Sudden saddle problem

[PamNY]

As soon as I moved my saddle to proper height, I developed major issues with soft tissue pain. I think the problem is that I'm clumsy dismounting to the front, and sliding off with my entire body weight on my crotch creates trauma to the soft tissue in a fairly obvious fashion. I spent one whole morning practicing dismounting to the front (and then rode 10 miles home -- ouch).

I will practice a more graceful landing this week. I'm posting here just in case anyone has helpful tips -- like "Oh, you need an XYZ saddle" or "here's a tip for dismounting like a weightless angel instead of an inebriated elephant" or some such.

Until now, I've been okay with my Bontrager stock saddle.

Pam

[Tuckervill]

I hate those Bontrager saddles. So anyway.

Karen

[Biciclista]

most people seem to hate bontragers. Me included. I had one for 1 day.

[katluvr]

How old is the saddle...I like my bontrager...but it is only good for 2 years (last bike I changed after second year--I have one more year to go on this bike).

I am not sure I get how you are dismounting. I am very short and have very little standover, but I swing my leg up and over and I am not sure I slide off.

I think --if your seat is the correct height--you should NOT be able to touch w/ both feet while on saddle. You have to unclip or take on foot off, and (not sure how to explain) raise up, stand w/ other foot in peddle to then dismount. (Trying to do it in my head as I explain).

[OakLeaf]

I'm guessing that if the problem only started when you raised your saddle, it's related to the tilt of your torso. If you didn't swap out your stem at the same time, then you're probably leaning forward more than you did when your seat was lower.

Try tilting the nose down very slightly. (Shim it with a little piece of metal if your seatpost is notched and a full notch is too much.) It might help...or it might just get you sliding forward and putting too much weight on your hands. But I'd try that before changing the saddle.

[sfa]

I suspect OakLeaf is right about this. Dismounting, even when done clumsily, is such a quick action and done so infrequently that it shouldn't cause ongoing pain. The more likely culprit is constant pressure in new places that you then notice more sharply when you dismount. If tilting the saddle down a bit doesn't help (or causes more problems than it solves), then a new saddle might be in order.

Sarah

[katluvr]

Glad someone could give you better advice than I did.
I was stuck on the discription of her dismount AND forgot to think about saddle tilt!

I have seen some cyclist try to still "touch" when on the saddle or dismount with putting both feet down.

K

[Norse]

The Bontrager lasted one day on my road bike. I agree with the others that it is unlikely to be a dismounting problem. I am one of those gals who needs a cutout in my saddle and I suspect that you may be one of us. ;)

[GLC1968]

I had the exact same problem when my fitter raised my saddle. I didn't even make it half of my normal ride before I had to tilt my saddle forward because there was just too much soft tissue pain! That didn't really help because it put too much pressure on my hands and shoulders. I did make it through the ride, though.

When I got home that day, I took a sharpie and marked my seat post where she wanted it. Then I lowered it about half way back to where I'd originally had it. This gave me time to adjust. After about a month, I was able to bring it back up to where she'd put it and this time, I was pain free. I think my soft tissues and core muscles just needed time to condition and an interim saddle height helped me do that.

[PamNY]

Thanks for these helpful comments. For the moment, I tilted the saddle down a bit and lowered it slightly. I rode 14 miles today without a problem.

I guess it's time to go saddle shopping instead of just thinking about going saddle shopping.

Pam

[Grog]

No help with your problem, although I hope the suggestions of the others work.

I must say that the Bontrager saddles on my Trek 7.1 fx and 7.2 fx have been all right. (Ridden the first one for about 3000 km, the second I'm just starting on but it's fine so far.)

On my road bike though I have a SLR Gel Flow which I like very much, but wouldn't want to commute on.

[fidlfreek]

Hey, for the record my Bontrager Inform saddle is great...

[PamNY]

I saw the Inform online and also looked at whatever saddle is on the 7.something fx Trek that I saw in a store yesterday. Both are very different from the saddle on my non-fx Trek. I call it the Barcolounger 'cause it's huge.

I am going to look at the Inform in person.

Pam