Saddles + soreness.

[allen-uk]

I know it's been covered before, having just read through some old postings, but I was wondering whether anyone ever DID get one of those (US-type) big seats where you are seated in a sort of mini-seat rather than a proper saddle?

And if so, what was the longer term result?

I know the wisdom is that you should sit on the darned thing and ride for miles and miles until your perineum hardens up, and fair enough, conventional wisdom is often right, but it ain't half sore in the hardening-up process!


Allen.

 

[eddieo]

I find the latest Wisper Velo plush seats a lot better.......But padded cycling shorts/trousers make all the difference. Lidl and Decathlon for decent cheap ones.

 

[lemmy]

My Brompton has their standard saddle, it looks rather narrow and knobbly but is the most comfortable I've ever used.

You'd never know it from looking or a 5 minute test ride, though.

 

[jerrysimon]

I have a Brompton and I agree the saddle is comfy. However I picked up one of these saddles from Halfords s/h cheap on ebay, which I use on my Moulton and have to say its the most comfortable saddle I have used.

Halfords | Bikehut Mens Comfort Bike Saddle

I know some rave about Brooks saddles, but they take an age to wear in.

Regards

Jerry

 

[Bikerbob]

I agree with Eddie's comment about padded shorts or cycling underwear. Makes more difference than the saddle.

 

[allen-uk]

The Bikehut does look interesting - it seems to address the essential problem, in that we want to sit on our bottoms, not on the often tender bit of bone and tissue between our bum and our balls (slightly different for the women, but similar).

Talking of which... I've nicked my wife's saddle, just for a test. It's broad at the rear, padded all over, and sprung, so definitely NOT very manly, but on a quick run round the local roads it was very comfy. (Comfy is a Good Thing when you're an old git, by the way).


Allen.

 

[Vikki]

*COUGH* recumbent *COUGH*

Sorry, couldn't resist it.

I have a tri-gel saddle on my Wisper and it's ok but after a while, it gets ya! Mind you, I doubt my sit bones enjoy supporting my (diminishing) weight.

That's why I like power on demand, I can support myself on one leg and let the bike take the strain while I rest my rear for a minute or two.

Vikki.

 

[Mussels]

The Bikehut does look interesting - it seems to address the essential problem, in that we want to sit on our bottoms, not on the often tender bit of bone and tissue between our bum and our balls (slightly different for the women, but similar).

Talking of which... I've nicked my wife's saddle, just for a test. It's broad at the rear, padded all over, and sprung, so definitely NOT very manly, but on a quick run round the local roads it was very comfy. (Comfy is a Good Thing when you're an old git, by the way).


Allen.

Most of your weight should be on the back of the saddle where your sit bones are, womens saddles are different due to the different bone structure. The problem with gel saddles is they put pressure on soft tissue and after a while it causes problems, I find comfort saddles painful but then again I do a lot of miles on the saddle.
Brooks do very good comfort saddles, a firm support but well sprung.

 

[Vikki]

I'm having a hard time finding anything comfortable of late

I get to work after 7 miles and my bum is just starting to whinge (it would whinge more if I didn't lift my weight now and then). My shoulders are starting to ache. My writs are far from happy and my back is thinking of griping and is forewarning me.

It is why I got the trike in the end, comfort and exercise. I'm getting rather good at pushing the trike along now and the speed difference is not far off of my Wisper in non-off-road mode. I guess I'm looking at a time when I ride Trikey all the time and probably won't be getting another electric when the Wisper dies (that's probably 50 years down the road knowing my Wisper ).

By the time I replace the Wisper it will probably be time to move over to an electric trike

Vikki.

 

[Old Timer]

I'm having a hard time finding anything comfortable of late

I get to work after 7 miles and my bum is just starting to whinge (it would whinge more if I didn't lift my weight now and then). My shoulders are starting to ache. My writs are far from happy and my back is thinking of griping and is forewarning me.

It is why I got the trike in the end, comfort and exercise. I'm getting rather good at pushing the trike along now and the speed difference is not far off of my Wisper in non-off-road mode. I guess I'm looking at a time when I ride Trikey all the time and probably won't be getting another electric when the Wisper dies (that's probably 50 years down the road knowing my Wisper ).

By the time I replace the Wisper it will probably be time to move over to an electric trike

Vikki.

Hiya Vikki

After many saddles I now have two of these Velo Webspring Coil Sprung Comfort Saddle
Best saddle I`ve ever ridden. I sorted my wrists on all my bikes by fitting bar ends, facing back to me and adjusted height to taste. here _MG_0328.jpg photo - david chilvers photos at pbase.com

So nice to be able to sit up now and then

Dave

 

[allen-uk]

Dave: that saddle is similar to the one Jerry linked to above - it too had that central channel, which obviously helps men (probably women too) sit on their bum and not the rest of themselves.

