Shorts too tight?

mclarent
mclarent Posts: 784
edited December 2008 in Workshop
I'm having a problem with blood circulation, in an area that quite concerns me... :wink:

I only noticed once I started doing long endurance work on the turbo, so wonder if it's because I'm sitting down more than I normally would be outdoors? Or should I think about a new saddle? or more padding? Any advice welcome!!
"And the Lord said unto Cain, 'where is Abel thy brother?' And he said, 'I know not: I dropped him on the climb up to the motorway bridge'."
- eccolafilosofiadelpedale

Comments

  • wilwil
    wilwil Posts: 374
    mclarent wrote:
    I'm having a problem with blood circulation, in an area that quite concerns me... :wink:

    I only noticed once I started doing long endurance work on the turbo, so wonder if it's because I'm sitting down more than I normally would be outdoors? Or should I think about a new saddle? or more padding? Any advice welcome!!

    A saddle that feels OK on the road can be painful or worse on a turbo because you stay in the same position longer. My Toupe saddle hurts my sit bones after 30 minutes on a turbo whereas on the road it takes 3 hours. Thankfully though no circulation problems with this saddle. I tried a a Fizik Arione saddle but was only allowed by the LBS to use it on the turbo as it wasn't a demo model and it caused circulation problems after 30 minutes. Out on the road things may have been different. I am going to try 2 pairs of shorts.
  • Not Another Hill
    Not Another Hill Posts: 382
    I find it more uncomfortable on longer endurance sessions on the turbo compared to on the road. I Wear exactly same shorts. I think you spend more time in the same position. I don't suffer circulation problems. Why not have a 5 min break every 30 - 40 mins and see if it makes a difference?
  • James_London
    James_London Posts: 530
    Unless your shorts are very poor quality it's much more likely to be a saddle problem. Tilting the nose down a very small amount (especially with an Arione) can often help, experimenting with different fore/aft positions (on the rails), sitting positions on the saddle itself and lowering your saddle 2-5mm may all be helpful. Get out of the saddle every five minutes for 30 seconds on the turbo to ensure good circulation. More padding is not necessarily better either. It's about being supported by the saddle in the right places.

    Only change one thing at a time and ride at least three long rides before you decide whether it's working for you or not. You didn't say which saddle you're using but the Toupe is often recommended for numb n*ts but does take some getting used to.

    Most obviously, unless you're stuck on an oil rig or something, avoid long sessions on the turbo!
  • mclarent
    mclarent Posts: 784
    Thanks, I'll try adjusting the angle of the saddle. Unfortunately, work / life commitments (and a phobia for long rides in the dark!) mean the turbo is my "best friend" at the moment...
    "And the Lord said unto Cain, 'where is Abel thy brother?' And he said, 'I know not: I dropped him on the climb up to the motorway bridge'."
    - eccolafilosofiadelpedale
  • popette
    popette Posts: 2,089
    with the big freeze going on, I have been on my rollers for the last week. By the end of my hour this morning, my front bum WAS ON FIRE!!!!!!!! youch.
    I don't have this problem on the road at all. :oops:
    http://www.2010etape.blogspot.com
  • BigSpecs
    BigSpecs Posts: 309
    popette wrote:
    my front bum WAS ON FIRE!!!!!!!! youch

    Awesome turn of phrase popette! Love it...
  • James_London
    James_London Posts: 530
    Just pop a bit of Assos chamois cream down your shorts Popette... :-) Should warm things up nicely.

    I've shunned the delights of the turbo in favour of some chilly 2 hours rides this week. You just have to put up with taking corners a little slower but after the first 30 minutes or so I wasnt really noticing the cold. Vittoria Pave CG tyres are fantastic in slick and dubious conditions too...
  • eridani
    eridani Posts: 16
    Numbness in the crotchal region is perfectly common - it's the reason for all the saddles with the cutouts down the middle. I don't know about anyone else, but I didn't change position nearly as often on the turbo - out on the road you've got inclines shifting your weight back and forth, out of the saddle sprints to clear dodgy roundabouts and the like. When I'm on the turbo I listen to the radio and change position at the end of every song, moving from tops to drops to sitting bolt upright.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,321
    Not necessarily a bad thing, Robert Plant and Ian Gillan made a career out of wearing supertight pants!

    Ugo
    left the forum March 2023
  • nipon
    nipon Posts: 68
    could be caused by th fact that on a turbo the back wheel is a couple of inches up so you are in a slightly different position,i always prop the front wheel up to keep the bike level.
  • wilwil
    wilwil Posts: 374
    nipon wrote:
    could be caused by th fact that on a turbo the back wheel is a couple of inches up so you are in a slightly different position,i always prop the front wheel up to keep the bike level.

    My TACX Flow has a stand for the front wheel to make the bike level.
  • mclarent
    mclarent Posts: 784
    yeah, I have a "riser block" (aka big piece of plastic) as well...

    Glad that it's not just me though! And that I didn't get called popette...
    "And the Lord said unto Cain, 'where is Abel thy brother?' And he said, 'I know not: I dropped him on the climb up to the motorway bridge'."
    - eccolafilosofiadelpedale

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