I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
I know there are a myriad of 'What saddle?' threads and especially 'What women's saddle?' topics but feel I have to share this little triumph.
[smug mode=I like skol] Lady Skol has been treated to a new bike in the last couple of weeks and insisted that I fitted her old 'comfy' gel saddle that must be around 20yrs old and is shaped like, well, like a pillow wrapped around a wide saddle. I did this hesitantly as in her words this saddle "just about makes cycling bearable". I wasn't happy with this as it isn't a cheap bike and it seems a real shame to ruin it with a cheap, tatty, old, uncomfortable saddle and tarnish her enjoyment of an otherwise well fitted and capable modern bike.
After her 1st ride of around 18 miles she was making the usual noises and complaining about uncomfortable lady bits so I decided enough was enough and bravely ordered her a replacement saddle of my choosing. I have been fantastically happy with my Charge Spoon saddles even though I don't wear cycling specific garments (no padded shorts for me) and often cover 50-100 mile distances. Based on this experience I purchased her a Charge Ladle, the female specific version of the Spoon. When it arrived I eagerly unveiled the new part like a proud cat bringing a half-eaten frog into the house as a present for its owner. The reaction was in some ways probably quite similar.... What's that? It doesn't look very wide. My God, it's rock hard! Unwaveringly I persevered and explained that it might be narrower but it is much flatter at the back so the bit she sits on will suit her feminine bone structure much better and being hard isn't a bad thing as it will hold its shape and thus offer proper support and 'look darling, it's white just like your bike and has girly pinky/purple accents'.
She didn't look very convinced but I fitted it anyway and on Bank Holiday Monday we did our first ride with it. 17 miles of Cheshire lanes and she was still riding along enthusiastically at the end. I didn't make a big deal of it but today she nipped home from work for lunch and during our meal she revealed that even though she hates to admit it, she can hardly tell she went for a bike ride yesterday! [/smug mode]
RESULT! I don't know how Charge do it as these saddles are priced at the lower end of the market but somehow seem to be achieving almost universal approval.
I think that anyone who is suffering saddle discomfort can't do much worse than punting the 20 odd quid these saddles cost delivered to try one out as, even if it isn't the saddle you are looking for, it does appear to fit the bill for an increasing number of cyclists.
[smug mode=I like skol] Lady Skol has been treated to a new bike in the last couple of weeks and insisted that I fitted her old 'comfy' gel saddle that must be around 20yrs old and is shaped like, well, like a pillow wrapped around a wide saddle. I did this hesitantly as in her words this saddle "just about makes cycling bearable". I wasn't happy with this as it isn't a cheap bike and it seems a real shame to ruin it with a cheap, tatty, old, uncomfortable saddle and tarnish her enjoyment of an otherwise well fitted and capable modern bike.
After her 1st ride of around 18 miles she was making the usual noises and complaining about uncomfortable lady bits so I decided enough was enough and bravely ordered her a replacement saddle of my choosing. I have been fantastically happy with my Charge Spoon saddles even though I don't wear cycling specific garments (no padded shorts for me) and often cover 50-100 mile distances. Based on this experience I purchased her a Charge Ladle, the female specific version of the Spoon. When it arrived I eagerly unveiled the new part like a proud cat bringing a half-eaten frog into the house as a present for its owner. The reaction was in some ways probably quite similar.... What's that? It doesn't look very wide. My God, it's rock hard! Unwaveringly I persevered and explained that it might be narrower but it is much flatter at the back so the bit she sits on will suit her feminine bone structure much better and being hard isn't a bad thing as it will hold its shape and thus offer proper support and 'look darling, it's white just like your bike and has girly pinky/purple accents'.
She didn't look very convinced but I fitted it anyway and on Bank Holiday Monday we did our first ride with it. 17 miles of Cheshire lanes and she was still riding along enthusiastically at the end. I didn't make a big deal of it but today she nipped home from work for lunch and during our meal she revealed that even though she hates to admit it, she can hardly tell she went for a bike ride yesterday! [/smug mode]
RESULT! I don't know how Charge do it as these saddles are priced at the lower end of the market but somehow seem to be achieving almost universal approval.
I think that anyone who is suffering saddle discomfort can't do much worse than punting the 20 odd quid these saddles cost delivered to try one out as, even if it isn't the saddle you are looking for, it does appear to fit the bill for an increasing number of cyclists.
