Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,638
Likes: 14
From: Maidstone, Kent, England
Bikes: 1970 Holdsworth Mistral, Vitus 979, Colnago Primavera, Corratec Hydracarbon, Massi MegaTeam, 1935 Claud Butler Super Velo, Carrera Virtuoso, Viner, 1953 Claud Butler Silver Jubilee, 1954 Holdsworth Typhoon, 1966 Claud Butler Olympic Road, 1982 Claud
"Big cushy seats are terrible. They usually just transfer the pain to just below your butt if you put a few miles on one."
I couldn't agree more. When non-cyclists see the narrow carbon fibre "Selle Italia Kit Carbonio" saddle on my Vitus road bike they don't believe me when I tell them it's one of the more comfortable saddles I've ever used (picture below). A road bike saddle is not to 'sit' on in the same way as say a car seat or motorcycle saddle which generally are the more comfortable the thicker, wider and more deeply cushioned they are. A road bike saddle supports the two "sit bones" (I can't remember the proper medical name for them but they are the two bony points at the bottom of the pelvis between the legs). Your legs must be free to pedal without rubbing and chafing on the sides of a thick saddle and thick padding on the top just means that your fleshy parts will be rubbing against it all the time, causing more soreness. as others have said, tyres are an important choice and improving your position on the bike by adjusting saddle height, angle and fore/aft position plus handlebar height and angle is equally important to comfort. The aim is to spread your body weight between the three contact points: seat, hands and feet. If any one carries too much of your weight the ride will be downright painful. Also as others have pointed out, bumps, kerbs and potholes are to be avoided and not ridden over. That's just common sense - they impart impact shocks to you and the bike so can damage the bike and cause you pain from bruising. Even though your Free Spirit sounds as though it's on the lower levels of the range, provided that the frame is the correct size for you it should still be possible to adjust it to give you a smooth and comfortable - though possibly heavy - ride. Then you can start to enjoy it, save money on fuel and cut your personal carbon emissions!
Last edited by Oldpeddaller; 08-20-11 at 04:19 PM.
Reason: Posted wrong photo!