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Saddle sore solutions?



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 28th 18, 08:48 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Joerg[_2_]
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Posts: 6,016
Default Saddle sore solutions?

On Friday I talked to a woman who rides very little because the saddle
causes her pain after a short time. Most likely this is a combination of
factors, the hardness of usual road bike saddles plus the fact that road
bikes have no suspension whatsoever and hard tires.

MTB saddles are often a little cushier. Then there are thud-buster type
systems but that's more for hard MTB riding which she doesn't do. Maybe
there are similar systems for road bikes?

Are there recommendations what could be done without breaking the bank
and without switching to a slow beach cruiser?

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
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  #2  
Old July 28th 18, 09:11 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
John B. Slocomb
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Posts: 144
Default Saddle sore solutions?

On Sat, 28 Jul 2018 12:48:03 -0700, Joerg
wrote:

On Friday I talked to a woman who rides very little because the saddle
causes her pain after a short time. Most likely this is a combination of
factors, the hardness of usual road bike saddles plus the fact that road
bikes have no suspension whatsoever and hard tires.

MTB saddles are often a little cushier. Then there are thud-buster type
systems but that's more for hard MTB riding which she doesn't do. Maybe
there are similar systems for road bikes?

Are there recommendations what could be done without breaking the bank
and without switching to a slow beach cruiser?


Probably not. I think that most people that ride very much have a
whole drawer full of saddles that didn't work. My most favored saddle
is very hard but contoured. Changing to a similar saddle with more
padding and a bit less contour is far less comfortable.

Leather saddles are expensive and heavy and initially very, very,
uncomfortable but once broken (molded to your butt) very comfortable.

  #3  
Old July 28th 18, 09:13 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
JBeattie
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Posts: 5,870
Default Saddle sore solutions?

On Saturday, July 28, 2018 at 12:47:52 PM UTC-7, Joerg wrote:
On Friday I talked to a woman who rides very little because the saddle
causes her pain after a short time. Most likely this is a combination of
factors, the hardness of usual road bike saddles plus the fact that road
bikes have no suspension whatsoever and hard tires.

MTB saddles are often a little cushier. Then there are thud-buster type
systems but that's more for hard MTB riding which she doesn't do. Maybe
there are similar systems for road bikes?

Are there recommendations what could be done without breaking the bank
and without switching to a slow beach cruiser?


Recumbent? One of those stair-master bikes? The first question is "pain where?" It could be a million things relating to saddle position and saddle type. A lot of times, the tractor-seat saddles make things worse and not better. What your friend needs is to hook up with a bike shop willing to let her try saddles and with sales people who can make reasonable recommendations. My favorite local shops have generous saddle return policies. My son -- who can buy whatever he wants on pro deal -- bought an OTC Shimano Pro Stealth saddle from Western Bikeworks for discounted retail, and that saddle has a 30 day free return policy. He loves it. IMO, its an odd design with a short nose. The moral of the story is that you don't know what works until you try. Suspension isn't the solution -- you just end up with a sore ass and a pogo-stick.

-- Jay Beattie.

  #4  
Old July 28th 18, 09:44 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Emanuel Berg[_2_]
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Posts: 1,035
Default Saddle sore solutions?

jbeattie writes:

Recumbent? One of those stair-master bikes?
The first question is "pain where?" It could be
a million things relating to saddle position and
saddle type.


And saddle height. It can be a girl thing as well.

A lot of times, the tractor-seat saddles make things
worse and not better.


+1

Some people think they are comfortable because of the
way they look, or possibly the way the alternatives
look. But IMO they aren't comfortable at all.

Suspension isn't the solution


I suppose it could be theoretically but saddle height
and type are the first things to get right.

--
underground experts exiled
http://user.it.uu.se/~embe8573
  #5  
Old July 28th 18, 10:21 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Frank Krygowski[_4_]
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Posts: 10,538
Default Saddle sore solutions?

On 7/28/2018 3:48 PM, Joerg wrote:
On Friday I talked to a woman who rides very little because the saddle
causes her pain after a short time. Most likely this is a combination of
factors, the hardness of usual road bike saddles plus the fact that road
bikes have no suspension whatsoever and hard tires.

MTB saddles are often a little cushier. Then there are thud-buster type
systems but that's more for hard MTB riding which she doesn't do. Maybe
there are similar systems for road bikes?

Are there recommendations what could be done without breaking the bank
and without switching to a slow beach cruiser?


http://bicyclinglife.com/PracticalCycling/Sore.htm


--
- Frank Krygowski
  #6  
Old July 29th 18, 11:23 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Tosspot[_3_]
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Posts: 1,563
Default Saddle sore solutions?

On 28/07/18 21:48, Joerg wrote:
On Friday I talked to a woman who rides very little because the saddle
causes her pain after a short time. Most likely this is a combination of
factors, the hardness of usual road bike saddles plus the fact that road
bikes have no suspension whatsoever and hard tires.

MTB saddles are often a little cushier. Then there are thud-buster type
systems but that's more for hard MTB riding which she doesn't do. Maybe
there are similar systems for road bikes?

Are there recommendations what could be done without breaking the bank
and without switching to a slow beach cruiser?


Contact points are a very personal thing and bear no relation to
cost[1], I would first make sure it is at the correct angle/height etc.
Then borrow some old saddles of someone. Everyone has a collection, and
see if any of them are more comfortable, and work from there.

