# Correct saddle width



## house (Oct 19, 2007)

I know specialized & bontrager have these assometer measuring devices, but how does one 1] do it yourself if these facilities aren't available & 2] how does this width equate to what one should buy.

Given that my 4th version of the new Flite has cracked thru the base, as opposed to the others which weren't level, I think I need a different saddle. It seems as though most Fizik, selle italia & san marco are only 130 - 135 mm wide ; whereas something like the koobi are 146 - 154 mm wide. This seems a huge difference so I'd like to try and get an idea what sort of width is ideal [fro me]. You can only get Koobi over the net in Oz so won't really get a chance to try first.


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## NealH (May 2, 2004)

Sit on a foam pad, with nothing on, in a cycling position for a couple minutes without moving. Get up and quickly mark the impression centers made by your sit bones. Measure between these two impressions and, add 25% (multiply by 1.25). This should be a good starting point for the width of a saddle in a racing position or fit - which means you handle bars are 3 - 8cm lower than your saddle.

The cut of the saddle will also make a difference. The above procedure is not a hard and fast rule, but just a starting point. 

You may be located pretty far away but, Koobie will allow a 30-day trial period on their saddles. Trek, Specialized and Terry will too - and some of these should be available local to you.


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## JustTooBig (Aug 11, 2005)

house said:


> I know specialized & bontrager have these assometer measuring devices, but how does one 1] do it yourself if these facilities aren't available & 2] how does this width equate to what one should buy.


Hmmmm.... the 'assometer' from Specialized is just a small pad made out of fairly dense memory foam. Put it on a hard surface, sit on it, then get up...... your sit bones leave indentations on the foam. The distance between the indentations should be inside the edges of a correctly sized saddle. It could be done at home if you have anything made out of the right material -- foam or something similar that would let you identify and measure sit bone width.


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## Andrea138 (Mar 10, 2008)

Before I got to a bike shop to measure mine, I used a cloth tape measure and a lot of poking around while sitting in a hard chair. It's a lot easier to go to a shop. 

Once you get your width, you want to find a saddle that's as wide as or a cm or so wider than that number. Example: mine are ~145mm wide, and I ride a saddle that's 155mm wide. I have gone as "narrow" as 147mm, but I like having a little extra room.


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## comsense (Feb 24, 2005)

You can also fold over a towel a few times and use tissue over it - its easier to see the indents from sitbones in the tissue. I once use playdough between two sheets of paper - this worked great.


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## GerryR (Sep 3, 2008)

JustTooBig said:


> Hmmmm.... the 'assometer' from Specialized is just a small pad made out of fairly dense memory foam. Put it on a hard surface, sit on it, then get up...... your sit bones leave indentations on the foam.


Not always. I spent about 30 minutes trying to make an impression in the thing at my LBS. The guy told me that the thing completely fails for some people. At the time I weighed about 160 pounds so it wasn't like I was too fat .


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## cyclesport45 (Dec 10, 2007)

Ask your significant other? "Sweetness, can you measure how far apart my sit bones are?"


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## ZoSoSwiM (Mar 7, 2008)

I'm 6'1" 195lbs and I wear a size 34/36 pant. I'm riding a 143mm Specialized Alias saddle and love it. Moving up from my super narrow Selle Italia I'm in pure comfort bliss.


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## Rob P (Apr 29, 2007)

I've been measured a few times, I seem to be about the average 122mm wide. I ride a 136mm wide SMP Glider saddle. At home I tried myself with some string and sitting on a hard chair. I got about 124-130mm. So it's a little less accurate but it still would have put me in the high 130's.

Andrea is correct, you need a little buffer, 1-2 cm is about right. If you go much larger you end up spreading yourself over the saddle which is equally uncomfortable to a saddle that's too small.

Part of what comes into play is your position. The more aero/aggressive you are the narrower the saddle can be in correlation to your sit bone width. Easy solution is to be in the approximate position when measuring your sit bones.

Some folks sit on our life-size and try to figure where their sit bones hit. I've had mixed success with this.


