Brooks Saddles

[Biciclista]

Warneral, i have to ask, why get a Brooks when you're happy with your saddle?
there's an old tenet, "if it isn't broke, don't fix it" that applies here.
If you have the money to burn, fine, I went down the same road as you (people told me I needed to replace my brooks with a "road bike saddle" and so i tried several before I went back to my beloved Brooks)
and you just end up with extra saddles. At least with these, you will be able to sell them.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I think soft tissue pain or numbing on short rides is the kiss of death for any saddle.
On the other hand (cheek?), sitbone pain with a new saddle, especially a hard Brooks, to me is good sign! First, it means your weight is being supported in the right area. Second, sitbone pain 'usually' fades and disappears over about a dozen rides. When I got my first Brooks, my sitbones were in excrutiating pain the first couple rides- I felt like I could hardly sit at all for several days. I was going to give it up, but my DH said that was normal and it would go away. What do you know, he was right! Over about 10 more rides it faded and then my saddle experience was bliss. Now my butt is always at least semi- broken in, so every Spring I only need about 3 or 4 'break in rides' to get over any sitbones soreness for the year.
To me, sitbone pain after riding just means the saddle is fitting well and more time on it will make it perfect.
Soft tissue pain and numbness will not fade away on a saddle, but will likely get worse.

[ny biker]

Okay. As mentioned elsewhere, I am having a problem finding a comfortable saddle for my road bike because my weight is more on the rami than on the ischial tuberosities. Every saddle I've tried has been wide enough to support my sit bones (~120 mm center to center, ~135-140mm outside to outside) but still leaves me with the feeling that the rami are bruised.

I don't think my posture is all that aggressive -- I don't ride in the drops and my saddle is about the same height as the handlebars. But still, most of the weight is not on the ITs.

So, will a Brooks solve this problem?

Thanks very much for your input.

[Kitsune06]

It could but it doesn't answer the question as to WHY you're putting your weight on your rami instead of on your ischial tuberosities. I guess an experiment would be to 'tuck tail', consciously tucking your pelvis and sitting on your ITs... seeing what that does to the rest of your posture. If your stem is too long/handlebars too far forward, you could be compensating by rocking your pelvis forward to reach. There should be a gentle kyphoid curve to your back when you're in proper position, and you should (theoretically, anyway) be using your core to keep yourself in that relaxed-elbows, kyphoid-curved, pelvis-tucked position.

Brooks could encourage you to sit on your ITs if only because if you tipped the saddle up and it didn't have a cutout, and you tried to rest your weight forward, you'd be singing soprano in adult language.

The up-on-rami seated position is generally for those who have absolutely no recourse because their handlebars are SO much lower than their saddle, like on this bike:


I hope that helps.

[ny biker]

The posture you describe is very uncomfortable for me.

I keep my back flat and lean forward from my hips. This is more comfortable for my back, neck and shoulders.

[ny biker]

Keeping your back flat and leaning forward from the hips will put you directly on your pubic rami.

You need to shift your weight to your sits, and keep it there, and lift from your lower back and abdomen and curve forward from the waist. The Adamo saddle website says to do as you describe for extreme aero. But personally, I hate going onto my pubic rami, so I stay on my sits no matter what. It's important to lift from the core to do that. Since the Adamo requires you to stay on the sits, and puts no pressure on the rami, perhaps you might want to look into an Adamo? Though it still sounds like Brooks will be a good idea.

There is a pilates position that could help. I'll try to find a description and post.

Edit: this link looks good.
http://www.easyvigour.net.nz/pilates...etchfwdbeg.htm

If you look under 'purpose,' it says:

Purposes:
Stretches the spine vertebra by vertebra, and stretches the hamstrings
Teaches how to sit tall on the sit bones (so you don't slump at your desk).

If you look at the moving figure, it shows her going from straight spine, then bending at the waist while still lifting from lower back and abs and keeping that straight. I do this continually on the bike, and my back, sits, and pubic rami are all happy. And I had back surgery 10 years ago.

Also, be sure to look at the 'modifications' section if you find this difficult of uncomfortable. They mention it's okay to go forward just 2 inches. You can also bend your knees much more than shown. It will still develope the core strength and position you need to stay on the sits.

I got a new bike so that I would *not* have to do that. And my trainer recommends against it.

Anyway it looks like a Brooks would not help me. Thanks.

[Kitsune06]

I got a new bike so that I would *not* have to do that. And my trainer recommends against it.

Anyway it looks like a Brooks would not help me. Thanks.

in that case it really sounds like your new bike may be too big for you? I hope not.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

OMG Kit that photo of that bike is too ludicrous! Looks incredibly uncomfortable, not to mention dorky! (hope I'm not insulting anyone) Looks like some should be riding a unicycle and pedaling it with their hands, standing on their head. lol!
As others have described, tuck in your tummy, tip your tailbone down so that your weight shifts onto sitbones instead of pubic bone. Some riders get lazy and let their back sag like a swayback horse and then put all their weight on their hands to hold them up. Get your weight distributed more back on your butt and your feet, it will strengthen your core.
Try to envision that you are 'walking' on your bike instead of rolling along like you are rolling dough with a rolling pin in your hands. That mental shift helps me when i catch myself getting lazy onto my hands.

[warneral]

I went out on a short 12 miler today and didn't feel the saddle - though the riding pants I was wearing were too slippery. I think I have just been having an adjustment period with spring time + new saddle but time will tell!