Im going to jump in here. Everyones undercarriage is different, so while one person may be adamant that their combo of saddle and bibs is the winning formula, it is only the winning formula for them. Any good bikeshop with a fitter with have test saddles so you can try before you buy. Also chat to friends and do a saddle swap with them. Ive swapped saddles with friends mid ride because one I was trialing (Specialized womens mimic) was so heinous that I knew in the first 15 minutes I was sitting on a torture device. It was fitted to me too. Forced my male cycling buddy to swao which was when I discovered the men’s power saddle perfection. Hahahah.
It took me 10 saddles and about 8 years to find my winning saddle…AND it only works with a specific chamois and on a specific bike…woe betide Specialized if they every change the shape of their mens power saddle or Rapha if they change the chamois in their womens cargo shorts!
For me, literally the same chamois in a different cut of bibs does not work quite as well.
Get a saddle fit to ensure the width of the saddle is correct for you, then try as many options as you.
And here’s the kicker (should that be kickr), I run a different combo of saddle and bibs depending on:
Indoor bike
Gravel bike
Road bike
because thats what works best for me and I have different fits on my different bikes.
Goodluck!
Thank you @DameLisa so getting fitted for a saddle is another key component and at the same time getting the right combination of factors that suit me as an individual, this helps so as not to be phased by thinking I’ve done the right thing and then finding I haven’t, perseverance is needed I guess, do you have any recommendations for how to get a saddle fit please?
Hi Anne. I’d recommend this post by Jasmijn Muller - she really knows what she is talking about. At the very least you will get a good recommendation for a light chammy cream. No More Saddle Sores » BE THE EGG CYCLE COACHING
@DameLisa This is sadly so true. I’ve ditched specific bibs because the seam hits me in just the wrong spot. Or I can be riding in a “good” pair of bib shorts and shift position ever so slightly, or stand and sit back down, and suddenly they rub me horribly; and then I spend forever trying to find that perfect spot again.
And I had a favorite pair of bibs that I quit using when I switched to a “more comfortable” saddle.
Thank you for this @emacdoug lots of trial and error and then some more eh? I will keep this in mind just in case I get setbacks, it’s seems it’s a constant work in progress,
I’d just like to add that having the right bike size also affects saddle comfort. A bike that is too “long” will inevitably be difficult to find a comfy saddle for because you will always be reaching too far forward. Obviously a bike fit would address this but not everyone has access to a good bike fitter.
