So, I picked up a new bike...loving it so far...in kind of an afterthough moment I just grabbed a Selle Italia C2 Gel Flo off the wall and went with that...

Now...the boys seem okay, I've done about 70 miles in the last 4 days...nevertheless I'm feeling the sit bones, as in they let me know, "Hey you're sitting on this kinda firm saddle!!!"

My question is I'm wondering if it may be a bit narrow...the C2 is a size S for Selle... My sit bones feel like they're making contact on the downward sloping outsides of the saddle.

I'm wondering if I should try their size L saddles...

On another note, I do want to measure my sit bone width. I can feel the points of the suckers, should I just grab at them with my fingertips resting on them and have my wife measure from fingertip to fingertip with a tape measure?

She's been really behind on her spousal duties.

Go to your LBS. They should have a sitbone measuring pad. You sit on it and they measure the distance between the depressions your sitbones make. From that, they can recommend a saddle size. You can see if your saddle matches their recommendation. They shouldn't charge you for this service, since it frequently results in a saddle sale.

or, low tech .. stack up some corrugated cardboard put it in a chair and sit in it.

Drop trousers,
sit on two slices of white bread ( untoasted )
Measure distance between indentations.
Go to bike shop.
Buy saddle, correct width.

I went down this road just a few months ago and decided that measuring my sit-bone didn't matter.

I sat on aluminum foil on a carpeted floor and then measured the deepest dents in the foil to get my sit-bone width. I then proceeded to order a crazy expensive SMP saddle that supposedly designed for my sit-bone width. However, after getting the saddle, I found it crazy uncomfortable after over 6 rides and sent it back.

For me, following Fizik's method for measuring the proper saddle type worked better. They suggest saddle sizes based on your flexibility (or lack there of) which probably determines how rotated your hips are and thus influences the shape of your seat (or at least I think that's the theory). I have very little flexibility and never did, so the Fizik Aliente is the saddle of choice for me. It's relatively wide... wider than I was lead to believe I needed based on the "sit-bone measurement".

I also learned that seats with cut-outs in the middle, or even just indentations in the middle, result in more pressure being put on the seat bone. I have an older Fizik Aliente saddle with no channel and a newer one that does have a channel, and the newer one with the channel results in more pressure on my sit bones. While the cut-outs/channels/whatever might help the soft tissue, they make don't necessarily make the ride more comfortable.

Hmmm.....the plot thickens. Okay, I'm gonna sit on some white bread. The wife refuses to measure my rear.

You should put the bread, card board, etc. At the top of a set of stairs and sit with your legs at a 90 degree bend as this drives the sit bones downward.

Thanks for the tip Doc.

The way I look at it, you should be sitting on bony parts because otherwise you are sitting on soft tissue, with all those pesky nerves and blood vessels.

Those bony parts are likely to complain for awhile until they HTFU, so I'd give it more time.

I understand what you're saying, the pain isn't a bit deal, actually it isn't bad at all, I'm just feeling that I'm not being supported by this saddle properly. It really does seem a bit narrow and I actually am sitting on soft tissue as well, my sit bones are certainly supporting most of my weight but I can't help but feel if it was just a wee bit wider I'd be set..

I'm thinking of trying these next:


Fi'zi:k's:


https://www.fizik.it/products/versus-...versus-x-kium/


Selle:


https://www.selleitalia.com/se_it3/pr...ina_max-flite/

Specifically the Max Flite Gel Flow, not the SLR.

Those are very different from each other.

Using some sense with regard to eliminating nonstarters, I encourage you to try as many as you can. There is a reason for so many different models from each of the major manufacturers. Sometimes the correct saddle for any of us is not the one we would first suspect. And, once you think you may have a winner, don't hesitate to test it for a week and at least one ride of as long a duration as you anticipate in the future. There was at least one saddle I thought was great for 40km, but, after that it slowly became my ass's worst enemy.

what about break-in time? Any new saddle is likely to be uncomfortable at first.
The last time I got a new saddle (Specialized Toupe Expert), it hurt as hell for the first few rides. 500 miles later, the saddle was amazingly comfortable.

Yup, thanks Big.

It's not that it's uncomfortable...Discomfort doesn't bother me...I expect a certain amount consistent with the activity...What I'm feeling here based upon my initial impressions is that the saddle is simply too narrow because my sit bones feel that they are on the outside downward slopes of the saddle...I've also read about inner thigh chaffing, high up, that others have experienced with the Selle Italia designs and I'm showing the beginnings of that as well...

So, I'm really interested in the Fizik as of now simply because the Selles are all quite similar in terms of that sloping.

For $200.00 I oughta get this right...

Only Leather, like Brooks, break in. others .. you get used to it..

I'm not sure what the real criterion is for a saddle to be too narrow. I first tried a 130 Toupe. I liked the freedom of movement and shape, but my sit bones were always barely just on the "platforms." I went up to a 143 Toupe, and found the sit bones usually in the right place. I know that beyond a certain point for an aggressive position, wider is not better. On B17s I get abrasion in my groins due to the sides of the saddle near the label. The B17 is at least 10 mm wider than the Toupe 143 at that point.

So for me, too wide has clear problems of abrasion. Too narrow really has only the problem that my sit bones might not be on the platforms.

Well, the Kurve Chameleon really does the trick. I got lucky... extremely comfortable saddle for me.

Unless they've massively changed something a Kurve saddle is an inappropriate choice for any clyde. The are prone to cracking from flex and I've witnessed numerous examples on riders as light as 140lbs.

A local shop that would be willing to sell me Zipp 101s even though I weigh 115kg dissueded me from any of the Kurves when i was testing saddles.

Well...5 year warranty. I'm not all that concerned. I'd think that a company like Fizik would be actively working to address the material nature of the problem, therefore time will tell.

So many methods just don't work. Sitting on a box or whatever is not like sitting on a bike.
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