extreme butt soreness after ms150

[khgulledge]

ok -

first off, i have measured my sitbone width and they are approximately 5" apart. i purchased a terry butterfly and have ridden on it for about a month and a half. i usually have some discomfort on the left side and it's in the area between my thigh and butt, if you know what i mean. there is no pain or discomfort on the right side, ever. only the left side.

after riding yesterday, i have a sore (not open) at that same area. i rode some this morning and had to sit or move to the left so that area wasn't touching the seat. i used chamois butt'r and applied liberally saturday. i intended to ride 100mi, but only made it to 87mi due to calf cramps and really sore butt. i just couldn't ride any longer.

i wonder if i should try another saddle? does anyone know whether Performance will exchange after this long? i still have the receipt.

anyway, if anyone can offer any advice i would really appreciate it.

thanks, karen.

[mimitabby]

How much have you used this saddle before? Any saddle is going to hurt
if you're not used to riding that far in it.
if you've only gone on 25 mile rides before, asking your delicate underside
to withstand 100 miles is asking a bit much.

More details please? I personally hate my terry butterfly, after 25 miles
I could not sit on it anymore... I replaced it with a leather brooks saddle.

[Blueberry]

does anyone know whether Performance will exchange after this long? i still have the receipt.

Yes - they should. I've had some customer service issues with performance, but they have been good about taking products back that didn't work for me (they'll do it with shorts too!).

And no, I wouldn't think the saddle should still be hurting.....I'd try something else.

Carrie Anne

[KnottedYet]

Sounds like the change from wide part to nose is too gradual for the angle of one of your hip joints (left). (most folks are lopsided in one way or another. don't fret unless you've got other stuff going on, too.)

So even if you like the Butterfly in general, you might want to look into a saddle with a more abrupt change (more "T" shaped) to accomodate your left hip angle.

If you want to stick with Terry, maybe take a look at a Liberator which seems to have a bit more abrupt change. Compare it to a Damselfly which is almost scary in how gradually it changes. See the difference in change from wide part to nose? A change that is wrong for your hip, too gradual, will make you chafe right in the gluteal fold. ("pantyline", where thigh meets butt)

You're probably going to need to try a few saddles before you find one that will work for both hip joints. Try calling Terry and asking what they recommend. Don't rule out the possibility of a leather saddle, too. My leather saddle has a deep dent under my right hip, and a shallower one under my left. The leather has softened over time to accomodate my lopsidedness and is very comfortable.

[xeney]

Were you riding the same bike with the same setup without discomfort before? If not, it might be a bike fit problem rather than a saddle problem. I say that because my husband had a very similar one-side saddle sore issue that happened when he got a new bike and put his old favorite saddle on it. It turned out that it was from setting the saddle too far forward.

I did the same thing on my Butterfly, which I had ridden without problems for a couple of years. I loaned my bike to my husband, and when he put my saddle on he got it too far forward, and I had the same problem: a saddle sore just on one side, right in the place you are describing.

[emily_in_nc]

If you want to stick with Terry, maybe take a look at a Liberator which seems to have a bit more abrupt change. Compare it to a Damselfly which is almost scary in how gradually it changes.

Oh gosh, that may be one of the reasons I found the Damselfly to be the most uncomfortable saddle I've ever ridden, when I tried one for a month or so a couple of years ago. I have narrow sitbones, so it wasn't too narrow, but too hard, the cutout too skinny (it pinched and rubbed my girly bits raw), and I had the absolute worst saddle sore from this saddle that I've ever had, perhaps due to the gradual transition thing. The Butterfly has always been comfortable for me, right from the start, though it is a little wide in back, so I am now riding narrower saddles - but NOT the Damselfly. That thing is pure evil!

Emily

[KnottedYet]

Oooh, moving the saddle is a good idea!

Have you moved it around at all since you bought it? That's a quicker fix than going after different shaped saddles!

(but if moving the saddle around doesn't work, do look into "T" shaped saddles)

[khgulledge]

ok -

mimitabby: i've had the saddle for probably almost 2 months now. it is just decent on short rides of less than 30-40 miles. i have ridden it for rides of 60+, including an 82 mile training ride. that ride had the same issues although i didn't actually get a sore, but my butt was really bruised. there is still some discomfort with the girly bits too.

i didn't bring it too work with me, but will do that tomorrow and see if Perf will exchange. i don't know for what, but if i don't exchange, maybe just get my $ back.

knottedyet: comparison is good. it may have been with the butterfly that i had chafing problems as well. thanks for the information. i almost would like to try a brooks (or some other leather) saddle, but it just doesn't seem right to put that on a full carbon bike

xeney: i switched out the stock saddle on my trek pilot 5.0 because of girly pain issues and chafing to the butterfly. i don't know if i've got it back on in exactly the same place, but everything else feels ok as far as positioning. from what you are saying, though, it could be that i have it positioned too far forward?

i guess i could experiment with moving the saddle a little.

do men's saddles have more of a "T" shape than women's?