HYPE or WORTH IT?! (Specialized Mimic Women's Saddle Review)
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- Опубліковано 22 сер 2024
- Laura reviews the Specialized Women's Mimic Saddle. It costs a pretty penny, but is it worth the hype?
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Unicorn magic really is the best kind of magic.
The inside edge of cutout’s all rubbed me raw by about 30 miles (I tried many different styles and brands), but this saddle is good for up to 100 miles (the longest I’ve attempted). It’s made a world of difference in my comfort level.
I love this saddle.
I had been riding the power saddle for awhile when they came out with mimic, and it has been a total game changer. Usually all I have to do is roll my bike in the shop and say,”Have a seat” and they are sold on it. My friend was borrowing one of my old power saddles, then he got a mimic. He says it is great for guys too.
I haven’t worn a chamois since I got this saddle.
Definitely worth it.
Whoa no chamois!! What do you wear instead? I have a love/hate thing with chamois. I love the padding, but I hate long days sitting in a sweat sponge. It feels terrible sitting in a cafe or resting in a park with a chamois on.
I'm so happy to hear this! The Power saddle really helped with my riding and I can only imagine how Mimic would help with folx with vaginas! Good to see Laura presenting a video too. :)
Awesome Laura do more videos
Like Laura, I was super hesitant to try this saddle (it's crazy expensive - and this is coming from someone who typically buys leather saddles, which are also expensive), but I've been riding it on my mountain bike since September 2018 and have to say it is awesome! I have never found a non-leather saddle that was comfortable at all for me, but this one works. I have a friend who was having a lot of discomfort on her gravel bike and asked me about this saddle before she pulled the trigger and she loves it too. As has been stated, saddle comfort is of course a very individualized matter, but I was not disappointed in this one at all and would spend the money all over again.
I loved much of the saddle. The mimic area is great. I had trouble with the flare or wing edge. That part rubbed sores on my thighs. I need the edges to curve down. I’m planning to try their Romin as it’s the only one with curved flare.
Good review, Laura. I'm searching around for a new saddle for my wife to replace her older Terry. But $250 is steep for ANY saddle. I'm riding a SMP Strike on both my road and mountain bikes that I got for $150 that has the cutout and is nose-down. NO discomfort at all and very comfortable to ride for hours. That's a WIN in my book. Thanks and be safe!
Base model price is $140.
@@PathLessPedaledTV What model is Laura's? Expert, Pro or S-works? Asking for my wife. Thanks.
@@charleytraylor8859 believe it is the Power Comp. Base level at $140.
There is an alternative saddle by the company called, “WTB”. They make high quality saddles and I have two of them on my bikes. The prices would be cheaper than this Specialized saddle. They do have women’s specific saddle that the women testers loved it and the men in the company wanted it for themselves too because of the quality of the saddle. I have the new WTB titanium rail Rocket 🚀 that are men’s specific and I have no issues at all. I could ride all day long with no negative 👎 issues. Peace ☮️
The first thing I do with every bike I buy is lose the WTB saddle. I’ve tried replacements from Specialized, Fizik, and Fabric and they’re alway so much better.
Yeah. Most OEM WTB saddles aren't our favorite.
Path Less Pedaled I am pretty impressed with the WTB saddles and it doesn’t hurt on my long rides. I would ride 10-30 miles in a day even when I lean forward. I do wear bibs with chamois as part of my bike 🚲 outfit so I could be more comfortable and be sleeker in the wind 💨 too. I have one old WTB saddle on my old mountain 🏔 bike 🚵♀️ and it does some age on it but it still works. It is over ten years old. I have a new one ☝️ on my custom made De Bernardi 30 speed Ultegra mixed 105 group set that has the WTB TITANIUM RAIL ROCKET SADDLE with the Specialized Cobble Gobbler Carbon Seatpost for the long comfortable ride that would exceed more than twenty miles in one day. Like I said, I am pretty impressed with the price I paid for the saddle and the low weight feel when I am holding it in my hand 🖐.
Awesome job, Laura!
I agree with the review! I was concerned that the shorter length wouldn’t allow me to push my butt back a bit farther when I was in the drops and really pushing it on flatter road, but that is not the case. It is also comfortable if need to move forward on the nose when climbing. I am Im getting another one for my gravel bike.
This saddle works for men too.. I've been using it for about a month now and love it.
Just got mine, after a saddle fitting I found this to be the most comfortable bike saddle I ever tried.
