Saddle Sores - Sorry maybe TMI

[Tabby]

Hi, I'm new here and glad I found this exchange. I am new to mtb, since April, and experiencing saddle discomfort as discussed here. After my first 2 rides I mentioned it to a couple ladies who are mentoring me, they say to give it a bit of time til I have some miles in, move the seat a bit and see how I feel then, but toward the end of my rides (6-8 miles) it is just relief to get off the bike. I hope to find a fix, because I love riding and don't believe it should be this uncomfortable. I will begin working with some of the suggestions here and hope they help. But it's true ... this is a TMI topic, yet one that needs discussed and only another woman who has had or is having the problem can help with. The LBS guys just don't get it!!

PJ

[cmac77354]

Hi, I'm the original poster of this thread. Just thought I'd fill everyone in on what finally solved my problem. Even though I had bought top of the line shorts with super padding, the seams were what was causing my discomfort. After several washing and lots of Chamois Butt rubbed into the padding everything softened up and I wasn't irritated anymore. Make no mistake, there were days I thought I'd never get back on my bike because the discomfort was so bad....I was determined and suffered through it anyway. Good luck to all of you that are having the same problem. And many many thanks to all the wonderful advice I received.

[seeker]

I just wanted to give an update and thank all the women who have given me so much helpful information. You saved my hoo-hoo from destruction.

I bought the Selle SMP Strike TRK Lady Saddle. OMG! It is so much better. It finally arrived this week. I rode on the trainer for an hour and there was not one bit of pressure on the front. I felt some discomfort in other areas but I think that's because I've never put any pressure on my sit bones. It's all been up front. I think I just need some road time to get used to the different feeling.

I also gave up on my LBS. I went to a bike store about 40 miles from home. It is not too far from my drive to work so I loaded up the bike and took it over there. The shop is a one-man operation and the owner is fantastic. He spent an hour and a half with me yesterday. He understood the exact location of my pain. He moved my seat back, moved my handlebars forward, moved the clips on my shoes. He also said I need smaller handlebars. Even though my bike is female specific, I can't reach my breaks when I'm down in the drops. He says I have small hands. So he's going to shop around for some handlebars. He said I'm still too far forward on the bike but he said we'll work on that when I change the handlebars.

I fell down last week. It was one of those slam on the brakes, not get unclipped quick enough and fall over situations.. Oh well. Anyway, unbeknownest to me, my derailleur was bent. He fixed it for me. He also lubed my chain and said it was too small. That's why I grind in the small gears. (I had taken my bike into my LBS and asked about the grinding. They said that happens when you use the small gears.) So he ordered me a new chain. He checked my breaks, took my rear wheel off and checked everything back there.

It was amazing. He was very thoughtful. He'd sit and watch me pedal. Move something. Have me pedal somemore, move something. He went over my bike from one end to the other. I bought my bike at my LBS and I've taken it in 4 different times in the last 6 months and they've not spent a total of one and a half hours with me. I bought all my accessories from my LBS. I've spent a lot of money there and I've not had the kind of attention I received my this man. And no, he wasn't flirting. He is simply a professional.

And this guy only charged me $60.00 for the entire service. I told him I owed him more than $60.00. He told me he wasn't worried about it because he knew I'd be coming back to his store and spending money. And he's right!

I never thought I'd get this saddle situation straightened out. I asked around about the Selle SMP Strike and no one had heard of it. Even my new bike man had never seen anything quite like it. Had it not been for the ladies on this site, I never would have known about it. Thank you so much for your time and patience.

[sgtiger]

Yay! You found YOUR saddle. The sit-bone soreness will fade as your saddle breaks in and your tooshie gets used to having weight put there as opposed to where the weight was before. It, also, sounds like you found an uber cool LBS. I'd keep him. Heck, I'd probably propose to him.

[KnottedYet]

When you find your saddle, buy a couple extra!!!

(I'm not kidding! Saddles change, so buy extras of the one you like before it gets superseded by something else!) (well, unless it's a Brooks... then you're stuck with the same models for a century or so )