Fly2High

BF readers,

Have you found this to be true?

Recently, I borrowed form my LBS a Fizik Antares Versus saddle. I went for 2 rides of about 30 min to 1hr to try it out in the neighborhood and it felt great! Yesterday and today I did 2 x 45 min spin classes/training and my butt feels different. the saddle felt stiffer and less comfortable on the trainer. The bike rides were before and after the training so I cannot say that one irritated the other.

Anyone else have this kind of experience?

I have a CycleOps Fluid2 trainer with the elevation block with the front tire in its lowest cavity.

Is it possible I put more pedal pressure while riding and as such have less pressure on the seat and this is why it feels differently?

This isn't the first saddle to feel different between turbo trainer and actual road biking.

Should I look for a different saddle?

Thoughts?

Thanks

Frank

06SpiceRed

Quite common actually. I know for myself that my saddle is comfortable as hell out on the road but after some time sitting on the trainer it can become a burden. A lot of it has to do with starting and stoping, dismounting, shifting postions etc while out and about and with the trainer your fixed in a spot. A lot of people have also opted to go with a totally different saddle for indoor sessions. I dont spend a ton of time on my trainer (thank god) so I didnt matter much to me, but if you can see yourself riding the trainer a lot, it couldnt hurt to get something you are comfortable with.

theextremist04

You're probably spending a lot more time seated on the trainer. As well, if you have the climbing block, your saddle nose is perpetually pointed up. I know I really can't do more than like an hour on the trainer/rollers because it just gets too uncomfortable.

Fly2High

Ok. I spend M-F on the trainer for 45 min to an hour each day. Weekends, I try hard to go out for a ride. Yeah, the trainer for me was purchased only to get a leg up. Once the weather improves(or in reality sunlight - I don't mind being out in the cold [20-40F] but I prefer daylight for visibility), I expect to be riding in the early morning instead of being on the trainer. The roads by me are so grooved with cracks, and somewhat undulating from freeze thaw such that you have a slight bouny ride. Not so bad that you are being bounced all over the place but enough to know the road is not flat. On the ride last night after work, I intentionally tried not to move on the saddle to see if the bouncy ride was the result of the better feeling or if I was applying different pressure on the handlebars. Ironically, I find myself leaning more weight on them on the trainer and feel very light on them on the road but there were times that I lso felt light on the seat when on the road as well.

Frank

nesdog

I definitely have more saddle discomfort while on the trainers. I've had to play with adjusting the front wheel block to make everything work. Really odd....

mlamb01

I have noticed this as well on the trainer. I much prefer to be on the tops while on the trainer over the hoods or drops. My theory is that the wind resistance on the upper body helps support your upper body, taking a little bit of weight off of your hands. Probably not much in reality, but our hands are very sensitive and can pick this up.

jrossbeck

Like most have said, has a lot to do with static motion/position. On the actual road, we're moving around more than we realize. Even slight weight shifts for turning move your weight distribution around.

I use aero bars on my trainer just to give me as many riding positions as possible to minimize discomfort. I try to split time evenly between hoods, drops, flats and aero bars and find it helps saddle comfort greatly.

Fly2High

I was on all three and felt better on the road: tops, hoods and drops.

I am going to take the block out and see if that changes things on the trainer. Could it be that the angle of the bike and therefore the seat will make all the difference? If that is true, boy would that be a good reason to NOT get a climbing block!!

jrossbeck

Probably also has a lot to do with the numerous smaller "stabilizing" muscles throughout our body. When the bike is locked on the trainer, you don't need to balance it, therefore a lot of those cores muscles "shut down" therefore placing more weigh ton your seat and your hands. Another good reason to do some core training in the winter to keep yourself ready for when the weather breaks and we can get outside.

Here are some good ones I try to do - obviously not all at once. Page 6 (of 8) has most of the exercises my chiro had me doing back when I was long distance running.

https://www.princeton.edu/uhs/pdfs/Lumbar.pdf

MagicHour

My most Comfortable bibs + chamois cream are essential for trainer rides >1:00hr. On long flat efforts, I try to throw in :30sec or 1:00min standing intervals once in awhile for 'taint relief' On the road I usually am fine down there, unless it's over 4:00hrs.

happyscientist

Like the others said, I think it has to do with body position. Throwing in sprints, standing, shifting between the hoods and the drops help. Of course, I think the biggest part of the problem is just that the trainer sucks compared to being out on the road. Even doing a training video or watching a movie, you are aware of the fact that you are just sitting there, going nowhere. It is kind of like getting caught in bad weather or when that friend of a friend that you can't stand shows up for a ride, things that wouldn't normally irritate you suddenly do.

