Ouch

[Doobiesis]

If you have a racer try flipping the handle bar stem - that worked for me as my reach affected where I was sat on my saddle. and also try dipping the front of your saddle, just a little bit.

I don't think you need to go as in depth as some people are suggesting. Just tweak it see what works.

 

[Justinslow]

I don't think the OP has man bits

Ha ha yes, I was just suggesting that it can be the same problem for both sexes, maybe worse for a "large" male

 

[Nick 0668]

So I got my bike in November, after many years of no cycling.

I knew my backside would take a while to get used to it, but..

Ouch!

I wear padded shorts/tights
I had a 'bike fit'
I have been cycling fairly regularly, but so far only at weekends (sometimes both days, sometimes just one day, occasionally not at all).

I have stopped getting sores but the pain while cycling is not improving and after a while the rest of my posture begins to suffer. I stand up for short periods to get the blood moving.

Do I persevere with the saddle that came with the bike (it is a female specific one)?

Or should I be used to it by now? Time to look at other saddles?

Usually I am only out for an hour. Yesterday I was out for two. If I cycle two days in a row it is really sore when I first set out on the second day.

If I'm not getting sores will buying cream help?

Thank you for any advice

I'd invest in a gel saddle cover, my arse was sore after the first 10 mins!

 

[Nigelnaturist]

as @Yellow Saddle says Nov to now is a relatively short time, it took me the best part of two years, I don't like my current saddle as much as my last but to some degree I have gotten use to it.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

It sounds like it might be worth going back to the shop and having another chat with the fitter who sounds like a good egg

This, if you've paid for a bike fit, then the bike should fit you and if the saddle is hurting then there's a good chance it still needs tweaking (which may include a different saddle for you). I'm impressed some people put up with two years 'bedding in' time for a saddle, I know I wouldn't :-) . The time thing is a bit of a red herring anyway, it's more how many miles you've put in. I think you said you ride regularly of a weekend, I'd expect that to have given you enough miles to work out if your current set up works for you (and in fact find it doesn't as you have.) Chat to the shop and see what they suggest.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

This, if you've paid for a bike fit, then the bike should fit you and if the saddle is hurting then there's a good chance it still needs tweaking (which may include a different saddle for you). I'm impressed some people put up with two years 'bedding in' time for a saddle, I know I wouldn't :-) . The time thing is a bit of a red herring anyway, it's more how many miles you've put in. I think you said you ride regularly of a weekend, I'd expect that to have given you enough miles to work out if your current set up works for you (and in fact find it doesn't as you have.) Chat to the shop and see what they suggest.

Very funny, it might also be the fact I was getting use to 150-300 miles aweek.

 

[axwj29]

Thank you again for all the ideas and perspectives!

The handle bar stem was flipped during the bike fit, though they did say if I found it too much od a stretch once I get going, they could swap it out. I'm not sure if I would be happy with that stretch if I was seated more comfortably though.

A colleague says he bought his Mrs a gel saddle that I can use as she rarely cycles. I know lots of people don't rate gel saddles, but I will give it a try as it won't cost me anything.

Next step, head back to the LBS. I did have a quick chat with them last time I was there and decided to give it more time. They don't do the sit bone measuring (I was going to do that last night but no tin foil or cardboard in the house) and only have a very limited range of saddles, but I they said they do demo them. I'm sure they wouldn't mind having another look at the bike fit (it was a free one with the purchase of the bike).

Vickster, I'm tempted by that saddle on Wiggle, it does have great feedback. I could see if any local shops stock them and would let me demo one.

In the meantime, hopefully my colleague's saddle will give me temporary relief this weekend If not, at least I'll be ruling one more make/model of saddle out.

 

[vickster]

There are selle italia dealers who do a measurement a bit like the specialized one

I think it's called ID fit if you Google

 

[Boon 51]

vickster's saddle suggestion is a great one, you could need a saddle with the hole in the middle, I wouldn't tip the saddle forward but just lower it by 5mm as I think the saddle should be level,
You stem may be too long and are you sure its a women's bike or unisex bike and not a mans bike as they are different?
Good luck with getting it sorted.

 

[axwj29]

I went to the LBS today, where they had Selle Italia, Fizik and some others.

The first saddle the produced was the Diva Flow Gel.. it didn't feel much different from the Liv saddle. Rather than measuring, they asked about where I get pain, so whilst testing the Diva Flow I pin pointed exactly which part of the saddle makes contact with the ouchiest bits. Based on this, I then tried a number of saddles with narrow noses (the more padded gel ones were all pretty wide). There was another Selle Italia ladies one, and a Fizik ladies one which were both really painful straight away but on a different way (I cycled to the shop so I guess any pain showed up more quickly than if I'd driven). The one I now have to demo is a men's one (another cheaper brand, can't remember the name). It has a narrow nose, large cut out and is slightly padded for the sit bones. I rode it home about 9.5 miles uphill. Far from painless but loads better.

