Fit probs, maybe.

So we had a break in the heat and on Monday I rode 10.5 miles and totally loved it -- wanted to keep going! Except, my tailbone was aching. I shifted several times and would get a little relief, but then it would start again.

I can't express how much I loved riding that morning! Late in the day I tacked on three or four more miles and wished I could keep going. Sigh.

So yesterday because it was still cooler than normal, I couldn't wait to ride again, except I kept putting it off because my tail was still a little achey --

And that's when I decided to go to the LBS and get my seat adjusted.

Well, the woman there lowered the seat, moved it back as far as it would go (not far enough, I don't think, but as far as it would go) and lowered the nose a bit, and said that should take care of it.

She also determined that the (um) post the handlebar is on? Was too high, way too high for safety, and lowered it. So she ended up making all kinds of changes. I wasn't sure what to think, but just looked forward to getting back on my bike.

This morning I got back on -- tailbone still hurts. (Maybe that's just from the other day, though, not sure. But I'm suspecting the seat still isn't adjusted well.)

And my thighs were just a little when on the first mile or so, which they hadn't been before, so that made me question all the changes that had been made. But they got a little better and by the time I'd ridden five miles, I wasn't thinking about them --

But I had to quit. Instead of keeping going, I had to quit because my tailbone hurt and the riding just wasn't fun. I don't know whether to blame it all on a sore tailbone that hasn't had time to recover, or whether the various adjustments just took the bike out of what was comfortable for me.

All I know is that Monday I didn't want to quit riding, even though my tailbone hurt. And today I couldn't force myself to keep going because my tailbone hurts.

And I still feel like I'm having to shove myself too far back on the seat trying to get relief from it.

Sidebar: I tend to slump in chairs and sometimes find myself sitting on my tailbone and when I get up, it's sore. When I first started cycling I was pretty sure my tailbone wasn't bothering me at all from cycling, but was aware sometimes it did from sitting. I'm going to see if Bed, Bath and Beyond or one of those stores has one of those memory foam cushions for a chair that will maybe remove the chair issue.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pooks

This morning I got back on -- tailbone still hurts. (Maybe that's just from the other day, though, not sure. But I'm suspecting the seat still isn't adjusted well.)

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Once that tailbone hurts, Pooks, it can take a while to quit hurting, no matter how much adjusting happens! Before you decide that the seat still isn't right, be sure you don't hurt, even a little, when you get on the bike. Then see how it feels. Now, I don't mean stay off until it quits hurting -- I didn't! That may have prolonged the ouch, but I still wanted to be on my bike...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pooks

And my thighs were just a little when on the first mile or so, which they hadn't been before, so that made me question all the changes that had been made. But they got a little better and by the time I'd ridden five miles, I wasn't thinking about them --

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That's not too surprising -- she changed the way you're using your legs when she changed the position/angle/height of your seat.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pooks

All I know is that Monday I didn't want to quit riding, even though my tailbone hurt. And today I couldn't force myself to keep going because my tailbone hurts.

And I still feel like I'm having to shove myself too far back on the seat trying to get relief from it.

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It COULD be the saddle itself, Pooks. When we got our bikes, they came with "plush comfort saddles" and until I got that danged thing off my bike, I hurt like the ****ens! Things got MUCH better as soon as I put a harder, smaller saddle on my bike (specialized dolce). Now I'm not entirely sure that's the perfect seat for me as I'm riding longer distances, but it sure made a difference compared to the spring-loaded "comfort" thing! (which also squeaked when I rode, and boy, if you don't feel like your butt is big enough to begin with when you're riding a seat that's huge, when it squeaks besides, like you're hurting it or something... Let's just say I probably would have gotten rid of it even if it had been comfortable!)

Karen in Boise

Well, I do have a secret lust for a Brooks saddle.

Mimitabby has sucked me into her cult!

Thanks for letting me know that the pain may not go away quickly. I'll just ride anyway!

You could keep aggravating the problem if it is the seat, Pooks, but if it's not the seat, it should go away in a while, if they've got you adjusted properly now. Good luck, and happy riding! (but don't ride long ones if it hurts bad! That makes it hard to go out the next time!)

Karen in Boise

I ride with a gal who injured her tailbone badly in a mountain biking fall. She didn't cycle for several years after that! I suggested one of the saddles that is split in the back, which she purchased and is now riding pain-free (after her tailbone healed completely; she must have broken it!) since her tailbone never comes in contact with her saddle.

Another tip - if your body will tolerate it, lower your handlebars slightly. Sitting in a more upright position puts you right on your tailbone. I tend to lean forward quite a bit on my road bike and my tailbone isn't even close to being on the saddle.

Good luck!

Emily

I'm on a hybrid so I'm sitting upright. I wonder how it would work if I try to make it so I lean forward more, or if that would just be counter to everything the bike is built for ....

Pooks - I'm a member of the Brooks Cult, but honestly you may need a firmer seat. I had a terrible time until I finally got a Terry Sport years ago. (they don't make that one anymore) It was firmer and smaller than the gel seat I'd had on my bike before.

