measuring bone width for saddle

I was in a lbs yesterday that carries mostly Specialized and looking at saddles to see what they had and if they did the demo thing, etc.  The sales guy suggested that I get measured on their memory foam Specialized ischial tuberosity measuring thing, so I did out of curiosity.  My IT's measured out at 11 cm c to c, which, on their chart, put me at a 143 saddle recommendation.  I sat on the thing twice just to get more accuracy.

In my mind, there is no way that a 143 would work for me - and I know that saddle width measurement is only a ballpark number since some saddles slope down more than others, etc.  In the 80's and 90's, I could never stay on a standard racing saddle for more than a few hours without butt pain.  When I got a Brooks B17 in the late 90's, for the first time, I felt like my sit bones were secure and planted, but that saddle didn't work for long for other reasons, and therefore the search continues for a saddle that "disappears" underneath me.

Anyway, I'm curious as to others' experiences with saddle measuring devices....

I sat on a piece of cardboard leaning slightly forward with my knees at my chin .... measured between center of indentations.   I doubt the fancy gizmo is more accurate.because its measuring the same thing .... but the gizmo is more convenient (and saves cardboard).   

It's a guideline, ride what makes you comfortable. 

nellborg wrote:I was in a lbs yesterday that carries mostly Specialized and looking at saddles to see what they had and if they did the demo thing, etc.  The sales guy suggested that I get measured on their memory foam Specialized ischial tuberosity measuring thing, so I did out of curiosity.  My IT's measured out at 11 cm c to c, which, on their chart, put me at a 143 saddle recommendation.  I sat on the thing twice just to get more accuracy.

In my mind, there is no way that a 143 would work for me - and I know that saddle width measurement is only a ballpark number since some saddles slope down more than others, etc.  In the 80's and 90's, I could never stay on a standard racing saddle for more than a few hours without butt pain.  When I got a Brooks B17 in the late 90's, for the first time, I felt like my sit bones were secure and planted, but that saddle didn't work for long for other reasons, and therefore the search continues for a saddle that "disappears" underneath me.

Anyway, I'm curious as to others' experiences with saddle measuring devices....

Until last week id picked saddles based on reviews and guesswork. By saddle three I decided maybe I should get some help. Went into a shop also focused on Spesh saddles and the guy took one look at me, listened to the issue I had with the Power I'd bought and recommended the Ronin without hesitation. I sat on the sit bone thing and  apparently just between a 143 and 155 (or whatever the bigger one is) so he went for 143. Gotta say - it ain't perfect but it's by far the best fitting saddle I've had - padding could be a bit more squishy but I am adapting. I enjoy riding on it, which is particularly handy given that I've just got hooked on turbo training. Spesh offer 30 say comfort exchanges so go with what they recommend for you, try it for a few weeks and exchange of it's not working out for you. 

Exact same measurement for me and I have a Power 143 on my two cross bikes and their 143 mountain bike saddle on my fat bike. A 142 Shimano Pro Stealth on a road bike.

I did the same cardboard thing as GHC above, which is how SQ Labs recommends measuring oneself for their saddles (https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1601/0029/files/SQlab_FitKit_Brochure_Inside.pdf?58  ).  One then adds 0 to 4 centimeters based on riding style and how low or high torso is while riding.  

FWIW, my sit bones were also 11cm apart, and I added 2 cm for a "semi aggressive" riding position.  Depending on which bike I'm riding, my handlebars may be anywhere from level with saddle height to ~5 cm / 2" below saddle height.  Based on my measurements, I got a 13 cm (130mm) SQ Labs 612 "Active" saddle with the elastomer damper between saddle and rails.  I weigh about 155-160 lbs, and the 612 Active was a very comfy saddle, but unfortunately, I never got a chance to see how it felt on rides longer than 50 miles before that bike was stolen.   

The longest hours I spend in the saddle are on my touring bike (bars level w saddle or sometimes slightly lower; I've spent many days riding over 8 hours per day on that bike), which is shod with a 19 year old Brooks Team Pro; current Team Pro saddles are 160 mm wide, and Team Pro S saddles w big copper rivets are 173 mm wide.  

My mountain bike (bars level w saddle, when dropper seatpost is in full extension) saddle is a 135mm wide WTB Volt, and I've been on rides as long as 7+ hours without feeling like I need to get a new saddle.  

The worst experience I had was about 8 years ago during a century ride on a Spec Tarmac mounted w Sella San Marco Aspide (~130mm wide) with very thin padding.  That saddle felt fine on rides 50 miles or less, but after riding 75 miles, that saddle transformed into an evil sqare edged brick that beat me into submission by the time I completed 100 miles.  I couldn't sit on a saddle for at least a week afterwards, until the swelling under my sit bones cooled down.  

After that century ride, I swore I'd never attempt a ride longer than 70 miles on anything else than my old Brooks Team Pro.  But I'm now curious if the SQ Labs Active models would be a lighter weight alternative.  

Hope this info helps, and hope you find a saddle that works for you.