saddle sore

instinct

Just got a new road bike and the saddle is killing me. Is there a breaking in phase or should I look at alternatives?

Any recomidations on saddles?

Its a cube Ariel and the saddle appears to be the same as my Mtb but no complaints there.

Beasty

Are you wearing padded shorts?

bogmanfan

Good quality padded shorts, plus Assos Chamois Creme will help. There is, however, a slight breaking in period for any new saddle, but after 100km you should be ok. I find that Bontrager saddles just don't suit me though, and I've had 2 which I simply had to get rid of. Been using Specialized Body Geometry since then, and much more comfortable, right from the first spin.

macnab

as said padded shorts are a must, your rear end will become more used to hours in the saddle after a while also. The Charge Spoon seems to be a highly rated budget saddle.

coastwatch

Even though it's the same saddle as your mtb, you're going to feel a lot more bumps and vibrations on a road bike with narrow tyres pumped to 100psi+ , so no surprise that the same saddle doesn't feel a comfy.

I bought a Fizik Aliante in Fitzcycles a few weeks ago because I couldn't get used to the saddle that came with the bike, a KTM alu frame. Fitzcycles have a range of new Fizik Test saddles, you can take away and test for a week (€20 deposit). I tried a couple before I settled on the Aliante model. It's got a bit more cushioning than the original saddle.

A0

instinct wrote: »

Just got a new road bike and the saddle is killing me. Is there a breaking in phase or should I look at alternatives?

Any recomidations on saddles?

Its a cube Ariel and the saddle appears to be the same as my Mtb but no complaints there.

Yes, there is a breaking phase. As posted somewhere above, MTB and Road set ups are different, different needs, etc...
My saddle is similar as this: http://www.thecycler.net/photos/snp4bike1-w300h250.png
Not exactly this one but you get an idea. Gives relief to the perineum, better to use this for the long term, especially if you are doing 3-5 hours sessions.

This is a recreational saddle but the idea (concept) is good, makes sense...
http://www.spiderflex.com/saddle-specs.html

Added: I forgot... check handle bars set up too. The height and depth I mean, so you can improve the front to rear wheel weight load (better balance) and not have too much load (your body weight) applied on the saddle.

instinct

Thanks for replys. I have padded shorts alright but maybe they are a bit used at this stage.

Nearly have 100k on the new bike so hoping it gets a bit more comfy.

Is there any useful setup guides out there ? Since leaving the shop I put the saddle up as I thought it was low so maybe the handle bars could do with a bit of a lift too.

kincsem

The saddle is probably too soft, and possibly too wide.

If you post a picture of the saddle sore we can have a laugh give a proper opinion.

macnab

regarding saddle position, put your shoes on, then sit on the saddle, put your right pedal at the bottom of its stroke and then place the heal of your right foot on the right pedal. Your right leg should be almost dead straight at this point with little or no bend in your right knee. You should be able to repeat this exercise for your left leg without shifting your position on the saddle.

A0

instinct wrote: »

Thanks for replys. I have padded shorts alright but maybe they are a bit used at this stage.

Nearly have 100k on the new bike so hoping it gets a bit more comfy.

Is there any useful setup guides out there ? Since leaving the shop I put the saddle up as I thought it was low so maybe the handle bars could do with a bit of a lift too.

For saddle height, there are some simple equations available (factoring leg length and body height). I personally don't use them, I just see what I feel. When I have a new bike, I always fine tune the set up during or just after training sessions.

The post above gives you some good guidance as a starting point.

Regarding the handle bars, if they are too low, you will have too much weight on your arms and if they are too high, the opposite (more weight on the saddle). Stem length is important too and affects your position on the saddle.