It was certainly an interesting exercise, I'm glad I didn't just order the Diva Flow online and hope it was ok for me. I'm a bit worried that I don't like this one after a week's riding.. the guy in the shop said he would struggle to find another option for me.

My sister wants me to do a 40 mile ride with her on Good Friday (my longest so far being 20), so I could really do with being more comfortable by then!

On a slightly different note, ladies, do you think you're more sensitive down there at 'that' time of the month?

Thank you again for the great advice. Boon 51, my bike is definitely a ladies' model (pretty colours and everything), I need an xs ladies frame so didn't have much choice.

 

[Boon 51]

I went to the LBS today, where they had Selle Italia, Fizik and some others.

The first saddle the produced was the Diva Flow Gel.. it didn't feel much different from the Liv saddle. Rather than measuring, they asked about where I get pain, so whilst testing the Diva Flow I pin pointed exactly which part of the saddle makes contact with the ouchiest bits. Based on this, I then tried a number of saddles with narrow noses (the more padded gel ones were all pretty wide). There was another Selle Italia ladies one, and a Fizik ladies one which were both really painful straight away but on a different way (I cycled to the shop so I guess any pain showed up more quickly than if I'd driven). The one I now have to demo is a men's one (another cheaper brand, can't remember the name). It has a narrow nose, large cut out and is slightly padded for the sit bones. I rode it home about 9.5 miles uphill. Far from painless but loads better.

It was certainly an interesting exercise, I'm glad I didn't just order the Diva Flow online and hope it was ok for me. I'm a bit worried that I don't like this one after a week's riding.. the guy in the shop said he would struggle to find another option for me.

My sister wants me to do a 40 mile ride with her on Good Friday (my longest so far being 20), so I could really do with being more comfortable by then!

On a slightly different note, ladies, do you think you're more sensitive down there at 'that' time of the month?

Thank you again for the great advice. Boon 51, my bike is definitely a ladies' model (pretty colours and everything), I need an xs ladies frame so didn't have much choice.

It seems the saddle is your problem and its a mine field with all the different shapes and sizes but do give your saddle a little time break in and perhaps some really good padded shorts will help. ( red liner in the shorts give the best protection)
So ride as much as you can and it should get easier and good luck with your 40 miler.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I went to the LBS today, where they had Selle Italia, Fizik and some others.

The first saddle the produced was the Diva Flow Gel.. it didn't feel much different from the Liv saddle. Rather than measuring, they asked about where I get pain, so whilst testing the Diva Flow I pin pointed exactly which part of the saddle makes contact with the ouchiest bits. Based on this, I then tried a number of saddles with narrow noses (the more padded gel ones were all pretty wide). There was another Selle Italia ladies one, and a Fizik ladies one which were both really painful straight away but on a different way (I cycled to the shop so I guess any pain showed up more quickly than if I'd driven). The one I now have to demo is a men's one (another cheaper brand, can't remember the name). It has a narrow nose, large cut out and is slightly padded for the sit bones. I rode it home about 9.5 miles uphill. Far from painless but loads better.

It was certainly an interesting exercise, I'm glad I didn't just order the Diva Flow online and hope it was ok for me. I'm a bit worried that I don't like this one after a week's riding.. the guy in the shop said he would struggle to find another option for me.

My sister wants me to do a 40 mile ride with her on Good Friday (my longest so far being 20), so I could really do with being more comfortable by then!

On a slightly different note, ladies, do you think you're more sensitive down there at 'that' time of the month?

Thank you again for the great advice. Boon 51, my bike is definitely a ladies' model (pretty colours and everything), I need an xs ladies frame so didn't have much choice.

I'd still say take the advice already offered and go and get your sit bones measured.

 

[axwj29]

They said the measuring didn't tell them as much as talking to me about where I hurt. Anyway, I have now done just over thirty miles on the new saddle and can't see it being the one for me.

I will ask them to do the ID fit next time. Ouch

 

[axwj29]

So I ended up going to a shop in town that did the Specialized measuring. Apparently the measurement is 130. I have a 143 Lithia Comp that I can take back within 30 days. Won't be till Tuesday or Wednesday but that gives my ass a couple of days to recover from this weekend!

 

[Boon 51]

Morning axwj29..

I was measured at two different shops and both came up with a different size saddles, one shop said I was a 130 small an the Trek shop says I'm a 138 medium, so I have both sizes and both work, the main factor is the make up of the saddle.
I don't know if the 130 might be too small for a girlie saddle as I thought girlie saddle's are slightly wider but I have seen narrow saddles on girlie bikes so try one out if you can.
At the end of the day its what saddle fits you the best wether it be large or small or a boy or girl saddle.
Look for a saddle that is firm but not rock hard but not soft either. Off the top of my head the Specialized do a Henge saddle in different sizes they have a good write up.
Cheers..