before you blindly buy any saddle with a cutout, visit a bike shop that has some fit know-how (usually roadie specialty shops).

there's a saddle for every butt, and everyone tends to feel comfy on a different seat. many people find that switching to a saddle with less padding helps. some of the most uncomfortable looking saddles tend to feel the best under your ass because there's less friction and less squishy padding to bunch up and get pushed into your various cracks.

my favorite saddle for long rides is the selle san marco aspide. it's a bare-bones saddle with minimal padding, but it fits me well, and provides support in the right places without contacting my body too much elsewhere. i've done 200+ miles in a day on this thing with zero discomfort.



you'll also want to get a fit expert to advise you on saddle height, angle, fore/aft position, stem length and height, bar selection and position, and riding posture in general. all of these things affect the way your ass hits the seat.

and as much as you hate cycling shorts, they generally really, really help. can get shorts to wear under your regular pants, or even underwear with a chamois pad.

if i'm riding more than 20 miles, there's a good chance i've got lycra on.