Fifty Plus (50+) - Oww! OOh! Ouch!Ow!

That time of year again. Time to toughen up the tush. I do almost all my winter riding on a nice comfy wide saddle, no padding required.
http://i55.tinypic.com/4ftowk.jpg
Yesterday, I took the fixie out for a 15km spin. This is the saddle on that one.
http://i53.tinypic.com/539x6x.jpg
I had my padding on, and I was quite comfortable during the ride, and felt no discomfort after the ride.
Got back on the same bike today, and I was so tender, I almost turned back after the first block to trade it for the comfy saddle.
BUT, I stuck with it, and endured the rest of the ride.
Yeah, I know, HTFU already. I'm sure the calluses will grow back in no time.

I call it the spring break-in season. "Does the saddle fit the butt or does the butt fit the saddle ? " :lol:

I call it the spring break-in season. "Does the saddle fit the butt or does the butt fit the saddle ? " :lol:
Yes.

I rode 37 miles on Saturday, 25 of them at an average speed of 24.2 mph - great downhill run in Death Valley and still felt really great when I got off. That's what a mesh seat on a recumbent trike does for you. I didn't start riding a recumbent until I was 58. Call me a slow learner.

Obligatory recumbent endorsement coming in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

Obligatory recumbent endorsement coming in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...
Did you miss post 4?

Did you miss post 4?

Yep. I was in such a rush to post before one came in that I didn't notice that I was too late. :o

It's not my place to "instruct" anyone, but why ride the wide saddle in winter if the other one is okay most of the year? Just curious...

I guess I do it bass ackwards, I ride the skinny saddle on the mountain bike during the Winter and switch to the recumbents in the Spring. In fact I just did a 25 mile Spring ride earlier today and my bottom feels just fine.

Silly me!!

I just got a road bike seat with gel and a hole in it. Haven't had a whit of pain since I bought it.

It's not my place to "instruct" anyone, but why ride the wide saddle in winter if the other one is okay most of the year? Just curious...
Fair question. The winter bike is set up for an upright riding position. I don't do skinny saddles in that position.

Yep. I was in such a rush to post before one came in that I didn't notice that I was too late. :o
I'll probably be getting the bent out on the next chance I get to ride on a sunny day.

Course I've only done the rides in my Spring Preview post. But, my backside wasn't sore at all. Now, the legs, that is another matter indeed. We'll see what happens on the next ride; tomorrow if my nose will stop pouring like it was a faucet.

. "Does the saddle fit the butt or does the butt fit the saddle ? " :lol:


Yes.

Or no.

I'll probably be getting the bent out on the next chance I get to ride on a sunny day.

I have nothing against riding against recumbents. Some of them look like they might be fun to ride.

Most everyone with skinny saddles gets a sore butt in the Spring.

But it does seem odd to go from extra wide to skinny.....

I use a B17 year round.

Ever consider one?

Obligatory recumbent endorsement coming in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

Obligatory Brooks saddle post in 5, 4, 3--- Whoops! Here it is, a little early!


Most everyone with skinny saddles gets a sore butt in the Spring.

But it does seem odd to go from extra wide to skinny.....

I use a B17 year round.

Ever consider one?

Obligatory Brooks saddle post in 5, 4, 3--- Whoops! Here it is, a little early!

:lol: Yep! We often like to suggest that whatever works for us in our own particular circumstances will work for others in different circumstances. Not a bad thing if it is meant to be helpful.

I avoid the butt pain problem by riding through the winter on the same bikes and saddles as I do in the spring, summer and fall. Not as often, as fast or as far, but enough to keep my butt acclimated. Rebuilding my speed and endurance is a bigger issue for me than comfort or pain avoidance. But that is what work for me in my situation. YMMV.

How long will it take to break me in on this seat?

http://hondagaragediy.com/simplegal/albums/Miscellaneous/Specialized_seat_thumb.jpg

I just started riding and went for my first 33km trip. Sore butt bones, no rash.
I recall when the bike shop recommended the bike I bought, all I could see was the seat. My question to here was "what going on there?"