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## cmg (Oct 27, 2004)

place a couple of layers of cardboard on a hard surface. sit on them, lean forward as when cycling. measure the dents, center to center.


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## heathb (Nov 1, 2008)

For me measuring the sit bones has proven to be worthless when it comes to finding the ideal saddle.

Saddles come in all shapes, widths and padding densities. Going too narrow is a bad idea, but going a little too wide isn't going to hold you back. 

For me I know I like rounded saddles with a little width. If I can get a saddle that flexes in the middle a little that's perfect as well. 

Your sit bones aren't the only contact point. Matter of fact I'd guess your sit bones rarely contact the saddle when you riding a road bike with standard handlebar height. 

One thing about Bontragers Inform R and RL Saddles is that they have a fairly long nose and that allows you to scoot around on the saddle when your riding various inclines and speeds. Personally I'd get an RL in both 146 and 154 widths and then sell the one you don't like later on Ebay.


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## house (Oct 19, 2007)

One saddle that I tried last year that I was very disappointed with was a SelIa Italia SLK. This saddle has a very flat profile.
It seemed to dig into my hamstring insertions & was painful to say the least. Does this mean it was too wide or too narrow?


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## rogerstg (Aug 1, 2007)

Also, if you ride a Brooks make sure that your sit bones do not rest on the steel support.


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## Andrea138 (Mar 10, 2008)

It was probably the shape of the saddle that bothered your hamstrings more than anything. Look for something that has a bit more of an abrupt transition between the back & front (more "T" shaped than "arrowhead" shaped).


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

"Correct saddle width "

There's no such thing.


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## Bertrand (Feb 1, 2005)

house said:


> most Fizik, selle italia & san marco are only 130 - 135 mm wide


The Fizik Aliante is 142 mm. If you need a wider saddle, I would really recommend you try this one. Very comfortable, durable. The Antares is also 142 mm.


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## Wookiebiker (Sep 5, 2005)

After trying many, many saddles...width isn't the only consideration to look at when purchasing a saddle. You also have to look at it's profile: Does it have a rounded shape to it? Is it flat? Does it dip in the middle? Does it have a cut out in the middle?

All are factors that play into consideration when purchasing a new saddle and finding one that's comfortable.

Over time for myself...this is what I've found.

1) Any saddle less than 155mm and my sit bones don't fit on the saddle.
2) Flat saddles work best for me. If they are rounded or have a dip in the middle they tend to be more uncomfortable to me.
3) Cutouts in saddles are painful to me. What happens is the soft tissue sinks into the cutout and I get severe chaffing from them.

I however have an unusual body type though which does play a roll. One, I'm a bigger rider i.e. wide body, but not necessarily fat. I have shorter legs with a longer torso and need steeper seat tube angles. However, I'm very flexible and ride with a lot of drop from the saddle to the bars so I lean over than many other riders...very race oriented position. I also have very small glutes, but large hamstrings and quads. All of these play a roll in finding saddles that fit really well.

Any longer I can pretty much just look at a saddle and tell you whether it will work or not for me. When I find one that works, I usually purchase a couple if possible.

However, this is just me and it took probably 30 saddles or so to get it figured out. *One word of advice...never listen to anybody that says:* This is the most comfortable saddle I've ever ridden, you should get one.  It may work for them, but could be a torture device for you.

The sit bone measuring technique is a nice starting point...but once you find that out, you need to figure out the other aspects to saddles to see what works for you and your anatomy.

One last thing about saddles and comfort. Sometimes you have to play with it's position to get it dialed in. Many times tipping it up or down 1mm - 2mm or moving it forward or back a mm or two makes a huge difference, as does turning it a little left or right. I have a slight turn to the right with all of my saddles (left leg is shorter then the right and sits just a hair more forward than the right side).


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## Rob P (Apr 29, 2007)

I think its safe to say that one factor, width, will not be the only determining factor. Just like shoes a size 44 is not the same size, feel or even shape with every company. Same goes for saddles.

