Need a noseless saddle...help!

[nuliajuk]

Have you had a bike fit done? I started getting UTI-type symptoms when I measured incorrectly and my bike saddle was set up to high. You have gotten good advice above. Noseless saddles might be an option, but I bet it isn't necessary. A cut out might well help. Noseless saddles feel terrible to me because I use the nose of the saddle to steer - hard to explain, but I do...

This. I see a lot of people, especially women, pedalling on tip-toes with their feet pointed straight down at the bottom of the pedal stroke. This causes your pelvis to rock around the saddle with every push of the pedals.
Some Specialized dealers have a wall of red and white test saddles that you can sign out and take home to try for a while. This time of year, if you're riding indoors on the trainer, is a perfect time to test drive saddles.

[OakLeaf]

This. I see a lot of people, especially women, pedalling on tip-toes with their feet pointed straight down at the bottom of the pedal stroke. This causes your pelvis to rock around the saddle with every push of the pedals.

We're getting a little far afield - seat too high is definitely an issue, but it's pretty rare I see anyone with a seat too high per se. I have little doubt that you see more women than men plantar flexing, because their crankarms are too long. We set the seat height so it's not giving us knee trouble by being too low at the top of the pedal stroke - but then, it's too high at the bottom of the pedal stroke.

[Triskeliongirl]

If you are on a stock Bontrager saddle with no cut out, then I would definitely explore saddles with cut outs next. So is having a saddle wide enough to support your sit bones. For me, the selle italia Diva Gel Flow does the trick. When I as younger I was OK on the terry liberator and butterfly, and brooks finesse. While saddles are expensive to try out, if you work with a good bike shop they may let you test several, or find stores with good return policies. Working with a bike shop may be best, since they can also be sure your position is optimized. Just cuz some young male clerk can't help you, don't rule out the shop. Ask the shop if there is a manager you can talk to, or talk to women in your area to see if there is a pro shop, or shop with a good rep for dealing with womens issues.

REI has a very generous return policy(i.e. you can return used items) and carries several of these saddles (Diva gel Flow, butterfly), so if you don't have a local REI I suggest mail ordering one at a time from them. You need to heal first, and then test one at a time. If one makes you sore, you need to heal before testing the next one. I would start with the Diva Gel Flow, since I have problems with urethral irritation and its the only one I can now use. I have a used brooks finesse I would sell if u PM me, but honestly I don't recommend it since it doesn't have a cut out.

How old are you? If there is any possibility you are estrogen defecient (i.e. peri-menipausal or post-menopausal, or post-hysterectomy) you may an estrogen cream to ride comfortably (this was essential for me). Some commented that you have kidney pain, without UTI or urehtral irritation. Did you say that? Urethral irritation can lead to a UTI and even kidney infection if untreated. You mentioned having padded shots, but being scrupulosuly clean and changing out of your shorts immediately after riding, and washing the shorts after each ride, sometimes with an antibacterial soap, are all important.

[Cyclingfun]

Thank goodness I've found this forum and can read and share about personal things that make good sense and are spot-on relevant! I was really worried that saddle problems were going to be the undoing of all my ambitions with cycling (quite lowly ambitions, I should quickly add, but important to me all the same). I recently bought an Adamo Road saddle and, so far, my soft bits are fine and I can well and truly feel my sit-bones taking the strain. A bit limited by the weather to really give the new saddle an extended trial but am hopeful. I hope the Adamo has enough nose, with regard to the steering comments - I've never really thought about the connection between steering and the saddle but I will now!