Selle Royal  Respiro Stracciatella Moderate Saddle

This seat made my butt feel like two cans of spinach left rolling around in the back of a pickup truck. After ten miles, it felt like somebody had stuffed my britches into the spin cycle with three bricks and a wet bath towel. I tried adjusting the height, angle and position, but nothing helped. By mile fifteen, I was standing on the pedals and reconsidering every decision that brought me to cycling. The padding looks comfortable, but it provides about as much relief as sitting on corn on the cob covered in barbecue sauce. Maybe this saddle works for someone else, but my backside has filed a formal complaint. Two stars because it technically attaches to a bicycle.

I had terrible pains develop this year while training on hills. They went from the left side of my butt down the IT band to the ankle. I believe this was piriformis syndrome. The piriformis muscle sits deep in your butt right over the sciatic nerve and can cause pain when inflamed. I've been riding Selle TRK saddles for about 5 years and have ridden 300 - 400 miles on my summer weeklong bike trips and they were always comfortable. Not any more... Chatgpt said one possible cause are saddles that curve up in the back. I switched to the stock saddle and felt immediate relief about 80% but overall, it was just too hard. Got refit to my bike and fitted with a Specialized saddle. Didn't work, severe pain. I also tried and Ergon Touring, just didn't feel right still had mild to moderate pain. Then Selle Respiro which was by far the best. I am back 100% and rode this on a 300 mile bike trip.