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saddle for aero position
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I am using an adamo saddle on my tt bike. I do get some discomfort on the lady parts but its not completely horrible. Does anyone know of a better saddle to try.
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Re: saddle for aero position [charman1] [ In reply to ]
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Hmmm, for that kind of discomfort I would recommend a saddle with a cut out, but you already have that.

Is it a case of the prongs being a little too wide?

Maybe try zip tying the rails together.
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Re: saddle for aero position [charman1] [ In reply to ]
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Hiya:

I ride an Adamo too, and while it is much better than previous saddles, I'll still get major grief after a long ride, or even a short one in the wrong chamois (I like Assos best, but am trying Shebeest as well because I've heard good things . . .)

I don't think the saddle makers are spending enough time thinking about women's anatomy, no doubt due to relative 'insignificance' of the market. If you ride with your pelvis rolled under, like I do, to get more power off the glutes, there is very little protecting the flesh between pubic bone and saddle except intelligent padding or cutout, and I haven't found either one yet. The so-called 'ladies' saddles are great for anyone sitting back on their sit bones, but that ain't me. So, no answer here, but I feel your pain!

http://www.yearoftrainingdangerously.blogspot.com
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Re: saddle for aero position [kiki] [ In reply to ]
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Certainly not the expert here, but I have a Specialized Tri Tip saddle that I like pretty well. The cutout helps.
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Re: saddle for aero position [kiki] [ In reply to ]
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I just switched to an Adamo Road and have been SUPER HAPPY with it-it was a little HARD at first but after a few long rides, we got used to one another.
Some friends hated Adamo and had good luck with Cobb. Maybe give another brand a try with a loaner from you LBS?

_____________________________________________
Team Rev 3 Triathlon
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Re: saddle for aero position [JenniferLeah] [ In reply to ]
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Had a long ride yesterday for the first time in new Shebeest shorts -- WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Or else the nerves have finally fried out, lol. Also found a great post on the subject at Lovely Bike, lots of ladies weighing in saddles, shorts, cream, etc.

http://lovelybike.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/on-female-anatomy-and-bicycle-saddles.html


http://www.yearoftrainingdangerously.blogspot.com
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Re: saddle for aero position [kiki] [ In reply to ]
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I'm using the Cobb V Flow Max. I've done up to 70 miles on it and it gets uncomfortable toward the end. Last weekend I rode 66 in my tri shorts testing the waters for the Galveston 1/2 this weekend and I got the worst saddle sore where my leg meets my girly bits. I'm sure it was the shorts because normally I ride in a pair of LG 5.5 and use a ton of chamois cream, but my tri shorts have no padding at all. It was a pretty expensive saddle and I don't think I'll try anything different. I know I need cutouts in any saddle I use. I also went through a ton just to find a decent one for my road bike. Ended up with a Specialized gel with a cutout that's pretty comfortable....again with the right shorts.

On the other hand, I have a friend who has the exact same saddle and is super uncomfortable on it. I have to agree that there has to be a better solution for us women from the saddle manufacturers. Unfortunately, you just have to try a bunch out and log some miles to see what is going to work for you. Sucks because typically our bike shops in town require you to purchase a saddle and then you can exchange it if it doesn't work. Not to bad and all if they carry a wide enough variety that you will eventually find one from their selection that will work.
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Re: saddle for aero position [Tx Tri Girl] [ In reply to ]
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I wanted to chime in on this topic, not so much as a saddle manufacturer but as a very interested party. I find that the bike setup is equally as important as the seat shape for women riders, combined with good cycling shorts. So many riders, females in particular have their bikes set up with the seat height way too high, this is a huge contributor to saddle sores and general discomfort. Bad shorts probably rank as the number 2 offender or trouble maker. A thickly padded short will generally "wad up" in the center of the crotch and cause all types of issues. This happens often because the shorts leg lengths are too long for that particular rider and as the rider pedals, all that extra material bunches up in the crotch center causing an uncomfortable pressure point. Getting the front end of the bike, the handle bars and aero bars set correctly is the third most important thing. Being over stretched on the bars just loads a lot of pressure on the front of the soft tissue area. So many females can ride with much lower bar setups but for this to be successful you have to shorten the front end distance [stem] at the same time as lowering the bars. Then of course there are the seat shapes and just as it is for men, there is no one perfect seat. The very first seat I made in 1995 was for my wife, our VFlow model is designed specifically as a womens road saddle but I don't label it as a "women's" saddle so that the men will try it also. It still goes back to bike setup however, very often a very small change in the seat tilt or rotation, the height or the fore / aft location can completely transform a saddle. Just because you're a women doesn't mean you can't adjust these changes to your seat. Seat post are not a mystery and you will never likely find the true comfort if you try to take your bike in to the local shop to get it adjusted. Get some tools and take them with you and use them, be your own mechanic and help yourself with solving the problem. I do believe that some type of cut out is good for women riders and I do not believe that women need extra wide saddles. As a general guideline, the lower your front end is in relation to your saddle top, the narrower the saddle can be in the overall width and still offer great comfort.
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Re: saddle for aero position [charman1] [ In reply to ]
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I tried several saddles and found my self a great solution, and very helpful is like 85% + better.

