Backside versus saddle

Mike67

Not quite sure where to post this so thought I'd try beginners as It's new to me.

Just fitted a new saddle as the old one got saggy in the middle.

So now of course the new saddle (Thoork) has to break me in and is causing me plenty of grief in the usual places.
I'm guessing this is because it's pretty firm compared to the old one which was squishy and knackered and I got far too used to it!

Question is, how long do you give it before ditching it and trying an alternative?
Does the body adapt pretty quickly in your experiences?

I've done three rides on it so far, all over 30 miles. I don't normally have an issue with new saddles but then I'm getting older and softer

Also any tips for relieving saddle soreness for my ride (50 odd miles) tomorrow, don't fancy standing up all the way round...clean answers only on a postcard please

andrewjoseph

was the old one getting uncomfortable? is the new one a totally different shape.

try the old one back on for the longer ride, if that eases the problem, the new saddle is not for you. try to get something the shape the old saddle is now.

Wacky Racer

The Thork is a very light saddle, so I would guess it is unlikely ever to be as comfortable as saddles like the Flite. From reading a few reviews of the Thoork, it would seem that it takes quite a few miles to soften up. Did you get measured up for a saddle? If you know that the Thoork is the right width (130mm), then I would persevere for a couple of months, but if you didn't get measured then it may be worth doing so, to save you flogging a dead horse.

I persevered with my old saddle for 12 months, as I knew it wasn't the size that was the problem. I just hoped it would bed in and become more comfortable over time, but it never did and I replaced it this week. I used my new saddle for the first time this morning and straight from the packaging it was a million times more comfortable than the old one.

Mike67

Cheers guys

The Thoork is the same width as my old one but as you correctly point out, much lighter with less padding. The sides don't seem to wrap around as much as my old one either...looks more like a perch.

The old one was actually very comfy (WTB) but as I say saggy in the middle...so much so it was affecting my saddle to BB height which would change depending how much it sagged (and how much effort I was putting in....pretty knackered really). I think this in turn was causing me some knee issues (I know...I'm falling apart :? )
I'm not sure it's still in production but I'll have a look if I give up on the Thoork.

Meantime I've put the original manufacturers saddle back on as I know that was OK while I get a chance to heal

I'll keep chipping away at the Thoork though...too stingy not to

andrewjoseph

Mike67 wrote:

...

The old one was actually very comfy (WTB) but as I say saggy in the middle...so much so it was affecting my saddle to BB height which would change depending how much it sagged (and how much effort I was putting in....pretty knackered really). I think this in turn was causing me some knee issues ...

I don't quite understand this. Does the wtb have a solid base? How thick is the padding in the wtb?

I have never experienced anything like this with any padded saddle I had. They compressed down eventually, but never changed during a ride.

Mike67

Yes, not too clear from my explanation.

I think it was the shell itself that was the issue rather than the padding. Not sure if there were any cracks in it or something but it certainly wasn't springing back to shape properly and I could feel it kind of sinking under me as I pedalled. Much more than the normal give that you'd expect from a saddle. I could also quite easily push it down to the rails with just my hand....like I say...knackered