NEWBIE WARNING!

greggbaker
greggbaker Posts: 55
edited March 2013 in Road beginners
Thought I'd just share an unpleasant experience with others so they don't suffer as I have. Just bought new bike on bike to work scheme - Trek Madone 2.3 which is beautiful. Went out on my first ride with a mate after having a basic bike fit done by the shop. Only 25 miles which seemed to be a lot of climbing : ) but felt great and so much better than my last road bike. Anyway that afternoon walking round I felt some discomfort in my left nut. This steadily got worse through the week and I finally plucked up the courage to visit the doc after it got so uncomfortable I had to go sick at work which I've not done in over 8 years. Doc had a squeeze and reckoned I've got an infection caused by the impact on the saddle. It felt comfortable on the ride but I was wearing padded bib shorts and padded tights and doc reckons it may have been that too. Now I'm sat on the sofa in pain looking at my new bike longing to be on it. Gutted. Just hope the antibiotics work and its nothing more sinister.
Would welcome any thoughts or similar experiences to make sure this doesn't happen again. I've ordered a charge spoon saddle too!
Cheers.

Comments

  • zx6man
    zx6man Posts: 1,092
    Does happen mate, agitated tubes and all that :-)
  • elderone
    elderone Posts: 1,410
    Sounds painful,hope you heel quickly and get riding soon.
    good luck.
    Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori
  • mrbubbaman
    mrbubbaman Posts: 171
    can't be the only one reading that with my legs crossed!

    ouch! hope it heals and is nothing too serious
  • greggbaker
    greggbaker Posts: 55
    Cheers guys.
  • Sprool
    Sprool Posts: 1,022
    I got a lot of numbness with my stock Scott saddle on long rides, eventually swapped out for a Specialized Toupe with a big centre cut out, its perfect for me, the most comfortable saddle I've ever owned, but these things are so much dependant on your own build shape its not easy to follow recommendations. Charge spoons get a lot of good press. Best thing is to find a good lbs with a try-a-saddle scheme. You need to do a few good rides over differnt days and routes to find ne you're happy with.
  • Bustacapp
    Bustacapp Posts: 971
    I had horrific urethra burn not too long back. Turns out it was caused by climbing a 15% gradient in the saddle whilst on the drops.
  • zx6man
    zx6man Posts: 1,092
    Anyone managed to get their mrs to massage affected area as part of post ride recovery?
  • Sprool
    Sprool Posts: 1,022
    zx6man wrote:
    Anyone managed to get their mrs to massage affected area as part of post ride recovery?
    Send us your address, I can always ask her - will get her out from in front of the telly for an evening. :P
  • greggbaker
    greggbaker Posts: 55
    zx6man wrote:
    Anyone managed to get their mrs to massage affected area as part of post ride recovery?

    Still too painful for that. Not good. Missing cycling but......... :cry:
  • unixnerd
    unixnerd Posts: 2,864
    eventually swapped out for a Specialized Toupe with a big centre cut out, its perfect for me, the most comfortable saddle I've ever owned,

    I have a Charge Spoon on the mtb and a Charge knife on my Cannondale. Thought both were really comfy. But my Roubaix came with a Specialized Toupe and it's just sublime - best saddle I've ever tried. Not even minor pain after 100 miles.

    Tried a few Fizik saddles and whilst the build quality was fantastic they really didn't work for me.
    http://www.strathspey.co.uk - Quality Binoculars at a Sensible Price.
    Specialized Roubaix SL3 Expert 2012, Cannondale CAAD5,
    Marin Mount Vision (1997), Edinburgh Country tourer, 3 cats!
  • patrickf
    patrickf Posts: 536
    I feel your pain and good you got it looked at. I've suffered with this a few times before and it can seriously hurt (think being kicked in the nuts bad)

    First incompetent doc I saw many years back just said not to ride a bike.

    Second doc a few years later had me in for a scan at rhe hospital but nothing was found.

    I've found it clears over a few weeks and luckily I've not had it again for many years. My return to the bike last year also hasn't brought it back on again.

    Get better soon and don't let it put you off. If it happens again perhaps look at other saddles?
  • gerroffandmilkit
    gerroffandmilkit Posts: 160
    Sounds painful. Hope you're mended soon.
  • Lycra-Byka
    Lycra-Byka Posts: 292
    To go against the grain here... Have recently discovered that my charge spoon saddle is the cause of chronic saddle sores. Due to the stitching I reckon. Switched back to the stock saddle an voila ! Sores be gone!

    Each to their own I guess?


