I returned the Selle Italia SLR TM Boost this week. I thought my sit bones would adapt, but over a decent number of rides indoors and a couple outside, I just never felt like it was getting more comfortable to sit on.
Interestingly, I tried leveling the Power Mimic saddle that’s been on my Kickr Bike for years, instead of tilted down ~3° as I’ve done since my original Retul fit, and felt the same discomfort in my sit bones that the SLR Boost gave me. Thinking maybe I’ve gone about incorrectly assuming narrowness is the issue and not tilt, I leveled a Power Mirror that I’d been using on a bike that I also tried with the SLR Boost – instead of sit bone discomfort I had more chafing between my thighs than usual (and a small relief that I haven’t been too wrong about tilting the Power down for comfort reasons this whole time). And I still sit further forward than what I figure is proper placement on the Powers, so the search continues.
The Selle San Marco Shortfit 2.0 Comfort Dynamic saddle in S3/140mm is next up. Aside from being a mouthful and one of many in the bewildering Selle San Marco line-up, it’s been noticeably more comfortable over a pair of hour-long indoor rides so far. The difference is that I feel supported over a larger surface area than just my sit bones. I don’t know if it’s because of the shape, or because the “Comfort” variant has a bit more padding. Usually I hate the feeling of a well-padded saddle, so I need more time with it.
There’s also the Speedneedle Marathon for the same shape & style in a slightly wider width - I love them.
I used to ride the SQLab range religiously, but I had a hamstring tendinopathy a while back and the fairly flat edge of the Ergowave version I was riding dug into the exact point of the tendinopathy, so I had to stop using them. Great saddles if you get on with them, though.
You may not need an especially narrow saddle, you just need any saddle that doesn’t taper incredibly slowly, remaining far too wide too far forward as basically all the specialised saddles do.
I use the Prologo Nago, find it spectacularly comfortable and it disappears completely in terms of thigh rubbing, allowing me to sit on it properly, unlike previous saddles (pro stealth).
Fwiw I use the wider 147mm version of this saddle, though it’s not actually ‘wider’ in terms of the structural width, it’s just a little more padded. Tadej Pogacar used the same ‘wide’ version of the saddle in the 2024 season.
I use Selle Italia SLR Boost Endurance/gravel (they are the same but the gravel has reflective details) 130mm, there is also a new series SLR but I haven’t tried it yet but they should feel the same.
This is my experience (pressure on the sit bones and nowhere else). I assume better the pressure is there than elsewhere. I’ve recently gotten the new Trek 3d saddle and really like it also.