Question about technique: How to seat correctly in the bike

javidr

I have some pain in my bottom bones and i assume i am not correctly seated in the bike

I am not sure if i seat too close to the handlebar or too far... so i am totally lost

Can somebody give me a free lesson on where exactly in the seat must my bottom be?

I am also wondering if i wear the bib correctly. Again, same question...where should i exactly fit this?

Thanks!

nbalcombe

For the bibs, I find putting my legs through the long bits with the holes in the end and the straps over my shoulders works best for me.

Sorry, couldn't resist

navrig2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAidrTRskLI

imposter2.0

Assuming this is a wind-up, but I'll play along. Unless your ar5e is massive and/or your saddle is tiny, then there is only one place it can go. As for putting on bibs - as nbalcombe says - put your legs through the holes and pull.

mrb123

Sit on the bike, not in it.

javidr

No wind up...

You can put your bones in different parts of the seat. You can move it to the back, upfront closer to the handlebar... thats a serious question. That video is useful

Regarding bibs, thats funny... but again the question makes sense. You can pull it up a lot from the back so the padded area can cover more areas of your bottom, and you can do the opposite, so you have extra padding in the "sacred" area

supermurph09

The issue maybe the fact you've bought the wrong size. I would go with your mum next time.

javidr

Supermurph09 wrote:

The issue maybe the fact you've bought the wrong size. I would go with your mum next time.

Right, this time i went with your mum and it didnt help

Thanks for the help. At some point i thought this was a bike forum...

sungod

try...

https://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/bi ... can-it-be/
https://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/bi ... oad-bikes/

bbrap

JaviDR wrote:

Supermurph09 wrote:

The issue maybe the fact you've bought the wrong size. I would go with your mum next time.

Right, this time i went with your mum and it didnt help

Thanks for the help. At some point i thought this was a bike forum...

JaviDR, I'm assuming from the way you structured your initial question that English may not be your 1st language. People on here do have a quirky sense of humour and do tend to take the piss on basic questions not posted in the beginners section. But I'll try and answer the best I can.

1. The widest part of the saddle should be where your sit bones rest when pedalling normally. When really going for it most people tend to move forward slightly onto the narrower part of the saddle. However when really pushing hard most of your weight is lifted by your leg muscles so less is taken by your delicate bits on the narrow saddle nose.

2. The padding (chamois) in your bibs need to be far back enough to cover the sit bones but not too far back so that your delicate bits are directly exposed to the saddle. Unfortunately bibs do vary quite a lot in the fit and padding size so the ones you have may or may not be right for you. When you first start using them it does feel like wearing a nappy until you get used to it.

Hope that helps.

kingrollo

Ignore the 'clever' replies - seems to be a BR trend at the moment 'How can I ridicule the original poster'

questions

1.How long have you been cycling ? - if your fairly new or have just upped the mileage, then it might just be a case of toughening up your backside.

2.Bike fit and saddle choice would be next contenders - a more upright position isn't neccesarily more comfortable - the position of the brake hoods on the bars can make a difference

I had quite a few backside problems (oh err missus!) - a brooks leather saddle, chamois cream, and some extensive gym work cured it for me - none of those might be necessary depending on how long you have been cycling

grenw

Try getting fitted for a saddle. Measure the width of your sit bones. I did mine at home because I'm tight and wanted internet prices.

I moved from 2 fairly similar Selle Italia saddles (SLR to a Flite) on my mtb. Both are lightweight, low padded saddles but one is 10mm wider. The difference on my arse was like night and day.

First thing I did when I got a road bike was put another Flite on it.

javidr

Ah, right, i got the troll peak time. Now is when real people comes out. Thats the forum that people was speaking about

Bbrap, thats really helpful, yes. The problem i have is that if i put the bones where i think those should be, after 1 hour or so it starts to hurt, but only in one side. Trying to move a bit backward helps, but my leg rubs with the seat, so thats not a good solution. Moving forward also works, but then my legs tend to rub with the frame

@Kingrollo, i have bought a road bike couple of months ago. I was riding a hybrid before, so everything is different here. Position, seat, etc..

I think the key point is the angle between legs and back. I feel it is incorrect and i am putting too much pressure on the bones. Maybe i should strength a bit the core and hold some weight with it?

Thanks

Anonymous

I agree that the wrong saddle can be hell.

