Lowering it too drastically is terrible advice. He'll destroy his quads and could even result in injury. Bike fit adjustments should be gradual. A lot of people are too high but the seatpost can definitely be too low. I'm not sure how you can tell him a specific measurement of two inches to lower the seatpost from behind a computer screen.
Triathlon Forum
Login required to started new threads
Login required to post replies
Re: Oh My Aching Saddle [lightheir]
[ In reply to ]
Re: Oh My Aching Saddle [Vegan Tri]
[ In reply to ]
Vegan Tri wrote:
Lowering it too drastically is terrible advice. He'll destroy his quads and could even result in injury. Bike fit adjustments should be gradual. A lot of people are too high but the seatpost can definitely be too low. I'm not sure how you can tell him a specific measurement of two inches to lower the seatpost from behind a computer screen.Not it's not terrible advice. It's a first step.
You aren't supposed to LEAVE the saddle that low. You are only using it as a first 'extreme low' position so you can get clear of 'saddle sore' position for sure, and then work your way up, often quickly. I never stayed at that initial position for more than one workout.
Having a too low also is highly unlikely to result in injury. Destroy your quads? No friggin' way. Fatigue them more than you should, yes, but you're not going to tear a quad muscle or tendon if you've been already cycling more than a trivial amount. It's actualy super-safe. The main issue with a seat that's a bit too low is a drop in power. But that's about it.
I can't give him a specific amount, but for sure, it's gotta be lower than he imagined when he started - sounds like he barely moved it down. In fact, i'll bet that a large majority of the posters on these 'woe is me saddle sores with every seat' didn't do this exact step, and most of them would be either completely cured or at minimal significantly improved with a slightly lowered seatpost at least until they acclimate and can get the seat back up to 'pro bike fit' height.
I went through this whole thing for years myself, before learning about this on this very forum. Tried 8 different seats, across 2 different bikes, pro bike fit, etc. So many types of bike shorts from hi to low end, bike creams, etc. The ONLY thing that made a difference was lowering the seat - as was recommended on this very forum. Yeah, it took me like 3 years or so to finally slay that recurrent saddle sore problem, but I rarely get them anymore.
So often here people get a bike fit and assume they never have to mess with the seat height when they're getting the sores over and over. You can lower the seat, and bring it back up to that 'ideal' height once your over the sores and better acclimated to those spots.
Re: Oh My Aching Saddle [ericMPro]
[ In reply to ]
ericMPro wrote:
txcrna wrote:
One word for you. Bisaddle. As with everyone else I have spent at least $1000 dollars on every tri saddle that promised comfort. They all produced excruciating pain after several hours. I bought the bisaddle with two separate top pieces that can be adjusted independently. Wide in the front, wide in the back, narrow in the front, narrow in the back etc. You can also adjust the “crown” of the saddle by rotating each half outwards from flat, to little crowned, to lot crowned. Put it in the trainer, tried the two separate sets of saddle tops, tried all three crowning angles. Tried every single combination the saddle would go into, when it fits you know it. That saddle is nothing short of amazing! Makes riding in the aero position all day an option. It’s a joy to concentrate on speed and power and not “when can I get off this thing”. Well worth the money, they even have a thirty day return policy. Takes a bit of fiddling to find that perfect spot, but when you find it, the heavens open, angels sing and it’s hammer time!Here is a great example of "the bike working for you" and not the other way around. The saddle is adjustable, customizable to your morphology/preference... it literally works for you!
BiSaddle worked great for me in another way... my leg length discrepancy. Over the years I had developed a lopsided stance on the saddle and it worked for me, but it was noticeable. One intrepid anatomically minded physical therapist / fitter at Dan's FIST camp took a look at me on the fit bike, grabbed a BiSaddle, and sorted me out in 5min. It was great, he used the adjustability to create an asymmetric saddle that matched my needs and straightened out my pedal stroke.
Eric
Eric - How specifically did you adjust the Bisaddle to accommodate your LLD? I have a slightly shorter left leg / higher right hip, leading to a nagging saddle sore on the right side (mostly an issue on the indoor trainer).
Re: Oh My Aching Saddle [Slowman]
[ In reply to ]
Asking for a friend...
Is there such a thing as, for lack of a better description, a vulva pasty that's intended to keep the tenderest bits out of contact with aggravating influences? The riverbeds of the Little Grand Canyons tend not to be quite as hardy as the terrain on the rim, if ya know what I mean.
