Saddle rub on one side - not saddle sores

CptKernow

I seem to consistently be getting rub from my saddle on one side and it keeps coming back. Its in the crease at what I guess would be perineum level. It's not too bad to ride on for an hour or two and goes down after a couple of days.

It isn't a saddle sore as there is no infection - just a small raised red rubbed patch.

I went through the whole finding a saddle I got on with a couple of years back and was quite happy with my Specialized Ronin.

I think things started getting worse when I stepped up the turbo training - i.e. more time in a fixed position.

Any suggestions on what the issue / fix might be?

lincolndave

You might of already looked at this, but is your saddle central to the top tube?

DeVlaeminck

Maybe a slight leg length discrepancy - you could try a thin insole on that side or something under the cleat.

jermas

I've experienced similar and it seemed impossible to get rid of. It was basically a minor pressure sore. Slightly lowering the saddle (even though it was technically at the correct height) and shifting it forward, made a major improvement for me. Sometimes having the saddle slightly too far back, can force you to roll forwards too much-taking the weight off the sit bones. Also if the saddle is too high, this can cause your hips to rock causing extra pressure/friction.

CptKernow

Thanks for the replies.

Will try dropping the saddle a touch on my trainer bike in the garage as this one gives me the worst rub.

May well have a look into cleat shims as well.

part time waster

I have had the same , it was and is occasionally my body out of alignment. when tired , stressed I hold a lot of tension in one side of my body. A bit of physio and massage relaxed the tension and help equal up the leg length difference.
it starts with hunched up right shoulder and seems to drag it all up.

slowandsteady1

If bet 1 hamstring is tighter than the other

Calpol

part time waster wrote:

I have had the same , it was and is occasionally my body out of alignment. when tired , stressed I hold a lot of tension in one side of my body. A bit of physio and massage relaxed the tension and help equal up the leg length difference.
it starts with hunched up right shoulder and seems to drag it all up.

I get this too. Worse in the summer when I'm riding more and its hotter (therefore sweatier). root cause for me is hip alignment caused by stiffness in my back on the right hand side. this means that my right hip is quite pronounceably further forward than the left side causing a bit of a twist. I also had a Spesh Romin but I swapped it out for a Fizik Arione. Whilst this did not cure the isse as it doesn't address the root cause it has helped as the Arione is a saddle that allows you to shift about a bit more then the Romin which very much cradles you in a fixed spot.I am going to get some physio to try ans free up the back a bit and hopefully that will help.

CptKernow

part time waster wrote:

I have had the same , it was and is occasionally my body out of alignment. when tired , stressed I hold a lot of tension in one side of my body. A bit of physio and massage relaxed the tension and help equal up the leg length difference.
it starts with hunched up right shoulder and seems to drag it all up.

This is probably the cause. Definitely have more tightness on one side and feel it in my hip/lower back. I suppose that's what causes functional leg length discrepancies.

Will mention to the sports massage guy I see every now and again. If not, trip to the physio - he sorted out a long running lower back problem I had in 10 minutes.

StillGoing

I get sore one side on long rides, but turns out that it is a cyst inside the scrotum. You can have them removed but my doctor strongly advised against it.

styxd

Calpol wrote:

part time waster wrote:

I have had the same , it was and is occasionally my body out of alignment. when tired , stressed I hold a lot of tension in one side of my body. A bit of physio and massage relaxed the tension and help equal up the leg length difference.
it starts with hunched up right shoulder and seems to drag it all up.

I get this too. Worse in the summer when I'm riding more and its hotter (therefore sweatier). root cause for me is hip alignment caused by stiffness in my back on the right hand side. this means that my right hip is quite pronounceably further forward than the left side causing a bit of a twist. I also had a Spesh Romin but I swapped it out for a Fizik Arione. Whilst this did not cure the isse as it doesn't address the root cause it has helped as the Arione is a saddle that allows you to shift about a bit more then the Romin which very much cradles you in a fixed spot.I am going to get some physio to try ans free up the back a bit and hopefully that will help.

