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Saddle Discomfort - My crotch is killing me! PLEASE HELP!
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Training for Lake Placid 70.3 and riding a new Felt IA14 (omg, LOVE it). But my crotch is killing me. I have been properly fitted to the bike and the set up is extremely comfortable, except for saddle discomfort. I am not using the stock saddle (ouch, that thing was hard as a rock), but a Terry Butterfly which I've ridden for years. I've never had this much discomfort on the bike. I am generally riding in 2XU tri shorts. Yesterday I rode in Craft shorts and it was the most painful 30 miles ever.

HELP! Is it the saddle? My position? My shorts? I prefer to ride in tri shorts because that's what I'll be wearing race day. But I can't take this much longer.

For what its worth, it is only the right side of the nether-regions that hurts. The left side is completely fine.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I think I need to tri out some new saddles but thought I'd ask here before I went that route.
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Re: Saddle Discomfort - My crotch is killing me! PLEASE HELP! [uptown423] [ In reply to ]
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Do you think it might be a weight distribution issue or could it be an anatomical-soft-tissue thing? I'm not 100% happy with my TT bike saddle - I'm still on the stock one for now - but I do find that what I'm wearing can make it more or less tolerable (my 2XU one-piece trisuit was the worst offender).

You mention it's a new bike; is the saddle you're using from another TT bike you had in the past or a road one? I've found a road saddle that is good but I'd never be able to use it on the TT bike - rotating forward into a more TT-esque position just absolutely mashes everything up.

Good luck and keep us updated.
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Re: Saddle Discomfort - My crotch is killing me! PLEASE HELP! [uptown423] [ In reply to ]
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uptown423 wrote:
a Terry Butterfly

OUCH!

I've done this. Get off that saddle and get a Tri saddle. I went from a Terry Butterfly on my road bike (actually, still on my road bike) to a Cobb 55 on my Tri Bike.

It was probably your fit that made you uncomfortable in the saddle. If you are in a pro or semi-pro position on the Felt, then the Terry Butterfly will hit you right where it hurts. Stick with the fit, ditch the saddle.

When you get your Tri saddle, hook your butt bones on the most front part of the stub nose and get that spot toughened up (3-4 sessions probably). It didn't take long for me to adapt. It took a while for me to just get used to hanging off the front of the saddle so much, but comfort is definitely there now.

Also, my hubby did the Tri Sports sample saddle thing. They were awesome and he found what he liked and I got to test a few he tried out as well. In the end, though, my bike fitter got me on the Cobb 55 (the science of which was simply, "I like the way this one feels.").

Hillary Trout
San Luis Obispo, CA

Your trip is short. Make the most of it.
https://www.slogoing.net/
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Re: Saddle Discomfort - My crotch is killing me! PLEASE HELP! [uptown423] [ In reply to ]
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As the others mentioned - is this a saddle came over from a road bike? I have very different saddles on my road and tri bikes because my position and contact points are completely different on each.


Question for you - where are your contact points with the saddle in aero position?

Typically, the goal, in aero, should be that the front of your pubic bone is on the front of the saddle (think major hip rotation). This generally means that your soft tissue isn't being smashed and your sit-bones should not be pressing on the back of the saddle. It is a different feeling, particularly if you're coming from a road geometry, and its sometimes difficult to get used to.

Definitely try out saddles - I ride ISM and love them - but everyone is different. With the right fit AND saddle combo, you should be able to ride many miles pain / discomfort-free.

Keep us posted!
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Re: Saddle Discomfort - My crotch is killing me! PLEASE HELP! [uptown423] [ In reply to ]
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uptown423 wrote:
Training for Lake Placid 70.3 and riding a new Felt IA14 (omg, LOVE it). But my crotch is killing me. I have been properly fitted to the bike and the set up is extremely comfortable, except for saddle discomfort.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I think I need to tri out some new saddles but thought I'd ask here before I went that route.

A proper fitting is one that is comfortable at all three touch points. If the saddle is not comfortable it is either the fit, or the saddle. If the saddle hurt in the fitting, then the setup isn't comfortable. For some the stock saddle is great, for others it's just a seatpost cover.

It should be that the person responsible for your fitting will be happy to see you to sort this out. You paid good money and have a great bike, taking a few more minutes with you to revisit the setup or even try a different saddle should be part of the deal.

Anne Barnes
ABBikefit, Ltd
FIST/SICI/FIST DOWN DEEP
X/Y Coordinator
abbikefit@gmail.com
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Re: Saddle Discomfort - My crotch is killing me! PLEASE HELP! [uptown423] [ In reply to ]
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I ditched the Terry Butterfly and put an ISM PN 1.1 on my bike. I've only ridden it once, for an hour (it just came yesterday). For those riding an ISM, where exactly should I be sitting? Should my "front" girlie bits be completely off the saddle, or will there still be contact with the front nose of the saddle? Right now, I have it positioned so that the saddle is as far back as it will go on the rails. It was WAY more comfortable than my Terry.

