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Road bike saddle advice


Baj
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I've been using a decent road bike for a couple of months now, and am having real issues with the saddle. I can't cycle for more than an hour without it physically tender on the bones on the bottom of my arse (ive a pretty skinny arse). I need a solution, because I'm avoiding cycling because of it now.

Im riding a Trek 2.1, my saddle is Bontrager affinity 2. Im also wearing 2 pairs of padded shorts (doesnt help)

 

Anyone else had this issue with road bikes?

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Could be a lot of things. Is your saddle level, or pointed down?

When you say decent road bike, do you mean a 'racer', or a sit up and beg type town bike? Racers aren't exactly built for comfort but it sounds from the description like you are sat too upright. Have you had the bike set up to your physical dimensions or is it off the peg. You can get a professional set up, but they're not cheap, there are loads of website thrt will give you a fairly decent basic set up.

 

EDIT: just searched online, thats a pretty decent bike/sddle combo you've got. Start with the saddle, get it level, use a spirit level so its spot on. Saddles like that are meant to be sat on for hours on end, hence why they are so narrow. Less contact=less places to rub against. They other thing is they do take a while to 'break in', and equally as daft as it sounds, if you haven't done a lot of cycling, your backside isn't designed to sit on something like that, it will take time for it to toughen up.

Edited by Huffton
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Could be a lot of things. Is your saddle level, or pointed down?

When you say decent road bike, do you mean a 'racer', or a sit up and beg type town bike? Racers aren't exactly built for comfort but it sounds from the description like you are sat too upright. Have you had the bike set up to your physical dimensions or is it off the peg. You can get a professional set up, but they're not cheap, there are loads of website thrt will give you a fairly decent basic set up.

 

EDIT: just searched online, thats a pretty decent bike/sddle combo you've got. Start with the saddle, get it level, use a spirit level so its spot on. Saddles like that are meant to be sat on for hours on end, hence why they are so narrow. Less contact=less places to rub against. They other thing is they do take a while to 'break in', and equally as daft as it sounds, if you haven't done a lot of cycling, your backside isn't designed to sit on something like that, it will take time for it to toughen up.

 

As Huffton said you have a decent bike with a good level of equipment. You don't say if you were fitted for your bike. my advice would be if you weren't get to your lbs and see if everything is set up right. I've got two bikes Cube Peloton and Ridley Excalibur Flandrien (different geometries etc) both set up perfectly because I was fitted for both. FWIW the Fi'zi:k Arione I've got on the Ridley is a great saddle on the road, but doesn't feel anything like as comfy on the turbo. it really it comes down to getting the right shorts, possibly using chamois cream getting everything set up absolutely correctly and then just getting used to it through acclaimatisation. waht sort of milageare you doing?

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just checked model on the Ridely it's a Fi'z:ik Arione VS around £100 from a lbs but cheaper from Wiggle. don't buy from Wiggle as they are from that smelly filthy place along the coast. Btw you shouldn't need to wear two pares of shorts to make riding bearable. get thee to your local bike shop and get it sorted with a fitting.

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Thanks all.

No not had a professional fitting, though it wasnt just "off the peg" as they did a few measurements first, but there was certainly no adjusting after the first set of measurements. In terms of mileage, hardly anything, maybe 3* 15 miles a week, then the odd week off as I have my kids, but seriously cant do more than that without it hurting on the bones. I did drastically move the saddle (but it was awful before hand anyway). My lbs is peter handsfords in c/ford so ill swing by, particularly as I plan doing the IOW this weekend.

 

Lastly, yeah, I know Im being a bit of a girls blouse and you have to break saddles in, but surely it shouldnt hurt THIS much :(

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