Need Help fine-tuning my new Brooks!!

[jessica47201]

Well I just received my new Brooks Flyer, Pre-aged today in the mail. I slapped that bad-boy on my bike and off I went for a 10 mile ride through Clifty Falls State Park. My sit-bones didn't hurt at all, but my girly-bitz were not happy! They were ok when I was riding on top my bars, but when I rode down in the drops, they started to hurt. I also feel like i have to keep scooting back in the seat to get comfortable. I've including pics of my bike so you could see how I was riding it.





I wondering if I might need to look at a saddle with a cutout? Brooks has one, but I think I like the Selle An-atomica Saddle better!! If it at all matters I'm 5'7", about 180lbs, and pretty new to cycling.

[Thorn]

A couple of things. Check your saddle height. Is it too high? Brooks saddles seem to be taller than other saddles. You may need to drop your saddle height--are your hips rocking when you pedal? If so, that can place undue stress on the girly bits.

If you keep wanting to go back, push that saddle back. It looks like you have room to shove it back a bit. Play with the fore/aft position. I found that between the short rails of the Brooks and the shape that I needed my saddle almost 2-3 cm further back.

Brooks saddles are notorious for requiring fine tuning. Make small adjustments, but don't be afraid to adjust. I'm amazed at how a slight change in angle makes the difference between comfortable and pain.

Did you find the thread on the "do you need a cutout"? Basically, find a hard surface (wooden chair, steps, etc), sit upgright. Now lean forward until you're about at the same angle as you are cycling--do the bits have pressure? If so, you probably need a cutout.

Oh, and I ride a Brooks-atomica....a B68 with the Selle Anatomica cutout.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Two suggestions-
First, tip the nose up about 1/8"- your first picture looks like it's tipped down too far and that will make you feel like you are sliding forward off the saddle all the time. I know cause I did that at first. Very uncomfortable sliding feeling! A small change will make a big difference.
Another tip- if your chamois padding is too thick it will get pressed up too much against your girly bits. This can feel bad especially on a Brooks. It starts by feeling numb.

Try to feel your weight on your two sit bones. If you let your back go slack and your stomach sag down while riding lazily, with your weight held up by your hands, your pelvis will then be tilted in such a way as to be riding on your girly parts on the saddle nose, instead of back on your sitbones where your weight should be.

Give it another test ride with the nose tipped up a bit, your back not slack, and less chamois padding.

[jessica47201]

Yeah i think i found that thread, where you were talking about your b68 with the cutout. How are you liking it? I bought my brooks from wallbikes, so i have a 6month return on it. I could trade it in for the B17 Imperial, but the Selle An-atomica cut out looks bigger and nicer. I'm wondering if my at-home sit bone measurement wasn't so accurate. I tried while riding to reach back and see where my sit bones were hitting, and to me it felt like they were pretty close to the ends of the saddle. I might try and measure them again, but my sit bones really were not bothering me, just my girly-bitz. Just thinking about a cut-out, makes me smile, but I've only tried one once, when I was test riding a bike. I wasn't paying any attention to the seat, just the bike.

[jessica47201]

hey bleeckerSt, your are probably right on the riding lazily, I'm a newbie, so my riding form isn't the greatest. I do put alot of weight on my hands and wrist. Also, I didn't have any padded shorts today, because the pair I have are actually mens and i let my DH use them. I never really felt like i was sliding or slipping forward, I would just notice that something wrong feeling and I would scoot back.
thorn, do you like your brooks-anatomica?

[Thorn]

I now have 2 B68s with the Selle Anatomica upgrade. My sit bones put me either on a poofy saddle or the B68. I was hoping that I was wrong on my sit bone measurements, but now that the Brooks are broken in, I can measure the distance quite clearly. I'd like to ride a normal person's saddle, but, nope, ain't gonna happen.

As for the selle anatomica slot....I put the saddle onto the trainer, first. Over time a little judicious use of sand paper fine tunes the cutout so it doesn't pinch. I also drilled some holes into the side of the saddle so I can apply tension side-to-side.

You should also have found the review by the person who sent their B68 to selle anatomica and shortly there after the frame broke. Interestingly, the second saddle I sent to them came back with a different slot--a little shorter and away from the rear portion of the frame. Works just as well as the first.

But, I need the cutout and I think it works pretty well. Time will tell whether this will affect the lifetime of the saddle.

[jessica47201]

Ok, I've been riding my Brooks Flyer now and so far I think it's going good. When I ride, everything is pretty much ok, I don't really forget about my saddle, I know it there, but there isn't alot of pain or anything. I took it out on a 15 mile ride and during the ride, my girly-bitz felt smooshed, but no fire or buring, just pressure. So normally I'll just stand up to climb. After my rides are over, I pretty much ok except for my sit bones will hurt. But I don't even notice them hurting unless I actually get back on my bike. So my question is, is this pretty much normal and should I not adjust my seat any? Is the pressure just something to get used to. I'm not in horrible pain, just some pressure and I have to stand out of my saddle every now and then, near the end of my ride. I'm still considering maybe having a cut out put in my brooks, but I'm worried about the life of the saddle. I'm 5'7" and weigh around 185lbs. I don't want to break my Brooks, I think I would cry!!