Originally Posted by mtn_chick
Just wanted to say that a "big ol' saddle" isn't necessarily more comfortable. Check out some of the women's specific saddles out there. I found a really good one that made a HUGE difference when spending a few hours on the bike.
Yes, women's seatbones are usually farther apart than men's, so when some women try out certain men's sporty hard saddles they feel a lot of pain. So they often think it's because the saddle is hard, while in fact it's because they are sitting on their tender soft tissues instead of on their bum (because the back portion of the saddle is too narrow and doesn't accommodate their seatbones).
If you get a saddle that supports your seatbones, it doesn't have to be all big and cushy at all to feel comfortable. In fact, seats that are too fat will feel bad because your thighs will rub against them and get them chafed up. They also tend to feel sluggish.