Want It Wednesday - The Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow Saddle

When given a choice between starting the New Year with a post on my resolutions or my latest bike related acquisition, of course I going to choose Want It Wednesday!  Really, it is that fun – to join, just head on over to Jez’s site here and sign up…

Within a week of buying my first road bike I decided two things: I hated my new sport, and I had made a huge mistake.  I kept at it, thinking it would get better. 

It didn’t. 

The Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow

But then something did change toward the end of the second week of the Great Road Bike Experiment.  I had the thought that perhaps my hatred of the torture chamber that was my bike was not normal, and maybe (just maybe) someone could do something about it.  I reached my breaking point in the middle of a ride, and directed my bike back to the store I purchased it from. 

What was so bad?

Since then I have heard women cyclists call this area of the female body several things: lady bits, the princess, the precious (a bit creepy, given the LOR overtones), delicates, soft tissue, you get the picture.  It turns out the right saddle is very important to a happy ride. 

The LBS guy knew immediately what I needed, and sent me out of the shop with a modestly priced Terry Butterfly Cromoly saddle and it changed my entire experience on the bike.  Suddenly, riding was comfortable and fun – something I could actually endure for more than 30 minutes! 

The Terry served me well, but this past week I made an upgrade to the Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow saddle.  It still has the critical component of the central cutout (ladies: always get a cutout), and also boasts other key women-friendly design features: a wider back to fit our sit bones and silicone gel inserts for comfort on those long rides. 

I’ve taken a few spins on the Diva, and so far I’m impressed with its performance.  It is a stiff and firm saddle that provides excellent support.  My Terry was actually a bit softer in the padding (which could be attributed to its age), but anyone who has switched from an old to new pair of running shoes knows that softer is not always better for long-term comfort.  It is made out of beautiful leather with a good design (yes, there are the requisite pink accents, but nothing too distracting).   

So as I enter the New Year and eye some improvements to my road bike, I naturally gravitated toward the change that would have the largest effect on my ride.  You can have the lightest wheels and the stiffest carbon frame, but it is all for nothing if you don’t have the right saddle!