However, knowing you need a size 44 shoe, or in a saddles a saddle in the 130-145mm range helps narrow your focus. That's the point of the knowing your sit bone width. NOT because every saddle in the 130-145 range will work but so you don't buy a 160mm wide model in error.

That's how it helps. Personal preference and needs will play a big roll as well.


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## heathb (Nov 1, 2008)

house said:


> One saddle that I tried last year that I was very disappointed with was a SelIa Italia SLK. This saddle has a very flat profile.
> It seemed to dig into my hamstring insertions & was painful to say the least. Does this mean it was too wide or too narrow?


The SI SLK is a very flat saddle and one that killed my --- as well. 

The holy grail of saddles has been the San Marco Regal...at least for me. It has the rounded shape that would fit a lot of riders, it doesn't flex and it is firm, but it's seems to be very comfy. I keep this saddle on all my bikes now and one thing that I've noticed is an increase in power output and maximum candance from using the regal as it keeps you firmly anchored, but not in pain. The rounded edges support your thighs a lot better than the modern flat saddles. A lot of sprinters use the Regal.










Some reviews of the regal. http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&description=Regal+Saddle&vendorCode=SANMARCO&major=1&minor=18


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## Tweezak (Dec 6, 2008)

I got measured on a specialized thingy at a LBS and they said I needed a 145 or something. I proceeded to buy a 130 WTB Rocket V Team and have been very comfortable on it. I also rode a 130mm Bontrager mountain bike saddle with no discomfort. I did recently try a Selle San Marco Ponza Island saddle which applied too much pressure in the center. It needs a groove or cutout, otherwise it was fine.

In summary...the measuring devices may not give the right result for you. Either that or the girl taking the measurement didn't know what she was doing (possible).


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## AlexCad5 (Jan 2, 2005)

heathb said:


> Your sit bones aren't the only contact point. Matter of fact I'd guess your sit bones rarely contact the saddle when you riding a road bike with standard handlebar height.


 What, in fact, is a standard handlebar height?


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## msohio (Feb 23, 2004)

*Yoga Pad*

take a yoga pad and put it on a hard surface, like a bench or counter, and sit on it for 30 seconds bent forward at about 45 degrees. The imprint is very clear and can easily be measured.


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## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

Tweezak said:


> I got measured on a specialized thingy at a LBS and they said I needed a 145 or something. I proceeded to buy a 130 WTB Rocket V Team and have been very comfortable on it. I also rode a 130mm Bontrager mountain bike saddle with no discomfort. I did recently try a Selle San Marco Ponza Island saddle which applied too much pressure in the center. It needs a groove or cutout, otherwise it was fine.
> 
> In summary...the measuring devices may not give the right result for you. Either that or the girl taking the measurement didn't know what she was doing (possible).


Same here: I got measured on the Bontrager fitting device and I was definitely a "medium", which for the Bontrager saddles is 146 mm. I am using an E3 Form from Performance and it has turned out really well for me. It is only 133 mm. I do notice on the trainer that my sit bones seem a little wide for the E3 when I'm sitting more upright (I tend to spin hands-free on the trainer a LOT more than on the road). When I do that, I notice that I can feel my sit bones right on the very edge of the saddle. When I lean forward with hands on bars, they narrow down and are within the saddle. That's an anatomical fact and why more upright cyclists need a wider saddle - the actual width of the bones narrows down as you rock forward.

You can do that with your current saddle: when upright on the trainer, prod in from the side of your butt and you can feel where the sitbones are. Then do the same thing in riding position. You can get an idea of where your sit bones actually are on that saddle.

I might try another saddle from performance since they have a money back return policy. I did try the WTB devo saddle last year since it looked kind of like the same shape (flatish, T-shaped) and 145 mm, but it was a total ass hatchet. Very unsatisfactory.


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## Nimitz (Jul 8, 2004)

subscribing...

Chad


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## funktekk (Jul 29, 2006)

If your LBS won't let you try out a bunch of different saddles, then get in on one of the saddle demos several internet shops are running. No measurement will tell you as much as riding each saddle. 

I wish they had those programs when I was going through my saddle quest. I spent a good deal of money trying to find the holy grail.


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