Alright, this is a bit embarrassing, but I'm getting little bruises on what I can only call my "lower butt bone" for lack of a better term.. I only feel them when I'm on my bike, or when I sit on something hard, like when I'm in a wooden kitchen chair or something. Hurtmybutt.

It was suggested to me by a friend who doesn't cycle but has read some stuff, that perhaps a noseless saddle may help me?

I have rather wide hips, but pretty much a tiny butt, so I don't know if that contributes at all. I need to kill these ouchies, so I can get to work without wincing.

I don't think a noseless saddle will help. The angle of the nose makes a deference, but that would affect your front area more. You can go to a bike shop and they can measure your sit bones (if they sell Specialized saddles). Many people are happy with Brooks (including me) and their saddles are wider than many brands.
I am not sure what large hips and a small but looks like. Do you mean that you don't have much cushion on the back side? I am not sure that matters as much as where your sit bones are placed.

A noseless isn't going to make any difference in your case.

Probably need some Brooks owners to chime in here because I'm pretty sure that's the direction you need to go.

I wonder if this is more of a fit issue? How long have you been riding this bike, is this a new issue? Bruises? Can you tell us what kind of saddle you have now, if it is new, etc. Is the bike new. I was thinking if you have to "reach" for the pedals that could cause you to be sore.

Have you been riding very long? New cyclists often need riding time to condition their butts to their saddles. Even long time cyclists can experience discomfort if they don't ride for a while.

However, if you really do need a wider saddle, then you should try some women's specific saddles or some of the Brooks leather saddles. I am a guy, but apparently have wider sit bones than most because few of the traditional "male" saddles fit me right. For a long time I rode with Brooks B17 saddles until I picked up a Fizik Vitesse (which is marketed as a women's saddle) in a trade. The Vitesse is shaped like most racing saddles, but is wider than most, and it fits me perfect. I now have Vitesse saddles on all 4 of my bikes. I'm hanging on to my Brooks B17 because it fits me great, but it weighs twice as much as the Fizik.

Terry makes a lot of women's saddles, and a number of my female riding friends use them.

Judging by your avatar, you appear to be female. There is a hidden Women's forum, you may want to PM Sui Blue Wind about it. I think she's one of the Mods.
https://www.bikeforums.net/member.php...-Siu-Blue-Wind

Wait, secret women's forum? I want in.

There's also the Team Estrogen forum: https://forums.teamestrogen.com/index.php

I have similar anatomy as you but due to lack of funds am still on the search for a saddle. The Selle An-Atomica is supposed to be a really nice saddle and I believe is slightly wider. I haven't heard many bad things about that saddle, other than the price. There's also Brooks 72, 66/67, and the 17 ("S" model if you would like a shorter nose/wider back).

Are you ridding an upright bike or are you more leaned over?

I'm here for the obligatory brooks chime in.
Butts are individual so results vary. Bear that in mind no matter whose stuff you're reading.

The Brooks saddles are not everybodies favorites, but they are probably the biggest single preference if you totted 'em all up. They're basically a leather hammock for your sit bones (ischials)

I can't give you a definitive "try this" since I have no idea what kind of bike you ride, what your posture is etc. There are quite a few types & sizes of saddles depending on your usage. This is true of all brands & styles of saddles.

At the moment I'm riding a Brooks B17 standard (Not S, those are shorter nosed models primarily for women) on my Trek 750 Hybrid.

My wife tried quite a few different saddles until I finally bought her a Brooks Team Pro (was going for a B17S but found a pro s in the color she wanted).
Despite initial skepticism after the first week of riding it she found it got her past her various butt pains. This was the appropriate saddle for her Touring Bike with drop bars. If you're on a hybrid something else might work better. If you're on a crusier something else would work better.

Where to buy them.

Local is nice, the folks will help you out with putting it on adjusting it etc. You'll pay a premium on price for this and return polices are normally non existent for saddles; however a relationship with a good local shop can be priceless.

I picked up my first brooks from Wallbike.com (The ironicially named Wallingford Bike). This was largely due to their generous guarantee. if you don't like it. Return it. Simple as that. They were very good folks to deal with, but unless you're in New Orleans they won't install it from you.

I picked up the pro from Peter White Cycles(.com) a great shop but once again not local unless you're in New Hampshire.

Velo Orange (google it) also carries a line of stretched leather saddles. They're quite a bit less expensive than brooks & I haven't heard anything bad about them so I assume they're good. (They're sold to some fairly hardcore fussy folks..)

