uncomfortable. Now I have to get another one for my mountain bike.

The Atola is fairly similar to the Selle Italia Lady Gel, but it's not as tall other than that the shape is quite similar, short nose, little wider in back. I've heard a lot of good things about the Terry saddle, but they seem like they have a rather long nose which doesn't work for me. I'm also looking at the WTB Speed She Team saddle, it looks to have the same shape as my Atola and is not as tall as the Terry.


btw....I'm 5'1 110 lbs

I'm 5'2" and my top tube is a hair to long. I have to have my seat up as far as it will go, and most saddles still didn't put the cut out wear I needed it. Then I tried a Terry Liberator, it has somewhat of a long nose and no chafing and the cut out is finally right where I need it. On my mountain bike and sport comfort I will swear by the Specialized BG Plus. Again with a slightly long nose, but no chafing. I also point my saddle up just a little, seems to allieviate the sit bone pain. On the Crusier, a Terry Molto saddle, also pointed up.

Well, I've finally gotten used to the saddle on my road bike. I had to build up a resistance I guess, but now I need a new saddle for my MTB, so I am looking again. I definitely need something small, but supportive. I think I'll take a look at the Selle San Marco Atola to see if it'll work. Meanwhile, please make more suggestions if you have 'em! I need something with a short nose, a cut-out (for my goods) and a rear that isn't too wide. Since there's not as much sitting with MTBing, something smaller than a road bike seat would be good. Thanks all...