Anyone else sit sorta 'crooked' on the saddle?

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I have SuperFeet Yellow's in my Sidi's and they fit fine. I LOVE THEM in my Sidi's.

Have you tried pointing the nose of your saddle a HAIR in the direction you don't lean towards? I was getting more issues on my left side, pointed nose a mm or 2 to the right and felt better.

I also got a bigger saddle as mine was too narrow. Your's may be too wide?

I pulled the trigger on a $75 pair of discontinued Northwaves, which everyone says run really wide, so I can't wait to see how they compare. Then I have room to play with Superfeet (which I wear in all of my running shoes) and/or forefoot wedges under the insoles. Maybe I can even wear heavier socks during the cold months!

I was thinking about the saddle nose thing today, too. I really think moving it a hair to the left may be worth trying. I'm guessing it would only take a few mms to notice a difference.

Not sure if a narrower saddle would be the key. I definitely don't need wider, but I think narrower would have me hanging off the edges. My saddle is a 143...next size down is 130. My sit bones are in the 120-130mm neighborhood. I actually have a new 147mm Fizik on order, since the cut-out on my saddle has been bugging me (I'm less upright on my newer bike and seem to be hitting the front of the cutout where it narrows...and getting pinched where I don't want to get pinched). New saddle will have a channel down the entire length.

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ETA:

I had outer foot pain that was cured with a wider saddle. My foot pain was not hot foot. It was a sharp pain that started on the outer edge of the foot, just near that little bone that sticks out on the bottom. Then it would begin to go numb. This happened in slippers, gym shoes, Keen's, everything. It was not a shoe issue. It was 100% solved by me finding a saddle that fit me. And then I stopped pinching those nerves that led down to the foot.

Perhaps your sitting over the edge is pinching something?

What makes me inclined to think that my foot issue is my shoes is that I had a wider saddle, previously...and still had the foot issues. Only then I also had inner thigh and up-front numbness/pain issues, as well.

My feet are seriously wide...I measure D width--or even a hair wider, but that would put me in men's cycling shoes...I have wide toes, but narrow heels--I have never had luck with men's shoes. Back in the day I played soccer...before there were women's shoes. I always had raw heels. Sidis are probably the last brand I should be in (it's about all our LBS carries, though). The meaty outer side part of my feet spills over the hard plastic sole, especially on my larger right foot. If I had the velcro forefoot straps much looser they'd not hold at all.

I also think I probably require some more medial stability features (this page really shows what my knees do when I pedal--the insides of my lower thighs often brush my top tube), but I can't add any sort of insole or forefoot wedging to my shoes...those paper-thin Sidi insoles are too thick, as is. Today I was pedaling up a hill, butt out of saddle, and my right foot cramped-up...toes overlapping. That was fun.

[Kathi]

I was using those things on my right shoe to correct the exact same problems you're talking about when my knee and foot problems started. I can't say they caused the issues because there were too many factors involved.

Based on where my foot pain was located my podiatrist thought I had 2neuromas. He was shocked when I had no pain when he manipulated the area. For awhile I used met pads on my orthotics but they caused more discomfort.

I used to wear shoes without heels. I read how they can cause foot pain. I quit wearing them, my foot pain went away. Since having my SI joint adjusted my chronic knee pain also disappeared.

At the time I also had a saddle that was too wide for me, not sure if that contributed to my issues or not.

I no longer wear custom orthotics, just Superfeet Berry in my cycling shoes and ski boots. This season, I'm hoping to not use them in the cycling shoes.

BTW, the wedges I had were installed between my Speedplay cleat and my shoe.

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I was using those things on my right shoe to correct the exact same problems you're talking about when my knee and foot problems started. I can't say they caused the issues because there were too many factors involved.

Based on where my foot pain was located my podiatrist thought I had 2neuromas. He was shocked when I had no pain when he manipulated the area. For awhile I used met pads on my orthotics but they caused more discomfort.

I used to wear shoes without heels. I read how they can cause foot pain. I quit wearing them, my foot pain went away. Since having my SI joint adjusted my chronic knee pain also disappeared.

At the time I also had a saddle that was too wide for me, not sure if that contributed to my issues or not.

I no longer wear custom orthotics, just Superfeet Berry in my cycling shoes and ski boots. This season, I'm hoping to not use them in the cycling shoes.

BTW, the wedges I had were installed between my Speedplay cleat and my shoe.

Yeah, I don't think I have neuroma issues...what it feels like is peroneal tendon. I don't have issues except for in my cycling shoes. Otherwise I live barefoot, in Keens, or Dansko clogs.

Superfeet berry are what I wear in my running shoes, though I'm guessing that blue will be about as thick as I could go in a cycling shoe.

I have 2 bolt SPD cleats with a built-in 1º wedge on the medial side, but it's still not enough. I have a feeling I'm going to need at least 2-3º to keep my knees from diving towards my top-tube on my down pedals.

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It appears my issues were related to some sort of leg length discrepancy...

I finally got a pair of shoes that fit my feet (men's LGs, instead of too-narrow women's Sidis), so I had room for a pair of Superfeet insoles (which I wear in all of my running shoes, too). I also moved the cleat on my suspected longer leg back a hair.

Today DH and I rode and he said I am still just a hair lopsided on the saddle, but nowhere near as noticeably as I was before making these adjustments. So I'm thinking I may try a small shim under my left cleat to see if that gets me perfectly balanced side-to-side.

And the extra bonus of having wider shoes is no more toe overlapping and cramping!

