I know this search has been embarked on by many of you. I'm hoping now that some of you have found the grail and can impart some wisdom on me.


Earlier this year, I got the GF a 64 Raleigh Sports. However, the original seat isn't very comfortable and she always complains about the seats she's sat on (she's only ever ridden on a road bike seat, a Brooks, and the original seat on her Raleigh). She hates the feeling of a Brooks.

Has anyone here replaced their seats with something that's comfortable for the lady parts and fits a Raleigh? I could care less if the seat sticks out like a sore thumb, I just want it to fit and allow for a comfortable ride.

Anyone know of any seats that can achieve this? Know what brands I should start with?

Thanks!

Which model Brooks does she have now?

Pics?

Look for an old Avocet Touring saddle. Someone else was just discussing those recently. I have one, that I like a lot, but I just realized today, it might be a women's saddle, LOL. But I also figured out, it's the lowest model, just a Touring WI, whatever that means exactly, so I'll want to keep looking anyways, for a Touring II. Those are supposed to be the better ones, from what I've read.

IIRC, an Avocet Touring saddle is designed for a drop bar bike and the Sports is a more upright riding bike. I'd look for a spring equipped wider saddle designed for an upright riding position. Like a Brooks B72.

Has she ever tried a Terry saddle, or perhaps a wide, sprung Brooks?

Saddles are not just universally comfortable or uncomfortable -- otherwise, the uncomfortable ones would exit the market and we'd be left with only the comfortable ones.

There are many ways that a saddle can cause discomfort and the OP will have to get more detail from the GF before he (or any of us) can solve the problem:

A comfortable saddle is wide enough in the rear to support both of the sitbones, but is narrow enough everywhere else to prevent chafing the inner thighs. A saddle that is rounded on top works for aggressive riding, but may not otherwise. A saddle that is adjusted with the nose too far up may cause unwanted interference with the genital region when leaned forward. Similarly, a saddle with the nose adjusted down too far can cause the rider to slide forward on the saddle, putting too much weight on the hands and again causing discomfort in the rear because the rider is now sitting on the narrow nose of the saddle. A saddle that's too high can cause chafing because the rider has to slide back and forth across the saddle to work the pedals. Saddles that are squishy to the touch seem like they would be more comfortable, but once the full weight of the rider has caused the sitbones to sink to the bottom of the padding, the central part of the saddle again presses uncomfortably on the area in between the sitbones unless it has a well-executed cutout down the center.

So there is saddle width, top shape, adjustment, hardness, and probably other factors that I'm forgetting.

We have been going up and down the saddle road for the past few years... Brooks are barely tolerable. The latest and greatest and seems to be her favorite is a Selle Royal 8493, as far as I can tell they ARE NOT available in the US through normal channels. I bought mine from Dutch Bike Bits. I also purchased one of the non gel versions to use on a beater bike I have.

Aaron

At our bike shop we let people try any saddle we have in stock and install it as many times as needed just to make the sale, is this not the norm at other shops? You can't go by what is comfortable for other people when it comes to saddles ( my wife's saddle has been on 4 different bikes).

Glenn

My daughter complained about the saddle on her Shogun and I swapped it out for a very non-C&V WTB Speedshe. She loves it.

Top

I recently installed a Selle Anatomica X and it is by far the best I've used. Been riding for 40 years and it's a saddle you completely forget about when you're riding. Zero break in and I bought the True Leather model. The Watershed model is suppose to be a zero break in but I felt it would be too soft after some miles. FWIW

Mrs. browngw likes her womens specific Serfas dual density on her upright Giant Expressway folder and uses a ladies Planet Bike basic black saddle on her 76 Raleigh Sprite. Both are priced around $30.

We found these are the most comfortable for K on her upright bikes:
https://www.amazon.com/XLC-Comfort-Sa.../dp/B001BRLYJW

https://www.amazon.com/Ergo-Seat-Ulti...ds=ergo+saddle
My wife is currently using one of these. I myself used it for years before I gave it to her.