Eliot
blog thing - strava thing
Is there such a thing as, for lack of a better description, a vulva pasty that's intended to keep the tenderest bits out of contact with aggravating influences? The riverbeds of the Little Grand Canyons tend not to be quite as hardy as the terrain on the rim, if ya know what I mean.
Eliot
blog thing - strava thing
Re: Oh My Aching Saddle [renorider]
[ In reply to ]
renorider wrote:
Asking for a friend... Is there such a thing as, for lack of a better description, a vulva pasty that's intended to keep the tenderest bits out of contact with aggravating influences? The riverbeds of the Little Grand Canyons tend not to be quite as hardy as the terrain on the rim, if ya know what I mean.
you saw the front page story and/or the forum thread on the de soto seat pads for tri, yes?
Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
Re: Oh My Aching Saddle [Slowman]
[ In reply to ]
thread yes, article no, until you mentioned it :)
there's a chance this ladyfriend has the wrong saddle (this is on her MTB, FWIW), although she put quite a bit of effort into settling on the one she has.
the gist of my question is that portions of the ladygarden become exposed that aren't used to being exposed, and that skin is on a short path to unhappiness as soon as it's in contact with anything.
Eliot
blog thing - strava thing
there's a chance this ladyfriend has the wrong saddle (this is on her MTB, FWIW), although she put quite a bit of effort into settling on the one she has.
the gist of my question is that portions of the ladygarden become exposed that aren't used to being exposed, and that skin is on a short path to unhappiness as soon as it's in contact with anything.
Eliot
blog thing - strava thing
Re: Oh My Aching Saddle [renorider]
[ In reply to ]
renorider wrote:
thread yes, article no, until you mentioned it :) there's a chance this ladyfriend has the wrong saddle (this is on her MTB, FWIW), although she put quite a bit of effort into settling on the one she has.
the gist of my question is that portions of the ladygarden become exposed that aren't used to being exposed, and that skin is on a short path to unhappiness as soon as it's in contact with anything.
it's a lot easier to find a good saddle for an MTB than for a tri bike. she has - what - asked you to solve her problem?
1. go to bike shop.
2. try different saddles on bike.
3. if not enough saddles, or if the shop has no way to execute this, go to different bike shop.
4. repeat.
or, does she have cycling apparel? if not, i consider that a prime suspect for the problem. just spitballing here of course.
Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
Re: Oh My Aching Saddle [Slowman]
[ In reply to ]
Slowman wrote:
renorider wrote:
thread yes, article no, until you mentioned it :) there's a chance this ladyfriend has the wrong saddle (this is on her MTB, FWIW), although she put quite a bit of effort into settling on the one she has.
the gist of my question is that portions of the ladygarden become exposed that aren't used to being exposed, and that skin is on a short path to unhappiness as soon as it's in contact with anything.
it's a lot easier to find a good saddle for an MTB than for a tri bike. she has - what - asked you to solve her problem?
1. go to bike shop.
2. try different saddles on bike.
3. if not enough saddles, or if the shop has no way to execute this, go to different bike shop.
4. repeat.
or, does she have cycling apparel? if not, i consider that a prime suspect for the problem. just spitballing here of course.
I have a vested interest in the happiness of the ladygarden
yes, has all the correct kit, and no undies underneath bib/shorts
unfortunately we're in the relative boondocks from a retail selection standpoint, and no one here does the "ship a box of saddles and keep your favorite" thing
the particular neighborhood of the ladygarden that's unhappy is the (NSFW search term) interlabial sulcus aka "riverbed of the little grand canyon" as referenced above
do you reckon that this is solvable with saddle selection and doesn't require further sorcery?
Eliot
blog thing - strava thing
ferluinavela wrote:
Any opinions about syncros belcarra tri?I have this saddle. Currently my favorite and I've tried the ISM 3.1, bontager hilo, Fizik mystica, sqlab Tri, and most recently the jcob type 5.
The joc was too wide and firm for me. ISM 3.1 was too soft and was causing some discomfort from rubbing. The belcarra Tri is kind of in between those two. It's much narrower on the back end than the jcob which too me seems way too wide. It's light weight.
I'd be interested in trying a dash saddle. Interesting design.