[TrekTheKaty]

Zoom-zoom,
You may not have back issues now, but this may be an early sign. A quick consult with a physical therapist may show the answer.

I used to run, but quick because of back problems. My chiro recommended switching to another sport, and that's how I found cycling. His X-rays showed a twisted and tilted pelvis that results in lower back pain and in the extreme, sciatica.

A second episode put me in the emergency room. One of the top orthopedic Dr's in our area found a bulged disc in an MRI, but "it shouldn't cause you that much pain." I demanded a referral to a physical therapist. She was my god-send. She also diagnosed the pelvis twist and tilt (I didn't share my chiro's diagnosis until after). She taught me the stretches I would need to do twice-a-day for "the rest of my life, unless I wanted to come back and visit."

Apparently leg-length issues are frequently misdiagnosed--I thought one leg was shorter than the other, but it was actually one hip higher than the other

I had noticed recently my Brooks saddle was more worn on one SIDE than the other. DH blew it off. Now I notice the whole seat is starting to tilt to the left--it's two years old. Fascinating. I would post a pic, but it's subtle and won't show in a pic.

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I had noticed recently my Brooks saddle was more worn on one SIDE than the other. DH blew it off. Now I notice the whole seat is starting to tilt to the left--it's two years old. Fascinating. I would post a pic, but it's subtle and won't show in a pic.

That's pretty amazing, really...that our bodies can be strong enough to deform a strong saddle like that.

I've been looking at my saddle. I can't detect any signs of differing wear, breakdown, or tilting on either side. This is after close to 5k miles on the same saddle.

When I started wearing Superfeet in my running shoes I had right knee issues that were markedly better after just a single run (and this first run in the Superfeet was an 11 miler, IIRC). Within a week my knee issues had almost completely resolved...and this was after months of battling knee issues. A few times over the years I have tried to ditch the insoles, only to have my right knee start whining after just a short run or two.

Thus far it seems like the insoles are having much the same effect on my biking form. I'm really suspicious now that my main issue is a left arch that collapses more than my right. When I do the footprint test my left foot always shows a more "flat" print than my right foot, so this makes sense. Everything seems to work up the chain from my feet, for sure.

[TrekTheKaty]

I did a lot of my own research while seeing the PT. When I "graduated" (she helped me build back up lost muscle mass in one leg before cutting me loose), I asked--so is it tight muscles pulling the pelvis out? Or is the pelvis pulling the muscle and causing the pain? (I know the tilt is throwing off my lower back and probably causing the bulged disc. I also have mild scoliosis). She said, "Good question "

I believe cycling has less impact than running and builds my core strength. I also seem to have tight hamstrings, which cycling counteracts. Another theory is--long rides just exhaust my hip muscles and they release! No one knows for sure, but it requires continuous maintenance to avoid another painful relapse.

Take care of your back If one more person says, "You're too young to have back problems.........."

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It's funny, my hamstrings and lower back are two parts of my body that almost never give me trouble (and aside from my right knee and right peroneal tendon I've had precious few running niggles in 5+ years, either). It's my upper back/neck/shoulders that are often angry...I think in large part because my hubby's kitty is trying to displace me and steals my pillow (he's a really sweet cat, but he is definitely daddy's baby!). I often wake with my head all twisted to one side and Ikky kitty sleeping like a spoiled prince on the middle of MY pillow!

[nscrbug]

It's funny, my hamstrings and lower back are two parts of my body that almost never give me trouble (and aside from my right knee and right peroneal tendon I've had precious few running niggles in 5+ years, either). It's my upper back/neck/shoulders that are often angry...I think in large part because my hubby's kitty is trying to displace me and steals my pillow (he's a really sweet cat, but he is definitely daddy's baby!). I often wake with my head all twisted to one side and Ikky kitty sleeping like a spoiled prince on the middle of MY pillow!

*** Slight thread hijack! ***
Oh boy...can I totally relate on this one!!! My male kitty does the exact same thing to me...and I don't have the heart to toss him off my pillow, so I sleep all contorted and such...waking up wondering why my damn neck is killing me!

[TrekTheKaty]

I was going to let the cat comment slide, but my neck problems are from cat shoving me off the pillow!

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Ha, I thought I was the only sap who didn't have the heart to move the baby. But wookit his widdle face...


DH just got home last night from a week of mountain biking in Fruita, CO and Moab. Ikky was beside himself with happiness...he must have purred for about 6 hours straight and stayed almost literally glued to DH's hip until morning.

[Crankin]

That article described exactly what I experience. My PT said I don't have a leg length discrepancy, but I "feel" uneven. I am always crooked on my saddle and my pain is all on the left side; lower back, shoulder, crotch, groin. It's pretty bad when I climb, unless I am very warmed up. I know I have mild scoliosis that was never treated.
Oy, I am going to be right near that fitter when I go to San Diego. But, I won't have my bike with me...

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I know I have mild scoliosis that was never treated.

I've often wondered if I have some sort of scoliosis...when we were checked in jr. high everything was fine, but I am seriously sway-backed. Mostly it makes finding jeans a real PITA, since I get a HUGE gap at the back. And I think it has made finding cycling shorts a challenge. PIs are about the only shorts that actually sit over my sit-bones. Just about everything else I tried had the chamois too far back and nearly covering my tailbone, with my sit-bones over the front edge of the wide part of the chamois. I have a seriously tilted uterus, too...I think everything on my lower half is at a bizarre angle.

[TrekTheKaty]

Lastly for EVERYONE--yoga, yoga, yoga.

Stretching and strengthening will help offset future problems.