Saddle sore

pairofpears · 28-07-2021 10:38am #1

I seem to get saddle sores in the same place a bit too often for my liking. I have been using chamois cream on every ride for the last few months even if its just an hour cycle. I have a Fizik Arione on both bikes and have been through Aliantes and other saddles and the Arione seems to fit best. I think my issue comes from sitting too far forward on the saddle and therefore am sitting on the crease at the top of my leg which causes the saddle sore. I dont seem to sit on my sit bones often enough and naturally slide forward.

Apart from pushing back on the saddle constantly or pushing the saddle forward on the rails is there anything else I could do?

Fighting Tao · 28-07-2021 10:39am

A professional bike fit would be advisable if you are in discomfort and constantly readjusting yourself.

wowy · 28-07-2021 10:58am

Seconded on the bike fit recommendation.

Check your short sizing too - I went down a size a few years ago, and while getting them on is a now little bit trickier, it eliminated a lot of movement & friction from the shorts in that area.

hesker · 28-07-2021 11:00am

You can adjust the saddle tilt to stop you slipping forward. I’d try that before a bike fit. Not saying a bike fit isn’t a good idea but you can eliminate a lot of things yourself beforehand.

positron · 28-07-2021 11:02am

"Apart from pushing back on the saddle constantly or pushing the saddle forward on the rails "

Any reason for not wanting to move the seat forward to suit your body position?

pairofpears · 28-07-2021 11:03am

I use XL in shorts and just recently had to change from one pair with a good chamois to another pair with a different chamois. Both Nalini shorts but the newer shorts though a tighter fit are let down by the chamois. I will adjust the saddle angle slightly and see if that works for me.

If not I will be calling Aidan Hammond.

magicbastarder · 28-07-2021 11:03am

"Apart from pushing back on the saddle constantly or pushing the saddle forward on the rails is there anything else I could do?"

have you actually tried sliding the saddle forward? also, is there any slope to it?

pairofpears · 28-07-2021 11:07am

I have to check the saddle placement on the rails but i thinks its forward. I keep it as flat as possible but will move it forward on the rails to start with then mess around with slopes.

Would it be better to sloe up or down to push myself back into the sit bone area of the saddle.

Luxman · 28-07-2021 11:16am

I didn't get to the same level of discomfort but I also had a saddle that was pan flat front to back, I was shifting forward on the saddle after about 90 mins and this led to some problems. I changed the saddle and current one has a curve to it so it holds me in position and eliminates the sliding. Note the saddle still has to be comfortable (ie, support sit bones) and it did take a couple of weeks to get used to it, but now once I sat on it I tend not to move back and forth.

hesker · 28-07-2021 11:22am

I’d try tilt adjustment first. There should be a sweet spot where you don’t slide forward and you don’t feel pressure from the saddle nose.

Good bib shorts also help.

Also saddles can be very individual. Different width saddles are required for different people. I have a Fizik saddle that kills me after 50km but can ride all day on a cheaper saddle I have.

magicbastarder · 28-07-2021 11:39am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117672428#Comment_117672428

if you slope the saddle down you'll tend to slide forwards and end up sitting on the nose, so angling it back would be preferable.

pairofpears · 28-07-2021 11:55am

I will move the saddle forward tonight and see how that goes. Then I will try a slight upward tilt but fractional that I dont slide off the back.

traco · 28-07-2021 12:27pm

I came accross this recently - no clue if its right but shows how to meaure your sit bones and for the sake of a damp backside it might be worth checking the saddle dimensions for you also. It won't cost anything. That aside its an intersting concept as a business model. Don't know if any bike shops offer similar here.

https://www.seatpost.co.uk/blog

fat bloke · 28-07-2021 1:00pm

Try dropping the saddle fractionally. It worked for me.

nak · 28-07-2021 3:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117673009#Comment_117673009

There are bike shops in Ireland that can measure and fit saddles without the damp backside and also provide trial saddles.

traco · 28-07-2021 3:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117674235#Comment_117674235

cool - that could be an option for the OP if things dodn't improve with some adjustments

TheBlaaMan · 28-07-2021 8:37pm

Definitely fit first - then kit.

nicksnikita · 29-07-2021 8:14am

Assuming your bike is the correct size:

1) your saddle is too high

2) your bars are too low or too far away

3) it’s a combination of 1+2

It’s very unlikely to be saddle angle - leave that at level to start with. A slight adjustment if 1-2degrees at the end can be used to dial your position

Start with setting your saddle height. To obtain the correct saddle height, use a saddle height calculator - put “LeMond saddle height calculator” into google or YouTube and plug in your measurements. I’d be 90% sure the LeMond method will require you to reduce the height of your saddle.

