A new saddle was released today and it is addressing an issue that often goes unspoken. Bike shop conversations have gotten pretty personal over the years, particularly in the fit room, but many would never dream of bringing up something so seemingly personal. Issues with ischemia and edema in women’s soft tissue have caused many women to walk away from cycling, apparently some have even had surgery to deal with the issue. We may have a new saddle that solves this. Check out a part of the
release:
“THIS SADDLE IS REVOLUTIONARY
There. We said it. This saddle is going to help women ride pain-free by taking care of an issue that, for some reason, is not freely talked about in public—saddle pressure, numbness, and discomfort in soft tissue as they ride.
And yes, when we say soft tissue, we are talking about the vagina—or more correctly, the labia. And if you blushed as you read that,
then it’s time to get comfortable with it.
Riders deserve products that innovate and improve their lives. The
Women’s Power Saddle with MIMIC is the breakthrough they’ve been
waiting for.
Welcome to the revolution.”
-specialized.com
The idea is treating soft tissue as fluid that goes along the path of least resistance. In a cutout the “fluid” just sinks into it and blood flow is restricted creating an edema and thus swelling and numbness. By creating a soft hammock like surface that “MIMICS” the density of soft tissues, soft tissue is properly supported while our bony structures bear our bodies weight on the firmer padding and shell of the saddle.
These are bold claims and colorful language to be sure. With several shapes, levels of padding and widths, fitting a bike is way better than it used to be. Despite all these advances we still don’t have all the saddles we need to suit all the riders out there. Hopefully this will be one very powerful arrow in our quiver of saddles. Stay tuned or better yet come down to the shop and try one…..let me know if it works!
-Micah