I've been riding one for about 4 months now. Best one I've ever ridden. Better than the Power which was deigned for guys. This one is unisex. Give it a try.
Yeah! More videos from Laura and ladies specific videos! 💕⚡
Great job Laura!!
Thanks Laura! I had gotten the wide version of the Specialized Power saddle for my wife after Russ did a review on that a couple weeks ago. It was put on her Jones SWB to see how she liked it. Unfortunately (maybe fortunately) she hated it right out of the gate, so we quickly returned it back to Specialized. I got the medium which I liked and kept. I wonder if this saddle would be any better for her? She prefers to ride more upright, so maybe not based on what you had said. Anyway, I should probably stay out of this being a male, but I do want her to be comfortable on rides with me.. The Brooks B67 has been her favorite so far, so maybe we shouldn't be looking for the holy grail..
Yes! Finally a review of this saddle. Have been curious about this saddle though I've really liked my Oura Pro which this seems to have replaced. Great to see you more on the channel too.
Perfect timing, after 4 years and many many miles my Selle Italia saddle is in need of replacing and I'm hoping to find "the one" in time for my 600km Audax. One of the saddles on my short list is a Specialized saddle, I'd seen this one but wasn't sure about it due to the fact it doesn't have a proper cut-out. For me, it is all about the cut-out, and I've been looking at a couple that have REALLY big cut outs. All I really want is good solid support for my sit bones and no pressure elsewhere. I'll have to give this one a closer look and see if that unicorn magic works for me! :)
If u try it, let us know how it compares to your cut-out experiences
I'm hunting for saddles for my partner, with whom I'd love to ride more but who has not historically had much love for bike saddles. I hadn't seen this video until today, and I'll be looking for more reviews, but it would be awesome to hear how this worked out for the folks who used it.
Nice review Laura! Great to see you on screen. Pumped for your Breadwinner!
I got this saddle and immediately rode a 100 mile, 4 day mountain bike ride no problem. Bought another one for my road bike and just got back from a 360 mile, 7 day road ride. I suggest getting your sit bones measured to figure out the right width of saddle to buy. I did that and I think that is part of the reason I've had success with this saddle. Although I have a booty, I didn't realize that my sit bones are very narrow (and so I got the 143mm).
Hi Kat. I've also been curious about this saddle. I am not familiar with how one gets their sit bones measured. Where and how does one get this accomplished?
@@peppermintp2610 A quality bike shop will have a narrow board with foam pads on it specifically for measuring sitz bone distance. You sit on it. Then stand up. An impression of your sitz bones will be the foam. Measure that distance. Buy a saddle based on that measurement.
@@peppermintp2610 I went to a store that has a seat/stool that you sit on and it somehow senses your sit bones. The store had Specialized bikes, not sure if it was associated with the Specialized brand. you could call around. I know not all stores have this capacity but some do. at any rate, it resolved the mystery for me of why I've had issues getting a saddle the right fit. I think it's pretty important to actually figure out the width of your sit bones.
Yes! I was hoping Laura would review this saddle. Glad to hear that you had a positive experience with it. Great review. As I watched it, I was on the edge of my seat with curiosity about how you would handle the topic of women's "soft tissues". You are total pro, Laura! If anyone is interested the Bicycling magazine coverage on this saddle was really interesting. I hadn't considered the problem of labia swelling, etc. that can be problematic from some pro riders. I will have to find a LBS with saddle library. I would certainly like to try before spending this much on a saddle. If anyone knows of a shop in San Diego, CA with this saddle, please let me know. :-)
Peppermint P Ha, I was curious how I'd handle the "soft tissue" wording too. :) I second the article you mentioned. Also, labia swelling is totally an issue for non-pros too (raises hand). Let us know if you find one to try in SD!
Terrific video, Laura! You are a great addition to the channel!
Yep! Testing a Romin currently! Amazing game changing experience.
Hey, Michelle! How are your thoughts about the Romin? Did you test in a rode bike or mountain bike? I am really in doubt if I should invest on the Romin or much more money on the Power... ☺️
Mimic isn't just for gals LOL. I just got a bike fit and in order to stabilize my wider than normal sit bones, the bike fitter put me on a Mimic and it made all the difference in the world in terms of power and efficiency. Saddles do make a difference.
Certainly anyone can ride it but it was designed with women in mind.
This saddle comes in four different versions. Which version is this? You have S-works Power, Power Pro, Power Expert and Power Comp. Huge price differences of almost 200 euro between the cheapest model and the most expensive one.
