Best Road Bike Seat For Women

[tadpole73]

Hi
I have a Giant "Liv" road bike for cycling, but despite wearing Dhb padded cycling shorts designed for wearing several hours, I'm finding my bike seat so hard that after 20 mins I'm sore. It's stopping me cycle any distance. Can you recommend a good seat to change mine to? Thanks

Nope! The best saddle is the one that suits you - we’re all very individual and the one that is perfect for me could be agony for you.

There are some steps I would suggest taking first:

• (just in case) don’t wear pants under your cycling shorts,.

• check your bike setup is correct for you, I find even having my saddle height a few mm out can cause discomfort. Look up the GCN channel on YouTube and search ‘bike fit.’ You’ll need to check your saddle is the correct height, angle and position in relation to the seatpin (the thing it’s attached to). The stem length (the thing that holds your bars to the forks) is the correct length. Your stem is at the correct angle. Your bars are the correct position, height and width. Last but not least, your cleats are setup correctly. It’s is relatively straightforward to do all this yourself. If you have money to burn - look up ‘professional bike fit’ and get yourself booked in. The bike fitter will ultimately help you chose are more appropriate saddle if necessary.

If you don’t go down the professional bike fit route and do all this yourself (nothing wrong with that - as I said it’s relatively simple), once your bike is ‘fitted’ and the saddle is still a problem, that’s when to start looking around.

A decent local bike shop OR, some of the bigger brand retailers eg Specialized Concept Store will offer a saddle fitting service. They’ll be demo saddles you can borrow to try out. However, it is pointless going down that route until your bike is fitted to you.

You could also try different shorts or tights. For example I just cannot get on with the pad density/ proportions in one particular brand, but other brands work better for me. Again we’re all different down there. Check your bike fit first though… its most likely to be that which is the problem.

As an aside if it’s your sitbone area that gets sore, a kind of bruised sensation - but no broken skin/ chaffing. You may just need to persevere. The arse pain is a thing for new cyclists and does just go in time.

This is a helpful article:
totalwomenscycling.com/road-cycling/maintenance/gear-guide-choosing-a-saddle

The saddles that Liv bikes come with are hard as hell. I couldn’t wait to change mine. I have an old saddle on my main road bike, not even sure what it is. On my other bike I’ve got a Selle Italia Diva saddle which a lot of women get on with. It’s not perfect for me and I am planning on changing it this summer. Just not sure what to. I think I actually don’t like the saddles with the cut outs in them but plenty do.

I think @morningstarz has covered all what I would suggest too very well If it's uncomfortable after only 20 mins I'd be inclined to look at your position on the bike first and work from there

I've got a Selle Italia Diva as well and it's pretty good for a few hours.

My bog-standard Specialized saddle that came with my Specialized hybrid is my favourite even though it's a blokes saddle. I don't like the really wide ones that look and feel dead comfy.

I would look at the position though as moving the saddle back about an inch on the bike with the Selle changed the tilt ever so slightly but it made a big difference.

Another vote for the Selle Italia Diva. I've cycled miles and miles on mine with no discomfort. I did have a proper bike fitting when I got my Liv although I think letting my daughter use said bike and lowering the seat by 6" was a mistake. It's never felt right since although the saddle is fine

Dhb padded cycling shorts - are they tight? snug fitted? if not they can rub and make life down under uncomfortable

I prefer funkier to Dhb, I have both but the funkier are worn out through wear. There is sometimes a reason one brand is more expensive

not shaving is also recommended for less pain

I used to have the Selle Italia saddle and it was OK, but changed to a smaller harder saddle and actually that suits me much better. I don't like the pad on the DHB shorts personally, Endura (with the handy drop seat) or the Stolen Goat/Velovixen ones suit me much better. And of course plenty of chamois cream.
Where are you sore as well ? I got sores on long rides on the edge and that turns out to be that I have one leg longer than the other and since I got cleat adjustment shims that has totally stopped now

Hi everyone, thank you so much for your replies. I have been wondering if a professional bike fit is worth it, so think I will book one in. I get sores under my bum cheeks and it's my sit bones that are hurting. My nether region is fine, it's all in the bum bone area!

I wonder if your saddle is too high or the angle is too steep so your hips are rotating across the saddle to cause that. A really good bike fit can only help - if you are anywhere near Worcestershire, Neil at Echelon is a genius

I have never got on with padded shorts so I switched to a gel seat and it is way more confortable.

TheRealistBub. what do you wear instead? I think Id struggle to find anything without seams in the gusset

I'm booked in for a pressure mapped saddle fit with Sigma Sports. I've had a bike fit so didn't need that, but they do do the whole thing if you need it. Despite the bike fit, I'm still having saddle woes - I think I have quite wide sit bones and prominent pubic arch!