My bike is a pain in the arse

I am surprised that no-one has mentioned Adamo saddles.

They are available at Trybikestore and you can borrow one for 2 weeks to see if they are OK.

I used to have persistent problems with uncomfortable saddles - I once lost quite a bit of time in a 25mile TT, wriggling and squirming, then I heard of Adamo.

The front end is split so that you only rest on your sit bones and not the soft tissue imbetween.  It took me about 15 rides before I was sure they were for me and now I have one on each of my bikes.

BUT, everyone is different, so, if you can, borrow before buying and give the saddles lots of works outs.

+1 for adamo saddle

112 miles last week, no sore a*se, no bruises, well worth the money! I wear Gel altura cycle shorts (relitively cheap).

Me and the Adamo just would not get on .. horses for courses

I use a Charge Spoon, cheap and cheerful and suits me just fine, no fancy flap gaps or anything 

I don't have the (balls??) or money to keep trying different saddles as I'd believe each would take an age to 'bed' into.  I'd probably swap once, and thereafter would keep looking for reasons not to get on with it, with the result I'd always be looking another. 

Hence I still use my stock plastic Bontrager that came with my Trek.  It maybe isn't the comfiest, I wouldn't know, but my arse has gotton used to it, so until I change my bike it'll stay used to it.

'Flap gap' LOL.  Never heard that before.

I agree with what most other posters have said, get the bike fitted to you, buy some decent shorts (DHB, Giordano, Assos in assending order of quality and price), and try out different saddles. Some bike shops will loan them out to you. You can also get measured for saddles.

Saddles are VERY personal and once you've found the one model you like you'll stick to it (not literally like..yuk.), for me it's the Specialized BG Toupe. Also as FB has said, the more you ride, the more your body gets used to it and the easier it gets. I do a few 200km + rides each year and generally the only part of me that doesn't ache afterwards is my backside.

I've never heard of a 'flap gap' before either  

I am tempted to go into a bike shop and ask for a saddle with one though