Yes! There is "WMN Power / MIMIC comp", and "WMN Power w/ MIMIC Expert", and "WMN Phenom w/ MIMIC Comp", and probably more. What does it all mean? Which SHAPE did she review? I think all those have what Specialized calls "A padding level of 2".
Oh man, I was blown away by how great the squishy nose and mimic part worked for my soft tissues (my Brooks is not a cutout version and is only ‘okay’ with exactly the right nose tilt) - I could get aggressive with my hip angle and have zero discomfort there! Zero without padded shorts! A revelation. Crushingly, the blunt arrowhead flare of the back just didn’t work with how my legs meet my butt, and I was getting friction/pressure sores at the back of my upper thighs (and kinda tender sit bones, perhaps from being wedged into one spot and drilling down on them vs shifting back and forth a little on my leather saddle) Luckily I purchased it from a Specialized dealer with the option to return for refund after a week of daily 30km use. Back to the just ok Brooks. :(
I’m hoping Specialized brings the mimic tech to other shapes so I can try again!
Yay more Laura! Saddles are always difficult for me so I appreciate this review a lot!
Were your test rides done with a chamois or no chamois? Thanks!
I was wondering the same. It's an important variable. It should be mentioned to complete an otherwise excellent video review.
Jodi Thibeault With chamois (tho I ride in tri shorts which don't have the padding of typical bike kit)
@@PathLessPedaledTV Excellent, thanks! That gives me some more context for the likely "Squish factor" of the saddle.
Am recommending this to my wife. We both ride road bikes with Spesh Romin saddles but, looking for something more comfortable.
excellent review, Thanks
Well.... obviously this saddle works for a lot of people, but I tried it, and literally it was the most painful saddle I have ever tried. A bit of background, I have tried dozens of saddles, and I really hoped this would be the one but alas... it was not to be
First of all, the shape does NOT work for me. It was great for about the first 30 minutes, but the crazy "wings" just cut into the back of my thighs, and after a few hours it was extremely painful on each down stroke. Plus, the width of the cutout didn't really relieve pressure for me, it was more like it concentrated the pressure along the outer edges of my crotch and it got quite painful after a few hours.
But that wasn't the worst part. I was really hoping that the super soft foam up front was gonna help with pain in the girly parts, and it was really comfortable for the first few hours. But... pretty big but coming here, by about mile 30 or so, it was like all of that super soft foam up front packed down to nothing, and I felt like I was riding on a slab of metal. I don't understand why they didn't make the cutout go all the way up front because it seems like if you ride for any distance this is bound to happen. Anyhow, by about mile 40 I was in so much pain that I could barely sit down on the thing. I had to cut my ride short and I literally rode the last 10 miles or so standing on the pedals because the pain was just too much to deal with.
Sooooo... if the general shape of the power saddle works well for you, or maybe if you tend to ride shorter distances (like 20-30 miles max) or maybe if you're just built different than I am, this saddle might be great for you. But do be aware that while it really works for some people, it really, REALLY does NOT work for others. Thankfully Specialized took it back and gave me a full refund, but it took several weeks to recover from the pain. YMMV.
The EcoCatLady it’s killing my knees
get a bikefit
@@ianiscaratti4924 Yup. Had 2 of them. The first was worthless - done by a guy at the LBS who thought he knew something, but obviously didn't - he's the person who set off all of my saddle pain issues in the first place. Finally went to see a women who's both a licensed physical therapist and a bike fitter and she confirmed that the shape of the saddle was all wrong for me (along with a whole slew of other problems with the setup the first guy did.) She said the shape of the Power saddle is problematic for most people and she doesn't recommend them. She put me on a Romin - just the regular kind - no mimic, and I've been happy since. She also prescribed some back exercises which resolved a lot of other seemingly unrelated problems as well. My advice is, if you're gonna have a bike fit done, go to someone who actually has some knowledge about human physiology. Some guy at a bike shop who took a weekend seminar and thinks that plugging numbers into a computer program is all you need to do is likely to make your situation much, MUCH worse!
There is "WMN Power / MIMIC comp", and "WMN Power w/ MIMIC Expert", and "WMN Phenom w/ MIMIC Comp", and probably more. What does it all mean? Which SHAPE did she review? I think all those have what Specialized calls "A padding level of 2".
Thanks for the review, it covers all the questions I had, really knowledgeable. The men in the bike shops weren't much help.