I ride a fair amount (80-100m per week) exclusively on Fizik Arione saddles. I did a 55 mile ride on a hire bike on an unknown saddle and my backside was in absolute agony for quite a while.

As for the pad - so long as it is covering your sit bones and it doesn't move around then you should be fine.

svetty

Agree trying different saddles might help but never made much difference personally - for me standing up out of the saddle every few miles for 20 seconds or so is key - allows blood flow to the pressure area and relieves the constant load on the tissues. Better shorts also help. There is an element of MTFU too.....

supermurph09

JaviDR wrote:

Supermurph09 wrote:

The issue maybe the fact you've bought the wrong size. I would go with your mum next time.

Right, this time i went with your mum and it didnt help

Thanks for the help. At some point i thought this was a bike forum...

Apologies if you took offence, none meant. It just seems like one of those questions that to most will seem so ridiculous (I've probably asked those type before).

Hope you get sorted.

Rudd

Hi,

I think what you describe could well be due to the wrong saddle shape for your particular 'dimensions'. In my experience you just have to try a few and assuming you are relatively used to sitting on a bike for a couple of hours you should know very quickly is a saddle is going to be a winner. It's weird i can't get comfort with any of the Fizik range but prologo are all comfortable for me.

In addition if you are relatively new to this i would recommend flipping your stem or inserting spacers to reduce the drop between saddle and bars as you can always work on core and flexibility later once your rear is comfortable!

javidr

Supermurph09 wrote:

JaviDR wrote:

Supermurph09 wrote:

The issue maybe the fact you've bought the wrong size. I would go with your mum next time.

Right, this time i went with your mum and it didnt help

Thanks for the help. At some point i thought this was a bike forum...

Apologies if you took offence, none meant. It just seems like one of those questions that to most will seem so ridiculous (I've probably asked those type before).

Hope you get sorted.

No problem

Thanks!

dj58

JaviDR wrote:

Supermurph09 wrote:

The issue maybe the fact you've bought the wrong size. I would go with your mum next time.

Right, this time i went with your mum and it didnt help

Good come back

plowmar

Slightly off post but all the comments re trying out saddles, do suppliers send them out to try before buying or do you have to pay for them in full sending back for refund the ones you do not want? I'm not sure that I have that amount of money spare.

bondurant

You need one of these my friend
https://www.bikeinn.com/bike/essax-shark-fec-shiny-m-130mm/135919769/p?utm_source=google_products&utm_medium=merchant&id_producte=2324457&country=uk&gclid=CjwKEAiAgavBBRCA7ZbggrLSkUcSJACWDexAhZvGj21tMgubmQTpFxc2WALRT9bxTrj7lF_lyBg4dRoCEBXw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

bbrap

plowmar wrote:

Slightly off post but all the comments re trying out saddles, do suppliers send them out to try before buying or do you have to pay for them in full sending back for refund the ones you do not want? I'm not sure that I have that amount of money spare.

Some shops do have test saddles, my local one has the full Fizik range and a couple of other makes (but not the full range). You pay a £30 deposit and get your chosen perch for a week, at the end of the week you get your deposit returned or try another saddle. No pressure to buy and you can keep going until something suits (you don't need to keep it for the whole week if it is not right for you). The Fizik test saddles are usually a garish colour with the word "TEST" emblasoned across them. I did not get them sent out, I went into the shop to pick up and then return them.

reacher

bbrap wrote:

plowmar wrote:

Slightly off post but all the comments re trying out saddles, do suppliers send them out to try before buying or do you have to pay for them in full sending back for refund the ones you do not want? I'm not sure that I have that amount of money spare.

Some shops do have test saddles, my local one has the full Fizik range and a couple of other makes (but not the full range). You pay a £30 deposit and get your chosen perch for a week, at the end of the week you get your deposit returned or try another saddle. No pressure to buy and you can keep going until something suits (you don't need to keep it for the whole week if it is not right for you). The Fizik test saddles are usually a garish colour with the word "TEST" emblasoned across them. I did not get them sent out, I went into the shop to pick up and then return them.

Send them back after trying them ? that would make sense, so the next customer gets a saddle that 10 other people have had for a week or so as a brand new saddle !!!!!!!! although i guess you could just sit on them but thats not really trying them out, takes a few good miles to test a saddle

fudgey

Measure your sitbones before you buy any saddles. Either go to a shop and use the assometer, or get some tin foil on a firm seat like a dining chair and sit on it.
That will give you a rough guess.