The one I half-inched off my wife's bike is okay, but probably a bit too bouncy, so for 15 or 20 quid I'm going to try either 'yours' or Jerry's instead.

I'll report on progress.


Allen.

 

[Andrew harvey]

If your wrists are aching you can raise your bars with something like this,
Satori 4.61inch headset extender clamp on type .NEW on eBay (end time 08-Aug-10 19:07:40 BST)
I sell a few of these, they are normally about £20 from your LBS, there are also alternatives for old fashioned quill stems. A friend uses one with BMX bars shimmed into it on a mountain bike, looks odd but that suits him to a tee.
Sitting more upright also relieves some of the weight on your shoulders, straightens your back and then allows you to sit more comfortably, as your weight is then more vertical on the saddle.

 

[NRG]

Hiya Vikki

After many saddles I now have two of these Velo Webspring Coil Sprung Comfort Saddle
Best saddle I`ve ever ridden. I sorted my wrists on all my bikes by fitting bar ends, facing back to me and adjusted height to taste. here _MG_0328.jpg photo - david chilvers photos at pbase.com

So nice to be able to sit up now and then

Dave

I bought the slightly narrower one on your recommendation Dave, superb! Best saddle I've used do far....

 

[Old Timer]

If your wrists are aching you can raise your bars with something like this,
Satori 4.61inch headset extender clamp on type .NEW on eBay (end time 08-Aug-10 19:07:40 BST)
I sell a few of these, they are normally about £20 from your LBS, there are also alternatives for old fashioned quill stems. A friend uses one with BMX bars shimmed into it on a mountain bike, looks odd but that suits him to a tee.
Sitting more upright also relieves some of the weight on your shoulders, straightens your back and then allows you to sit more comfortably, as your weight is then more vertical on the saddle.

You`ll notice I have those on all my bikes

 

[Hugh]

Sore bum

Saddles are a really tricky one - each to his/her own and all that.

I discovered this about a year ago

Evans Cycles | Fizik LIFE Rondine Man | Online Bike Shop

It's a really good halfway house between the racing cheesecutter style of saddle, and something so springy that you lose all your power bouncing up and down, while still being wide enough to sit on comfortably.

Available from various other shops as well as Evans.

I liked them so much I've got one on each of my 3 bikes now. (I've got 2 Cannondale mountain bikes as well as the Kalkhoff)

Good luck with the search.

 

[allen-uk]

I've been using my (borrowed) wife's saddle for a week or more now (saddle borrowed from her, that is), and it's been very good. It looks like the one that Old Timer linked to - broad across the rear, and sprung.

I'm not 'female shaped' in that area - even though I'm a great weight, my bum has always been average/small, and my pelvic bones aren't very wide. But I think that most bike saddles are designed for slimmish blokes, and anyone carrying a bit of weight just won't get the comfort from them. Our 'sit bones' (I would prefer ischial tuberosity as I find it more accurate) are always too wide for conventional saddles.

So, Old Timer's link looks good to me - also, anyone in unconventional mode, try this:

Comfort Saddle

which really IS radical - just a left/right 'bench' seat, allegedly more like sitting on a bar-stool than a bike!

Unfortunately, my odd seat-post clamp won't fit to it, so I'm left my wife's saddle for the time being.

Allen

 

[garrence]

which really IS radical - just a left/right 'bench' seat, allegedly more like sitting on a bar-stool than a bike!

Unfortunately, my odd seat-post clamp won't fit to it, so I'm left my wife's saddle for the time being.

It'll be interesting to hear if having no nose on the saddle affects your control of the bike.

Bouncing along a particularly bumpy road yesterday I gave my bum a break by lifting off the saddle a bit and noticed how I was then using my thighs against the nose of the saddle to help balance and control.

 

[nigel]

Hi guys
i feel a bit dumb having to even ask this question but i want to change the saddle on my torq from suspension to a rigid seat post but i have taken the bracket from underneath the saddle the bracket has a nut on each end i know it fits somehow on the 2 rails underneath the saddle but i have drawn a blank would a member have a picture of how it fits. many thanks nigel.

 

[flecc]

Here's a pic of a typical saddle clamp Nigel. The saddle rails sit in the grooved sections of the pairs of side plates behind each nut. Hope this helps:

 

[WALKERMAN]

It'll be interesting to hear if having no nose on the saddle affects your control of the bike.

Bouncing along a particularly bumpy road yesterday I gave my bum a break by lifting off the saddle a bit and noticed how I was then using my thighs against the nose of the saddle to help balance and control.

Yes, I found this out when I first used one of these saddles. I looked over my shoulder and almost lost control. I eventually got used to it though. I have ended up using a Rido.