Originally Posted by
bianchi10
I must also add that GOOD shorts are imperative. I would highly recommend staying away from any replica team jersey/short sets on ebay to try and save money. The chamois pads are cheap and wont help you in any way. Trust me, I learned the hard way. I didn't think it would make THAT big of a difference when i started out, but quickly realized I was wrong. You dont have to drop $250 on a set of assos, but once you try a nice set, you realize why people spend the money.
+1!
You really should pick up a pair of decent shorts before you start trying out saddles. A lot of beginning riders will think that the chamois pad on bike shorts is an unnecessary luxury, but-- trust me-- everyone who rides road with some level of seriousness wears comfortable shorts with a chamois. Also, getting your bike fit will help you get more comfortable in the saddle.
You're just going to have to experiment with different saddles. I went through 3 before I found one that was comfortable. There's no steadfast rule on superior saddles, but some things to consider:
Don't judge a saddle by padding. Some people need more, some people need less. Additionally, saddles with more padding often = more points of contact and more pressure on sensitive areas because you're sinking in to it.
You should be sitting on your ischial tuberosities (sit bones) when you're riding. This is in order to position the majority of your weight there and not on soft tissues that aren't meant to support your weight. If you've been riding around on a bad saddle and are hence unfamiliar with doing so, it can often feel like you're bruised the first couple times you do it, and particularly on longer rides. I did a 50mi. climb-heavy training ride right after I switched out my saddle and my sit bones were SO tender for the next day, but they'll HTFU and the bruising sensation is short lived.