Hi all,
I'm new to the forum and sort of new to biking. I used to bike all the time as a teen, but then had a serious health problem: a pilonidal "cyst" that was actually an absess the size of a grapefruit at the base of my spine. I had a total of four surgeries. It. Was. Not. Fun.
Why the overshare, you ask? Because during one of those surgeries they cut a nerve, which never came back, so I have a numb spot around my tailbone. All this makes finding the right bike saddle something of a challenge.
I recently bought a Gary Fisher Zebrano hybrid for fun and commuting. As I am off work for the summer, so far it's being used for fun.
I went to a LBS yesterday to take about saddles and got a male salesperson who started babbling about "female geometry" and Terry saddles. I do mean babbling. Nice guy, not comfortable talking to a woman.
So I throw myself on your mercy, fellow forumers.
To sum up:
Currently, after a 10 mile ride yesterday, my butt feels bruised and numb. That's with the saddle that came with the bike.
I am 180 to 200 pounds (and hoping that biking will help with that).
I am 5'5".
I am terrified of a new pilonidal cyst developing so I want OFF the tailbone.
I have a numb area basically at the top of my butt cleft (sorry for the details but I figure we need to be clear for this to be helpful to me).
I'm riding a hybrid commuter-style bike.

Any feedback is most appreciated. I know you guys know more about this that I do, as I know very little!

- Sophia