saddle suspension

SarahS
SarahS Posts: 15
edited November 2018 in Workshop
is it possible to get a telescopic seat post that absorbs the bumps?

My fouff gets sore after being battered for three hours every Sunday morning. No amount of cake can compensate :(

No im not posting any pictures x

Sarah
«1

Comments

  • joey54321
    joey54321 Posts: 1,297
    How have you selected your saddle? It may be a fit issue that adding suspension just fixing the symptoms of.

    The only suspension seat post I know of is the thudbuster:
    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cane-creek-thud ... seat-post/
  • arlowood
    arlowood Posts: 2,561
    Before this descends into an innuendo( :shock: ) fest this might be an option to consider. Not that cheap but appears to be tuneable

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ultimate-use-vy ... 0qEALw_wcB
  • PhilipPirrip
    PhilipPirrip Posts: 616
    Cane Creek and Redshift make suspension posts for road bikes, though Redshift not yet available to buy, and the Specialized CG-R seatpost provides some suspension through flex.

    Are you being bounced off the saddle, necessating the compression in a post, or is it numbness/soreness from sitting in the saddle for a few hours?
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Not sure what you are actually trying to say, but suspension seat posts are sh1t.

    And there are plenty.
    I don't do smileys.

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  • SarahS
    SarahS Posts: 15
    the bike is a specialised Ruby, which the guy in Evans told me was designed specifically with a womans comfort in mind. Obviously designed by a man though .

    The saddle is the one that came with the bike. Ive lowered the seat and all that did was cause chaffing. I stuck the post straight back up after that, which was better but still.....

    .
  • SarahS
    SarahS Posts: 15
    cooldad wrote:
    Not sure what you are actually trying to say, but suspension seat posts are sh1t.

    And there are plenty.

    They dont work? are there any that have a bit of give in them then perhaps?

    The other thing is everytime i go to the shop i come out £200 worse off. Shoes helmets bikeadjuster tool, inner tube the list is endless.

    Honestly at this stage id perform indecent acts for anyone who has a sensible solution. I cant possibly be the only one.
  • SarahS
    SarahS Posts: 15
    PhilipPirrip wrote:
    Cane Creek and Redshift make suspension posts for road bikes, though Redshift not yet available to buy, and the Specialized CG-R seatpost provides some suspension through flex.

    Are you being bounced off the saddle, necessating the compression in a post, or is it numbness/soreness from sitting in the saddle for a few hours?

    its very sore after riding for three hours. Last week the ride was wet and that didnt help
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Saddle and bib short choice (and tyre/tyre pressure) are likely to make much more difference than a suspension post - which really shouldn't be necessary on a road bike and either way is unlikely to help much anyway.
  • joey54321
    joey54321 Posts: 1,297
    Vino'sGhost wrote:
    maybe rubbing chamois cream in before a ride would help? If you're not sure how to use it just ask the people you're riding with, Im sure they'll help.

    Please stop with these sorts of comments.


    Back to the OP, I don't think suspension is the answer, if you've only tried a single saddle it'll likely be that. Finding a comfortable bike saddle can be a bit of a journey for cyclists. There are loads of saddle manufacturers that will do demo/ride before you buy saddles and also have numerous ways of trying to find a saddle which fits you. Alternatively, try and borrow any spare saddles from friends or club members. With saddles I'd say don't pay for anything you can't return if you don't get on with it. It'll be a faff but there is no reason why cycling for 3 hours on a road bike needs to be uncomfortable.
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    Yes I'd go for as big a tyre as you can fit in the frame and then you can run them at a lower and more comfortable pressure.

    How high are the bars too ? The idea is that you should have 1/3 of your weight on the bars and 2/3 on the saddle. If the bars are too near or too high then they won't be doing that for you.

    Saddle height is critical too - if its too low then you'll always be having the weight on the saddle. If its the right height then you can almost float on the saddle over rough stuff just by putting a bit more power through the pedals. Your legs are much better suspension than a post would be.

