How long does it take your ar5e to get used to cycling?

secretsam

So: have a decent saddle but still get discomfort in the peri-wotsit area. Saddle issue or need to toughen up my bits?

diamonddog

Saddle slightly nose up may help or perhaps a slotted saddle. I suffer the same but only occasionally on longer rides.

SoSimple

I asked the same question when I started and after 3-4 months you definitely 'get used to it', but the wrong saddle will never be truly comfy.

I played around with a few recommendations and they were hit and miss but once you find the right saddle, you just know and it becomes a non issue almost immediately.

Not saying it will work for you but I found my solution with a charge spoon and now I can do a long ride and not even think about my saddle.

EdgarRubio

I'm just looking for a more comfortable saddle. Excuse me, but what's a charge spoon?=)

w00dster

Charge manufacturer bikes and the Spoon is one of their saddles. Very common saddle, been around for a fairly long time. I have one on my single speed commuter.
Everyone's body parts are different. I've been riding bikes for a long time, I had a bit of soreness in the under regions this weekend, same bike / saddle as always. The difference was that I was using a different pair of bib tights - I normally use Rapha bib shorts and am fine - this weekend out came the long bib tights (cheap make) and I noticed the discomfort. So its a trip to the shops this weekend for a pair of decent bib tights.

secretsam

Hmmm. A mixed response. I run a Selle Italia Gel flow Max thing with a slot (ahem!) which is a decent saddle but not sure it fits my bits. I may try a spesh Romin or similar.

Ironically, I'd just tilted the nose down a bit 'cos I felt I was riding on my Trossocks

seanoconn

If you're having discomfort in the perineum area, then a saddle with a cut out is a good idea, a couple of mm up or down on the selle Italia could make all the difference.

PS. You're not supposed to stuff any of your bits through the cut out, in case this is what's causing the discomfort.

Lambretta_Special

w00dster wrote:

Charge manufacturer bikes and the Spoon is one of their saddles. Very common saddle, been around for a fairly long time. I have one on my single speed commuter.
Everyone's body parts are different. I've been riding bikes for a long time, I had a bit of soreness in the under regions this weekend, same bike / saddle as always. The difference was that I was using a different pair of bib tights - I normally use Rapha bib shorts and am fine - this weekend out came the long bib tights (cheap make) and I noticed the discomfort. So its a trip to the shops this weekend for a pair of decent bib tights.

Or buy some cheap tights without a pad to go over your shorts.
guaranteed comfort and not as expensive if you fall and rip them

I've had a numb wang and adjusted back slightly in the saddle for a few mile seemed to ease it
nads hair is irritating for me to the point I have shaved said plumbs

fudgey

i have only had a road bike for about 6 months now and up until i had covered 950 miles i was still making slight adjustments to the saddle position. the seat simply was not comfortable but last resort was to start spending so i kept fiddling with position

after reading a lot of the net about fit etc and watching some good youtube videos i think i have finally nailed it. done 1300odd miles on it now - that latter in relative comfort.

assuming that you have seat height sorted one thing in a video was, just sit on the saddle in an upright position - does it hurt? is you pelvis leaning forwards or backwards? if so then adjust the tilt, i had to raise the nose slightly on mine

if you can sit upright comfortably then put your hands on the bars - feet at 9 and 3 o'clock and lift your hands off the bars. are you falling forwards? if so adjust the for-aft position of the saddle until you are about balanced. i now have it quite far forwards on the seat clamp.

its made a huge difference, only done a few 50mile+ rides with it now in this position and so far so good.

ben@31

Padded bib shorts and getting a proper bike fit do wonders.

My bike fit even measured my posterior on a pad and told me what saddles would suit my bum shape.

A short term remedy is shuffling around on the saddle or standing up out the saddle for a few seconds every 30 mins but that is just removing symptoms and masking the problem.

secretsam

ben@31 wrote:

Padded bib shorts and getting a proper bike fit do wonders.

My bike fit even measured my posterior on a pad and told me what saddles would suit my bum shape.

A short term remedy is shuffling around on the saddle or standing up out the saddle for a few seconds every 30 mins but that is just removing symptoms and masking the problem.

Done padded shorts and bike fit (although they didn't measure my posterior :twisted: ) - just back from ride and the only bit that's sore is the inbetweeny bit. And yes, I use chamois cream