    Good luck with the nut btw
  • simon_masterson
    simon_masterson Posts: 2,740
    Lycra-Byka wrote:
    To go against the grain here... Have recently discovered that my charge spoon saddle is the cause of chronic saddle sores. Due to the stitching I reckon. Switched back to the stock saddle an voila ! Sores be gone!

    Each to their own I guess?


    Good luck with the nut btw

    I've been using my Spoon for over a year now and have had some sores during that time. The worst ones were when I wasn't using padded shorts (not recommended), but nevertheless for both those and others I have wondered if the stitching causes part of the problem...

    I recently moved my saddle back a bit and have taken to sitting much further back on it, which improves comfort significantly, and it's been sublime comfort all the way since then. I daresay I could do much better (although that goes for my shorts too), but it remains one of my best £20 investments in cycling...
    Retro(ish) TT 2017-
    Fixed TT 2015-2016
  • Lycra-Byka
    Lycra-Byka Posts: 292
    Honestly I tried everything. Absolutely everything I could. Real comfy to sit on, but sinse changing back to my old saddle the sores are no more.

    Will be selling the spoon cheap if anyone wants it pm me.
  • muzmoz
    muzmoz Posts: 15
    I've also had a few problems since increasing my mileage with a stock saddle (and when I say stock I mean stock on my £300 claud Butler). I'm not sure I'm there yet, but things have improved with 1. A cut out saddle 2. Wearing a pair of very tight base layer Lycra shorts which I wash with special sports washing powder 3. Drinking watwr . drinking before I ride, drinking during my ride and drinking after my ride.

    I'm no expert but the pain involved is a nightmare. Get well soon.
  • cheaterkiller
    cheaterkiller Posts: 159
    greggbaker wrote:
    Thought I'd just share an unpleasant experience with others so they don't suffer as I have. Just bought new bike on bike to work scheme - Trek Madone 2.3 which is beautiful. Went out on my first ride with a mate after having a basic bike fit done by the shop. Only 25 miles which seemed to be a lot of climbing : ) but felt great and so much better than my last road bike. Anyway that afternoon walking round I felt some discomfort in my left nut. This steadily got worse through the week and I finally plucked up the courage to visit the doc after it got so uncomfortable I had to go sick at work which I've not done in over 8 years. Doc had a squeeze and reckoned I've got an infection caused by the impact on the saddle. It felt comfortable on the ride but I was wearing padded bib shorts and padded tights and doc reckons it may have been that too. Now I'm sat on the sofa in pain looking at my new bike longing to be on it. Gutted. Just hope the antibiotics work and its nothing more sinister.
    Would welcome any thoughts or similar experiences to make sure this doesn't happen again. I've ordered a charge spoon saddle too!
    Cheers.

    Why the hell would you let anyone do that! I wouldnt even let my woman squash my balls. I $%^%ed up my big toe once and the first thing the doc done was prod it and ask if it hurt. "Ofcourse it hurt you stupid quack!". Next time I visit the doctors Im gonna poke him in the eye and ask "does it hurt when I do that?"
  • greggbaker
    greggbaker Posts: 55
    cheaterkiller wrote:
    greggbaker wrote:
    Thought I'd just share an unpleasant experience with others so they don't suffer as I have. Just bought new bike on bike to work scheme - Trek Madone 2.3 which is beautiful. Went out on my first ride with a mate after having a basic bike fit done by the shop. Only 25 miles which seemed to be a lot of climbing : ) but felt great and so much better than my last road bike. Anyway that afternoon walking round I felt some discomfort in my left nut. This steadily got worse through the week and I finally plucked up the courage to visit the doc after it got so uncomfortable I had to go sick at work which I've not done in over 8 years. Doc had a squeeze and reckoned I've got an infection caused by the impact on the saddle. It felt comfortable on the ride but I was wearing padded bib shorts and padded tights and doc reckons it may have been that too. Now I'm sat on the sofa in pain looking at my new bike longing to be on it. Gutted. Just hope the antibiotics work and its nothing more sinister.
    Would welcome any thoughts or similar experiences to make sure this doesn't happen again. I've ordered a charge spoon saddle too!
    Cheers.

    Why the hell would you let anyone do that! I wouldnt even let my woman squash my balls. I $%^%ed up my big toe once and the first thing the doc done was prod it and ask if it hurt. "Ofcourse it hurt you stupid quack!". Next time I visit the doctors Im gonna poke him in the eye and ask "does it hurt when I do that?"

    The embarrassment part of me overruled any nut pain WARNING sign. Still not right. Pain is somehow different after antibiotics. It's now more a pulling feel and the nut is less tender. Going back to quacks tomorrow. Dreading it again.
    Thanks for all the messages. New bike is sat there begging to be ridden. Still gutted!!!

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