You can realign your pelvis; search for videos on youtube. You probably also need to massage/release your psoas, again, search youtube. You may find that once you've done this, you'll have to do plenty of stretching/release of your IT band/glutes/groin/calves as they've probably tightened up on one side due to being out of alignment.

flogtun

CptKernow wrote:

part time waster wrote:

I have had the same , it was and is occasionally my body out of alignment. when tired , stressed I hold a lot of tension in one side of my body. A bit of physio and massage relaxed the tension and help equal up the leg length difference.
it starts with hunched up right shoulder and seems to drag it all up.

This is probably the cause. Definitely have more tightness on one side and feel it in my hip/lower back. I suppose that's what causes functional leg length discrepancies.

Will mention to the sports massage guy I see every now and again. If not, trip to the physio - he sorted out a long running lower back problem I had in 10 minutes.

Hi,

Just wondering if you have any update how you got on with sorting this out ?
I have the same issue ( in exactly the same spot as you delicately described ).

I use a Specialized Power Pro saddle ( the short nosed one ), but have a Giant D-fuse seat post that has a substantial fixed lay-back.
I've positioned my saddle as far forward as I can, but still sitting a bit too far forward - hence pressure in that area ( which is kind of the very front part of sit bone) at wrong point of saddle - just where it starts to curve out to broader tail section
This has lead to soreness and lumpy lodgers each side of perineum on inner thighs underneath skin.
I battle through when cycling ( as all pain is generally ignored anyway when cycling) and I naturally shift around a bit, but I notice it afterwards!

As it's a proprietary seat post design (D-shaped not O shaped), you have to use their seat post and for the last number of years you couldn't get a zero offset one, which I think may be my main issue. But the other solutions proffered above look valid too.
I had thought about getting a TT saddle, but now they are finally making these and I have ordered one ( from USA to Ireland) so I can sit more naturally to rear part of saddle

Any thoughts appreciated.
I'll follow up when I get finally get the elusive zero offset seatpost.

cheers,
John

jermas

I found having a straight seat-post helped, so you might be in luck. Also check stem length.
I used to suffer in exactly the area you describe. I found that having a saddle with a narrow nose that flares rapidly towards the rear section really did the trick. Think T shaped rather than V. For me, saddles that gradually widen put pressure on the area you describe.
I use an Ergon road saddle https://www.timeoutdoors.com/Gear/Reviews/Ergon-SR3-saddlewhich works for me but not to everyone's taste. Selle italia Friction Free and some Astute saddles have a similar shape.

yaya

Stating the obvious maybe but check if your shorts or chamois have got a seam or anything similar in that area. If it’s the sadle you can try a noseless one like ISM Sport. You sit on your sit bones with zero perennial pressure. Takes some getting used to but might be worth it.
I suffer from an injury (accident) that won’t allow me to ride on the road so my rides are all on the turbo. I have an ISM sport and an SMP Well that I swap every few weeks to allow for slightly different postures and pressure points...I’ve also built a rocker plate that lets the trainer move around a bit.

cycleclinic

unless someone sees you on the bike then all the above are guesses. This is the problem with post like this. We are blind we have not seen you and you are blind because no offense but you have no clue as to the cause hense your post. Blind leading the blind leads to confusion. Pop into a bike fitter they will sort you out.

milemuncher1

Most people are dominant on one side. Usually the Right hand side. Put loads of chamois cream all over the side that rubs, (clothing and body ) and try and be conscious about which side is rubbing more, then actively try to balance your riding position a bit more ( especially when tired ).

antnee2013

I've had this problem for some time though after a long enforced lay off of 6-7 months have just started to clock up the miles and whereas I barely noticed it before its quite painful now I realise that most people will have one stronger leg than the other in my case its the left. I have the Fizik R3 saddle which I used to find was the most suitable for me But did change pedals early part of last year to Time Iclic espresso I didn't think that there was any height difference between these and the SPD ones I was using before lease I couldn't discern any Any Ideas Thanks