Saddle Discomfort and Lady Bits

[emily_in_nc]

I guess my question is: Must I expect some sort of discomfort with any saddle I use and just aim to minimize it? Or is it possible to be totally comfortable, saddle-wise?

It is possible to be totally comfortable on rides that are not long *for you*. I think that even the best matched saddle to your own anatomy is going to be a bit uncomfy on your longest ride(s) ever (for example, on a century, if you normally ride 20-50 miles, say; or on a 10 mile ride if you normally ride only 2-3 at a time), but you will "toughen up" over time.

A saddle that doesn't fit you right may only get worse over time rather than better, like one I recently sold. I didn't realize that it was just too narrow for my sit bones. I had a chronic saddle sore (I mean, it was there for a YEAR! ) that I could not get rid of even after several months away from cycling. That saddle would never have worked for me.

With a saddle that fits your anatomy, it will be better each time you ride. Starting out, you might get some soft-tissue pain after just a few miles, but if you ride consistently, you'll be able to ride further and further each time with no pain. I did a nine-day bike tour in 2004 in which I rode an average of 100K (63 miles) daily (no rest days!) on a Terry Butterfly saddle and had no unusual saddle problems. Sure, I suspect I was uncomfy at the end of the day and ready to get off the saddle, but nothing I can even recall now. So yes, a saddle CAN be comfortable! It can take awhile to find the one that is right for you, however.

Good luck!

Emily

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Another factor to keep in mind is that the more leaning forward (racing posture) you are on your bike, the less your weight will be on your sitbones (where it is comfortable to sit) and the more your weight will be on your sensitive soft front parts. Personally, I suspect much of this women's biking pain has more to do with how we sit as opposed to how 'bad' the saddle is.

And Rowboatgirl- are you leaning forward and down more when you climb hills? Maybe that's why there is more pressure then. Try going up hills in a lower easier gear, 'spinnning' up the hill and staying more relaxed with a slightly more upright posture.

One more thing- too many people "sit" on their bikes like it was a chair- with all their weight on their butt. It helps to think of yourself as "walking" on your bike, and to try to distribute your weight more evenly between your hands, butt, and FEET. When we put more weight on our feet and think of riding like walking, it alleviates pressure on the saddle parts. Think about it next time you are on your bike, and see if this mental adjustment doesn't make you feel more like you are floating on your bike instead of just sitting on it.

[ima_bleeder]

When we put more weight on our feet and think of riding like walking, it alleviates pressure on the saddle parts.

This definitely helps me quite a bit on longer rides. Even very slight inclines can give you a little extra resistance on the pedals, and I try to take advantage of that extra resistance by engaging my glutes and letting my butt float on top of the saddle a little. Combining that with occasionally standing up for shorter climbs has significantly increased the amount of time I'm able to be comfy "in the saddle".