Do I need a saddle fit?

[Moongidget]

Last year I commuted 20 miles in to work on a hybrid bike and loved every minute of it.

This year in March I bought my first road bike with the intention that I would ride it for fun, but also for commuting. The first time I did, my girlie parts hurt so bad (I also had my period at the same time) I guess I should mention that I wear a backpack loaded with ~20 lbs or so worth of clothes, shoes, hair products, a lunch, the kitchen sink... but I did the same thing last year, no problem.

My solution after having spent so much on the bike and assorted accessories was to tilt the nose of my seat down a bit, since I couldn't afford the saddle fit and new saddle at that moment.

Since then, I've ridden my bike 800+ miles, usually about 40 miles at a time. I have no problem riding that long on the saddle without a backpack on. However, the girlie part discomfort never went away and I've only done it 3 times this summer.

I do want to commute again, and I don't see panniers or planning ahead as a way of getting rid of my backpack.

Will a saddle fit help me? Do I need two separate seats and posts, just a cutout saddle or a 4th bike just for commuting? :eek:

[malkin]

Sorry. Impossible to tell what is actually going on with your post.

Me too.


Here's what I think you said in your post:
Hybrid was comfy but road bike never was.
Long rides with no backpack are ok, but short rides with backpack are uncomfortable/painful.
Using a backpack seems to create the problem, but you do not want to change to using another type of luggage.

Although I'm really not sure about any of those statements.

So did changing the saddle angle help?
Have you checked bike fit? Riding position? What saddle(s?) are you using?

[Moongidget]

Sorry. Malkin, you sum it up pretty well. I currently have stock saddles on both bikes. The roadie is a 2012 Scott Speedster Contessa. The hybrid is a 2011 Novara Fiona. I've never had a saddle fit.

Yes, the backpack and its added weight seems to create the problem. Hybrid is comfy with backpack or without, but roadie is only comfy without a backpack.

My comment about saddles, seat posts and a 4th bike were meant as: I currently have 3 bikes. Hybrid, mtn, and road. Someone suggested a new saddle for commuting purposes only for the road bike, but to aid switching back and forth, I'd need a post for each saddle, marked for proper positioning. Or a 4th bike to use as a commuter only. Don't think I can get DH to agree to that one...

Does that clarify?

[Moongidget]

Holy smokes, ok I read that, or most of it. My butt is not the issue. My girlie parts are. I do realize that a saddle fit is going to measure my sit bones, and maybe put me in a different sized saddle than I'm using. I also know that I've tinkered with the angle of the seat, so that there is less pressure from the nose of the saddle on my girlie parts. The nose points slightly downward. I had DH do this back in March, and the angle is less than 3 (degrees/% ? I don't know, he used a level to do it)

[Moongidget]

Sorry about the oodles of posts. I was surfing the net and decided I needed to add more details.

I wear bike shorts with good quality chamois, no undies and chamois cream.

[malkin]

I would lose that backpack without giving it another chance to hurt me! Even if just to stuff it into a pannier!

[Sky King]

have you tried tilting your saddle up? also sounds like the shape of the top of bad saddle may be quite a bit different. Tilting up would hopefully get you sitting more on your sit bones and less on soft tissue. Nose down, for me, causes me to roll my pelvis forward and put to much pressure on soft tissue. I am on a Rivet Pearl now, great cut out, and smiling every ride :)