Thanks!
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Re: Saddle Discomfort - My crotch is killing me! PLEASE HELP! [uptown423] [ In reply to ]
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uptown423 wrote:
I ditched the Terry Butterfly and put an ISM PN 1.1 on my bike. I've only ridden it once, for an hour (it just came yesterday). For those riding an ISM, where exactly should I be sitting? Should my "front" girlie bits be completely off the saddle, or will there still be contact with the front nose of the saddle? Right now, I have it positioned so that the saddle is as far back as it will go on the rails. It was WAY more comfortable than my Terry.


Thanks!



It is going to depend a lot on your reach. I find that I scoot back over the course of the ride if it lasts longer than 90 minutes. When I first hop on the bike I'm about as far forward as I can be without falling off the nose and I find it quite comfortable. I just naturally start scooting back as I fatigue. I don't know if that is good or bad - it is just kind of what feels right for me.


There was a thread a while back that had some great info.


http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...e_question_P5087744/

Hillary Trout
San Luis Obispo, CA

Your trip is short. Make the most of it.
https://www.slogoing.net/
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Post deleted by Anna s [ In reply to ]
Re: Saddle Discomfort - My crotch is killing me! PLEASE HELP! [uptown423] [ In reply to ]
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Have you try riding with a 2nd pair of quality bike shorts after the swim? May be wear the tri short during the swim then put on the bike shorts on top for bike portion.
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Re: Saddle Discomfort - My crotch is killing me! PLEASE HELP! [Lateapex] [ In reply to ]
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Nice to know that what I thought was my own "weird" riding position is actually okay !
The "riding the tip of the saddle " ended up seeming to be the most doable position for myself as well.
I use an Adamo Road Race saddle. Its about ten years old ( found date on bottom of saddle ) , it works up to about 20 miles.
Gets tricky after that, I think its just not as cushy as it used to be due to age?
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Re: Saddle Discomfort - My crotch is killing me! PLEASE HELP! [uptown423] [ In reply to ]
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I totally loved the Terry Butterfly, when I first started out and was on a 3rd hand steel frame old road bike. Never had any problems. Since then, I've found that for me, the most comfortable matches are either:
road shorts with road saddle (ajna) in a road position/fit; or tri shorts (any) with tri saddle (hilo) in a slammed forward TT position/fit.

I cannot wear road shorts in my TT position/saddle; and vice versa, can't get away with tri shorts in a road position. I'm biased to Bontrager, but I really do feel that they make shorts and saddles to work well together, in the positions they are intended to be used in.

My TT position is fairly aggressive, and I end up sitting perched on the very nose of the saddle, on my front bones, not my sit bones, but my weight is so far forward that I don't feel like there is a lot of pressure even there.

L
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Re: Saddle Discomfort - My crotch is killing me! PLEASE HELP! [uptown423] [ In reply to ]
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Try Coeur Sports tri shorts. The chamois goes down the entire inner thigh and they are super comfy !!!! Their motto is actually "No angry kitty"
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Re: Saddle Discomfort - My crotch is killing me! PLEASE HELP! [uptown423] [ In reply to ]
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In addition to all of the constructive saddle, fit, short comments posted here, have you considered that it could be abrasion? I noticed a huge difference in saddle area comfort when I started lubricating down there.
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Re: Saddle Discomfort - My crotch is killing me! PLEASE HELP! [Anna s] [ In reply to ]
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I personally don't ride right off the very front of my split-nose saddle... I move around a bit on it, and the weight is on my pubic rami bones rather than sit bones. I have the same saddle on my road and tri bikes. In a bike fit done a few months ago, I was told where I'm sitting is just fine. More importantly, it's very comfortable even over long distances. I'd second the comment about abrasion -- I'm a big fan of chamois cream, makes a big difference in comfort for me.
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Re: Saddle Discomfort - My crotch is killing me! PLEASE HELP! [uptown423] [ In reply to ]
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Many shops offer 'demo' saddles.
Try different shapes and positions. Carry a wrench with you so you can make small adjustments on your rides.
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Re: Saddle Discomfort - My crotch is killing me! PLEASE HELP! [uptown423] [ In reply to ]
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Specialized usually has a number of test saddles. Try their "Power" saddle. I had similar problems and this one solved them. A number of my female friends also use them on both their TT bikes and roadies. If you find one you like you will probably need to go back to your bike fitter to get it adjusted properly. Good luck!
Last edited by: Lesmack: Sep 5, 17 4:08
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Re: Saddle Discomfort - My crotch is killing me! PLEASE HELP! [Kristi] [ In reply to ]
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This. A road saddle and tri saddle are very different things, at least for me. I have an Infinity saddle on my road bike and a Cobb JOF 55 on my tri bike. I love them both, but they are very different due to different positions.
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