Bottom line, if a 10 dollar saddle is comfy, be very happy, if a 300
dollar saddle is comfy, spunk the 300, because nothing else will be
comfy :-(


[1] I use M324s on all my bikes, Brooks B17s and one Colt, Ergo GP1s for
flat handlebars (good quality cork on the drops). Will never change
from this, because, the only way is down.

  #7  
Old July 29th 18, 11:39 AM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Duane[_4_]
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Posts: 1,546
Default Saddle sore solutions?

Emanuel Berg wrote:
jbeattie writes:

Recumbent? One of those stair-master bikes?
The first question is "pain where?" It could be
a million things relating to saddle position and
saddle type.


And saddle height. It can be a girl thing as well.

A lot of times, the tractor-seat saddles make things
worse and not better.


+1

Some people think they are comfortable because of the
way they look, or possibly the way the alternatives
look. But IMO they aren't comfortable at all.

Suspension isn't the solution


I suppose it could be theoretically but saddle height
and type are the first things to get right.


You need the shop to measure you for the right size saddle as well.

--
duane
  #8  
Old July 29th 18, 02:24 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Sir Ridesalot
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Posts: 5,270
Default Saddle sore solutions?

On Saturday, July 28, 2018 at 3:47:52 PM UTC-4, Joerg wrote:
On Friday I talked to a woman who rides very little because the saddle
causes her pain after a short time. Most likely this is a combination of
factors, the hardness of usual road bike saddles plus the fact that road
bikes have no suspension whatsoever and hard tires.

MTB saddles are often a little cushier. Then there are thud-buster type
systems but that's more for hard MTB riding which she doesn't do. Maybe
there are similar systems for road bikes?

Are there recommendations what could be done without breaking the bank
and without switching to a slow beach cruiser?

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/


Well, first off there's a huge difference between a "Saddle Sore" and a sore behind.

Women often require a shorter but wider saddle than men do. Avocet used to make womens saddles as did other manufacturers.

What kind of bicycle is she riding? What type of saddle? How is it positioned ie nose high? How does she ride - upright or bent over? An image of HER bike and saddle posted somewhere and linked to here would be a big help.

Is the bicycle the right size for her?

Cheers
  #9  
Old July 29th 18, 03:19 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
AMuzi
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Posts: 13,447
Default Saddle sore solutions?

On 7/28/2018 2:48 PM, Joerg wrote:
On Friday I talked to a woman who rides very little because
the saddle causes her pain after a short time. Most likely
this is a combination of factors, the hardness of usual road
bike saddles plus the fact that road bikes have no
suspension whatsoever and hard tires.

MTB saddles are often a little cushier. Then there are
thud-buster type systems but that's more for hard MTB riding
which she doesn't do. Maybe there are similar systems for
road bikes?

Are there recommendations what could be done without
breaking the bank and without switching to a slow beach
cruiser?


There are no snappy answers.

Although, as you suggest, saddle shape and padding* or lack
thereof can be significant, my experience is that rider
position is a first order variable and overshadows all else.

Once you spend a few minutes analyzing her position and
correcting as needed then listen to what she says about the
saddle itself.

For me, without changing anything else, a Cinelli #5 or
Turbo is great but the beautiful sleek Concor (which may be
'the same shape' to the casual observer) is a torture
device. When I was young my favorite saddle was an Ideale
90IR, completely and utterly different from the (unrideable
for me) Brooks Pro. YMMV and hers will too.

* With normal road bars, padding is less important. With
hi-rise bars, the weight shift and change in pelvis angle
indicates a much wider and squishier saddle, AEBE.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971


  #10  
Old July 29th 18, 03:38 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Joerg[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6,016
Default Saddle sore solutions?

On 2018-07-28 13:13, jbeattie wrote:
On Saturday, July 28, 2018 at 12:47:52 PM UTC-7, Joerg wrote:
On Friday I talked to a woman who rides very little because the
saddle causes her pain after a short time. Most likely this is a
combination of factors, the hardness of usual road bike saddles
plus the fact that road bikes have no suspension whatsoever and
hard tires.

MTB saddles are often a little cushier. Then there are thud-buster
type systems but that's more for hard MTB riding which she doesn't
do. Maybe there are similar systems for road bikes?

Are there recommendations what could be done without breaking the
bank and without switching to a slow beach cruiser?


Recumbent? One of those stair-master bikes? The first question is
"pain where?" It could be a million things relating to saddle
position and saddle type. A lot of times, the tractor-seat saddles
make things worse and not better. What your friend needs is to hook
up with a bike shop willing to let her try saddles and with sales
people who can make reasonable recommendations.



Yes, good point. Next time I talk to her I'll suggest that.


... My favorite local
shops have generous saddle return policies. My son -- who can buy
whatever he wants on pro deal -- bought an OTC Shimano Pro Stealth
saddle from Western Bikeworks for discounted retail, and that saddle
has a 30 day free return policy. He loves it. IMO, its an odd design
with a short nose. The moral of the story is that you don't know what
works until you try. Suspension isn't the solution -- you just end
up with a sore ass and a pogo-stick.


On my MTB which I ride with close to max allowed tire pressure I found
that a somewhat cushier WTB leather saddle increase my miles from start
to "butt hurt" to above 30 on rough trails. And it doesn't hurt that bad
so I can ride on for a while.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
 




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