Back in the Saddle Again- YOuch!

[mayanorange]

So I'm doing this indoor cycling class every Tuesday night- we bring our own bikes and trainers and ride about 2 hrs of drills. I hadn't been on my bike (even trainer) for a couple months (bad girl, I know), so I was expecting some saddle sore, but man! The first week was unbearable. Then the second was slightly better, but last night was week 5 and we're still talking serious bruising to the point that I can hardly stand to get on the trainer in between classes. Maybe my SMP isn't good for me afterall?? I have the TRK because I have wide sitbones (hovering near 160mm) and need some major relief in the girly bits zone, so it's great that it's supporting my bones and not squashing things, but I thought I'd be past the bruising by now. Should I be look at other saddles? I went through a ton last year to find the SMP. The only thing I think I haven't tried is a Brooks. How long do those take to break in? I need some instant relief if I'm going to shell out for yet another saddle.

Oh, and I haven't tried fiziks... and it looks like there's some new serfas ones on TE- anyone tried them?

[kermit]

Thats alot of sitting trainer time. Do you get out of the saddle while riding? I have recently been riding the trainer alot and I try to change positions on the bike. In the hoods, in the drops, on the bars and even without hands I lean back. Also getting out of the saddle every few minutes helps. Try a couple of pairs of shorts, maybe a little extra butt bone cushion until things toughen up.
Just my two cents, I use a specialized ruby saddle, flat but with a great cutout and no edges. Those SMP saddles look like they could hurt with the raised inside edges.

[Jiffer]

I can't really help with what saddle to try, but I second what mayonorange said about getting out of the saddle and repositioning, if you're not already doing that. Also, I wanted to say that it's not necessarily a bad thing that you took two months off. I rode only twice in December and five times in all of January, (so not completely nothing, but not much) ... and I am better for it. Rest is a good thing for the body. I can't believe how much better my lung capacity is all of a sudden. I can climb hills without feeling like my lungs are going to burst, which means I can do it a little faster and without stopping for a break. I can't wait to see how this is going to improve my riding over the season if I'm feeling this strong at the beginning. And the only thing that changed was my rest.

My husband had to take an involuntary break from running once. It killed him to not run. When started back up, his first couple of runs were a little difficult, but after that, he all of a sudden moved into a whole new level of fitness. Faster and stronger.

So, don't kick yourself for taking some time off. A lot of seasoned athletes do this on "purpose"!

Hope you get some saddle help, cause that's so not fun!

[ny biker]

I always take a couple of months off in winter. I need to take a break and do something else for a while.

This year I've noticed I'm more sore when riding the bike indoors - after only 1/2 hour, my butt is killing me. It's the same saddle that I've had for years, but it's been repositioned lately, so maybe that's having an effect. The upside is, I know without a doubt that I am sitting on my sitz bones. Because I can feel it!

[mayanorange]

Thanks for the kind words about my slothfulness. I'm glad I have a goal now otherwise I'd still be on the couch!

Yes, I do get out of the saddle a bit more when on the road (to avoid bumps and such), but these classes are also near to the longest ride I got to last season, so maybe 25 miles is the extent of the saddle? It has not moved since the fall, when the fit was dialed very nicely by my fitter and I rode that way for a while before the snow.

I did think about double shorts, but I don't really have 2 thickly padded pair- I have one really thin pair and one for long rides. I need to change that by the time the MS150 rolls along, but not sure I can afford another pair for another couple months (I'm hoping to get a nice pair of assos or similar this time).

How long do you guys find it takes for the initial re-break-in period? (ie when do I start looking for a different saddle)

[TrekTheKaty]

To go from zero to 2 hours on a trainer is a lot! I've been taking a 1-hr spinning class and I'm usually sore "down there" just from all the "jumping" drills. I wouldn't go switching out your saddle yet.

[Miranda]

I didn't like the SMP. The version I had was like riding a couch cushion. I'm about 140 sitz bones. It bumped my ham/glute on the downward part of the pedal stroke. Just a bit wide-ish for me.

The Brooks is hard, but supposed to be perfect after you break it in. The proofhide is your friend they say. I didn't get that far because I felt like I needed a cut out.

