HI!
I am a newbie female triathlete and bought a Trek 2100 bike. I have just begun using the aerobars but when I go down in them - the seat is hurting my crotch. Do you think if I tilt the seat down a little it would help or do I need to buy a different seat??
Any advice would be appreciated!
THANKS so much!
Julie
Julie…
I will answer this one seriously.
It is two major things:
time in saddle, right saddle choice
(of course now that I have switched to an all carbon ride I don’t feel anything anymore)
Time in saddle can’t be rushed. To help with pain I often apply vasoline to both the saddle and then often diaper rash ointment on my body parts. Once the saddle is broken in usually just the diaper rash ointment works. Others will chime in with chamois butter or something like that, but vasoline and diaper rash ointment has never failed me yet.
Saddle choice…find one that fits your ischial tuberosities (bony part of the butt). I personally LOVE the sella italia SLR with the split in the middle to save on my pudendal nerve…and if you don’t know what that one is google it, you want to protect your pudendal nerve (and squats will help strengthen this one).
While you are at it…if you are a true newbie please make sure any contact is clean before you ride. If you shave/wax watch out for ingrown hairs. This isn’t something you want to experience.
For quick fix, I have sat on an ice pack before to calm down that soft tissue. The term ‘OUCH MEOW’ was started from a saddle problem between a couple of my close friends. I think you get that sentiment.
Good Luck! Once you find the fit, you won’t want off your bike 
Not being a lady, I wouldn’t know whether this is right for you, but readin Elieen’s response, maybe it is. I use the Selle Italia SLR T1 Saddle as it is designed specifically for the TT position. I’ve been using one for a month now and it’s much better.
I don’t think mine is meant for tt–at least I hope it isn’t! I just loaded my baby into the vehicle for a sweet 6 hr ride and it says SLR trans am–have been on this saddle for 2 yrs now and couldn’t imagine anything else. My new bike has a different set up and I am hitting spots I never hit before, but shifting my hips back further into the seat has helped along with a ‘rocking’ motion forward and down (OH GOd that didn’t sound right!).
Time to ride 
its Monday low 70s heating up to mid 80s and ALL sunshine, no more indoors!
I would suggest a couple of things. Don’t tilt the nose of the seat down because this will cause you to slide forward and put more pressure on the area, tilt it up a little and it will roll you onto the sit bones better. Try different seats, I make one for women called a Blackwell cutdown that offers some success, several others are out there. I would stay away from any wide “womens” cut seats. These things hit on your hamstrings and force you to the nose of the seat. Work with seat rotation, twisting the seat post so that the nose is slightly offset to one side, a little trial and error that will have great results.
Funnilly enough, my other is a trans am, and I find that a bit hard at the front. Maybe that’s why you have to shift backwards. I beleive that you shouldn’t have to put up with sores etc, but then you have to buy the saddle to try it, as you need to try it for a bit. Does that make sense???
And no, that did not sound right. I suggest you just get out there for your ride 
I got a Trek 2200 this year and couldn’t ride more than 30 minutes on it until I got a proper bike fit (it just hurt too much). Now I can go for hours without any discomfort. It’s really worth the $50 - 100 to get a good bike fit.
Dawn
My wife had the same problem until she got the “cutdown” saddle mentioned below. She’s done 7 IMs, and a host of other races/rides on it, and she would give up her new P3 Carbon before that saddle.
(No, I have no connection to John Cobb, etc., I’m just happy that the saddle eliminates the problems.) YMMV
NO NO NO! I tried this and SUFFERED. Go to your LBS or someone locally who is good at fitting the aero position and get checked out. I had my fit reviewed last week, and they adusted my saddle all righty, backwards! But it has made a HUGE difference.
But whatever you do, please don’t tilt it downward, it will make matters worse.
AP (I am a chick btw)