Fifty Plus (50+) - Looking for a new saddle

After my "long" (to me) ride last weekend I decided I need another saddle. The one that came with my bike is one of those fat cushy ones, which is fine for riding around the neighborhood. OK, I read about this when I first bought the bike but I had to see for myself.

Anyway, I'm wondering if the cause might be something other than the saddle style itself, so I'll try to describe the problem. As I was riding, I felt as if I was being forced toward the front of the saddle. I'd scoot myself back, only to be back on the front :eek: . No, the saddle is not pointing downward; it sits flat. The fabric is somewhat slippery, and the back is wide which I think is forcing my hips forward. Though I wore jeans on my ride, I had no chafing or anything of that nature. The problem was just staying back on the saddle with my sit bones situated where they should be. Instead, I was constantly sliding forward.

Tom recommended the Terry Cite X (gel or non-gel) saddles in "my first 'long' ride" thread, and I'm going to order one of them.

Can anyone suggest another possible cause, other than the fat cushiness of the saddle, assuming the saddle is positioned correctly?

Yen

Not to start an argument, but what you are describing are the symptoms of a misadjusted saddle. Try tipping the nose of the saddle up just a little more. If it becomes uncomfortable then undo the change.

Because of your previous posts I suspect that you are riding in a very upright position in which case the level saddle rule may not be the perfect choice.

You may also try moving the saddle forward about 1/4". If it feels better do it again untill it feels worse then back up an adjustment.

Do not try both adjustments at the same time and make small changes between tests.

Is this on the Trek 7500 or Giant Cypress? I test rode both, the 7500 three times and the Cypress twice, and must admit that I found both saddles comfortable. However that was for 10-15 minute test rides. I thought they were two of the better hybrid stock saddles.

How do you have the bike setup? For a very upright riding position with little pressure on your hands, or a somewhat forward riding position, with a fair amount of weight on your hands?

Recommendation: Give it up and buy a Brooks B-17. I have them on three bikes and love them. But saddle choice is really individual, so they may not work for you. I have a couple of friends who've tried mine and hate them.
Are you sure your position on the bike is right? If you have to stretch way forward to the bars, that could cause you to inch forward as you ride. Also, the saddle might be tilted even if it looks level--could you be compressing the squishy padding when you sit on it? Try tilting it back a LITTLE (raise it 1/8 inch or so at the nose) to see if that helps. It's hard to eyeball--I measure from the top tube to the nose of the saddle before and after, and make SMALL changes. With the hard leather Brooks, 2mm makes a difference. Clearly, something's wrong, or you'd be staying put.
I doubt the jeans are the problem. I often wear jeans or street shorts on casual rides, but at some point (for me it's about 40 minutes in the saddle) you'll want bike shorts. If you don't like Lycra, mountain bike shorts work just about as well and look normal. I haven't had my SausageMan Lycra out of the drawer in four or five years.

The Terry Cite IS fat and cushy. I don't point the saddle up by the way,you could try it. Alot of saddles are in e-bay, saving $50 or so may be a good idea. www.terrybicycles.com (http://www.terrybicycles.com) CLICK - ON that,many saddles to choose. The Cite is really a full-blown up-right leisure saddle,if you lean forward more than just a little,you may have better choices. Seems to me that you aren't so up-right. Lycra and some synthetic materials are slippery,a leather saddle or leather-top saddle's best I believe.

Isn't anyone going to recommend a recumbent? :D

Maddmaxx is correct, of course. There are a lot of adjustments you can make, and which one you need to make is hard to say. Whichever ones you make, do so in very small increments. I have recently been doing this on 3 different bikes, and very small changes can make big impacts upon riding comfort.

Last week I was out on a ride on my Trek 7600 and after about 8-10 miles, was feeling a little saddle discomfort. It wasn't much and it was tolerable, but not quite comfortable. I got off my bike and noticed that the saddle nose appeared to be up one click from where I had it before, I guess it slipped. So I adjusted the nose down that one click and it was a big improvement.

When I walk across campus and look at the hundreds of bikes in the racks, I see a wide assortment of saddle positions. Noses way up, noses way down, saddles forward & back, skinny & fat.

The Terry Cite isn't particular fat & cushy. It is fatter and cushier than a typical road saddle, to be sure. It is designed to be that way. But it is no where near as fat or as cushy as a number of "comfort" saddles that are out there, like these:

http://ecom1.planetbike.com/5002.html
https://shop.sunrisecyclery.com/item/10359/
http://www.geared2go.com/Cloud_9_Comfort_Saddle_p/2111.htm
http://www.geared2go.com/Serfas_E_gel_cruiser_saddle_p/2211.htm

As compared to this:
http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/SA707A16-Terry+Cite+Womens+Saddle.aspx

In fact, it would be one of the thinner and less cushy saddles in the Cloud 9 line.

