Sore Seat

[emily_in_nc]

The other thing you might need if you don't already have it is a saddle with a cut-out down the middle. I am not a happy camper without one. I rode many, many miles on my Terry Butterfly saddle, then test-rode a bike with a non-cutout saddle and was in pain within five miles! You might also just need to give it more time. Whenever I start back up cycling after a long layoff, I get soft tissue pain in the areas you describe. It's like it just needs to toughen up. It does, but it can take a few weeks to be completely pain free. Now I'm touch as nails and rarely get any soreness at all, even up to a full century ride. I ride a leather/ti-rail Terry Butterfly on my three road bikes and love it!

Emily in NC

[DeniseGoldberg]

I'd recommend trying some different saddles - and keep in mind that the saddle that works for one person won't necessarily work for another. For example, emily_in_nc swears by a Terry Butterfly saddle, but I lasted all of 5 minutes using one, couldn't stand it! My saddle of choice is a Fizik Vitesse, which is a relatively narrow saddle with no cut-out. Guess we're all different! When I finally found the Vitesse - that was the 4th saddle that I tried. I went through 2 different Terry saddles, and one Specialized saddle, none of which worked for me.

So - keep trying, don't give up!

[Pedal Wench]

I'd recommend trying some different saddles - and keep in mind that the saddle that works for one person won't necessarily work for another. For example, emily_in_nc swears by a Terry Butterfly saddle, but I lasted all of 5 minutes using one, couldn't stand it! My saddle of choice is a Fizik Vitesse, which is a relatively narrow saddle with no cut-out. Guess we're all different! When I finally found the Vitesse - that was the 4th saddle that I tried. I went through 2 different Terry saddles, and one Specialized saddle, none of which worked for me.

So - keep trying, don't give up!

We are all VERY different. I started on the Fizik Vitesse, loved it for rides under 50, hated it on rides over 50 miles. Soft-tissue issues. I tried 4 Terry saddles, including the Butterfly Tri, one Selle Italia saddle-from-hell, and I'm thinking I'm happy with a Specialized - it's a men's saddle, but it's the 155mm wideload size. The exact opposite progression from Denise. Everyone is different.

[AutumnBreez]

ouch stop it already...my crotch!

How far back on the seat should my butt be? when hands are resting on shift bar?
I experienced the same, but I noticed the second day was not as bad as the first day.

This is definetly not my sit bones hurting.

[Biking Chick]

[QUOTE=AutumnBreez]ouch stop it already...my crotch![QUOTE]

From the date of the last posting I see that I am almost a month *late* in replying but wondering if Rainboe was able to solve her saddle problem.

In reading the posts about uncomfortable saddles, I noticed that there were a couple of comments about 'more pain in the front than in the back'. If you are experiencing pain or numbness in the front area the culprit is probably that the nose of the saddle is tipped up. Moving the nose of the saddle down even a fraction of an inch makes a world of difference!

Sorry to be coming in so late on this

[han-grrl]

ow ow ow ow
saddle sores

ow ow (did i say ow!)

For some reason i have started getting them. I have been riding my bike on the trainer all winter, and the last month i keep getting saddle sores. no changes. the best i can figure is 1) i have lost weight and my shorts just don't fit so good any more (darn, i have to go shopping, oh well )
or 2) i have really tight hips flexors and hamstrings and perhaps my seat position has changed because of it.

If anyone has any experience, with *suddenly* developing sores...help! (and ow!)

Clenching butt cheeks

Han

[joyrider]

Also wanted to mention that I bought my new seat (Serfas Rx) at REI - where they have a 100% satisfaction guaranteed policy - so you can take it back! I hear that a lot of LBS's don't take seats back, which can run you into a lot of money, experimenting with seat after seat after seat. But my goal was to pay for only one seat - the one I wanted!