Reduced saddle pressure in the center?
 

Sorry for another saddle thread, but I have a specific question...

I recently tried out the fizik arione, and found that it wasn't right for me. It created a lot of pressure in the center and made it hard to ride for more than an hour.

About a month ago, I picked up a new saddle from the LBS--a Bontrager Inform RL.

They had me sit on this pad that measured the width of my sit bones, then recommended one of these saddles that would fit best. They had the Bontrager Inform RL in several different widths that were color-coded to match the reading from the sit bone measuring machine (my color was yellow).

When I am sitting in a more upright position, the saddle fits very well on the sit bones and has alleviated pressure in the center.

However---when I try to get into a more aero position (and rotate my pelvis forward), the pressure increases in the center and becomes uncomfortable. It feels like the contact point between me and the saddle is no longer completely on the sit bones.

So I am looking for a different saddle to relieve this pressure when I am in the more aero position.

So my questions are:

1. What saddles can you recommend that are comfortable for long periods in an aero position?

2. Is there any way to match the width of the new saddles I try to the current one I have? I didn't think that most saddles came with in different width options, so is there any way to find out if they will have similar fit to my sit bones?

even a tiny tilt change can have a huge affect on how the saddle feels when forward or in the drops. If the saddle setback works for you, a small tilt change might not affect how it feels when riding on the hoods.
But that's if the setback is at a good spot.
If you feel like you;re sliding forward then the tilt is either too much or the combo of setback and tilt just won;t allow you to get there on that saddle.
As for saddle width
If this is the bontrager/trek color code
http://www.bikegallery.com/blog/wp-c...seat-chart.png
then I'd guess, Red = 130mm, Yellow = 143, Blue =155

I can ride (and do...) a lot of different saddles, but the ones I prefer the most have a minimum of padding under the sit bones and the saddle base/shape is such that it drops off rapidly just forward of the place the sitzbones are perched. But thatz me...
That said, the Selle Italia XO Trans AM, noted as an older model MTB saddle, (146 width, works great pour moi) is more padded than I normally go for, but was surprised how nice it is and have done bunches of 80 to 120 mi rides on it... the cutout really works on this saddle
easy to find new on ebay

Also, if you don;t set the equipment to a position which works for you, it'll all get bunched up and be part of the problem...
The Polish cycling team pic should prolly get inserted here...:eek:

I am quite curious about this as well. When I rotate my hips to get aero I smash my nether regions into the seat and I do not like it. The alternative is a curved back, which is not very comfortable.

Ditto on the curved back. It seems like a lose/lose situation-- If I keep my back straight (and pelvis rotated forward), my saddle kills me. If I bend my back to rotate the pelvis back, my neck hurts...

Cyclezen--thanks for the suggestions.

Sounds to me like you need a saddle of similar shape and width with a cut-out.

Cut-outs rock. I can't use a saddle without one.

I've got a saddle with a cut-out.. Selle Italia Prolink.

I have seen saddles where the nose slopes downward, and also where the cut-out continues to the nose. Mine doesn't do either of those.

My butt loves the shape of the Prologo Scratch Pro, but it causes numbness in the drops. They have a new version of the saddle coming out this fall (?) with a center channel relief that I'm really looking forward to trying.

The Specialized Romin also rocks in an aggressive position, if the nose isn't too wide for you. That saddle wore a raw spot on my inner thigh but was amazingly comfy to me otherwise. The Romin Evo supposedly has a narrower nose, again coming out this fall.

The Romin is my preference, but I fear that the wide nose will be an issue even if it is a narrower version of itself on the new Evo.

Both of the above come in different widths, just not sure what widths will be available on initial release.

Don't be afraid to try a lot of saddles. I've tried 8 or so since March. Some have been on and off of the bike after one ride, others have gotten a month of time. I hope that I can find the right combination of fit features for my hindquarters by the first of the year.

What do you do with the saddles that you don't end up liking? Do you resell them to try to recover some of your costs?

There's always a trade off in saddle comfort. Check the angle and setback before you give up on your current saddle. If the only problem is that there is too much pressure on the bits, while in the drops, then tilt the nose down just a little. Once I found I needed a 143 with a cutout I can make most anything in that general config usuable. My Romin 143 has been awesome, but took some getting used to.