Can a Saddle Do This?

[SalsaMTB]

I purchased a new saddle and didn't try it out until race day. I started my monthly cycle the week before the race, but it was extremely light (more like spotting). Anyway, rode the new saddle, was terrible uncomfortable due to it rubbing me the wrong way and literaly rubbing me raw. So, after the race, I continued spotting blood for 4 more weeks!!! WTF???

Fast forward a month from race day, I FINALLY stopped spotting blood for about 4 days and another race arrived. I've been super busy with things going on in my family (mom is really sick) so I haven't been back on the bike since that last race. Stupid me, I didn't learn my lesson from the first try and thought maybe it was a poorly placed string that caused the rubbing problem and raced on the same saddle (made a minor adjustment though). Well, following the race, I go the restroom and see I'm spotting blood again!!! This time, it only lasted two days. Since then, I haven't had any spotting (it's been about a week plus I had a race last weekend and used my old saddle).

So, my question is, could the saddle have caused all the problems in the last 1.5 months or was it just coincidence? Has anyone ever had a saddle cause such chaos on their system??

[KnottedYet]

Yup.

A narrow saddle can place stress on the sacrotuberous and sacrospinatus ligaments, which can yank on all kinds of structures within the pelvis and cause all kinds of havoc. (my personal theory is that this is where some of the "hysteria" over women riding bikes at the turn of the century came from)

Can you keep riding on the older, well-loved saddle on the new bike and see if it does the same thing? If it does, please go to you doc, the cause may be something else.

(so far you only have 2 data points, right? Both were races on the new saddle, so see what happens as you ride on the old saddle?)

Stress can also throw things off cycle-wise, and if you feel AT ALL that this might not be related to the bike and the sadde, please go to the doc ASAP!

[Dianyla]

(my personal theory is that this is where some of the "hysteria" over women riding bikes at the turn of the century came from)

Hysteria, indeed!

[SalsaMTB]

Thanks for the info. I have an appointment with my obgyn tomorrow because the whole period for 5 weeks straight freaked me out. I have 3 data points

1) Right when I was about to end my period, I raced on torture device and spotted for 4 more weeks
2) Stopped spotting for 4 days, raced on torture device and spotted for 2 days
3) Stopped spotting for 4 days, raced on old faithful and no spotting.

Hmmm....

I'll be sure to mention it to my obgyn. I'm sure stress could be a huge contributing factor also. I was just curious if anyone had this and/or if this is something I should mention to my dr. Glad I posted, now I'll definitely mention!

[dreadpirate]

HOLY CRAP!

I had a month with some heinous miles - I thought it was all me and my cycle being weird hormonally. This is major interesting to hear!

I mean, you know I was having saddle "issues" already. This totally makes sense!

Thanks for sharing!

[RoadRaven]

OK... sounds like you have some sound ideas, suggestions and advice from the other gals here... and I have no experience of this happening, so I am not "butting in" to give advice...

But I have read this thread a couple of times and I HAVE to ask... why on earth did you put a new saddle on before the race (having never ridden on this saddle before)?

It feels different, the angle might be different... Why?

[SalsaMTB]

OK... sounds like you have some sound ideas, suggestions and advice from the other gals here... and I have no experience of this happening, so I am not "butting in" to give advice...

But I have read this thread a couple of times and I HAVE to ask... why on earth did you put a new saddle on before the race (having never ridden on this saddle before)?

It feels different, the angle might be different... Why?

lol...yep, I know, it's ALWAYS a bad idea to do that. But, the cover on my old saddle was falling apart and I needed a new saddle. I put on the new one weeks before the race, planning on trying it before race day, but my mom got sick and I just didn't get any time on my bike. Race day came, I didn't think about it and just grabbed my bike and went. I've really only been riding on race days, training has gone to zero. It was a terrible mistake and I definitely paid for it!

Note to self....always keep the old saddle in the car I use to transport my bike to trails!