Specialized is no stranger when it comes to provocative advertising for new saddles. To be fair, what should be an easily discussed topic often becomes a point of consternation at the retail level – just ask any bike shop employee who has dealt with a customer (male or female) who was too embarrassed to talk about their own saddle discomfort issues. But the truth of the matter is that male or female, we all have various comfort issues when it comes to bike saddles and our genitals. For women, MIMIC technology aims to solve those issues.
As Alison Tetrick hilariously illustrates above, vaginal discomfort is something that a lot of women experience, but may be hesitant to talk about. The good news is that the new MIMIC technology from Specialized supposedly offers relief and doesn’t require any awkward conversations.
Thanks to a multi-layered design, the various Power saddles with MIMIC should offer needed relief. Up top, a memory foam cushion provides relief for the most sensitive areas. Underneath that, there is a flexible TPU. That TPU turns out to be particularly important in Specialized’ research on the saddle shape. While the cutout shell improved comfort, they found that for some women, the cutout actually allowed soft tissue to swell through it. But the answer wasn’t to just fill the cutout, instead opting for a flexible piece that offered support without pressure.
At the back of the saddle is firmer foam for the typical support of your sit bones, and a cutout shell supports the saddle from underneath.
Like most Body Geometry saddles, the Women’s Power saddle is available in multiple widths with different price points from the $145 Power Comp with MIMIC, to the top end S-Works Power with MIMIC for $325. All four MIMIC saddles are available now.
