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Vince868
06-25-09, 08:56 PM
This is my first year that I have started riding longer distances, typically 1-4 hour rides. I have a Trek Hybrid 7.2fx which is adequate for the level of riding I'm at current (about 1200 miles in 4 months). I seemed to adjust to the stock seat after about 400 miles but now at the 1200 mile mark it seems to be uncomfortable after about 2 hours (hard).
Any recommendations? New seat?
Is this just my 'head' or my 'tail' causing the problem?
Appreciate any comments.
Saddles are highly individual in preference, but the hybrid does tend to fix you into a constant
hand/saddle position, unlike drop bars where you can go from upright to hunched over on the
drops which change effectively moves the perineal (crotch) pressure point around. No saddle
is going to be completely painless after 4 hrs, but I find brief standing or pedaling while out of
the saddle seems to help off and on after 3-5hrs on the bike. I tried about a dozen cheap
saddles (take offs from my helpful LBS) and settle on a Terry women's fly as the most comfortable.
I also found on a 7hr ride that bike shorts are NOT all the same. For me PI Microsensor or
Ultrasensor are MUCH more comfortable than various shorts from Performance, Nashbar, Louis
Garneau and Canari. Note that the PI are 3-4x the cost of the fore mentioned. There are likely
other $100+ shorts equally helpful but my experimental budget does not go that far. I have
tried skin lubes (Butt Butter etc), which help if I get skin rawness in the groin but not otherwise.
You will find fans of various different saddles, but it can get really expensive to experiment here,
borrowing a saddle is one option, but be aware you have to ride one 3-6hrs to appreciate its
qualities. Doing that cosmetically damages most saddles making them unreturnable. New riders
do acclimate to riding after a time, but the right saddle/short combo does make a difference.
No mention of fit: angle of saddle, height or saddle and whether the bike is
stretching or hunching you up, these are also considerations. A hybrid does not
allow much variance in rider position with the flat bar. The saddle can be moved
horizontally about 2" and with setback/forward posts another 1.5-2". Some
seat posts work equally well pointed forward or backward and allow more horizontal
movement than ones that only work in one direction.
See also thread below on saddle sores and a little further down the thread on
long distance riding for women.