HELP - saddle is VERY uncomfortable

I recently purchased a used road bike. I took the bike out for my first ride last night and the saddle is unbelievably uncomfortable. This morning I looked into how to pick out a saddle that is best suited for me and I'm inundated with information. To my surprise and inexperience, it's my vaginal area that took the brunt of the riding. I read that you should go to a bike shop and try the different saddles... not sure how that works because when I test rode this bike, for the 10 -15 minutes I rode it, it did not bother me. Any advice is appreciated!

It could be the angle of your saddle. The parts that are hurting you shouldnt be touching the saddle. See if you can tilt the saddle so that all your weight is on your sitbones.

and it might be counter intuitive. you might have to tip the front of your saddle UP.

It might also be the saddle's too narrow for you. Having your weight anywhere other than your sitbones is a classic symptom of a too-narrow saddle. Measuring your sitbones is a really good place to start, because it's so simple and it immediately eliminates all saddles that are the wrong size for you.

Find a shop that will do a 'butt' fit :cool:
Seriously it helps. You sit on a little foam pad, and the distance between your sit bones is measured. Then they can fit you to the correct width of saddle based on that measurement. BodyGeometry saddles by Specialized have several sizes and also come in womens models. It really works!

You may also find, like me, that you really need a saddle with a cutout. I'm happy with a Terry Butterfly and Selle San Marco Lady Gel Flow (which I've been told is made out of the same mold or some such...)

Good luck!

When I was trying out saddles, some were obviously uncomfortable after about 1 second, others about 20 minutes, and others took quite a while before feeling really wretched.

I was starting to believe that I would never ride more than 45 minutes without pain. The combination of the right saddle and improved fitness has really done the trick.

Keep trying. There's a saddle out there that's right for you!

I couldn't believe the difference when I adjusted the tilt on my saddle. The bones on either side of my vagina and my sit bones both got sore for a while after I started using the saddle, but it was the typical "sore butt" feeling you get in the Spring when you first take your bike out. There's the normal soreness you get, which lasts a few days, and the bad kind of sore that leads to saddle sores.