The Avatar Gel 143mm on my Specialized Roubaix isn't cutting it. The only thing I can't get right. The LBS has limited stuff. Can anyone recommend a place I can buy a saddle and return it if not satisfied (of course assuming I don't soil it). I am looking at the Selle with the cutouts as I have a prostate issue and need to avoid pressure there. The issue with the Avatar is that it feels like I'm sitting on a "shelf", but going smaller for a ride in that saddle still became uncomfortable.

Look at the toupe and romin.

a lot of shop have policies (or the brands have policies) that allow a test period for the saddle. if you have nothing like that around, then you can always go the performance bike route.

REI, return it even if it's dirty/used. They carry at least two Selle Italia saddles, the Flite Gel w/ cutout and the SLR gel.

Thank you so much. I'll look into REI and Performance. The LBS has very little to choose from, although they will help set me up on a new seat no charge since I purchased the bike there.

i like the terry liberator y, which is sold by REI as well. it seems to help just the same 'manly' problems you have.

Many riders have found relief with this saddle. I use it on road bikes, but not exclusively. I never know it's even there... YMMV

Performance will let you try it and return it. Nothing to lose. PG

I've read a number of comments from people who've said they don't like gel saddles, period. YMMV of course.
Did you get a butt sizing from Specialized when you bought the bike?
My LBS has a number of demo saddles. You might ask, sometimes they're out of sight.

I hate that saddle.

I have an Arione butt.

Perhaps you would like to acquire another one? Very cheap , Blue and white - four days old. I absolutely hate the thing!

try competitive cyclist, last I recall they had a saddle demo program and they usually advertise 100% guaranteed or money back in first 60 days.

Indeed, they have an excellent return policy. If you're looking at Selle-type cutout options, check out the Adamo ISM on Competitive Cyclists site. I haven't tried one, but would love to.

A comfortable saddle really is the Holy Grail of cycling. I have just given up on a Specialized Phenom SL (143mm), which battered my sitbones. I have just bought a Selle Italia Thoork Gelflow (131mm), which I am currently in the process of trying to break in. As an aside, I swapped (with a fellow Bikeradar member) the Phenom SL for a Fizik Arione Wingflex (132mm) and will be going for that option on the weekend to compare against the Thoork. If it feels instantly better, then the Thoork will be returned under Selle Italia's 30day money back guarantee period.

For me, it's a fine balance between bruised sitbones and numb junk... my slight build doesn't tend to favour having all the pressure on the sitbones, but to be honest I'd take a bit of discomfort in the sitbones over numb junk every single day of the week! The Thoork has a cutout and as you probably know; the Arione does not - I will have to see how the Fizik offering fairs in that respect if I decide to go with that over the Selle Italia.

We shall see. Can anyone recommend a cutout saddle with the fabled sitbone comfort of a non-cutout one? I have found cutout saddles generally are less padded and when God didn't give you a lot of "padding"... well...

Fizik offers the Arione with a channel design now called the Fizik Arione Versus.

I recently went from a Toupe team 143 to an Arione. I've lost some weight and for some reason the Toupe wasn't working. I'm not sure the weight loss has anything to do with it but I was riding several toupes on several bikes and until recently loved them. I've been on the Arione for about a week but so far I think this is going to work out really well.

I found the channel in my Fizik Aliante Versus to cause more discomfort than the standard Fizik Aliante.

You can try buying used ones from eBay and try them. If they don't work then flip it.

I am inte process of searching saddles, I have gone from Arione to Toupe and my butt huts after 45 miles. I am going to try the Fizik Alainte next...

Just curious, but many are mentioning that they had a saddle in a specific width (Avatar 143). Did you actually have the shop measure your sit-bone width? Most Specialized dealers have a little viscoelastic pad that you sit on for a moment then measure with a ruler to see which width you need. Almost all the Specialized BG saddles come in 3 widths with 143 being the middle width.

Saddles from most other manufacturers also come in various widths as well although they typically do this under a different schema than a 'size' but rather a model name.

I bought my Phenom SL from a Specialized Concept Store. They measured my sitbone width, but it's not a direct reading to which saddle is required: they then ask you what type of riding you do. There are three stickman type pictures: 1) time-trialler, clearly tucked and aero; 2) aggressive racing; and 3) Fredelicious with 30mm of spacers and 20mm of seatpost.

Now if you don't fall into any of those, I'm not sure how much 'float' there is in the scale for selecting required saddle width. I consider my position to be slightly less aggressive than if I were racing. Long story short; the 143mm Phenom SL chewed my butt.