I want to do a 100 mile ride, but. . .

Sutton_Rider

I want to do a 100 mile ride later this year, the longest so far has been 55 miles. The show stopper will be saddle comfort the site bone area in particular. I have tried 6 different saddles, the cheap to the expensive and 3 types of shorts / bibs, using Castelli Velocissimo with the Kiss3 pad for all-day comfort, mmm at the moment. The best I can manage is about 3 hours, I'll need more than double that for a 100. I know we are all different, but someone said to me once "You need a gel pad not foam". Is that right? What about these, Lusso Pro-Gel 2 Cooltech Bib Shorts http://www.merlincycles.com/lusso-pro-g ... 57362.html. Anyone tried them? Has anyone any advise to help.
PS. I've had 2 bike fits on 2 different bikes in the last 6 months.

marcusjb

It's not just about saddles and shorts - position, position, position.

If you are having troubles with 6 different saddles and 3 different shorts, buying more shorts or saddles is unlikely to make a difference I am afraid.

It's impossible to give you any direction on what might be wrong with your position without looking at you on the bike - but something needs to change.

cougie

How often do you cycle ? Are you consistent week in, week out ?

Sutton_Rider

I cycle 2 or 3 times a week this time of year more in warmer weather plus 1 or 2 turbo sessions. I do between 30 and 50 miles per ride. If it makes any difference I'm 5' 7" and 12 st.

cougie

So its not like you're getting on the bike once in a blue moon and expecting an armchair ride. Odd.

Do you have the bars fairly high or close to you ? Can you try dropping them and putting more weight on them ?

Do you run your tyres rock hard ? Can you try wider tyres, lower PSI ?

Do you live somewhere flat ? Sometimes you just need to get out of the saddle a bit for comfort.

Sutton_Rider

The bars are set for max comfort, I've tried riding on the drops, but its generally more uncomfortable after a while.
I run the rear tyre at around 100psi it has been at 80 sometimes, makes no difference. I'm on 25mm now but have had 23's on.
I live and ride in SE Lincolnshire the nearest thing we have to a hill is a speed bump. I do stand every 10 mins once the discomfort starts.

ex-pat scot

bike fit. All the comfy padded saddles and shorts in the world won't help if your pelvis is not rotated properly and as a consequence is not right on the saddle

frisbee

ex-pat scot wrote:

bike fit. All the comfy padded saddles and shorts in the world won't help if your pelvis is not rotated properly and as a consequence is not right on the saddle

He's had 2 bike fits already though. It could be that after a couple of hours in the saddle his core is worn out and he is collapsing.

Is it saddle sores/skin type pain or bruised bones?

nigeldoyle

Anti chafing cream will help with a sore arse. That plus standing up for 50m or so every couple of km.

Sutton_Rider

It's bruised bones and I do stand every so often, plus sit on the edge of the saddle and anything else I can think of. But what about these gel padded bibs? Worth a go? or is it just bul....

frisbee

Sutton Rider wrote:

It's bruised bones and I do stand every so often, plus sit on the edge of the saddle and anything else I can think of. But what about these gel padded bibs? Worth a go? or is it just bul....

My guess is that they probably won't make a huge difference.

How quickly can you ride again without discomfort? The next day? A few days? A week?

Sutton_Rider

I did 55 miles on Tuesday and was going out again today, but still sore should be OK tomorrow. So 3 days. A 30 mile ride would see me OK in 48 hours.

meanredspider

Maybe you're just different (we're all different - you just have a whimp's butt ). It might be that you do need gel shorts and a gel saddle with springs and down feathers

Sutton_Rider

Sounds great where do I get the down feather saddles from

meanredspider

Sutton Rider wrote:

Sounds great where do I get the down feather saddles from

Best I could find is this :?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Soft-Silica-Bic ... B002ZI4OBG

Have it re-stuffed

Sutton_Rider

Ha Ha - It looks more comfy than my sofa. :shock:

Thanks Guys

paul2718

I think you need to find the right bike fitter. Because your bars are set for max-comfort, yet you are cripplingly uncomfortable.

I suppose it's possible that if you can find a local optimum, a specific pair of shorts and saddle, and manage to survive your 100 miles, in the future you will be able to use a much wider range of equipment, because your body will have adapted rather than being injured/healing a bit repeatedly.

You could try taking a couple of weeks off and starting again with the seating. Better this time of year than later.

Paul

Sutton_Rider

I don't think changing the seat position will make any difference. Before having the first bike fit I tried all sorts of positions, up, down, back and forth there was no difference. I had the bike fit out of desperation and found my set up was the same as the fitters set up except he moved the seat 5mm forward. When I had the fit done on the new bike I compared measurements afterwards and again found them to be the same. The bike fitter I used came very highly recommended by a number of experienced local riders.
This is why I'm looking at a thicker gel pad rather than just foam and would like to hear from anyone who has the shorts mentioned at the top of the thread, or a similar type maybe.

cougie

What's max comfort on the bars ? Are they higher than the saddle ? Level with ?

A picture might help but if two bike fits haven't...