Seat Pad Wide..
http://www.desotosport.com/product/SPW

# 1 use Chamois Cream- Women's before a ride and after 20mi-30mi+
http://www.amazon.com/...33178355&sr=8-24
#2
Try using before and after the rides A+D Ointment (on the Lady parts)

Hope it helps..


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Re: saddle for aero position [Tx Tri Girl] [ In reply to ]
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Well I have tried a couple more saddles. The Stella Italia slr ( hated it) and I tried the cobb v flow maxx. I also found many original adamo pretty comfortable when I adjusted the bike. The cobb is pretty comfortable. No problems with the lady parts but still getting sores on the crease where my body and leg meet. I thinkin that's a shorts issue?
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Re: saddle for aero position [charman1] [ In reply to ]
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I've been reading up on bike fit. I feel like my tri bike fits me perfectly, but I've been having some hip pain on the left and knee pain on the right, which is making me wonder if it truly is fit to me as it should be or not. Maybe I have the pain because I still haven't built up the endurance in those muscles for that bike? John's post made me question that even more now. Day before a 1/2 Iron is not the time you want to be questioning your bike fit! I'm not changing anything today, but something I'm certainly going to look into after the race. I'm wondering if the Retul fittings are worth it? When I purchased my tri bike, the shop did a fit assessment of me on the bike, but it was just eyeballing things and using the ball-dropper-thingy-magig they normally use in bike shops. I'm wondering if the Retul fits are actually worth it? Maybe it would show some descrepancies in my fit that the human eye just can't detect. That, and I'm considering spluging for a pair of Desoto 400 mile shorts. I can tell you that with my road bike, I have done what John suggested and busted out the tools and just started moving things around on the bike. I've been doing this for several months and still can't find that perfect comfortable position on that bike. I've tried raising the seat, lowering the seat, moving it forward, moving it backward, tilting it more forward, and have moved my cleats all over the bottom of my shoes.

I wonder though....if we all start trying to change things as John suggested in his post, how do we know that the one thing we are experimenting with changing is working or not? For example, if I get the Desoto shorts, and I still get saddle sores, how do I know if it's still the shorts, or something on my bike I should be looking at next? Maybe I get the shorts and try to lower my seat a smidg....still get saddle sores....what next? UGH....I just really wish there was a much easier answer. I love riding my bikes more than anything, but this saddle sore has really made me not enjoy riding as much.
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Re: saddle for aero position [Tx Tri Girl] [ In reply to ]
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I have a Romin Evo Expert, and love it!
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Re: saddle for aero position [swimbikerun723] [ In reply to ]
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I've been using the Selle SMP TRK lady and won't even consider another. Love it! Have one on my road and TT bike.
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Re: saddle for aero position [ozzie123] [ In reply to ]
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I have an Adamo Road, but I had to tweak the positioning before it felt right. It's still not 100%, but I'm fine-tuning it little by little. I tried the Adamo Breakaway first and it didn't feel right at all.

The more I read, the more I realize that finding the right saddle is like looking for running shoes. Everyone will have their favourite, but you need to try them out to see what suits your body type best.

Good luck with your search!
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