I did a few thousand miles in agony with the standard seat my bike came with, thinking i just needed seat time. Went out and bought an expensive selle italia Slr flow and that was not really any better (was 130mm wide)
I then went to a specialized shop and had my ass measured and it turns out i need a 142mm wide saddle so bought a spesh romin evo, again quite expensive.
This helped a lot but over 3 hours i was in pain again.
I bought s new bike this summer and took a punt on a £30 prologo kappa evo2 and rode my first 100 mile ride on it, was on the bike 7 hours and my arse was the least of my worries. I like the prologo so much that i now have one on my winter bike.

On my mtb i use a charge spoon that a mate lent me to try, i havnt given it back yet so that also works for me.

I also use castelli bibs with the proggeto 2 pad in, they seem to work well. And chamois cream for anything over 30 miles.

Good luck

bbrap

reacher wrote:

bbrap wrote:

plowmar wrote:

Slightly off post but all the comments re trying out saddles, do suppliers send them out to try before buying or do you have to pay for them in full sending back for refund the ones you do not want? I'm not sure that I have that amount of money spare.

Some shops do have test saddles, my local one has the full Fizik range and a couple of other makes (but not the full range). You pay a £30 deposit and get your chosen perch for a week, at the end of the week you get your deposit returned or try another saddle. No pressure to buy and you can keep going until something suits (you don't need to keep it for the whole week if it is not right for you). The Fizik test saddles are usually a garish colour with the word "TEST" emblasoned across them. I did not get them sent out, I went into the shop to pick up and then return them.

Send them back after trying them ? that would make sense, so the next customer gets a saddle that 10 other people have had for a week or so as a brand new saddle !!!!!!!! although i guess you could just sit on them but thats not really trying them out, takes a few good miles to test a saddle

Not sure if the above comment was against mine or the OP, but for clarity. They don't lend you saddles that you buy, they are specifically test saddles. If you decide on a particular saddle you then get a brand new saddle of the same type not the actual one you were borrowing to test.

awavey

that was the daft thing though when I went to the Specialized store to be measured, the guy kept saying try sitting on this bike how does it feel, to try out different saddles, and I was thinking well Im not wearing any cycle kit andIm sitting here for at most a few minutes and actually Im not riding the bike and they arent even properly setup up for me, so of course it doesnt feel any different because it was when I was hitting the 60+min in the saddle when things began to hurt.

and then even when I had a saddle that supposedly fitted it wasnt till I dropped the saddle height down quite a good 2cms, it sort of resolved most of it, Id rate it 7/10


all that aside though the thing no-one does tell you is how to sit correctly on the seat, which bits should align with which other bits as for all the thing about mm's making the difference, some people will sit as most of those linked videos show with their rear in line with the end of the seat, but some will always sit a good few cms further back and overhang a bit, whilst others will seat quite a bit forward and leave a gap.

I know myself theres not just a single sweet spot, and everything else is instant pain, I can move forward and backwards , and sometimes it just depends on a different set of shorts with a different pad, providing a different contact.

chrisaonabike

kingrollo wrote:

Ignore the 'clever' replies - seems to be a BR trend at the moment 'How can I ridicule the original poster'

What, there's another reason for being here? :shock:

reacher

Comment was for plowmar, to put it in plain language no they don't send you loads of kit to try out and see if you like it, a saddle being something that unless you park your ass on it for a good few miles I really can't see how you can tell if you like it, but their are some ways you can elimanate certain ones due to width etc so if your a chap of larger dimension then it's highly unlikely that a saddle like a razor blade is going to suit you

Rudd

A good bike shop will have test saddles which you can take away for a week or so. Possibly no use to anyone but Cadence in Crystal Palace are really helpful in this regard.

mugensi

I tend to move around quite a lot on the saddle, regardless of how long I have been out for a cycle. You shouldn't feel the need to sit in the one position for the entire time on the bike. Move forward when pushing harder on the flat and move rearwards when climbing. It took me probably the best part of a year to get my saddle into the optimum position for me. It hasn't been moved now in around 3 or 4 years. I tend to sit nearer the nose but push myself rearwards every so often to displace the weight more.

You should feel your weight on your sit-bones when seated correctly on the saddle. If you find yourself sliding forward all the time in order to get a comfortable reach to the handlebars then perhaps the bike isn't the correct size for you although you could try moving the saddle forward 5mm and see how that effects comfort.