Originally Posted by
aniki
Hey, thanks for the replies.
I've experimented a bit more with some new saddles and concluded that the 143mm was definitely too wide. I can't actually physically pedal when I'm sitting right up on the widest part. My sit bones measure about 90mm which seems to be narrower than most; my position is also fairly aggressive and I have good pelvic rotation so this narrows the measurement further.
I tried a different design of saddle which is 139mm and although much better; I was still a little forward.
I also tried another design at 134mm where the 'wings' of the saddle drop quite steeply down each side; this felt much more sensible and I could really feel my sit-bones right on the most padded section at the back.
I now have a slightly flatter model that is 134mm which so far feels perfect. I think part of the issue is that a lot of the noseless saddles that I like tend to change transition from the narrow nose to the wide rear very quickly (Specialized Power, Fabric S-Line, Pro Stealth). Whereas, the one I'm using now is narrower for the front two thirds and only widens at the rear where you need it; this also means my thighs aren't rubbing anything. So anyway; so far so good!
I'm sure for most people this isn't an issue as given that most saddles tend to be in the 143mm region I have to assume that most have wider sit bones than me.
You might drop in to a Specialized shop and see if you can sit on the saddle width gadget and get their opinion on what width is right. If your sit bones are always supported, that is a real good sign. If you get zero inner leg and perineal chafing, that's also good. On the 143, if you are on the hoods and can lift your hands 1" off the bar without sliding forward and staying relaxed, that's great. If you slide forward your center of gravity is too far forward and you should move the saddle back, maybe ⅛" at a time until you feel in balance with your hands lifted. Then recheck your saddle height, you might need to drop it a little bit. Once you're in balance you can adjust saddle tilt to optimize pressure distribution along your underside. But make one change at a time.
It also depends on how aggressively you lean forward. You could go through the above procedure with both the 143 and the 130. It doesn't take more than a few days riding and then you'll know, and not have to trust a bunch of Internet guys whom you don't know and who might not know any more than you do.