am i crazy?

[schoenmomma]

I'm a runner who recently re-discovered the bike-- and I'm in love! Except with the insanity of finding a comfy saddle.

Started with the typical crappy came-with-the-bike saddle. Started riding a lot. Ouch.

Bought a Serfas cut-out saddle but it wasn't much better. A little TOO wide and didn't support very well...felt like it hammocked and collapsed on itself.

Then my boyfriend bought me the Butterfly gel. I'd been reading people raving about it online and was so excited to try it out...but it still feels off. Have been using it for a couple months, and for shorter mileage rides it's tolerable. But on longer rides I really begin to feel a lot of pinching in my female zones, towards the front. I wear great shorts and try to articulate the sitting on the sit-bones bit but even still I get the dreaded lip-pinch.

I'm beginning to think I'm just a picky b***h. What gives? Do I just need to get used to a bit of discomfort in that area? I'm hoping that's not the case, but perhaps it is...

Has anyone had great luck with another saddle? Are the butterfly's cut-outs perhaps the culprit? The nose still seems a little wide compared to my boyfriend's narrower saddles but my boyfriend said that was part of the woman-specific design. I've even thought about the Saddleco "Flow" an all-mesh looking thing...but no one seemed to have personal experience with it so I'm holding off.

ANY tips would be greatly appreciated. I love the freedom I feel on my bike but I'm confused how to solve this problem.
-Sarah (in Kentucky)

P.S. If anyone is in the Louisville area and looking for a riding buddy, drop me a line

[emily_in_nc]

Hi Sarah,

You might want to try tipping the nose of the saddle down just a little bit (not so much you slide off the saddle!) I ride a Butterfly and do not have any pain or pressure in the genital area or at the front pelvic bone. Any pain I get is more in the back and in the crease of my inner thigh, where after long rides, I get some rawness and chafing. I have my saddle perfectly level.

Of course, it may not be the right saddle for you since everyone is so different.

Good luck!
Emily

[karen_fish_bio]

On the mtn bike I can honestly say, with out an Avocet Air O2... its not worth riding. They come in both mens and womans, so be sure you are looking a the right one. I am still searching for the ultimate road saddle. As much as I love my avocet 02, it does NOT work on the road bike.-Karen

[schoenmomma]

I think I may have figured out the problem:

I think I had my saddle too far back.

Originally my b-friend helped me position it. I have long legs (almost as long as his although he's a good deal taller) so he positioned it just like his. Seemed like a good idea.

But when I was at a bike shop last week I mentioned the discomfort I was having to the owner (I was a little embarrassed but I figured the guy probably knew his stuff). He immediately asked if I had tried moving the saddle forward a bit. He explained that although women often have longer legs than men because our arms and torsos are shorter we end up having to really stretch to reach the handlebars. The longer the stretch, the more pressure it places on sensitive areas. If we position our saddles back in the traditional (guy centric) manner, it makes the matter even worse.

I tried his advice. Moved the saddle forward just a bit and found that I was much less uncomfortable on my last two long rides. I felt pressure where I was supposed to: in my sit-bones not up front. Hurray!

I also tried tipping the nose down just a bit as you suggested Emily, and that seemed to help too. Thanks for the awesome suggestion!

Thanks to everyone for the help!! I'm hoping this keeps working. Hope everyone's out having a great ride on this gorgeous fall day.

-Sarah

[emily_in_nc]

Great news, Sarah!

I am so glad that you were able to get relief from the pain!

It's amazing the difference just a little movement of one part
or another on our bikes can make.

Emily

[aquawife]

No you're not crazy. I am having problems finding a saddle that really works for me. I raced on my Terry Butterfly this season and experienced a lot of problems. My front, soft-tissue "seated area" would get really bruised on rides with lots of seated climbing. And then if I didn't slather on the Chamois Butt'r I'd develop nasty cysts. I tried tilting the nose down but then just kept sliding towards the front so that didn't help.
I recently threw in the towel and put on the saddle that came with my bike. It's some Bontrager gel thing w/o a cutout and oddly it's actually working much better for me but I'm still not completely happy.
I'll try putting my Butterfly back on and moving the saddle up a bit to see if that solves the problem but I'm not overly optimistic about it.
-Wenona