BTW most bike shops have a bunch of "take off" saddles cheap if you just want to try something more generic (local one around here is 5 bucks each). You can also check Craigs list for saddles as well, I picked up a terry for the Ms. to try out while she was experimenting.

Hope that's helpful.
Cheers
Tromper

I like the Velo-Orange model 8(the really wide one). It works well for sitting upright in traffic.

Marc

We have a wall with wide cushy saddles at the LBS, here.. many to choose from..

..This an upright JRA posture, or are you wanting to go faster?

... Terry Makes Bikes and various saddles for Women, that's their niche.

.. Cut out hole in the nose saddles sell well .

If you don't have one already, get dialed with a LBS. Most of them have the ability to put you on a saddle and keep changing them out with different models until you find one that fits. It's just not going to work to take some model recommended by someone on a forum, order it, run home bolt it on and expect it to work. This can be as much about bike fit as it can be about the actual saddle. So, you need some help and a good LBS will get this taken care of in no time.

J.

+1 on this. & if you're not able to do this yourself then an LBS is your best asset.

I'm partial to the Selle Italia Diva gel flow I have on my monstercross bike. At 6'6", regular mens "wide" saddles just don't cut it because they typically in the 150-ish millimeter range and I've got wide sit bones.
The Diva is 160mm wide across the back and it's fairly flat so the useful real-estate is almost the entire 160mm width.

The other option is a suspended leather saddle. The Brooks B-17 is a favourite for many (I have 3 of them) and they're 170mm across the rear.

Brooks B-72 or B-66 if you want springs. From your physical description I'd go w/t B-72 as they're lighter and will conform to your pelvic structure over time. Don't be put off by the price. They're worth every dime.

yeah.... we are going to need pics

Second the opinion on getting over to forums.teamestrogen.com (where you won't get the juvenile responses like Mr. busted knuckles). There is a lot of saddle information there. You need to start by knowing the width of the sit bones. The Brooks B68 is designed for my upright bikes but I know it can be used on a road bike. It needs a little break in, but it works.

... and the width of your hips doesn't have much to do with where your sit bones are located (or their width).

All of these recommendations are by people who may or may not have any similarities to your physiology or anatomy. The only way to do this without investing $1000 in trial and error (some of us have done that over time, btw. Easy to do when good seats run $100 or more in many cases), is to get to a bike shop with a demo program and try some out. For example, right now, my LBS loaned me a saddle for my wife to try for a week on a trip. They have a whole tub of loaners and the inventory to match it. Common practice for good bike shops. In reality, it's the only plan that really works.

J.

Specialized has a way to measure sit bones. You may want to read up on this and get an idea of the proper width you need.

https://www.specialized.com/specs/spe...eometrysaddles

Good luck.

You dont ride on your butt - you ride on your sit bones. They have a medical name, but they are small protrusions on the bottom of your pelvis. If your seat doesnt support THOSE, all is for naught.
Get fitted so your sit bones are in the right place on your saddle. Just google how, an dlearn which size you need.

Now there is also some discomfort encountered when you first spend significant amounts of time in the saddle. A certain amount of "hardening up" must inevitably occur. It should not be pain, but it may be unaccustomed.

A good saddle fit is first - then the hardening up comes.

LOL! but fail!

All butts are different. Brooks works for some, and some it doesn't.
Terry makes a line for women.

Good luck, and don't worry about pics.
Some on BF don't get out much! Although it's better on this thread than in the 41!

I would defintely check your bike fit. But what are you wearing when you ride? Are you wearing bike shorts? Are there any seams that you might be sitting on?

I will chime in and recommend Wallbike.com if you decide to try a Brooks. They have a very generous six month unconditional guarantee on Brooks saddles. If you buy it and it isn't working for you, you can send it back. I also agree you need to develop a good relationship with a LBS. Good luck.

I have a wide pelvis. Only the widest brooks work for me. I have the B67 and a B72 on my bikes. Wonderful. I had the same problem and you need to fix this NOW or it could become chronic. It is called Coccydynia and it sucks. What happens is that your two pelvic "sit bones" don't sit squarely on the too narrow saddle leaving one or the other to hang off the saddle. This causes flexing of the ligaments in your coccyx(butt bone) and considerable pain. the only thing that cured me was getting the brooks since they had such wide saddles. they are also firm(but not hard) so that they properly support your pelvis.

lol

There are saddles as wide as those on tractors.