How long will it take to break me in on this seat?
http://hondagaragediy.com/simplegal/view_image.php?album=Miscellaneous&image=Specialized_seat.jpg (http://hondagaragediy.com/simplegal/view_image.php?album=Miscellaneous&image=Specialized_seat.jpg)
I just started riding and went for my first 33km trip. Sore butt bones, no rash.
I recall when the bike shop recommended the bike I bought, all I could see was the seat. My question to here was "what going on there?"
Greetings to a fellow Ontarioan, Ontarioite? What do they call us anyway?
Welcome to the forum.
Your picture attachment does not show up for me, but the answer to your question is.....,depends.
Tell us some more about the bike and where and how much you are hoping to ride it.

How long will it take to break me in on this seat?
http://hondagaragediy.com/simplegal/view_image.php?album=Miscellaneous&image=Specialized_seat.jpg (http://hondagaragediy.com/simplegal/view_image.php?album=Miscellaneous&image=Specialized_seat.jpg)
I just started riding and went for my first 33km trip. Sore butt bones, no rash.
I recall when the bike shop recommended the bike I bought, all I could see was the seat. My question to here was "what going on there?"
What do they call us besides hosers ? Dunno.

Hey, it's another one ! I'm on the border between Toronto and Pickering by the lake.

Lemme see now.. From last thursday to sunday, monday a rest day, then yesterday I logged in 101.5 km.. So soreness, no nothing.. so not bad for a new bike and saddle.

I would have logged in more than the 52km I did on the weekend but my toes got cold. :(

This is why, whenever someone claims they've NEVER had any saddle discomfort whatsoever, I tend to roll my eyes. A certain amount of saddle soreness is expected, unless your mileage stays consistent year-around, year after year.

This is why, whenever someone claims they've NEVER had any saddle discomfort whatsoever, I tend to roll my eyes. A certain amount of saddle soreness is expected, unless your mileage stays consistent year-around, year after year.
I'm not sure why. This is the first year that I haven't had some sort of soreness.

Screw using different saddles! :notamused:

I see no reason not to have the same saddle on all my bikes and I do!:p:p

Greetings to a fellow Ontarioan, Ontarioite? What do they call us anyway?
Welcome to the forum.
Your picture attachment does not show up for me, but the answer to your question is.....,depends.
Tell us some more about the bike and where and how much you are hoping to ride it.

I hope to join a club in Durham somewhere, not sure which one though. I been using a MT bike for years, but just got a Specialized bike. I mostly ride the local waterfront trail.

http://hondagaragediy.com/simplegal/albums/Miscellaneous/Specialized_seat_thumb.jpg


it looks like this one

http://hondagaragediy.com/simplegal/albums/Miscellaneous/Specialized-2010.jpg

What do they call us besides hosers ? Dunno.

Hey, it's another one ! I'm on the border between Toronto and Pickering by the lake.

Lemme see now.. From last thursday to sunday, monday a rest day, then yesterday I logged in 101.5 km.. So soreness, no nothing.. so not bad for a new bike and saddle.

I would have logged in more than the 52km I did on the weekend but my toes got cold. :(

Where do you ride?
Yeah it was very cold, I rode out to the Whitby marina, I stopped for a bit to have a drink and realized I better get moving again before the sweat turns to ice. Great way to get sick.

That looks like an Allez or a Tarmac.

"Does the saddle fit the butt or does the butt fit the saddle ? " :D

That saddle shouldn't really need any break in time. It's your behind that needs to get used to it. I've found the saddle on my bike to be quite comfortable but I know people who can't use them at all and wind up getting a Brooks.

I live a short walk to the Rouge Beach. Since I work out of my house I use the Waterfront trail for my lunchtime workouts which I limit to an hour a day four days a week. Weekends are another story altogether. I usually ride anywhere south of Kingston road between Guildwood to the west to the Rouge river and south of Bayly from the Rouge to Lynde Shores to the east. I stay away from Bayly around Whitby because of the truck traffic.

