General Cycling Discussion - Terry saddle

I purchased a Terry Liberator (men's) saddle about 1-1/2 months ago. It is shaped slightly different from my old saddle, but has the cutout in the same area of the saddle. For some reason my "anatomy" can't get used to the feel. :confused:
Does it have to broken in? I've never had this problem with a saddle before.

I too use the Terry Liberator on both my road and mountain bikes and I am very happy with mine. I don't remember a break in period at all.

I love this saddle and will certainly buy them again when these wear out.

Mike

You need a saddle which fits your anatomy, particularly the distance between the protruberances ("sitz-bones") of your pelvis. Minor differences in saddle geometry or padding can make a huge difference in personal comfort. What works well for me (Brooks Pro, Brooks Competition, Serfas ARC) may not work well for you. Saddle choice is as personal as shoe choice; when running, I always wear ASICS shoes because they fit my feet and control my over-pronation.

Unless the saddle is made specifically for your own anatomy, it's pretty much hit-or-miss. That's why I believe (and always will) that a properly broken-in and tensioned Brooks leather saddle is the best choice.

Buying a saddle is almost like gambling. It's hit or miss. You could try adjusting it up or down, forward or backward on the post to see if it helps. If not, you might need to try another model Terry, or another brand. Good Luck.

Originally posted by ljbike
Buying a saddle is almost like gambling. It's hit or miss. You could try adjusting it up or down, forward or backward on the post to see if it helps. If not, you might need to try another model Terry, or another brand. Good Luck.

Terry used to have a very good return policy. I don't think the liberator needed a break-in period. Mine didn't anyway. I now use a Terry Fly on my single and like it better than the Liberator.

I used a Terry Liberator for a few months before I discovered Brooks saddles. I found it comfortable from the get-go except for the usual couple of days of acclimatizing to a slightly different shape.

Here is an interesting (to me) and totally irrelevant discovery on my part. I am, uh, "broad of beam" so I tried wider saddles, including a Brooks B-17, which was quite comfortable. I have found the narrower Brooks Team Pro to be my favorite saddle. Apparently my "sit bones" are not any farther apart than anyone else's and anything wider than the Team Pro just gets in the way. I guess the point is that saddle selection like some other things about cycling can be counter-intuitive. A wider saddle is not necessarily more comfortable.

By the way, the whole thing about bicycle saddles causing impotence has pretty much been debunked. Saddles with cutouts can provide more ventilation and may be more comfortable for some, but there is apparently no evidence that they are "safer". I had always wondered why you didn't hear about problems among the pros who ride many hours a day on narrow saddles.
FWIW,
Raymond

Well, to further Rainman's argument about the Pro's not complaining. Lance Armstrong and his wife just had twins last week. We all know the amount of time he spends in the saddle and he's obviously not having problems.

Well actually...as far as I know Lance is sterile and always will be. His sperm comes from a sperm bank which he donated to before his cancer treatements a few years ago. He and his wife undergo IVF to become pregnant.
So we can't use the twins result last week in any reference to his saddle choice.

Mike

DUH....I knew that! I guess it's monday and I had a brain fart. Sorry!

Monday's are horrible aren't they! Although it would have been an easy thing to forget. At least, I hope you aren't always thinking about Lance's....:p

No, I in fact I am seldom thinking about Lance's .... or anyone else's other than my own's. Even on Monday's.