10 Good Bike Components for Ladies

Terry Bicycles FLX Gel Saddle – Women’s

Professional women racers often prefer lighter weight, less padded saddles than recreational riders. Terry Bicycles sponsored a women’s road cycling team for many years and through their collaboration with riders designed a saddle that is perfect for the most pedal-happy, die-hard racer out there. The FLX series is the latest in Terry Bicycles’ saddle design featuring a unique shape and lighter weight. The FLX Gel is an intermediate between the softer Butterfly and the stiffer FLX Carbon. 

There are a few things to look for when deciding which is the optimal saddle for your riding and anatomy. First you’ll want to know the width between your sit bones. Easily measurable, this tells you the approximate width of a saddle necessary to support your sit bones. While the Terry Butterfly measures 155mm, the FLX gel is a narrower 142mm.

Many riders prefer a bit of cushioning when choosing a saddle. Terry’s saddles feature varying degrees of cushioning to provide support for sit bones as well as appropriate relief for soft tissue areas.The FLX gel is not an un-padded saddle. It features a light layer of gel over the multi-density foam base. This layer helps to cushion sit bones that may not be accustomed to hours and hours in the saddle.

Additionally, the FLX features a unique shape. Rather than a traditional one-piece pear-shape with a cutout, the shell is designed with an almost complete cutaway from the back area between the paddle to the nose. Unlike saddles that feature a rounded shape as well as a separate cut-out, the full length channel of the FLX provides pressure relief for tissue between the sit bones as well as for sensitive areas near the nose of the saddle.

The rails of the FLX are constructed from durable Manganese and the entire saddle is covered in black leather with classic white patent leather accents.

The Terry FLX saddle is 260mm long by 142mm wide and it weighs 258 grams. It is available in Black.

Juliana Primiero Saddle – Women’s

Lady posteriors are different than dude posteriors, so a saddle that’s made for guys won’t work as well for gals. Obvious? Maybe, but the Juliana Primiero Women’s Saddle is somehow still one of the women’s-specific MTB saddles on the market. Made with a wider shape than men’s saddles, the Primiero is designed to support women’s sit bones, but it’s not so wide that it will interfere with your pedaling and movement in the saddle. The flex-tuned composite shell flexes to save your sensitive bits from getting banged up, but is stiff enough to support aggressive pedaling, and low-profile padding offers gentle cushioning where you need it. An anatomical center channel helps reduce pressure, chromoly rails keep it locked on to your seat post, and the Kevlar-reinforced cover is smooth, sleek, and seriously durable.

WTB Deva HP Comp Saddle – Women’s

WTB’s Deva HP Comp Saddle blends comfortable padding and support with a cost that won’t leave your bank account crying. Its HP designation indicates a higher volume of padding, with an average thickness of 20mm compared to the standard Deva’s 13mm for a bit of extra support. Like it’s lower padding sibling, the Deva HP features a recessed center channel that relieves pressure on sensitive tissues as well as WTB’s DNA padding. This padding conforms to your anatomy almost like memory foam to further relieve pressure points and increase comfort.

SDG Components Allure Dakine Steffi Marth Co-op Ti-Alloy Saddle – Women’s

It’s no wonder why the SDG Components Allure Dakine Steffi Marth Co-op Ti-Alloy Saddle is so mesmerizing to the serious rider. What, with its ti-alloy rails and flat-forward platform, this saddle delivers strength, responsiveness, and lightweight performance, all without inhibiting your movement in the seat. Its down-curved nose helps you climb without hindrance, and the full cut-out provides soft tissue relief through long hours riding. A plush lightweight PU-foam cushion helps absorbs harsh impact from the roughnes sof the road, and its seameless stitched cover offers a smooth, durable design for season of use.

Terry Bicycles Butterfly Cromoly Gel Saddle – Women’s

When Georgena Terry brought women’s specific bike design to the industry in 1985, she shaped a company destined to become a go-to for women cyclists. True to her passion of designing cycling gear that specifically addresses the fit and needs of women, she expanded the line to include saddles, the primary touch-point while riding. And while the company has expanded and grown, and Terry is no longer at the helm, the Butterfly Cromoly Gel saddle remains one of its most popular models. 

Designed in 1999, the Butterfly Saddle, is by no means dated. In fact, it embodies the best of the research and development Terry has done with both professional as well as recreational cyclists. Constructed on FeC Alloy rails, the Butterfly is 155mm wide at the paddle which provides support for women’s wider sit bones. The flatter top means that the saddle will not put excess pressure on the soft tissue area between your sit bones. The injection molded foam is multiple densities, with a stiffer foam on the paddles and softer foam near the nose. Additionally, the Butterfly features a thin layer of supportive gel along the top. Unlike squishy seat covers, the gel inserts are firm and provide optimal support without added pressure against soft tissue. A traditional pear shape, the saddle features a full-length channel with a cutout which also helps to minimize pressure.

The entire saddle is covered in smooth microfiber with textured leather. It is made in Italy and features the fine attention to detail that is the mark of Italian design.

The Terry Butterfly Cromoly Gel Saddle weighs 369 grams and has a length of 262mm. It is available in Black.

WTB Deva HP Race Saddle – Women’s

The Deva HP Race Saddle uses generous padding and a shape that’s specifically designed for the female form to provide all-day comfort no matter what bike or terrain you’re riding. The HP designation stands for “high padding”, indicating a higher volume of padding with an average thickness of 20mm compared to 13mm on the standard Deva, providing more support for those long days on the bike. The relatively flat profile provides plenty of real estate for positioning, while the short nose makes for easy transitions in and out of the saddle. The flex-tuned shell gives you the right balance of flex and firm efficiency, hitting a happy medium that works well for most riders.

Astute Italia Miss Lite VT Saddle – Women’s

Designed to be as lightweight as possible, the Astute Italia Miss Lite VT Saddle shaves 25 grams from the Miss Line VT Saddle it’s modeled after, thanks to the addition of full carbon rails. The female-specific round shape and center channel help to relieve pressure when you’re pushing out watts while training and racing.

Astute Italia uses a soft, washable Italian microfiber cover for durability and comfort, alongside dual-density Progressive Memory Foam in two selective areas, as to ensure the rear end is a bit firmer to support the sit bones and front is softer for a bit more comfort and mobility. And to ensure you’re not slipping and sliding all over the place, there’s textured areas along the rear and sides for additional security, even if it’s a bit wet outside.

Selle Royal Forum Moderate Saddle – Women’s

Brooks England B17 Standard S Imperial Saddle – Women’s

WTB Deva Team Saddle – Women’s

The WTB Deva Team Saddle features ample cushioning in a women-specific design for exceptional support and comfort over long miles. WTB outfits the Deva Team with a pressure-relieving recessed center channel and its DNA padding, which conforms to your anatomy almost like memory foam to further relieve pressure points. Its durable microfiber cover resists scuffs and abrasion, while minimal graphics allow the Deva to seamlessly integrate into any bike’s colorway.