I ride a hybrid, very upright, and I'm on a Brooks B67 (like Mimi's). It is incredibly comfortable. You have 6 months to try it with all your money back, it's hard to go wrong with that. I would worry that continuing to ride on a seat that causes tailbone pain will just make it take longer to get the pain to go away when you finally do change seats.

A seat only takes a couple days to reach you from Wallingford...


(and the springs on a B67 don't make any noise. The shackle of the frame of mine was noisy for a while, but the springs are silent!)

How do I know whether to get the b67 or the b67s?

I measured the length on the seat I already had. I liked that length (the long nose), because I like using my thighs to help control the bike.

The major (only?) difference between B67 and B67S is the length. That difference is nose length. From the pics on the www.wallbike.com site, that is the only obvious difference. The width is the same.

I'm very happy with the B67. The B67S ("s" stands for "short") would've been too stubby for me.

Mimi also rides a B67.

Try thinking about how the length of your current saddle feels, as opposed to how it hurts. Think about issues of control, holding the bike centered with your thighs, whether or not you ever stand to pedal, or if you like to have room to shift around sometimes.

Then measure the length of your saddle and compare it to the lengths of the B67 and the B67S while keeping all the above in mind.

If you still don't feel drawn to one or the other ask Bill and Diane to help you. The two of them ARE Wallingford Bicycle Parts. 1-888-731-3537 www.wallbike.com

(and tell 'em Team Estrogen sent you! And peek at Mimi's picture on the B67 page of their website)

I just experienced Wallbike's great service for the first time. I ordered a couple of Carradice roll bags (to use as handlebar bags) and they got here in 48 hours! I'm agog. Plus I love the bags.

So I'm really tempted to order the Brooks. Last night every time I woke up, I was thinking about it -- fretting about it, actually. I guess I kept wondering if it would hurt more, how long it would take to break in, etc.

I know, I know. We have a big long thread on that issue, and I read it but don't remember much so need to go read it again!

Thanks for the advice on measuring the seat, etc. I think I'd like the longer one. For one thing, I have long legs and long thighs. Um, not sure if that makes a difference, but it seems like it might?

If you feel drawn to the longer one, order the longer one. At the least you will be able to try it out and send it back. For free.

It took at least 2 or 3 weeks to start breaking in my Brooks. (maybe 100 miles or so). But even the very first time I rode it, it was a huge relief! Yes, then it felt like sitting on a kitchen chair but it was a COMFY kitchen chair!

I think the sprung seats may be easier to break in. Or at least the springs make them more comfortable right out of the box.

Do buy the maintainence kit. You'll want the proofhide right away. Putting proofhide on the new leather takes away the slipperiness faster.

I just tapped my B67. Yup, still sounds and feels like cardboard. But the bits under my sit bones are softening and dip a little. When I sit on this seat it disappears under me and feels custom made. So many of my biking pains went away or eased up once I bought this seat! (even the numbness in my feet, which surprised me)

A b17s would look very nice on my "new" bike. I will talk to Bill once I get that bike and ask if he thinks it will fit me. (177mm wide. My sit bones are around 170-180mm, so that's pushing it) Whatever I end up doing (trading seats with the old bike, buying a new B67 or B17S) I doubt I'll ever buy any brand but Brooks again.

Okay, I ordered my b67!

Now. Why can't it be here today?

(tap-tap-tap)

Of course I was a little concerned when one of the testimonials on the site said it took 400 miles to break in the springs. Of course I also have no idea if the springs on the seat I have now are broken in or not (having ridden only 200 miles).

I rode 7 miles today and started off with little awareness of my seat-soreness, but it wasn't long before it started up again. I shifted as much as I could, but I feel like need to shift farther back and I really can't do that on the current seat. The woman at the LBS adjusted it to go back as far as it would go (which she said wasn't much farther than it was already).

Does this mean maybe I should shift the seat a little higher? If I feel like I'm needing to push back farther, does that mean "more distance between my seat and feet" which means to go higher since I can't go back any more?

My butt rarely hurts on my red hybrid, but will on the long stuff on the blue one.

I *think* it's because my butt is just a tad bit forward further on red than blue... and the end (butt :-)) result is that I have this nice triangle of feet, butt, and hands that is distributed so that if I lean the tiniest bit, it switches a whole lot of weight, so I'm not always pressing on the same places. They used to even have the same seat... but that doesnt' seem to be the main factor.

I'm thinking of going to the bike shop and seeing if their sophisticated fit computer can at least make the blue bike match the red as closely as possible.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pooks

Okay, I ordered my b67!

Now. Why can't it be here today?

(tap-tap-tap)

Of course I was a little concerned when one of the testimonials on the site said it took 400 miles to break in the springs. Of course I also have no idea if the springs on the seat I have now are broken in or not (having ridden only 200 miles).

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Congrats on your new purchase!
I wouldn't have a clue about whether my springs were "broken in" or not.
Actually, it doesn't make sense. If the metal actually changed, it would
be fatigued; ie no good. She probably meant that her saddle felt better after 400 miles.

Even before your saddle is broken in, it will probably feel better.
Where you already have bone bruises, that painful feeling is still going to be
there for a while.
But you'll quickly notice that your brooks is NOT adding to the problem.

Keep us posted!
mimi