Sorry, but another sore hoo-hoo thread.

[Scrappy]

Ok everyone, post ride report:

Round trip total of 30.2 miles - pretty much flat and on the greenway except for a few small neighborhood hills. The first 15.1 miles (out) I rode in MTB shorts with the padding removed and regular cotton panties ..I know, I know, but that's how I roll.. besides, I wanted to really put this saddle to the test. The second 15.1 miles back I wore Pearl Izumi padded shorts.

The first 4 miles I adjusted 3-4 times based on the suggestions in the video on the ISM website. Flattened out the rails, centered it in the clamps, tweaked the lateral adjustment, and lowered the saddle. Almost there.. the next 2 miles I adjusted 2-3 more times.. pushed the saddle back on the rails a full cm, tilted it up a smidge, and tapped it ever so slightly to the left - and that did it. Viola! It was like... Ohhhhhhh...this is do-able! I went the rest of the way out without touching a thing. There was some pressure at the tops and back of my thighs like the arms were pressing a little too much into the crease, but I've also read that there is some initial soreness associated with this saddle, and it wasn't unbearable so I decided to leave it be.

Ladies, it was sooooooooooooooo nice to ride my bike without feeling like I have to pee the entire ride or like I have a UTI. Riding without hands was easy as pie - balance was not affected whatsoever. And for the first time on a man-made saddle, I didn't have low back pain.

For the ride back, I switched to padded shorts for comparison, and also to see if it helped relieve the soreness I was experiencing. Big mistake! Not only did it not help with the soreness, but the padding being stretched tight across my hoo-hoo was creating that awful "Gotta PEE!" feeling and a slight burning sensation. Approx 8 miles into the trip back I stopped to tap the saddle slightly to the left as I was feeling more of the soreness on my right side, but a mile or so later I put it back approx. where it was and finished the ride home that way.

Post ride, I feel sore - not just sitbone sore but sore at the top crease of my thighs, like the nose arms were a bit too wide. So I called ISM to ask them about which of the other models might be better suited for my body type and riding style. To their credit, I received a call back in less than 2 minutes after leaving a message, and one of their representatives (David) discussed my build, bike setup and riding goals and had some suggestions.

First was the "Century" model - it has a wider back side and narrower arms, but lots of plush gel and padding. When I told him I usually avoid padding like the plague he then recommended the "Podium" model which has longer, narrower arms and even less padding than the "Road" model I've got now. He recommeded a store in my area that carries them in stock and even has a free test-ride program. So this weekend I will be picking up the Adamo "Podium" model saddle and giving it a whirl.

At this point, I can say it does address the problem I bought it for - no soft tissue chafing or hoo-hoo discomfort what so ever. I am sore, and would hesitate to take it on a long ride without a backup saddle to switch out when the soreness becomes too much. But I'm also satisfied enough with it to continue working with this line of saddles and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to others who are experiencing discomfort and not found a workable solution.