Wife still having bike comfort issues....

vikingboy
vikingboy Posts: 128
edited February 2010 in MTB general
Wife wanted to get into cycling to loose some weight and spend some leisure time with me.
However she cant seem to ride her bike for more than a mile without ending up in excruciating pain in her nether regions. Pain gets her right in the delicate parts and as a result she hates the idea of getting on her bike. Shes tried various saddles, the best being the SDG Allure ( http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=28311 ) but shes still having trouble with that now.

Having tried everything I can think of, angle of saddle, moving saddle forward and back, raising and lowering saddle, shorter stem etc....I give up. She needs professional fitting help but I haven't got a clue where to go. It seems most shops dont understand womens problems when it comes to saddles so any advice where to go would be very gratefully received. We are based in Berkshire so anywhere around Reading, South London or surrounding area would be fine.

thanks in advance for any help

Comments

  • Eranu
    Eranu Posts: 712
    Seem to remember someone saying specialized concept stores were very good for womens mtb advice.
  • vikingboy
    vikingboy Posts: 128
    yeah, I think their arse measuring thing might be a top idea to at least be sure the saddle fit is correct re the sit bones.
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    Maybe try a saddle like this
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=23428

    (Review for the next model up is here http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... plus-12667)
    Although it's designed for men, you really do sit on you ar*e as opposed to any sensitive bits in between.

    I had one on an old bike that my GF of the time used plenty of times and she found it good.....very, very good, if you catch my drift, couldn't get her off the flippin' thing! :shock: :oops:

    Just seen they do a womens version too http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=23429
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    Eranu wrote:
    Seem to remember someone saying specialized concept stores were very good for womens mtb advice.

    +1, you need to take your good lady to Specialized Concept stores, they have some machine where the lady can sit on and can choose the correct saddle for her bum cheeks, they do the same for footwears and hands too.

    Top Banana 8)
  • CraigXXL
    CraigXXL Posts: 1,852
    Padded shorts the wife swears by them and fine tune the seat angle
    GT Force 1.0

    Evil Sovereign
  • JamesBrckmn
    JamesBrckmn Posts: 1,360
    What bike is it? is it women specific? what saddles have you used?
    the concept store is supposed to be good, i think theres one in london, and try padded shorts too.
    My balls really hurt if i have a heavy ruck sack on because i don't sit properly on the saddle, but the rest of the time it's fine. does she wear a heavy rucksack?
  • keith1200rs
    keith1200rs Posts: 97
    When my old saddle broke recently I had loads of trouble finding a comfy replacement. The Specialized bum measurer was useless. In the end I got sorted in the bike shop by borrowing a small, hard topped wooden stool in the shop, plonking every saddle on it and sitting on it.

    The problem for me with a lot of soft saddles is the foam completely compresses and you bones hit the plastic shell.

    Keith
  • trailpuppet
    trailpuppet Posts: 381
    Bike too big?

    Does she wear padded shorts?

    If yes, does she go commando? ie she needs to do without her nickers :oops:

    Saddle too high?

    Suspension seatpost may be part of the answer.

    Fearne Cotton was complaining about the same bother on R1 the other day.

    http://www.roadcyclinguk.com/bike-reviews/assos-chamois-cream/2160.html
    I use nappy cream :roll:
  • vikingboy
    vikingboy Posts: 128
    some great questions and suggestions, thank you

    Its a Lapierre Xcontrol - not female specific but bike size appears correct and the shop (Nirvana Cycles) were happy with fit too. She's 5'10 and the frame is a medium.
    She has padded shorts and has tried them commando and non-commando.

    Shes tried saddle both high and low, currently its about right when using the heel flat on the pedal at the bottom of the stroke technique, just a small bend in the knee. Have tried it much lower too which didnt help. Tipping the nose way down out of the way really helped.

    She does carry a camelback so Ill get her to go without in case thats contributing to the problem.

    We havent tried a suspension seatpost and the saddles linked above look extreme in that if they dont work then nothing will so Ill get one of them to try. Ill also drag her down to the Specialised shop to give that a try too.
  • fitch28
    fitch28 Posts: 155
    is it possible that it could be something more medical related that the bike is aggravating rather than causing? just a thought as i can get very uncomfortable after a very long ride but a mile seems a very short distance to be in excruciating pain.
  • vikingboy
    vikingboy Posts: 128
    thats a good point Fitch - she was in agony after .7 miles logged on the GPS I ride with!
    Whats that, a few minutes of riding. You can see she is in pain as she essentially pushes of with the pedals and sits on the saddle.

    If only there was a specific womens riding shop who understand womens bits!
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    If your good lady is still alot of pain after a short ride, try the saddle issue first at Specialized concept shop and adjust the cockpit setting, a more up right position should be able to help by getting shorter stem, if all fail then get a female full suspension mtb, that will soften the blow when sitting on the saddle riding over the bumps.

    Have a look at female's full suspension mtb's when you are in the Specialized concept shop, good luck and when you are in pain, it's no fun riding the bike.
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    It doesn't sound like a problem that would be solved by FS. Seems more to do with weight/pressure on the saddle as opposed to bumps causing a sore bum. There can't have been too much 'bumping' in 0.7 miles.
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • captainfly
    captainfly Posts: 1,001
    It sounds like the seating position is too streched out (as tt length and stem are more important thath seat tube length) and a more upright riding position would move body position further back, have you tried a shorter stem, riser barsand saddle further forward?
    -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
    Mongoose Teocali
    Giant STP0

    Why are MTB economics; spend twice as much as you intended, but only half as much as you wish you could afford? :roll:
  • vikingboy
    vikingboy Posts: 128
    Have ordered the saddle from CRC above and fitted a shorter stem this evening so fingers crossed the mid week ride is longer than half a mile!

    Will attempt to get to a Specialised shop this week for other input too - cant hurt I dont think
  • fitch28
    fitch28 Posts: 155
    what kind of pain we talking here? also is it internal or external? is there any pain when not on the bike at any time? any itching? any cuts? things like vaginitis or bacterial vaginosis can be uncomfortable when cycling. if change in saddle or stem doesn't help then perhaps a docs appointment might help.

    agree with above comments that a shorter stem might help. will shift pressure from her more sensitive lady bits to her rear!
  • Briggo
    Briggo Posts: 3,537
    vikingboy wrote:
    Have ordered the saddle from CRC above and fitted a shorter stem this evening so fingers crossed the mid week ride is longer than half a mile!

    Will attempt to get to a Specialised shop this week for other input too - cant hurt I dont think

    Let us know how she got on with the Selle SMP TRK, the missus isnt getting on too well with the Fizik Vitesse on her Focus so looking to source an alternative, the LBS' around here dont seem to stock too many womens saddles.
  • vikingboy
    vikingboy Posts: 128
    Sure will do Briggo.
    After all this fiasco I could open up a store stocking nothing but ladies saddles - Ive got a garage full of the things LOL!

    The pain - no, nothing external or cuts, itching or internal pain and nothing off the saddle so doubt its anything more serious. i think its just pure discomfort from the saddle pressure.

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