shady oaks

I've always had a boney butt, and my stock saddle isn't cutting it. I'm only into my 3rd week on the bike, but building up time/distance on my rides is becoming uncomfortable. After only 45 minutes, I am fidgety and my piriformis muscle starts to flare up. The piriformis issue is only on my right side and I have had this issue with the piriformis/sciatic issue prior to cycling. But my butt hurts on both sides. I did move back in the saddle on this last ride and it helped a bit for the butt soreness on the left hand side. My shorts have a thicker chamois in it. Any recommendation on a good saddle? Or is the issue beyond the saddle?

fietsbob

Your Butt is not standardized so you may just have to try a lot of saddles //

The bone loops on your pelvis are whar you sid on fat Glutes dont matter ..

other than a Recumbent , you dont sit on that ..


One thing that makes sling Leather saddles like Brooks so popular, is they after riding a while Mold themselves

to your sit bones ..

A newer US company Selle Anatomica , has a punched out center hole in the leather , so each half of the saddle

moves with that Leg..

Go forth and Test sit a Bunch of saddles ride and swap them.. There really is not a crowd source answer on this one.

kingsqueak

If the saddle fits right and is adjusted right, it should feel like a direct connection to your sit bones. Once you are supported like that, you don't have circulation and nerve issues, you just have to get used to the dull ache as you adjust to being on the sit bones.

Too much squish and it's into the glutes and soft tissues and affects circulation as a result.

Getting used to the sit bone pressure takes a good dozen rides to get adjusted to and the time will extend that you are comfortable as you go. I only started riding the end of July and have limited time to ride and it's only just now that I've got the seat close to right and able to go over an hour. Grand total is only 100 miles of riding so far for me for some contrast.

DX-MAN

Riding long distances/times requires "iron butt", some buildup of tolerance to the position and demand of the ride. If you really feel you've gotten there, and the saddle is the issue, then you have one thing to do FIRST:

Find out your "sit bone width". One way: lay a firm piece of foam across a milk crate, and sit on it for a moment. The dents left in the foam when you get up are your sit bones. Measure the separation.

Then start looking online for saddles that fit that measurement. MOST will list saddle width.

I did this, and found the Selle SMP Trk to be the best saddle I've ever perched on.

Wanderer

I don't have a butt either, and a B-17 Brooks woirks for me

OldSchoolGuy

Push harder on the pedals and use drop style handle bars. Pushing on the pedals takes much of the load off your seat and leaning forward with drop style bars shifts a lot of the weight to the arms. Also, a good saddle like a Brooks that, when broken in, will conform to your shape. Don't worry about the extra lb or so of weight.

sreten

Hi,

Too small is bad, too padded is bad. 155mm doesn't seem small for most.

Took a couple of months to get used to to my road bike saddle. Original was
too small. Cheap replacement was too padded. Third choice I've got used to.

Previously had no issues with the replacement saddle immediately bought
for the cheap folder I had bought 3 months before buying the road bike.
(Pre warned from reviews the original saddle was very poor, had to go.)

Your bike probably does come with a decent saddle, 3 weeks is not enough.

rgds, sreten.

Northwestrider

If your butt has developed small pimples , they are likely saddle sores. Cured by good hygiene and creams such as Chamois butter and others. I've had this problem in the past, no longer. I also use the Brooks B 17 standard, and am very happy with it.

TromboneAl

Have you experimented with saddle tilt. Tilting nose up can reduce pressure on the sit bones, but increase pressure on the soft tissues, which presents problems as well.