Selle Anatomic I had some different issue with defective purchase (not from TE, btw) and didn't re-try... it's sorta like a Brooks with a cut out.

Brooks was coming out with the Imperial. Which is a basic Brooks with the cut out. There was a huge thread on BikeForums of people test riding them with the Brooks company. I'm not sure if it's out for sale yet or not.

For me, I have now figured out my saddle, and other things, are related to my bike being too big for me (read pelvis rolled too far forward). So, I'm starting over. It will be interesting what I find with a properly fitted ride. But, it sounds like you have a good fitter?

Even with all my saddle issues, or hopefully very little to none with new bike, I stand often when riding. Vary my positions, etc. I read that in one of my cycling books that pros even do.

Even on the spin bike at the gym a lot of it has to do with riding position and fitness. When I am not feeling so strong, or start to get tired, I let my pelvis sag forward. This starts to put pressure on the lady bits. When I tilt my pelvis back ever so slightly on my sitz bones, hold my back and core properly/strongly, my lady bits don't get hurt.

In one of my other cycle books on fitting, I read this great point...

Newer cyclists (or you can ALSO read, been taking a break--not been on the saddle a while) tend to "sit" on their saddles. More experience (read, stronger/set into the season riding) cyclists tend to "suspend" themselves over their saddles with their legs. Hmm...

My spin class example is exactly what happens there. When my legs start getting tired at end of class on jumps, I start coming down with more force on my saddle (ouch lady bits). At the start of class, I can glide and hover back onto my saddle from standing with barely swishing the lady bits (zero pain).

Also, I assume this trainer set up has a riser block for the front tire? If not, you are on down hill all the time and that could be added pressure to the front. Plus, the trainer is going nowhere... I just think outside you shift your weight so much even turning corners etc. that you lady bits get varied pressure--vs being stationary inside.

FWIW... Good Luck.

EDIT: Lady bits and hormones... My 20+yrs experience gyno doc is also a cyclist (& his wife). I asked him about my saddle pain after reading here on TE about estrogen cream. The threads I found were of ladies who had previously been ok with their saddles and with changing hormones had problems. My gyno doc said as we have babies/age etc. things change. The tissues can get dry and thin. The estrogen cream can help "beef things up" down there as he put it. Sorry if TMI, but some "girl chat"... I know I'm boney-er (if a word?) down there in perimenopause. I have the cream, but not used it yet to report back. For this last reason, I have even considered a tri saddle that has more overall padding on the nose. If my anatomy will not hold padding anymore, maybe my saddle can do it for me instead. Pus, no one does it around our area, but the doc said there is such a thing as collagen injections you can get down there too. I know it sounds brutal. Some porn stars do this he said (to look more umm, well you get it)... and some ladies just for their over-all sexual comfort in relationships with their DHs after hormones change--it's like a cosmetic vaginal rejuvenation thing. Kinda interesting. I did have a GF with scar tissue/nerve pain sensitivity issues get steroid injections--it worked for her too. Just some more thoughts...

[tctrek]

I really think it's all about the saddle. And each woman has a different anatomy and a saddle that works good for you might be awful for someone else. Unfortunately, you may need to try a few different saddles before you find "the one"... the one that just feels great and doesn't hurt you anywhere, anytime no matter how long you ride. Also, you need to make sure your shorts don't have seams or bumps anywhere. A tiny little seam hitting the wrong place for too long can give you a nasty hotspot.

For me the Selle San Marco Glamour saddle did the trick. Unbelievably it has zero padding and no cutout. But it's narrow and allows me to really sit on my sit bones without crushing any soft tissue. I also where shorts with a minimal chamois. For me, less padding is better. By the way, I'm 56 and all hopes of estrogen, etc. are long gone.

[arielmoon]

For whatever reason, when I ride a trainer or rollers I get about 50% more pressure on the seat area and girlie bits than I do when I am out on the road. I am going to guess that is has to do with time in the saddle since I can not stand and pedal on the rollers. My point is that it is possible you would still be comfortable in this saddle out riding.

I am about to try a new saddle (Specialized Jett), knowing that my stock bontrager is too wide for my sit bones. It has not been overly painful but I am curious to see if my knee pain and pedal stroke would improve if less of my arse was on the saddle.