domestique

I know this is another saddle thread, but this first of it's kind (at least according to the search button)

My problem is I can't find a comfortable saddle that prevents numbness to the perineal nerve, and the penise. I am 5' 10" 143 pounds with 6% body fat, but my sit bones are (140mm, measured by the Specialized "A**-O-Meter").

I currently ride a Specialized Alias (155), and I like this saddle. But I recently bought a race bike and when I get into a more aggressive aero position; I really feel the numbness on my perineal nerve etc.

MY QUESTION: To all of the Toupe riders that swear by them and especially the converts from the avatar, or the alias to the Toupe: What is your sit bone measurements?

I know the more forward position you ride to narrower the saddle can be, and I am wondering if there are any riders out there that have wide sit bones, and can ride a 143 toupe ( they don't make a 155).

Thanks for all the input in advance:

P.S If you have wide sitbones 138 and up, and ride a 143 Toupe and love it, please explain your riding style, and if you have had any problems with it.

GuitarWizard

I find the Alias to be much more uncomfortable than the Toupe (yes, I have both). I think my sitbones were measured at around 140mm as well, and I don't have any problems with the 143mm Toupe. YAMV.

BlessedHellride

I just purchased the Toupe 143mm. I don't remember exactly what my sitbones were. I have about 700 miles on it so far and I love it!

BryanW

My sitbones too were measured at 140 using the Specialized device. I have the 143 Toupe and have no problem with numbness at all (even though I had numbness problems with my 143 Alias). It's the only saddle I've ever had that eliminated this problem for me completely. However, I'm still having sit-bone pain with the Toupe. Hoping it'll go away as I get more used to the saddle.

GuitarWizard, what angle do you have your Toupe at? And what's your saddle to bar drop?

flipped4bikes

YAMV. If I'm reading that right, that's funny!

jp_nyc

I just wish there were a Toupe for women. I love my Jett, but the Toupe looks much sleeker.

domestique

Ok I'll bite, what is that funny?

cmcenroe

I have larger sit bones and I ride the 143. It works fine. I find myself spending a fair amount of time in an aero position these days, and I am not set up correctly on my bike right now. I do get some numbness, but nothing that lasts longer than a quick trip off of the saddle.

Grasschopper

I have a 143mm Toupe and a 143mm Avatar. The Assometer said for my selected riding position that I should use the 143...I can't imagne you are switching position enough to go from a 155 to a 143 unless you were sitting bolt upright. I run with a ~2" saddle to bar drop...the Toupe is harder than the Avatar for sure but with the right chamois and a bit of time (I was of the bike for too long) the Toupe seems to be comfortable.

Oh and if I remember right (it has been over a year) the assometer said like 135 or there about's for my actual sits bone width.

ImprezaDrvr

I've got about a 3.5 inch saddle to bar drop and only experience numbness when I'm in the drops for a long time. Did a race over the weekend and didn't have any trouble at all the whole time. I've got a Toupe 143 but don't recall my sit bone measurement right off the top of my, er, head, but they're not close together.

I have mine nearly level front to back. Tried tipping the nose down a bit and it wasn't as comfortable and, as you'd expect, it forced me forward. When it's level front to back the nose tips up ever so slightly, but it's still the best I've found so far.

GuitarWizard

YAMV = Your Ass May Vary

domestique

I have around a 3 inch drop: I am kinda worried that the Toupe may be too narrow (especially since the 143 Alias felt like it was riding up my butt). But with other people saying they had luck with their Toupe and have wider sit bones I may just have to try it.

I wish it came in a 148, or 150. Stupid Pennsylvania Dutch wide sit bones!

Edit: here's a pick...

GuitarWizard

I have around 2" of drop...not too much. My seat is pretty level. I don't have any sitbone pain with the Toupe, but for the first 3 weeks with the Alias, I was hating life, particularly for the first 5-10 minutes on consecutive days.

I find I get occasional numbness, but that's during long periods of in the drops hammering along. I need to get a good fitting done soon.

merlin70

I'm in the minority but I found the toupe to be the most effective torture device invented by the mind of man. Very uncomfortable for me. It isn't the width as I came from a Flite which measures 140mm. There is something about the cutout area that simply does not agree with me.

I've gone back to my old Flite and while it isn't perfect, it's far more comfortable to me than the toupe. My .02

BryanW

I'd trade some numbness for the agony that kicks in after the first couple of hours. It does encourage me to climb out of the saddle though, which is something I always feel I need to practise more.

I've got the nose of mine a bit lower than the back, with about a 3" drop to the bars. I might try making it dead level, even though the nose looks too high that way, and see what happens. I noticed that I can get some comfort by tilting my pelvis so I'm sat less upright.

patentcad

Everybody has a different response to saddles. I like the Toupe. The Alias 143 is more comfortable, but the Toupe (143) is really fine. And my sit bones are at least 143 (wider I think) but that 143 width is quite workable for me.

domestique

Thanks for all the input guys! I think I'm going to have to try the Toupe now...Worst case is I have to sell it on ebay.

GuitarWizard

See if your shop has some kind of deal where you can try it out for a few days....if you don't like it, return it.

bld61

Hey, I'm from Lebanon and my Pa. dutch behind loves the toupe. I live in Va. now but my whole family still lives in lebanon, hershey and Lititz.

domestique

sadly there are no close specialized shops around where I live, so I may just order it from online.

Stv

The owner of my LBS is an idiot. I asked to be measured on the a$$-0-meter cause of the saddle probs I'd been going through. If I'm gonna cough-up $200 beans for a saddle, it better be a vast improvement over the perfectly underused saddle that came with my ride. The dork didn't know how or where to measure the sit bone indents from the matte surface!

Butt, (pun intended) my 143-Avatar was grinding me raw on long rides. So, based on a couple of positive threads I read here earlier, I crossed my fingers and purchased a white Toupe-130 for an old steel frame new refit. It took a number of rides to dial the saddle in. It isn't the softest seat out there but now I am hardly aware of what I'm sitting on. Guess that means it works!

As a matter of fact, I liked it enough that I recently purchased a second Toupe-130 in black for the Roubaix. Same thing, it took several rides to dial in the fit, after that, no probs and NO saddle fatigue.

patentcad

>>Maps are for pu$$y's.<<

I won't ask you about what you'd think of me, a guy with an in-dash GPS in his car.

If it makes you feel better, I NEVER use maps - or 'cue sheets' on bicycle rides : ).

flipflop

I've been wondering about the toupe...

Do you guys think this is a saddle that would work for some light touring or centurys?

Does it require the use of padded shorts, as I often just hop on for a quick ride around the block that turns into 20+ miles...

I heard somewhere that specialized offers a 90 day shop credit if you don't like their saddles, but I havent found any mention of this on packages or their website. I'd really like for this to be the case...

Thanks!

GuitarWizard

You live in CT, right?

The shop I bought my Alias at (Berlin Bike) is nearly 50 miles each way. The shop I bought my Toupe at (Vernon Bike) is around 30 miles or so each way....

My local shop, Scotts Cyclery (under 2.5 miles or so) doesn't carry Specialized.

domestique

CT? no I live in Southern PA, I have a couple Specialized shops 45 miles away, so I may have to give them a call, and see what their saddle policy is.