Saddle, shorts or lube?

[KnottedYet]

So...I think that means, from what you are saying, that my saddle is a big part of the problem. I'm going to run up to the lbs today and try a couple of new saddles with a cut out and without and more t-shaped.

Measure you sit bones before you go.

Going saddle shopping without even knowing the two basic spans of your ischial tuberosities is about as good an idea as randomly buying shoes without knowing what size your feet are.

Measure. Your. Bones.

Chances are very good that your size 14 butt hides a larger pelvis than your size 6 friend's perky little tush. And a larger pelvis than the "average" used for saddle design.

Cut-out or t-shape won't matter one bit if your ischial tuberosities are not COMPLETELY supported by the saddle AS YOU RIDE.

Measure. Your. Sit. Bones. First.

If you had much larger than average feet, would you expect to be able to wear your friend's size 6 shoes without any problems? Would you be trying different socks to make the fit better? Would you go for size 6 shoes with a cut-out (aka "sandals") hoping they would hurt less before you even considered measuring your feet?

Touching your own butt with a tape measure isn't a sin. We don't even take our clothes off to do it.

(touching random stranger's buns could get you into some trouble, however)

Size 14 is big. That's a big butt. I'm a size 16, so I can be honest here and tell you your butt is big. Your pelvis probably isn't little, either. (huge butts can have little sit bones and vice versa, but chances are good that you really need to measure because you might be outside the norm.)

Measure.
Your.
Sit bones.
Before.
You.
Spend.
More.
Money.

[Catrin]

(touching random stranger's buns could get you into some trouble, however)

I know this is a serious topic, but this made me laugh out loud - thankfully I wasn't taking a drink when I read this. I just got the wildest image - the attack of the masked measuring-tape bandit

[Trek420]

I just got the wildest image - the attack of the masked measuring-tape bandit

Yes! The return of the masked tape measuring bandit. Last seen riding off into the sunset wielding a tape measure and carrying a satchel of assorted saddles (none of them Bontrager).

[Catrin]

Yes! The return of the masked tape measuring bandit. Last seen riding off into the sunset wielding a tape measure and carrying a satchel of assorted saddles (none of them Bontrager).

LOL, yep!

On a side note, I seem to be the only one on this forum who has had no noticeable discomfort with her stock Trek saddle - which is of course a Bontrager. We will see what happens when I take my first really long ride on the Trek - assuming I ever do. The LHT just feels so much better overall....

[jenniferh]

Thank you, thank you everyone. I actually felt like I knew what I was doing at the lbs today. I measured my sit bones before I went. I used the damp flour in a zip lock bag method someone mentioned in another thread. I wasn't exactly sur where on the curve to measure so I used the widest part. It was 13cm so I added 1cm to each side. That makes 15cm or 150mm. That means I should be in a 155mm saddle, right?

I planned to buy both the San Marco Salle gel flow diva lady and the San Marco Aspide Glamour so I could test the different shapes and the cut-out, but they only had the diva in stock so I got that one first. Brought it home, put it on the bike...

and it was FABULOUS! I rode the exact same path I had been taking in the stock saddle but with no burning or chafing. A tiny bit of pressure on the nose which hits just about even with tissue over my clit, but it wasn't painful. I'm not sure how it would feel on a long ride, but for now it is a good start.

I did a ride with athletic shorts and then another ride in my cycling shorts. Of corse, the cycling shorts felt best, but I was okay in street clothes too.

And I think a properly fitting saddle solved other things too. There was absolutely no pain in my hand and no pain between my shoulder blades. I wonder if I was tensing up or or baring weight differently since the saddle was hurting? No matter what, now that I can at least ride in relative comfort I can break in the bike and try a few other saddles til I find the best fit.

[KnottedYet]

Hooray!!!

I sort of thought you might be shifting weight to your hands because of that saddle. Excellent job figuring out your size!

Now the world of saddles is your oyster!

Congratulations!