You absolutely positively need to do more videos. Why have you not done them. Make your own videos. This one was a very good review.
Well done, Ms. Crawford. Would you mind mentioning bike shops you know that have a saddle library or a loan program? It has been our good fortune to become acquainted with two wonderful bike shops in our area, but neither can afford to stock or procure/return multiple try-before-you-buy saddles. My frustration has reached the level where I'm willing to travel a great distance so my spouse can get this last piece of her fitting fixed.
Joe B It sounds like Specialized has its own return program for saddles, so you should be able to try it and return it to a LBS that's a Specialized dealer. One of the best shops with a saddle library is Gladys Bikes in Portland OR
@@PathLessPedaledTV Thank you kindly.
Very much appreciate the video Laura, thinking about getting a new saddle for my S.O. and all the info I can get is awesome. Could you do me an unrelated favour though? Maybe it's just me but I don't feel like the pants with the pink lines down the side match some of the tops you wear with it. I don't know why it bothers me so much but it stands out to me for some reason lol. Again great content, much appreciated.
Ew what the fuck?
I was recommended this saddle when I had my bike set-up. I find this the most uncomfortable hard saddle ever. I have used the Rival before and never had a problem, although I was recently told the saddle was to narrow. The Mimic is just too hard. I have a hardtail and ride 80 - 100km events.
Totally agree. Was a total disappointment and east of money.
Might buy this for my wife, great review!
If you gravel ride in the pacific northwest, I really hope you've discovered the Vicious Cycle grand fondo series. (Out of Eprhata, but events all over Washington State)... Best in the country...
Right product with the right lady. Have you given up with the Brookes saddles?. ps Is Russ going to let you do more videos?
Great review! I've heard these can work for men, too. Has Russ tried it? What are his feelings on this?
Yep. In this list: ua-cam.com/video/T3ufGB9nGpk/v-deo.html
It looks like the Specialized saddle Russ reviewed is not the Mimic version that Laura covers here.
Very helpful info. Thx!
Hi Laura. Do you have any experience with tailbone pain from cycling and how you addressed it via your saddle (type, position, etc?)
I love this saddle!
I have the mimic, not sure which model, with my sit bone size. Getting the right size in saddle was a game changer BUT I'm now having issues in soft tissue area. I wear a chamois and now the cream, but I still am not comfy. What can fix that so that I have no pain while riding? I've even tilted my seat, just a hair, down to see if that helps. It has not.
Always my butt cramped from cycling !! Once, an elderly woman hit me on my backside, till it was better. 😱😱😱 How awkward, what do you think ??
Passing on to my sweet wife. Thanks!
Hi. Just wondering if you would ride your Breadwinner with this saddle in an event like the DK. Thanks.
Not sure if I need 143 or 155 size
Thanks again PLP! How did you determine your sit bone width to lead you to your saddle width choice?
A lot of bike shops have a device that you sit on to measure your sit bones
@@PathLessPedaledTV I've just learned about that device - it contains kind of a non-Newtonian liquid that squishes away where your sit bones settle. It must have worked well for you.
Yo mido 5:5 que medidas me tocaría
Wich size is it?
Every difference in a saddle is a new technology.
If anyone has one that doesn't work for you....I'd be interested.
Out of topic, just looking for helmet mirror any suggestions. Thanks, supple lifers!
Dig through some of their older videos, there was one that talked about helmet mirrors.
@@regieendsley9750 Thanks Regie!
Does anyone know the counterpart for men? Specialized tends to make saddles with holes, not groove (I prefer that).
Power Arc
@@cyclepathbikeshop845 Errm, but Power Arc has hole in it, not groove.
Could you ride it with a chamois short?
You can ride ANY saddle without wearing a chamois, but why would you want to? Other than a 1 mile ride to a friend's house or something... I'm wearing a chamois short under my baggies EVERY time I go riding for adventure or exercise. It's more comfortable by far. Plus, a good chamois does not move around...underwear does, and that causes chafing.
Yes.
Yes you can and probably should ride it with a chamois.
Is this seat hard on your sits bones? How soft is it?
nice work, i do not vagaga
Passing through This video was randomly recommended to me i watched it im not a women nore a saddle expert all i can say my Brooks England saddle look superior then that mimic saddle.
Will this fit in a Brompton
Yes
Path Less Pedaled thx
Laura , sheis great
women saddle has to wider in front
a bit pricy no
Rubbish saddle.