so, as I said before I have been very happy with my Adamo saddle (or so I think!). I have developed pain in my lower back and right hamstring and I am starting to wonder if this is a combination of lack of proper stretching and warm-up or if the Adamo saddle could actually be driving this.
The pain started just after I did a race after less than a week of using the new saddle, I thought it was just that I pushed to hard on the bike putting perhaps more stress on the lower back than I usually do, but I am now starting to wonder after I read in another thread somebody complaining about a similar problem (siatica nerve pinched by Adamo pressure around the sitbones??).
Anybody else experience this?
I guess one option would be to go back to my previous saddle for a couple of weeks and see if I notice any dramatic improvement (but just the though of the pressure on the ‘taint’ is killing me already).
I mentioned a sciatic nerve issue and the Adamo, but I don’t believe the Adamo is to blame. Looking back I’ve had issues with sciatic nerve at various points down my leg for a couple years, usually during the run of an IM n- long before the Adamo arrived. The Adamo seems to aggravate the issue when it flares up though, especially if I am sitting up on it instead of riding aero. I intend to somehow get back to the Adamo again at some point if I can figure our a solution for the hamstring impingement.
I love my Adamo and it has solved all of my saddle issues.
I did experience some back strain issues just after switching to the Adamo, but I discovered it was related to other issues and not the saddle itself.
One thing to keep in mind is that you should be riding on the front of the saddle with your sits bones just behind the cutout. If you sit too far back on the saddle I think it would cause you to spread your legs slightly to clear the wider nose, which could result in your hips rocking and resulting back pain. Maybe you can play with the seat position and see if this is an issue.
When in doubt, have a fitting done by someone who can watch you ride on the saddle and see if it is causing problems with your form.
Second (or third, whateva!) comments above. Have had my Adamo for several months and have noticed no problems related to back, sciatia, or hamstrings. Have a long history of back problems and a lifestyle that contributes greatly to those problems–but the saddle works great for me. My back problems stem mainly from heavy rucksack marching, night parachute drops, lots of sitting with body armor on in crappy HMMWV seats, and my laziness when it comes to stretching and core body work. Adamo saddles rock–I gotta stretch more and more often and and do more core body work. Good luck to you.
Serge- I have to agree with everyone else. The back pain most likely is not related. However, a good fitting and sitting forward on the sit may solve any possible issues. Since my hips are not even ( and very few peoples’ are), I had to move my seat slightly to the right. Once I did that- life was great.
As Dan E. reported and Jason Billows commented, you are supposed to ride off the nose of the saddle. If you ride back too far, you can get irritation of your hamstrings where they originate from your “sit bones” or ischial tuberosity. I would agree that it might be worth having someone take a look who is familiar with the saddle to make sure you are correctly positioned. Or…just move the seat back a bit.
One caveat…very few bike fitters have any familiarity with this saddle. Keep that in mind.
Put my saddle on two days before Gulf Coast Half and now 5 months later and a Ironman on it I cannot go back to a regular type saddle. I have tried to switch just to see if I would notice but it would not work. I am sold on this style saddle. Good luck with yours.
Great, thanks for all the feedback, I did have my position checked by a respectable fitter and all seemed ok, however I noticed that on long rides I do sit back a bit when I get out of the aero position and this might be causing a bit of the hammy issue, which then might extend up to the glutes and lower back… I will try to move the saddle back a little bit and experience there, it might help. Txs
Like Jason said, this is a saddle that you want to ride such that your boys are hanging off the front. The saddle should actually sit back quite a bit from a conventional saddle…and what the hell are you doing “sitting up” on your long rides…just ride aero for 5 hours like Natasha Badmann and cut off those base bars