Machka 

Yes, your saddle will likely feel different on the trainer than when you are riding outside.


As others have mentioned, it has something to do with your position on the bicycle and the fact that you don't move much.

From my experience, it is similar to the feel of the saddle when I ride a tandem. When you ride a tandem, you can't be moving about and standing up at random either.

Carbonfiberboy 

I don't notice any difference as long as I stand and pedal on the rollers as frequently as I would on the road. Other than the lack of distractions, of course. On the rollers, I shift my hand positions and stand by the clock.

lopek77

It feels little different on my rollers. Not a huge difference, probably from the bike being more level than when riding outside.
And sometimes it feels more slippery...maybe it is?

Kopsis

I can comfortably ride a pretty wide variety of saddles on the road, but it took a while to find one I could tolerate for more than an hour on the trainer (even with the bike perfectly leveled). Lots of possible physics explanations why this is so, but the bottom line is that it IS different. Mitigations include shifting hand positions, frequent short out-of-the-saddle breaks, really good shorts/bibs, and possibly looking for a different saddle. I've often wondered if the Kurt Rock&Roll would also help (since it allows some natural side-to-side motion).

RomansFiveEight

I've found mine to be uncomfortable indoors but fine outdoors. For one, when coasting, I have some weight on the pedals (thus off the saddle). More pedal pressure, there's the wind, the fact that I hit stop signs (off the saddle, standing up); etc. No saddle discomfort after a couple of hours outdoors but my rear-end is ready to divorce me after an hour on the trainer. I try to get out of the saddle every 10-15 minutes indoors; for 30 seconds or so. Which really helps.

velociraptor

Yep, my experience is pretty much the same as everyone else - Saddle is substantially less comfortable on the trainer vs. the road.

As others have said, shift hand positions often and take short 15-30sec breaks out of the saddle during rest intervals.

And if you're a dude, you should also take the opportunity afforded by privacy to ensure uninterrupted blood flow by adjusting your junk periodically

skycomag

I've been think about this.
I have a indoor trainer ,Kurt Kinetic Road Machine Fluid Trainer.
with the rear wheel clamped to the probably stiffens the frame so you get no flex.
so this might change the feel of the bike.
just a thought, could this possible?

Fly2High

Just an update. I did my longest ride to date (15.6 mile - 1 hr 18 min - I know pretty wimpy but I just started riding a month ago and my first rides then were 3 miles so I cannot complain) and the test saddle felt great. No issues what so ever. Compared to being on the trainer, this was heaven.

Not sure if being held by the rear skewer is stiffening things and what that results in as far as comfort but it sounds like it could contribute.

kbarch

So, is the consensus that this is an issue with being fixed in the trainer, that it would not be so much an issue on rollers, or are variations in the road more what get us adjusting our position enough to make a difference in saddle feel?

autonomy

I know this topic is somewhat old, but I've been facing this issue now that I'm spending more time riding indoors. I have a theory that a lot of the pressure comes from the transfer of forces through the roller to the skewer, when I'm pushing with my foot, the opposite buttock is pressing on the saddle and because the tire isn't on the floor, the pressure is not dampened. I don't have a riser block, can someone comment on whether this issue gets better, worse, or no change with a block?

hsuehhwa

My saddle feels different on different types of road rides. It has a lot to do with your cadence, intensity, position, your bike fit...


For example, usually I experienced saddle sores after 100 miles of solo/low intensity rides at higher cadence, because I put more weight on my butt. On the other hand, after riding with stronger riders in a group ride, all the saddle sores were replaced with joint sores LoL, since my body weight was more evenly distributed among my arms, core, legs, and butt.

Carbonfiberboy 

It's because you don't move around on the trainer. Rollers aren't as bad as a trainer because at least the bike moves under me. But still about a seated hour is all I can take. Standing helps, but.

RPK79

ftfy

Carbonfiberboy 

I kinda thought there'd be someone who wouldn't be able to resist.