    And also - how much cycling have you done ? It is a bit hard on the undercarriage to begin with.
  • step83
    step83 Posts: 4,170
    I'd go with Chamois Creme and a saddle fit that should improve things for you. Also worth dabbling with tyre pressures to give you a little more comfort.
    Titanium Px Spitfire
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  • photonic69
    photonic69 Posts: 2,794
    Some good local bike shops will have a "library" of saddles for you to try before buying. The right shape and padding are crucial and personal as each person is very different. I found that a saddle that rapidly goes from wide to narrow works best as I was getting chafing in a "personal area" with a saddle I previously thought was comfortable. The new saddle I now have is loads better.

    A Prologo Kappa Space works for me. My wife swears by (not at) a Selle Italia Women's Diva Gel Flow Saddle

    Chamois cream can really help too. A lady in our club markets Swerve Bum Cream and it is reportedly very good:
    https://swervecycling.co.uk/bum-cream/

    Also getting more hours in the saddle helps. Often we are not used to sitting on our sit bones for extended periods and we just have to get used to it.

    Edit: Forgot to add my wife had a suspension seat post for a few months but it really added nothing to her comfort but added weight to the bike.

    HTH


    Sometimes. Maybe. Possibly.

  • SarahS
    SarahS Posts: 15
    Thank you everyone for your help :)

    Before i start buying saddles, Im going to try the bum cream and lower the pressure in the tyres from 125 to the lower recommendation of 110. hopefully all will be well.

    Happy Friday!
  • big_harv
    big_harv Posts: 512
    Oof! 125 way too high, 100 about right for standard (700x23/25) road tyres.
  • stueys
    stueys Posts: 1,332
    SarahS wrote:
    Thank you everyone for your help :)

    Before i start buying saddles, Im going to try the bum cream and lower the pressure in the tyres from 125 to the lower recommendation of 110. hopefully all will be well.

    Happy Friday!

    Give us a rough estimate of your weight. I'm 78kg and I run 23's at 110R/105F, 25's at 100R/95F and my tubeless 25's at 75psi. 125 is very hard and tyre width/pressure makes the biggest difference to comfort.

    Other than that, good bibs (different manufacturers use different pads so sometimes it's a case of finding one that works for you, it can be quite individual) and saddles, again finding the right saddle for you can be a case of trial and error. Lots of bike shops do a trial saddle scheme for that reason.
  • mercia_man
    mercia_man Posts: 1,431
    While the advice about bigger tyres, lower pressures, different saddle etc is all very sound and worth trying first, a suspension seatpost can be a good option. For example, on tandems, the rear rider (stoker) cannot see bumps and potholes coming up so he or she is unable to rise up slightly on the pedals to absorb the shocks coming through the saddle. A suspension seatpist for the stoker is a common upgrade on tandems. We had a USE suspension post fitted when we bought our Thorn tandem and my wife liked it so much she got a cheaper Post Moderne suspension post fitted to her small wheel road bike.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    The OP hasn't mentioned being on a tandem though. I would still see a suspension post as the absolute last resort...
  • mercia_man
    mercia_man Posts: 1,431
    Imposter wrote:
    The OP hasn't mentioned being on a tandem though. I would still see a suspension post as the absolute last resort...

    I agree OP should try other things like tyre pressure, saddles and good shorts first but I was answering her query by pointing out that suspension posts are available for road bikes and giving two real world examples in which a woman rider finds them of benefit.

    I would not rule out suspension posts out of hand. They can be useful - perhaps increasingly so with the deteriorating state of the UK's roads and the growing popularity of gravel riding. The two posts that my wife uses do not give a bouncy sensation. They just provide enough "give" to iron out road irregularities and allow her to stay comfortable on the bikes for longer. Personally, I would not have one but my wife swears by hers.

