mpetruzz

So I went to my local Specialized dealer and was fitted for a saddle due to discomfort for my Selle Italia 135 mm. I was recommended a 155 due to using the hoods most of the time, my post is a few inches higher than my handlebars and sit bone width.

I did about an hour and a half in my trainer with the new seat and it definitely helped. No pressure on my sensitive bits and was overall much more comfortable. But I have some chaffing on my left inner thigh where I'm hitting the side of the saddle.

So I'm wondering if the 155 saddle is too wide and that I should go with the 143 instead. My LBS has a 60 day return policy so I can return it for a different style/size.

Wanted to see if I should give it some time or make a change now to prevent more chaffing/pain.

Thanks!

rdtompki

155 might be the right width, but there is a lot more to a saddle shape than the maximum width. I've been through 6 saddles in the last 3 months and still looking. My most recent trial saddle was too soft causing chaffing and discomfort on my thighs. The previous saddle was also 155, felt good sit bone and "thigh-wise", but the nose was hard as a rock and resulting in some discomfort. Keep looking.

Campag4life

Might be. Another option is you can rotate the saddle slightly to the left or right to alleviate chaffing on either side. Likely very few ride their bikes with perfect symmetry. The other thing is...and I ride a 155mm Spesh saddle...different shape matters. A Toupe is different than a Romin. Toupes may induce more chaffing because they are flatter across. Third element is saddle tilt and where you sit on your saddle and this also relates to how much saddle setback you ride with. Your saddle maybe forward of where you prefer to place your weight to remove pressure from your hands.
So there are many...many elements to riding long distance in comfort that most of us learn over time. The last issue is your torso tilt on the bike. The more forward you rotate, the narrower the saddle you will choose. This is because your sitbone contact area decreases with respect to pelvic rotation and why cruiser saddles conversely are so wide...like sitting on a park bench.
Another dynamic is your thigh width. If you have heavy thighs...then a wide saddle may not work as they will naturally abraide on the saddle.
You can see its a pretty complex subject and takes a bit of trial and error to find out your best approach.

mpetruzz

Thanks for the responses. That's a lot of stuff to take into consideration. I think I'll try to turn the saddle a bit to the right since the chafing is only on my right thigh.

Sounds like I need to do some adjusting before taking it back then

RollCNY

Question, and no insult meant as we know nothing about you:

Do you wear cycling shorts? Loose fitting clothing can cause chaffing regardless of saddle nose. Shape or width.

And be careful with spcialized's ass-o-meter. Actually nothing wrong with their meter, it is how they label the saddles. My favorite saddle is an old generation Romin 143, which is out of production. The replacement would be a Romin EVO 155, because they changed the design. If the width numbers become meaningless than the system does as well.

If you have no clothing issues, try it a bit more but I wouldn't wait too long.

curdog

Before changing saddle width, I would play with the tilt. That's where I experienced chafing problems.

FrenchFit 

Dump that saddle. Width is just one general fit guide, and not a reliable one. Shape is where it's at. My saddles range from 175mm to 135mm depending on use, and they are all comfortable for a three hour ride.

Don't give it more time, be intolerant of any saddle that causes discomfort. If you want to play with the position then do so, but don't compromise comfort. A good saddle should inspire you to ride longer, or 'disappear' altogether.

mpetruzz

I do wear cycling shorts when I ride. They're not loose from what i can tell. I've worn the same shorts on my old 135 saddle for the same distance/time and have not had any chafing issues.

I have been told to tilt the saddle, I'm assuming down? Right now it's level.

bianchi10

Again, depends on saddle. I have specialized Roman evo pro and was told to tilt UP 1 degree because of the shape. Maybe I missed it,but which saddle did you get?

adclark

I had the same problem with a 155mm Specialized Romin saddle. I switched to a 143mm and I haven't had any problems with it since.

Beaker

Not much info to go on here. Adjusting saddle up/down is a good way to relieve pressure on sit bones or perineum, but I don't see what that will do for your chafing issue. Is your saddle pointing straight ahead towards the bars or is it slightly off center? Perhaps you have a leg length or left/right fit discrepancy that is causing one side to rub the side of the saddle more than the other?

Two thoughts to contribute:

1. 90mins on the trainer is a pretty tough way to judge a saddle. You don't get much opportunity to move around/stand up etc, so it will accentuate any minor issues with positioning of the saddle. I've found it often takes me several rides and some tweaks to workout if a saddle is right for me, so be patient.

2. You don't say what kind of saddle you have. Look at the shape of the saddle - is it a Toupe type saddle? If so, moving to a Romin might help as they have much more of a sloped side to the nose IIRC.

mpetruzz

I did speak to a friend who used to work at a LBS. He did say that it will most likely take a few weeks to truly get a feel for whether or not the seat it a good fit. When I am riding, I have no numbness or discomfort. The seat is straight on the frame and level, no tilt.

I have the Toupe Expert model.

Beaker

Given that you don't have numbness or discomfort in your sit bones, I'd leave the tilt of the saddle alone. Do you notice if your hips rock at all when you're pedalling? If you saddle were a little high that might cause some chafing as you "roll" over the nose of the saddle, but I wouldn't go messing with your saddle height if you don't have any other evidence of your saddle being too high.

Maybe give it a few more rides and see how it goes? If it doesn't help, perhaps try a Romin.