Reeses

I went on (relatively) long bike ride today. I haven't done one in months. About ten miles in I started feeling pain in my groin area. I got off the bike and it basically felt like I bruised my balls. It hurt so bad, but I managed to make it the rest of the way, though I had to stand up while riding at certain times because the nose of the saddle was bothering me so much.

Could it be my positioning? I reassessed my body position after that first ten miles, and basically tried to sit back on the saddle, thinking it would help (it didn't). So I tried sitting more forward, which didn't work either.

I have the stock Fuji Newest 1.0 saddle, and I'm looking for one that won't bust my groin so much, and is built for going fast, but for an extended time. Does anyone have any suggestions, maybe tell me what saddle you find most comfortable?

10 Wheels

Some riders never find the perfect saddle.

Wylde06

I got lucky and the first saddle I tried was the Arione, works for me.

See if your LBS has a saddle demo program

Carbon Unit

I have tried six different saddles and the one that works best for me its the SMP saddles because of the wide cut out and the bent down nose.

bobbycorno

So start doing your homework. Find an LBS that has a wide selection of saddles and a 30-day (or however long) return policy, ask 'em what they'd recommend and start with that. Don't stop 'til you've found one that works for you.

FWIW flat and relatively wide saddles work best for me: Fizik Antares, Brooks B17 and WTB SST on my go-fast, go-far, and mountain bike, respectively.

SP
Bend, OR

teachme

When you ride, try staying close to your home, like going around the block. Ride around until you start to feel the pain. When you feel discomfort you should stop and walk the bike home. Next day, try to ride a little farther, and farther each day. Before you know it the booty will be in shape for longer rides.

rdtompki

While it does take time for your butt to get used to a saddle, if you're feeling discomfort after only 10 miles there may well be something seriously amiss with either your position on the bike or the saddle adjustment (or both). Get a basic fit if you can afford to do so as this will be the best money you ever spent. Alternatively, have an experienced cyclist help you. Once you have a reasonable, perhaps not perfect, fit you should be in a much better "position" to try different saddles.

For example, you mention trying to move forward and rearward on the saddle looking for a fix, but you're fighting a loosing battle doing so; your position on the saddle is largely determined by the need to balance the forces produced by the attachment points: legs/feet, arms and by the position and tilt of the saddle.

Reeses

Thanks. I actually moved my saddle a couple millimeters forward and it was a little better. I suspect I'll need a saddle upgrade soon though.

knowledgdropper

I recommend that you get a proper fit before trying out different saddles. Either pay someone or do some more research. There are plenty of resources online that will take you through the different things to look for when trying to get comfortable on the bike. If you haven't already, make sure your saddle is level- at least as a reference point, before you start to make wholesale changes. An upward-tilting saddle can easily cause what you describe.

If you do come to the conclusion that your current saddle is incompatible with your anatomy, King's Bicycle Store, in Seal Beach, has demo saddles from Fizik that you can test.

Carbon Unit

A few questions to consider: Do you experience soreness or numbness? If it is soreness, it may go away over time. If it is numbness, it will never go away and is a serious problem and you need a different saddle.

Bent Bill

I feel your pain
I have been fitted at a reputable shop and I still am fighting with butt pain
I have a brooks, a trico, a trek, a serfas, and ect ect saddles.
What I have found recently is to ride in a more upright position than most people recomend by raising my bars above the seat by about 2.5 inches.
Which also helps my right wrist pain a great deal along with the ergo grips I have.
now I can have the seat tilted slightly up without the saddle horn bothering the jewels and I am not sliding forward anymore as I was with the saddle level or angled down in the front

Beaker

Things to consider: saddle tilt (pressure on your sit bones vs perineum); saddle height (weight on your rear vs your hands); saddle fore/aft; saddle shape; miles ridden. Make small changes to those parameters, one at a time and see if the situation improves. The last two are more $ and time than the rest obviously.

Reeses

It's definitely soreness. And you know how the very top part of your skin gets rubbed off, where there's no blood or anything, but it's just painful. Yeah I have that "down there", not too severe, thankfully.

I didn't realize the tilt of the saddle was adjustable, how is that done? I've adjusted my saddle a little forward to see if that solves the problem.

ThinLine

Worst for me is my hemrd's. I have had off this whole week from work and rode almost everyday for approx. 26 miles/day.
Just bought a MTB and rode that yesterday.
Cooling gel is what I need, but my bontgrager inform rxl seems to work for me.

Machka 

Try various saddles. A decent bicycle shop will let you try a saddle for at least a week. A good bicycle shop will let you try a saddle for at least a month. A great bicycle shop will let you try a saddle for at least 6 months.

Make sure you get one that is wide enough so that you can support yourself on your sitbones.

roccobike

+1, Some excellent bike shops have demo saddles that they loan out to you to try. If you like it, they sell you a new one. Some folks insist on buying the demo unit, and that's usually no problem. All I can say, is find the saddle that works for you, it's worth it.

gsteinb

I'm pretty sure I'd get laughed out of the store if I asked any of the local shops to let me try out a saddle and return it.

Machka 

Then you really need to find some new shops!!


Here's a hint ...

Look up the Terry Saddle website. If I'm not mistaken, they have a 30-day trial on their saddles.

Look up the Wallingford Bicycles website. They've got a 6 month trial on their Brooks saddles.

jrobe

It doesn't cost very much to try the most popular 4-5 saddles. I made a list from all the saddle posts here of the ones I wanted to try and then one by one bought and sold used ones on Ebay and tried them. Evantually I narrowed it down to my current saddle and haven't changed in many years. I bet I never lost more than $5-10 to try each saddle and I even made a little money on a couple of them.

This is strictly trial and error and Ebay makes this pretty easy and cheap.

Beaker

That depends on your seat post, but either look for two bolts at the front and back of the clamp - tightening one while loosening the other will change tilt; alternatively you may have a single bolt, but the clamp may sit in a "cradle" that you can rotate. Many different variations out there. Moving the saddle forward will obviously affect reach and also effectively lower the saddle relative to the pedals. You may need to adjust up a mm or two to compensate.

bobbycorno

...only if you have a saddle that FITS your booty. One that doesn't fit never will, I don't care how you go about trying to get used to it. My "try 'em all" recommendation stands.

SP
Bend, OR