Stem Change and Handling
07-23-14 | 10:54 AM
#26
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 121
Likes: 2
From: Lawrenceburg KY
Bikes: 2014 Giant Defy 1 Endurance Road
I found that heavily padded saddles (like the one you are on) are much worse for perineum pressure. You sink into the saddle and then the bulky padding makes contact in the wrong places. I ride a Selle SMP Dynamic, they're tricky to setup, and put a lot of pressure on your sit bones (but nowhere else). Find a shop that demo's the Specialized saddles, my guess is you'll be able to find a better saddle for not too much money (<$100).
How heavy are you? If you're under 200 lbs a saddle with less padding should also reduce the pressure. For me the trick was a minimally padded saddle, and a good pair of bib shorts (Assos). And lots more riding...
How heavy are you? If you're under 200 lbs a saddle with less padding should also reduce the pressure. For me the trick was a minimally padded saddle, and a good pair of bib shorts (Assos). And lots more riding...
07-23-14 | 11:16 AM
#27
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 6,431
Likes: 44
From: Minneapolis, MN
All bikes feel different when you change stem length, but you get used to it. Also, a longer stem tends to feel odd when going slow, and gets better the faster you go. Short stems feel nice and sharp on the parking lot, but can get insecure once you are up to speed. All this, of course, is when speaking of bikes with standard road/race geometry.
It's an ancedotal note from one experience, but I was very noticeable to me, it wasn't noticeable on other bikes with different stem lengths. (What I liked about the Defy is that with the default stem length, the handling was really awesome).
07-23-14 | 11:31 AM
#28
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 153
Likes: 0
From: Jersey
Bikes: Workswell WCB-R-066 Ultegra 6800, LOOK 675 Light Ultegra Di2
Unless the discomfort is really bad and means a really poor fit (blame the LBS), a 100 miles or so is simply too little to start fine tuning the fit.
It takes me 400 miles to break in a new saddle and I have yet to meet a saddle that my butt disagreed with.
Every single change, and always only 1 change at a time, should at least be tested for a couple hundred miles unless it's really bad early on.
It takes me 400 miles to break in a new saddle and I have yet to meet a saddle that my butt disagreed with.
Every single change, and always only 1 change at a time, should at least be tested for a couple hundred miles unless it's really bad early on.
07-23-14 | 11:45 AM
#29
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 121
Likes: 2
From: Lawrenceburg KY
Bikes: 2014 Giant Defy 1 Endurance Road
Unless the discomfort is really bad and means a really poor fit (blame the LBS), a 100 miles or so is simply too little to start fine tuning the fit.
It takes me 400 miles to break in a new saddle and I have yet to meet a saddle that my butt disagreed with.
Every single change, and always only 1 change at a time, should at least be tested for a couple hundred miles unless it's really bad early on.
It takes me 400 miles to break in a new saddle and I have yet to meet a saddle that my butt disagreed with.
Every single change, and always only 1 change at a time, should at least be tested for a couple hundred miles unless it's really bad early on.
07-23-14 | 03:15 PM
#30
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 28,682
Likes: 63
From: Houston, TX
Bikes: 1990 Romic Reynolds 531 custom build, Merlin Works CR Ti custom build, super light Workswell 066 custom build
I'm 190 pounds. I've tried a few firm saddles, and they all just plain hurt - but none were wide enough. The Selle Royal Ellipse is fairly heavily padded, but has a very wide, very deep channel for the perineum, and is working fairly well. I am wondering if I can do better, though, and Specialized is at the top of my list to try. Thanks for the recommendation.
07-23-14 | 04:10 PM
#31
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,657
Likes: 1
From: So Cal
Bikes: Cervelo S2, Workswell 062, Banshee Spitfire
