Saddle, shorts or lube?

[jenniferh]

I am just back from my first ride on my new trek 1.5. I've been riding on a hybrid, but decided to move to a road bike. It was also my first ride in cycling shorts. I got the PI Attach shorts and my sit bones feel fine, but my soft tissue is burning. It almost feels torn but I've never chaffed there before so it could just be chaffing. I rode about 20 min and I'm guessing 3-4 mi. I would have gone farther, but my hands were getting tired on the hoods and my crotch wasn't feeling so great.

So where do I start? Is it a seat issue, would some chaffing creme solve the problem or is it the shorts? When I was fitted for the bike I had on teh same shorts except I had on underwear (I wasn't sure I was keeping the shorts yet) and I rode about 20 min off and on and there were no problems.

[Owlie]

I had a similar problem when I first bought my bike. You say your wrists hurt. Do you notice yourself putting more weight on your wrists? I did that when I got the bike, and it was definitely a saddle issue--it went away when I replaced the stock saddle.

Your mileage, of course, may vary.

[jenniferh]

I was paying special attention to my posture...slightly bent elbows to absorb the vibration, wrists not bent weird, back straight/flat. It was actually the spot between my pointer finger and thumb that was getting tired. It wasn't painful, it just felt more like a spot that had never been used to support my weight before. Between my shoulders was getting a little tired too. I just think those spots need a little more workout to strengthen them. The only real pain was my girly parts...they are still burning. I'm reading through old threads and wondering if I just need chamois creme?

[jenniferh]

Or could it be my shorts are too big? They fit around my thigs, but the rise is a little too high, but not uncomfortable but there is a little but on bunching in the back right above teh chamois. And when I walk I can feel the chamois move around a bit. Does that mean they are too big?

[rubywagon]

My Trek came stock with a Bontrager saddle, aka the most disliked saddle ever. From what you described above, it also sounds like your shorts are a little big. I hope you find some relief.

[Owlie]

The chamois cream is the cheap solution. Try that, then try a few different shorts, then I guess try changing the saddle. Again, your mileage may vary--this stuff is very individualistic.

[loopybunny]

I have the same bike as you (well... mine isn't a WSD and it is a 2009, so I don't know if it's exactly the same), and when I first started riding it after riding a mountain bike, I was having issues with tingling/numbness in the girly parts.

When I bought the bike, I had my sitbones measured to make sure I had the right size saddle, which it was. After a few rides, the discomfort pretty much stopped. I only have issues now if it's a longer ride on flat rough roads.

Give it a few more rides and perhaps try new shorts.

Just an odd note on the PI shorts... I have two pair that are different years of the "same" style short. The pad is different in both of them. I actually like the older ones better chamois wise, but the new ones fit better.

[jenniferh]

I have the 2010, but I actually got the men's version. The WSD were sold out and I liked it the best of all teh wother WSD bikes I tried.

It sounds like I need to get smaller shorts and some creme. Then I'll get used to the bike and then see about a new saddle. The LBS said I should give it about 20-30 miles to get used to the bike and then tweak the fit I already have.

[OakLeaf]

Does your saddle fit you? Start there. A new saddle - even very slightly different - can completely change the way you sit on a bike, so I don't see any point to getting fitted until you've got a saddle you can ride on for a few thousand miles.

[jenniferh]

I was fitted on the bike already - seat position, height, reach etc - and at the bike shop it all felt great. Of course, I was wearing the extra layer of underwear thinking I might not keep the shorts. Took the underwear off today and within 30 min I have chaffing. The seat itself feels comfortable. My sit bones are nicely supported. There is some pressure on the front, but I'll probably end up switching to cut-outs, but I need to figure out this chafing first.

[KnottedYet]

The men's stock Bontrager saddle is not famous for being fabulous.

If a saddle fits, you can wear just about anything and ride for 20 minutes. You could even ride naked.

Before you start spending money, get into a pair of regular ol' shorts (like you wear out hiking) and regular ol' underwear and ride for 20 minutes.

Does it feel better than the 20 minutes you rode earlier? If yes, the problem is the shorts.

If it feels worse, the problem could well be the saddle (no longer masked by the chamois)

Riding 20 minutes off and on using a trainer stand and getting a fitting is a completely different animal than riding your bike outside for 20 minutes. Don't use that in your data.

Tingling and burning and numbness are usually symptoms of nerve compression. If you already feel pressure at the front, and you're also getting nerve compression signs along the pudendal nerve distribution that persist after you get off the bike.... well, that's a problem. Most likely a weightbearing problem.

What is your outside-to-outside ischial tuberosity span? Is the men's saddle you're using at least a cm or two wider than that? What is your center-to-center span? Are the centers of the saddle cheeks the same span? Is the saddle the typical pear contour of most men's saddles? It could well be causing you to gradually move forward onto the narrower portion of the saddle as you ride, if you really need something more T shaped.

Whatever you are sitting on, if it is a too-narrow saddle or a too-narrow portion of a pear saddle, will cause you distress if it's making you weightbear on your pelvic floor or roll forward onto the pubic rami.

[malkin]

Can you try the saddle from your old bike on your new bike?

The change in geometry might make it not-the-perfect-saddle, but it could give you a little more information about what is happening.

[KnottedYet]

Can you try the saddle from your old bike on your new bike?

The change in geometry might make it not-the-perfect-saddle, but it could give you a little more information about what is happening.

Yeah, try that, too! There are a lot of things you can look at *before* you start spending money.

[tctrek]

If your Trek has one of those padded Bontrager saddles, I would bet money that is at least one of your issues. But too much leaning on your hands and pain between your shoulder blades could also be bike fit... I'm no fitting expert, but you shouldn't have that much discomfort on a 20 minute ride.

I have 2 Treks and even the Bontrager saddle on my Madone was a "gotta go". Pretty white saddle, but no way could I ride on it.

[TrekTheKaty]

I have a 2.1 and my first ride was on the stock Bontrager saddle (DH said, "try it. You might like it. It's white. It looks cool. BLAH) 40 miles and I couldn't ride for a week.

Ditch the saddle immediately.

PS. Hopefully, KnottedYet was kidding about riding naked. Don't try that. Not for amateurs (I've heard).