via another thread, i was shopping for a saddle. i've come a long way since the last saddle i bought, so i am looking at saddles with less padding, lighter weight, etc.

The stock junk saddles that my bikes came with were about 130-135mm, caused numbness.

A while back, i had measured my sit bones in the 140-145mm range.
I'm noticing that the vast majority of "race" saddles are in the 129-135mm range.
This is strange, considering that cyclists (even pros) come in a wide range of shapes and sizes.

For example, the selle.it Flite is apparently very popular, right? but it's on the "narrow" range of physiology. the ProLink is one of their widest saddles.

so why are all the high-end saddles so narrow? is it something one adjusts to, or is it a matter of form, etc?

How are you measuring your sit bone width?

non-scientifically.
My stock Felt and Masi saddles caused numbness. alarms went off.
i used a peice of foam on a hard surface, sat on it, measured, repeated a few times. measured to the bottom of the two depressions, came out with something like 143mm. bought a 144mm saddle and i've been pretty much fine.

I would try other saddles, it's just that it's an expensive thing to get wrong.

i'd say if you're happy with your saddle, don't change it.

+1

if it ain't hurting you, don't change it

fwiw, specialized has a lot of options as far as width & padding is concerned

less saddle weight will not make you go around central park 10 seconds faster

it's getting a bit beat up, and i need to get a saddle for my other bike. And anyway that's kinda not how i roll; I like to try new things because there's a chance they'll be better (i used to be happy with my PC and my StarTac, for example)

yes, but many races are won by less than 1 second!

according to the specalized butt meter your measured sit bones aren't the same width as the recommended saddle width.

reason being and also the reason pros can use more narrow saddles easier IMO is their aggressive position with very little weight on the saddles itself ever notice when your hammering how little pressure is on the saddle?

also the more your hips are rolled forward the narrow the sit bones become.

Chad

I can't answer your width question. The best way to choose a new saddle is to try one for a few rides. Specialized and Fizik each have demo programs that cost you $0. I'm trying a Specialized Toupe now in place of the Fizik PaveCX that came on my Felt. So far so good but my butt is so beat up from the Pave that I'm taking a couple of days off to heal and try again this weekend.

that's the answer.
my mistake, i was visualizing the sit bones as getting wider as i leaned forward.
when i first bought this saddle, i was new to the bike and less flexible.
2000 miles later, i'm spending much more time in the drops, my form has improved, and i've flipped & lowered the stem. my position has gotten more aggressive, maybe i can try narrower.

I propose we refer to sit bone width as "rear spacing" from now on. That is all.

OP, get a Specialized BG Avatar or other Specialized BG system saddles. They come in different widths. I use a 145mm. I have three of them now, best saddles I have ever had. Since they are gell, they are a tad heavy, I don't care.

your point is?

be honest here, you don't race, unless if you are trying to race freds up harlem hill, in which case, it's really not a race but a ego stroke

take this from someone who lost by a wheel. i don't blame my components for getting second: i blame my poor bike throw technique at the time, lack of knowledge on how to attack from 800m out, and being over-geared in the sprint.

did i say i raced? what does your race have to do with this topic?
i dream of the day when i can talk about equipment upgrades without someone making an "anti fred" post about how they race and have achieved a state of cycling authenticity that transcends their actual bike parts. it's like if i were to walk up to some college kid and mock him for having a new blackberry because he doesn't use it for work. maybe he just likes his new blackberry, and doesn't want to have to defend it.

I think it was your premise that saddle weight would cost the OP a win by one second.

depends on your level of reading comprehension and memory, i'd say

that contador saddle is about 130g, but doesn't come in 143mm width. a specialized saddle at 143mm is about 200g. i wonder how much 70g is gonna cost me on a climb

i was obviously kidding - central park laps are obviously not a race, though always kind of silently competitive, there is no start or finish line. as someone who actually does race in NYC, you would know this.
let's move on.

i didnt read the whole thread, but the specialized line of saddles come in 143, which sound as if they are the right width for you, maybe start with those?

whoooaa dude....like, trippy colors!

it's not that i can't find a saddle in 143mm.
the question was about why the vast majority of saddles are in the 129-135mm range, despite variation in riders' physiology.

But then that will lead to Q's like:
"My rear spacing is 130mm. Can I force it out to 135mm to get a mtn cassette in there?"