That may solve your issue or you may then need to start working on your handlebar height / stem length.

Finding comfort should be manageable without a professional bike fit as long as you have a set of Allen keys and are ok with making adjustments on your bike 👍

smacl · 29-07-2021 10:32am

I dont seem to sit on my sit bones often enough and naturally slide forward.

As others have said, first and simplest thing here is raise the nose of the saddle slightly. If this doesn't sort it, it would also be worth trying different saddles. Personally I'm only properly comfortable on the Brooks B17, having tried a bunch of other saddles including the C17 more recently, but everyone's a bit different. I move around the saddle and bars a fair bit on longer rides which stops pressure building up. The flared and slightly raised back of the B17 works well for me in this regard.

crosstownk · 29-07-2021 10:36pm

I got a saddle sore back in May - it was the first one I've had in over three years. I've a few pairs of bib shorts but I noticed that I was more painful after using a certain pair of shorts. On inspection I found that the internal padding was split and this split was pinching me right on the crease between my groin and thigh. The split wasn't visible - I found it by feeling and squeezing the pad. The shorts (Endura FS260 Pro) were only two or three months old. CRC replaced them - no questions asked.

It's unlikely that you've the same problem but it's worth checking everything. Also, if your shorts are old the padding may have collapsed rendering it ineffective.

I suffered from saddle sores in the past and I changed to Selle Italia SLR Superflow saddles which suited me. I did measure my sit bones to ensure I ordered the correct size. Previous saddles had been too narrow causing me to put too much weight on my perineum.

sy_flembeck · 29-07-2021 10:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117680608#Comment_117680608

That's very interesting. I was getting sores regularly enough for a couple of years but they had stopped. Then I wore my pair of Endura bibs I had and got one that day. These bibs are 3 years old and, while used, they're used no more than any others I have.

OP have a look at the Specialized Avatar saddle. I use this on my bikes due to its extra padding and general comfort.

pairofpears · 30-07-2021 9:17am

Its not the shorts as they are brand new out of the pack Nalinis. I was out last night and lowered the saddle about 10mm after advice from another forum. That seemed to put me back on my sit bones more so will try that for the next few weeks and see how it goes.

magicbastarder · 30-07-2021 9:24am

it potentially could be the shorts if they're a bad fit; if they're too big and bunch up they could cause a pressure point.

pairofpears · 30-07-2021 9:27am

No theyre a good fit and very tight due to being new compared to older shorts where the elastic would have stretched and not offer as much comfort.

WOT · 31-07-2021 6:15pm

I’ve got 1x Fizik Antares and 1x other saddle there that you can borrow or have for very cheap if you are looking to try a few different saddles.

Antares was my go-to for ages, dropped the bars by 10mm at one point and immediately felt the family jewels were under pressure. There was literally no position that I could get comfortable without raising the bars.

selle smp dynamic is what my posterior has decided it wants to sit on for my good bike (200km spins) and I’ve since dropped the bars another 10mm without any issues.

pairofpears · 31-07-2021 8:01pm

I dropped the saddle the other night and while I wasn't pushing myself I stayed on my sit bones a lot more so that could be the way forward. Hoping to do a good spin tomorrow and see how that works out for me.

TGD · 01-08-2021 8:49pm

Anyone try Infinity saddle - a bit radical - https://infinitybikeseat.com/

standardg60 · 01-08-2021 10:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117688462#Comment_117688462

I dropped my saddle recently after circa ten years after noticing the same issues and has made the world of difference.

Can only assume i'm not as tall as i used to be, but it makes sense!

Saddle sore

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