The Waterfront trail is getting to be too congested on weekends (too much slowing down) so I stay off of it for large sections and ride on the side streets instead. I'll probably start using different routes heading north this year now that I'm back on a road bike. One of the reasons why I got the Roubaix was because I like to go longer distances and last weeks shakedown runs confirmed that I made the right choice even this early in the season. I may consider joining a club but I prefer to ride solo or in a small group.

As for riding in the cold, since I x-country ski I usually wear the same sweat wicking gear that I wear when I'm skiing so I don't generally get cold. It's the usual philosophy of wearing breathable layers although I leave out the fleece layer when I'm cycling and just wear a nylon jacket to cut the wind. If the temperature falls below -8C then I'll put on a fleece layer. I've been out skiing in the wind in -17C/0F conditions and I've been fine with just that. Mind you, my HR is consistently higher when I'm skiing (something I need to improve on next winter) :)
I usually pull on some nylon running pants that are more like tights over my bike shorts. For skiing I put on a sweat wicking thermal layer bottoms and then the running pants.

I made the stupid mistake of wearing cotton socks that day which was really dumb. If I had my usual nylon socks on I would have been just fine. :notamused:

Just got one of those Ergo "The Seat" for Christmas. Went out a couple of weeks ago and did 8 miles. OW!! Not comfortable but I know I have to get used to it. The thing just feels so darned weird. Does anyone have one of these and like it? I do country road riding with a lot of hills. Just don't know if I'm going to like this or not.

Never seen one....Looks to be too wide for most riders.

I've never seen one like that before. I don't what kind of bike you are riding but it does look awfully wide.

Just got one of those Ergo "The Seat" for Christmas. Went out a couple of weeks ago and did 8 miles. OW!! Not comfortable but I know I have to get used to it. The thing just feels so darned weird. Does anyone have one of these and like it? I do country road riding with a lot of hills. Just don't know if I'm going to like this or not.

This thing? (http://www.amazon.com/Ergo-Seat-Ultimate-Bicycle-Saddle/dp/B000AO7MKM) Looks extremely uncomfortable to me.

You would have to be sitting almost completely upright just to sit on it.

Just got one of those Ergo "The Seat" for Christmas. Went out a couple of weeks ago and did 8 miles. OW!! Not comfortable but I know I have to get used to it. The thing just feels so darned weird. Does anyone have one of these and like it? I do country road riding with a lot of hills. Just don't know if I'm going to like this or not.
Another newbie. Welcome.

Yep, that's the one. I do sit upright due to wrist problems. At almost 60 and having some carpal tunnel from all the medical transcription, I can't take the pressure on my wrists. But this seat has no nose and I just don't know about control issues. Sitting upright puts a lot of pressure on the sit bones, any suggestions?

This thing? (http://www.amazon.com/Ergo-Seat-Ultimate-Bicycle-Saddle/dp/B000AO7MKM) Looks extremely uncomfortable to me.

That would work great for the base of a recumbent seat. For an upright? Not so much...

After switching to a recumbent and leaving all that pain behind, those seats began to look like they were invented by Fr. Torquemada for the exclusive use of the Spanish Inquisition. Apparently they were the latest thing in making people talk. bk

Yep, that's the one. I do sit upright due to wrist problems. At almost 60 and having some carpal tunnel from all the medical transcription, I can't take the pressure on my wrists. But this seat has no nose and I just don't know about control issues. Sitting upright puts a lot of pressure on the sit bones, any suggestions?

Absolutely no pressure on the wrists/arms with the recumbents that I ride. The seats feel like The Big Comfy Chair.

For upright bikes, I had good luck with WTB Rocket V Race saddles.

My wife likes the Cloud 9 saddle for upright riding.

Last year I did a lot of spinning classes with the stock spinning bike seat. When the season started my butt needed to "break in." This year, no spinning classes but a fair amount of rollers on my Masi. The first couple of 15 mi. rides have been just fine. No break in required.