    We only paid around £25 for the Post Moderne post so it was a cheap way for her to get extra comfort in combination with wide tyres and a female specific saddle. Other possibilities the OP should be aware of are the more expensive Canyon, Focus and Specialized carbon posts designed to have a bit of "give" and a Brooks leather sprung saddle for the big bounce experience!
  • _Bones
    _Bones Posts: 8
    SarahS wrote:
    Thank you everyone for your help :)

    Before i start buying saddles, Im going to try the bum cream and lower the pressure in the tyres from 125 to the lower recommendation of 110. hopefully all will be well.

    Happy Friday!

    Wowser. I don't know if it is the 2018 version of the Ruby that they are currently selling but that one comes with 700x28c tyres according to Evans site. If that is what they are you could get away with a lot lower pressure, try 80!
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    SarahS wrote:
    Thank you everyone for your help :)

    Before i start buying saddles, Im going to try the bum cream and lower the pressure in the tyres from 125 to the lower recommendation of 110. hopefully all will be well.

    Happy Friday!

    Christ on a bike ! I think we see the problem now ! I'm running my 25mm at about 70- 80 PSI and I bet I'm heavier than you.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Is this a sudden increase in ride duration for you? If so, it may just take a few rides to get used to it. Good shorts + chamois cream will help. And no underwear!

    +1 on lowering tyre pressures if they are in fact 28s.

    There are a couple of seatposts which do give a bit of flex without going full suspension. Specialised CGR which looks odd but apparently works. And the Canyon VCLS. Neither are especially cheap though.

    If you conclude it's a saddle fit issue, the new Specialized Power Mimic womens specific saddles sound interesting; unfortunately they don't do test saddles, but you can apparently return one if it doesn't work for you. Again, not the cheapest option.
  • Tetragrammaton1
    Tetragrammaton1 Posts: 72
    It sounds like you need a better Chamois, and some chamois creme, rather than a suspension saddle. Maybe think about going for a laydee specific memory foam saddle ( not Gel saddle, they are not as good as memory foam in my experience)
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Tetragrammaton1 wrote:
    It sounds like you need a better Chamois, and some chamois creme, rather than a suspension saddle. Maybe think about going for a laydee specific memory foam saddle ( not Gel saddle, they are not as good as memory foam in my experience)

    Speaking b0llocks again?
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

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  • figbat
    figbat Posts: 680
    Another thing not mentioned is saddle position: angle of attack, fore/aft location etc. A degree or two of nose up or down might help and is free.
    Cube Reaction GTC Pro 29 for the lumpy stuff
    Cannondale Synapse alloy with 'guards for the winter roads
    Fuji Altamira 2.7 for the summer roads
    Trek 830 Mountain Track frame turned into a gravel bike - for anywhere & everywhere
  • Maglia_Rosa
    Maglia_Rosa Posts: 72
    Professional bike fit?
  • sam_anon
    sam_anon Posts: 153
    cooldad wrote:
    Tetragrammaton1 wrote:
    It sounds like you need a better Chamois, and some chamois creme, rather than a suspension saddle. Maybe think about going for a laydee specific memory foam saddle ( not Gel saddle, they are not as good as memory foam in my experience)

    Speaking b0llocks again?

    Nope!

    https://www.bikeradar.com/women/news/ar ... dle-53223/

    As suggested above.
  • sam_anon
    sam_anon Posts: 153
    Plus, reminded me of the old classic...

    "I'm not a gynaecologist, but I'll take a look"...

    Budumtish!
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    You were doing ok up until that point...
  • big_harv
    big_harv Posts: 512
    Hopefully the OP has a sense of humour. Or perhaps experience with adolescent males.
  • SarahS
    SarahS Posts: 15
    sam anon wrote:
    Plus, reminded me of the old classic...

    "I'm not a gynaecologist, but I'll take a look"...

    Budumtish!

    :roll: boys

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