I don't think your terrain is helping you. I'm out of the saddle every few minutes and I don't live anywhere mountainous.

Maybe try a mid distance sportif somewhere bumpy ?

Sutton_Rider

As requested.

http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/r52 ... -2015i.jpg

I'm going to try a lumpy ride in June: That's the 100

Omar Little

Your saddle looks to be pointing up a bit, try leveling it and see if that improves things

cougie

It does look quite an upright position - so more weight on the bum.

If you could lower the bars - you'd have more weight to carry on the arms, and less on the saddle ?

paul2718

The saddle is low, the bars are high and rotated towards the rider, and the stem is short. Is the frame basically too large? It doesn't look like you could ride it in the drops much, especially if you needed to reach the brakes.

And the saddle looks like it dips where you sit, which might be a complicating issue, or an optical illusion.

I would try a more aggressive position, down and round at the front in essence, to stretch yourself out more. The worst that can happen is that you get back ache as well as butt ache.

Paul

Kieran_Burns

Also: where is actually hurting? Your sit bones? Your perineum? Top of the thighs? Numb... err... bits?

You're saddle may be too wide / narrow, you could try a split saddle (I changed my road bike saddle to a Selle Italia and love it) or as said above: your fitting is a bit naff.

Sutton_Rider

1. The saddle is level, it's the picture.
2. I feel too uncomfortable in a more aggressive position, I'm 62 and not as flexible as I was at 32.
3. The frame is the correct size, It's 'Small' I'm 5' 7"
4. The stem is 60mm with a 100mm it felt like I was reaching for the bars, so yes it is a more upright position.
5. The bars are where the fitter set them when he changed the stem.
6. If I'm laying on the saddle I get numb bits.
7. The saddle has a 5mm dip in the middle.
8. The saddle is 135mm - I've tried 5 others on the old bike, some better than others, Charge Spoon is best about the same as the Giant saddle.

I think that covers it - Thanks for all the input.

bianchimoon

Sutton Rider wrote:

1. The saddle is level, it's the picture.
2. I feel too uncomfortable in a more aggressive position, I'm 62 and not as flexible as I was at 32.
3. The frame is the correct size, It's 'Small' I'm 5' 7"
4. The stem is 60mm with a 100mm it felt like I was reaching for the bars, so yes it is a more upright position.
5. The bars are where the fitter set them when he changed the stem.
6. If I'm laying on the saddle I get numb bits.
7. The saddle has a 5mm dip in the middle.
8. The saddle is 135mm - I've tried 5 others on the old bike, some better than others, Charge Spoon is best about the same as the Giant saddle.

I think that covers it - Thanks for all the input.

Might of missed it but not sure if you have said you've had sit bone width measured ?, if not shops that sell bontrager saddles measure your sit bones and give a saddle to correct width with a full money back guarantee if it's uncomfortable, worth a try

Sutton_Rider

Sit bones measured at 110mm

secretsam

Sutton Rider wrote:

Sit bones measured at 110mm

You skinny-arsed so-and-so!! Are you a snake?!?!?!?!?!??

crikey

From a casual glance at the picture, everything is too short.

I suspect that your problems have led to you trying to move the seat forwards and the bars backwards and have resulted in a kind of sit-up and beg style more suited to an old dutch city bike rather than a road bike. I have ridden bikes for a long time and the most uncomfy I get is when I go to Amsterdam and use a hire bike to get around on, because I'm sitting on my bum all day.

I would say that if I were you, I'd move my seat down by a centimetre, back by two, then rotate the bars forwards to stretch you out and get you taking a bit more weight on your hands.

Stop getting 'bike fitted'; it's bloody snake oil for those without the sense to work things out themselves and try to work things out for yourself; you will get a much better understanding of you, your bike and how the two will best fit together.

Oh, and yoga to get bendy.

Sutton_Rider

110mm isn't skinny SecretSam. Whats yours?
I've tried more or less what you suggest crikey on the old bike - didn't make any difference. At the moment I do have KOPS and with the heal on the pedal the leg is almost straight, both legs checked. I take your point about the bars, but I do feel uncomfortable when stretching. maybe give it a go and see if the sit bones calm down.

jgsi

Personally, given the fact that you are in your 60s (also, but have been riding a long time) you might need to re think your cycling experience.
Flexibility can be improved but it aint going to be a light bulb moment and suddenly you ride ...

if you want to carry on riding and want to be able to ride every day, back to the drawing board,,, maybe think about a bespoke frameset (audax geometry just as an eg) .
Going bespoke, you also get access to expert craftsman who knows a thing or 2 about riding a bike.
Ok, it's not a cheap option, sorry.... but it just might give you opportunity to actually ride in some kind of comfort.
Have a read of https://www.facebook.com/stevenabraham2015?fref=ts
sat on his harris for approx 200 miles perday
If you cannot overcome the 'soreness' there is only 1 realistic outcome....
Unfortunately, it is a personal challenge even with the absolutely invaluable forum advice.. and you know what they say about believing anything you read on internet....