Comfort issues....advice?

Sammyw23

Morning

Having real Rear end comfort issues with 40+ miles on my Alu winter bike.

Yes there is an element of MTFU but I want to do what I can to ease the pain on my rear end!

Have tried about 6 saddles so far but keep coming back to my arione for overall comfort. Plus I am sick of eBaying saddles!!

Do 25mm tyres make a noticeable difference in comfort over 23mm?

And does reduced tyre pressure make that much difference?

Any other suggestions?

Cheers

MaxwellBygraves

25mm tyres.
Lower pressures (85-100 PSI).
Carbon seatpost ( :twisted: )
Edit: Oh and some good padded shorts if you haven't already got them.

AndyOgy

You don't need to spend a fortune to get a really comfy saddle. I've just discovered the delight that is a Charge Spoon saddle. Just the standard one with Chro-Mo rails and it's only £20.

I swapped a Brooks B-17 out for a Charge Spoon and it makes my rear end think that I'm about 2 stone lighter.

25mm tyres also help, more that one might think.

seanoconn

Good padded shorts, wider tyres, lower pressure and fiddle with the level of your saddle, a few millimeters either way makes a difference.

If all else fails and you haven't already, try a specialized romin saddle.

MichaelW

Wider tyres, carbon posts etc make for a more comfortable ride BUT they wont make a saddle fit.
Have you ever ridden comfortably before. Do you have other comfortable bikes?
Check your overall riding position. Are you too low or long at the front?
Are you riding too far too soon?

Monty Dog

I would add that the correct saddle is about shape and the padding on your shorts is what gives comfort. Padded / gel saddles can in fact create irritation / inflammation. Running 25mm tyres at 90-100psi will probably make the biggest difference too.

Sammyw23

cheers guys - I am hoping that my rear end will get used to it over time but I have built up over 8 months from 25 to 40 mile rides and its just since doing 30+ that my @ss starts to suffer.

I love the arione shape but I think the padding isn't dense enough so for longer rides its not up to it (for me....it obviously works for a lot of people).

Tried the Romin.....MY GOD it was hard!! Felt better down below but left me bruised afterwards.

Think I will try the wider tyres - and maybe the Antares saddle with its wider rear and denser padding.

Really wish there was a saddle library locally.....

rc856

My sit bones used to get sore after a couple of hours.
Bought some Assos Uno shorts, Assos chamois cream, 25mm tyres and a Spesh Alias saddle and it felt so much better.
Can't say out of that list what, if any, one thing made the most difference but the padding on the shorts feels great.

willharris10

Thats exactly the combo that I found worked! Different shorts but the principle is the same and the Alias very comfy.

25mm Continental Grand Prix 4000s are now available. Very good. Grand Prix 4 Seasons come in 23, 25 and 28 which gives you a bit more choice. I'm running a 23mm front and 25mm rear as there's more weight at the back!

ollyridesfirst

i have the Fizik Antares and it's a world better than the stock saddle i had originally. That said, i have an on-one saddle on my fixie and that is very comfy.

Being just over 14 stone too, i tend to wear 2 pairs of shorts when out on longer rides....

Altura pro gel shorts on first, then a pair of decent bib shorts normally make it very comfy!

letap73

Have you tried the rest of Fizik range? You can test saddles from the lbs. In my experience I would get to 40-50 miles with my stock Bontrager saddle, and 30 miles on a Selle Royal seta before getting uncomfortable. I did think that I was comfortable enough on those saddles, however after testing out both the Antares and Aliante I was very wrong. As a consequence, I now have an Aliante and will soon have an Antares in my possession.

Paul E

I had (still have it) an alias 143 hurt like hell, changed to a harder 130 romin, job done and no more sore points.

StrangelyBrown

A lot is down to personal preference, and trial and error. I don't get on with Fizik saddles, but find the Spesh Romin fantastic. As others have said, don't confuse padding with comfort, and sometimes it's a case of putting miles in to harden up your rear

Last winter I used 25mm tyres, and for various reasons switched back to 23mm tyres, and can't say I noticed much of a difference.