Originally Posted by
spdracr39
This is not true. My Trek dealer has one that measures for all saddles ( it is not free) and they have a traditional one that is free that can be applied to any brand they have measurements on.
If there's a measuring device that works reliably, I've yet to find it. Remember: every saddle maker measures their saddle widths slightly differently and
nobody (other than Specialized?) really correlates saddle width with sit bone spacing. The best you can do is measure the width between your sit bones and then hold a ruler up to a locally available saddle to see if it
might work. Even then you're taking a shot in the dark because things like saddle length, saddle curvature, cut-outs, edge design, etc. make almost as much difference to long-distance comfort as the width does.
I sorta agree on the shorts thing although the padding does seem to last longer on the more expensive shorts before collapsing. What you want is a 6 panel pad for the most comfort.
6-panel is a designation applied to shorts, not pads. I own both 6- and 8-panel shorts and haven't found any major differences between them. In theory, an 8-panel design can conform to your body better but a 6-panel design has fewer seams. As long as the manufacturer uses flat-lock stitching and something other than barbed wire as thread, you probably won't have any issues with the seams. Modern fabrics stretch and recover well enough that I haven't noticed any difference in fit between 6- and 8-panel designs.
Chamois designs are all over the map and I haven't found any way to reliably predict which ones are better than others. I have a pair of $150 Castelli Endurance bibs and their high-tech chamois doesn't seem appreciably better than the chamois in my $37 Falconi Deluxe bibs. My $250/pair Assos FI.Mille bibs lack the 3D sculpting, gel inserts, and other fancy features you typically find in high-end chamois design but they're fantastic. Not 6.75X more fantastic than the Falconi's, but a nice luxury if you can afford them...
Factory seats suck period. A seat that fits you will be the most important investment on your road bike. It is also the most difficult thing to get right. Find a bike shop (maybe yours does ) that can measure your sit bones and will let you demo seats before buying. You should expect to potentially spend 150.00 - 200.00 for the right one.
There are plenty of stock saddles and inexpensive saddles that work well. As far as I can tell, there is absolutely
no correlation between saddle price and comfort! I tried a $200 Specialized Toupe, sized using the Specialized Ass-o-meter measuring device, and it started giving me saddle sores before the end of my 20-mile test-ride. Worst saddle I've ever used! At the other end of the spectrum, one of my favorite mountain bike saddles is a $40 WTB Rocket V. My general rule of thumb is that if a saddle is downright
painful, then it's never going to work for you and should be replaced. If the saddle is merely uncomfortable, however, then
may eventually end up working if you spend some time getting used to it. This is particularly true when you first start riding (or start riding again after a significant layout) or when you start riding a road bike for the first time.