Saddles for big guys

[Tracer Tong]

Hey y'all,
I'm six four and I weigh a lot and my hips are relatively wide. I'm looking for a saddle that fits me. I read about Specialized making a saddle that comes in different widths for a better fit. So I went to a shop that I thought was a specialized dealer but they weren't. In talking to the guy working there I found out that some of the real big roadies will ride a woman's saddle because they are wider.

I found that really interesting. On my current saddle I have to scoot waaay back to get my hip bones even on the saddle. I saw a Selle Italia woman's saddle that looked great because it was aggressive but wide.

Anyway, back to the point, anyone have advice on this subject? Or experience with the specialized saddles that come in different widths?

[*GiMpY_jR*]

are you rocking spandex undershorts aswell? i'm not too up to date with all the rodie/xc stuff but that helps a lot with the err longer rides, i'd say give the womans a try, just keep the sales bill, maybe they even have some used ones to giver a go?

[sanrensho]

maybe they even have some used ones to giver a go?

Good advice, try to swing your leg over a showroom bike and do a test ride before forking over your money. It's quite possible that you will go through many saddles before finding the "right one." Kinda like GFs.

[thewalrus]

Find a specialized dealer that has the ass-o-meter, it's a piece of foam you sit on. They then measure the distance between indentations from your 'sit' bones.

here's the relative comparison between the three widths of specialized Alias series saddle. The Avatar is a similar but slightly heavier model that comes on 105-level bikes in Specialized's lineup, the Toupe is <160g and comes on $3500 type bikes. The Toupe isn't available in 155 wide..

http://www.greggscycles.com/cartgenie/images/large/sadSpcAlias.jpg

[Tracer Tong]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm going to go to a specialized shop and take a ruler with me so I can sit on the butt o meter and then if I still don't like any of the specialized saddles then I'll have the ruler measurement to fall back on.

[Tracer Tong]

By the way, spandex shorts is all I'm rocking.

[*GiMpY_jR*]

good stuff, and good luck with your search!