I once tried a very cushy saddle with springs and it nearly killed me, or at least felt like it. But my Terry Cite has been very comfortable so far, on rides up to 3 hours.

Yen has told us before that she rides in an upright position. So she is going to need a saddle that will bear more of her weight. Maybe she could handle a harder, thinner saddle, who knows? I know from my own upright riding position on a Trek 7600 hybrid, that I can't.

Isn't anyone going to recommend a recumbent? :D

That happened multiple times when Yen was shopping for a bike!

I would not assume the adjustment is correct. The first thing I would do is tilt it up very slightly from the current position.

In fact, it might be thinner and less cushy than every saddle in the Cloud 9 line.

That's like being the cheapest car in the new Ferrarri lineup.

I hear Brooks saddles will also cure cancer.

Isn't anyone going to recommend a recumbent? :D

There are certain names on this forum that I do not bother reading as they are always spouting on about recumbents- I may be adding another name to the list.

Getting back to sanity- Try that nose up on the saddle. Then try moving the saddle as far forward as possible and then Superglue to keep the butt in position. (Superglue and Brooks saddles don't mix so if you get a Brooks- this is the definite cure)

Is there a particular type of biking short that works best with the superglue?

Does Brooks make a saddle for recumbents?

Is there a particular type of biking short that works best with the superglue?

Thick ones, or "attached to someone else" ones.

Does Brooks make a saddle for recumbents?

Technically, no.

But this one might fit a bent:

http://www.wallbike.com/b135.html

Weight is 1650 grams.

Speaking of recumbents, I hauled mine out for a late afternoon ride. Only rode for 75 minutes, had hoped to go longer but I don't have my 'bent legs yet, I'm kinda struggling on that bike. But the saddle, ah, the saddle. So comfy.

Technically, no.

But this one might fit a bent:

http://www.wallbike.com/b135.html

Weight is 1650 grams.

There is NO WAY I would even think of replacing my 3.5 inches of firm foam seat with that thing.;)

Thanks everyone!! I've been away for a few days and just checked the forum.

OK, I will check the seat first and make the recommended adjustments before buying another one. I have a feeling that will be only a temporary solution, since the seat is also slippery (the fabric is like satin... try not sliding around on a satin chair even if it is tilted up in the front :)). If that doesn't work, I will start shopping.

BTW, this is on the Giant Cypress. Hubby rode my bike and found the seat uncomfortable for him, even on short neighborhood rides. I'm fine on it around the neighborhood, but not for the longer ride last weekend.

Thanks again!
Jen

I've got two Terry Cite saddles, one women's, one men's, that I'd sell CHEAP!! I'd have to check for you to see what shipping from Ky to Ca. would run. They are made for an upright seating position. I don't sit that upright, and the nose was too wide for me. I'd let either go for $10 + shipping.

The nose is a little wide for someone who rides in a more forward-leaning position.

However, the saddle itself is slightly narrower and shorter than the Brooks B17 that is so widely loved and recommended around here (The B17's nose is narrower). And it is significantly narrower and shorter than the Brooks B67.

The B17 is 170mm x 280mm, the Terry Citi is 165mm x 267mm.

I may be picking up one of the gel versions to try out. I looked over one recently and liked the difference between the regular and the gel. Of course one never knows what their tuckus is going to like.

The Terry Firefly or Terry Unisex Liberator Ti Race looks like they might be comfortable (and are wider in width). Saw them on Jenson's website. Think I'll end up with one of them if I end up replacing my stock road bike saddle (which seems inevitable).

Freeranger, thank you for the offer. I'm suspecting they might be too fat for me because I don't ride completely upright. Thanks anyway, tho'.

I decided to purchase a Terry Liberator X. I found an LBS that has them in stock so I stopped on my way home from work. I met the owner and told him my story. He showed me the saddle, but promptly talked me out of purchasing it, and suggested I stop by the shop one weekend with my bike for a fitting. I don't know if he meant a full big-deal fitting or not but he said he wouldn't charge me. He feels, as many of you do, that I should test my fit on the bike first, and make adjustments to my current saddle first, before I buy a different one. He suggested I begin by tilting the nose of my saddle up very slightly.

So I'll make a small adjustment before I ride it again this weekend. I'll take it to this shop the following weekend (the owner won't be there this weekend) to check my fit, and I'll see what happens from there.

Yen

I recently purchased an ISM Sport Seat and my inital impression is that it will work out nicely. It will be replacing a Specialzed seat. The new seat is only a 1/4 " wider but it's 5" shorter. I did the initial setup while the bike (Cannondale ST700) was on my trainer but nothing beats a 30 miles on the. On my initial ride to get final adjustments I found I had to tip the seat forward from an initial flat position. The leather seat feels sticky so you don't get the feeling of falling forward. My riding position is probably about 70 degrees. At my age, I can't get on the aero bars like I used to. Oh, I forgot to mention that the reason I changed seats was increasing numbness the last few years.