Honestly, your best bet is to find a bike shop that will let you try different saddles, or return/exchange one that doesn't fit. Another option is to buy cheap used saddles (often take-offs) on eBay and resell them if they don't fit. I probably tried 10 different saddles before I found one that fit me best. I then bought a bunch more of them on eBay for cheap prices for all of my bikes. FWIW, I've had good luck with Fizik Vitesse and Vesta saddles, which are marketed as women's saddles. They are similar in shape to Fizik men's saddles but wider. I must have wide sit bones because standard size men's saddles are always too narrow for me. I also had good luck with the Brooks B17, but the Fizik saddles are just as comfortable for me and weigh less than half as much.

Thanks for all the information, guys! I know I need to get her to a bike shop to try them out, so I'll probably try and go that route. I was thinking something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Sunlite-Cloud-...s+bicycle+seat

But I don't know if the brand lasts. It's gotten pretty good reviews, but, like many of you noted, what works for some doesn't work for others.

^ This is a really good primer for bike saddles in-general.

In my opinion Brooks are the very best if you're looking a saddle for long distance touring.
Brooks B17 £100 - £200.
Brooks B33 £100

If you're looking a nice but also comfortable saddle for your road bike I recommend these.
Charge Knife £50
FWE Trail £25 < Not only is it easy on the pocket but it's also easy on the butt.
Fizik Arione £90 < My mate has recently bought a second hand 2011 Scott CR1 and it had this saddle fitted. We both agreed it's the perfect saddle for a road bike. It offers many riding positions.

Are ya sure it's the saddle that needs changing....ah just kidding.

On my wife's R. Sport, I swapped out a Brooks for a Cheap Bell Bellisima saddle ( I got it at the Walmart for $9.99) she's happy and the Brooks will live for another day




Apparently Targets got'em online for $14.99

https://www.target.com/p/bell-bellisi...t/-/A-14038063

Mrs non-fixie seems to be comfortable on whatever saddle I care to place beneath her (lovely, I must add ) butt. On the bike she likes best is a ladies' version of the Selle Italia Turbo:

BTW, one that also went down well (if that's the correct expression in this context) is the the ladies' version of the Brooks Professional, the 'Professional S':

Avocet also made a wider Woman's saddle too. At least two versions, one with added padding regions (Touring II?) for more impact absorption. Saddles are a really personal thing. I think one has to evaluate all she has access to now and have her ride them back to back to back. From that inquire as to what region provides discomfort first. The steer clear of saddles that mimic the problems cited.

That all said, I remember after a long layoff from the bike, my favorite saddle was not so comfortable. A concour, Cinelli Volare, Rolls are a few that just do not match my undercarriage. A few saddles I have tried later were uncomfortable from the first block, so those get set aside and sold off. Forget the status of price. In addition, sometimes a saddle that feels comfortable around the block is not after 30 minutes to an hour of use.

Very nice Benotto!

My wife has one at her brother's house in Bayern.

She uses it for jaunts to the beach and general use.

Thanks, gomango.

But ... maybe I got my geography wrong, but the Bayern I know is in the heart of the European continent, and a jaunt to any beach would be quite a challenge, even with a Benotto.

I agree, I'm a Clydesdale so I use the Titanico X. Have five of them now. (one on each of my C&V "riders" as well as my 'beater' 2004 Cannondale R600.)
They are on-sale now for only 99.00 bucks.
Rode 1,500 absolutely pain-free miles this past summer. They are so comfortable that I can ride 30 or 40 miles and not one time having to "stand". With a good pair of shorts, this is the best set-up I've ever had. Five Brooks Professionals now sitting in a box.

dylan, you may be in for a fun evening.

You will need some corrugated cardboard cut to the same size as your girlfriend's bottom.

From there you will have to ask her to strip down to her skivvies (or less) and sit on that corrugated cardboard... it will take an impression of her Ischial Tuberosities which are also known as sit bones and you you need to measure the distance between those.

This will determine how wide the saddle needs to be, women's saddles also have shorter noses and setting it at the right angle will also make more difference than anything.

I have customers who hated their saddles only because they were improperly set up, my daughters ride on Terry saddles and my wife, who has a very wide sit span can only use a Brooks (and loves it).

When I am doing fittings for women my wife handles the discussion on the girl bits and how to keep them happy and she is very good at it.