Left sit bone slipping off saddle

[willhub]

Right got a bloody weird issue and it's driving me insane. I don't know if this is a new issue or an issue I've just realised, either way, I don't know what could cause it and how to fix it. The issue is, my right sit bone is firmly on the saddle, but my left sit bone is slipping off, I've even tried offsetting the saddle so the centre of the saddle is further to the left rather than centered on the bike, and doesn't change it, I've tried 145 and 155 of a specialized body geometry bridge saddle, and a selle italia Novus boost. It's genuinely starting to drive me crazy, the saddle is semetrical and my sit bones will be, so what's going on??

 

[screenman]

Right got a bloody weird issue and it's driving me insane. I don't know if this is a new issue or an issue I've just realised, either way, I don't know what could cause it and how to fix it. The issue is, my right sit bone is firmly on the saddle, but my left sit bone is slipping off, I've even tried offsetting the saddle so the centre of the saddle is further to the left rather than centered on the bike, and doesn't change it, I've tried 145 and 155 of a specialized body geometry bridge saddle, and a selle italia Novus boost. It's genuinely starting to drive me crazy, the saddle is semetrical and my sit bones will be, so what's going on??

Tight hip flexor possibly.

 

[willhub]

I don't understand how does it cause one side to slip off the saddle?

The tendon that runs from knee to hip is tighter on my left than right, but can't understand how these impact on the saddle.

 

[ColinJ]

Maybe you are like me and have one leg significantly longer than the other, so you don't sit straight centrally on the saddle?

I was wearing my shorts and saddle out on one side. (I'm not sure why I wasn't wearing shorts that day. Perhaps it was a bit chilly!)

 

[vickster]

See a physio for an assessment, preferably one who does bike fits
Pretty sure the Manchester velodrome has a team (looking at your location)
https://pedalprecision.com/price_list/

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Bet good money it's due to saddle height and/or a difference in leg length

 

[antnee]

I have a similar issue to this in as much as it affects the left leg right at the top of my inner thigh and the bottom of the left cheek of my backside! For some time I thought it was width of of saddle as have been riding with a Fizik arione R3 which is 134 mm wide and having measured my sit bones found I needed one 10 mm wider so I got a prolog saddle not having funds for another Fizik saddle also thought the wider area at the rear of the saddle could help? I have since put an inner sole in the left shoe to see if that helps though not tested properly yet.
I might add that I shattered my left heel bone which didn't set quite as it should and feel that may have some bearing on the problem though have always had some soreness on that side.
I wonder if anybody else has this ?? thanks

 

[willhub]

Hi,

I've been struggling along all this time .

I've tried multiple bike position changes, I went to Pedal Precision, was given a few exercises that o didn't quite understand. But there was no follow up or anything so that was a dead end, I can't afford more bike fits.

I have physio appt tomorrow because of my frequent back issues pulling muscles.

Nothing is correction this saddle slip and I can't lower my saddle more than the 72.5cm it's at.

I do need some exercises that help strengthen back (lower and upper) traps, neck, glutes, hips, hamstrings and hip flexors.

I need a series of exercises I can put into a routine.

I've even tried to ensure I'm balanced and moved the saddle all the way back as far as it'll go, I still get numb hands, now I've moved saddle as close to my 4cm setback from BB from 2015 bike fit but I can only get to 5cm.

I've moved my cleats backwards about 4mm from "5" to "3" on my Giro shoes, it possibly is comfier like that but I haven't ridden enough.

The saddle slip though, well it's still there, slightly improved but the front end is wobbly now, 11cm stem on it could that be why?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Are you cycling in a side saddle position?

 

[willhub]

Are you cycling in a side saddle position?

Sorry what do you mean?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Sorry what do you mean?

Lobsided as you pedal. You can get it with different leg or foot lengths etc. Even handlebars not centered can cause it.

 

[willhub]

Lobsided as you pedal. You can get it with different leg or foot lengths etc. Even handlebars not centered can cause it.

Definitely could be lop sided

I do notice that at the top of the pedal stroke, so if I back pedal, getting over the top is a bit tight on the right hip, left is perfectly fine. I'm on 170mm cranks. So need to work on a bit of flexibility there, isn't so noticeable actually riding.

Left side I do feel is shorter but I've tried stacking shims and it doesn't seem to help the slipping .

Left sitbone is the one that slips

 

[wonderloaf]

I've got a similar problem but the other way round, my left buttock is as comfy as anything, but my right buttock keeps trying to slip off the saddle, which makes that side uncomfortable. In my case I'm pretty sure that it's due to my leg length discrepancy, I broke my hip a few years ago (fell off on black ice) and after an operation to fix the hip the surgeon told me my right leg is now about 10mm shorter than the left , so I'm assuming that as my right leg is shorter than the left I have to reach further for the pedal on the downstroke which causes the left / right imbalance.

I've done a few things which have improved my situation:
1. added a 3mm shim under the right shoe SPD cleat and an extra inner sole (about 2mm thick) to try to increase the effective right leg length.
2. moved the right hand cleat slightly forward with respect to the left hand cleat, again to try and increase the effective leg length.
3. twisted the saddle very slightly to the left, probably only a couple of millimeters off centre. Don't why this works, it just does!

The above have helped to make things much more comfortable for me at very little cost and a bit of trial & error, although still not quite perfect.
If you search around the 'net there are quite a few bike fit videos dealing with leg length discrepancy, that's where I got the ideas for 1. & 2. above!

 

[willhub]

Before were you so unstable the bike could not be kept straight without using too much effort that effectively leads to aches and pains?

I could move the cleat forward on my left shoe but I can't imagine miss matched clears would feel right ?

To be honest they're exactly even right now but I always feel my left foot is at a different fore/aft to my right

 

[PaulSB]

Hi,

I've been struggling along all this time .

I've tried multiple bike position changes, I went to Pedal Precision, was given a few exercises that o didn't quite understand. But there was no follow up or anything so that was a dead end, I can't afford more bike fits.

I have physio appt tomorrow because of my frequent back issues pulling muscles.

Nothing is correction this saddle slip and I can't lower my saddle more than the 72.5cm it's at.

I do need some exercises that help strengthen back (lower and upper) traps, neck, glutes, hips, hamstrings and hip flexors.

I need a series of exercises I can put into a routine.

I've even tried to ensure I'm balanced and moved the saddle all the way back as far as it'll go, I still get numb hands, now I've moved saddle as close to my 4cm setback from BB from 2015 bike fit but I can only get to 5cm.

I've moved my cleats backwards about 4mm from "5" to "3" on my Giro shoes, it possibly is comfier like that but I haven't ridden enough.

The saddle slip though, well it's still there, slightly improved but the front end is wobbly now, 11cm stem on it could that be why?

My first thought is you need a bike fit.

Second thought is how do you know you need all of these strengthen exercises? I have a programme I follow four times a week targeting most of these areas. My priority is to maintain suppleness as I get older as cycling alone doesn't provide this. I see a personal trainer every 6-8 weeks who is aware of my goals and guides me accordingly.

On the sit bone issue I think it likely you have one leg longer than the other. I have by 0.5cm. I was 63 before this was diagnosed!! It's easy to perform a basic check. Sit with bare feet pushed against the skirting board and note the position of your ankle bones relative to each other. If there is a significant difference see a podiatrist.

I have a friend who is a podiatrist specialising in bio-mechanics. One day on a ride she asked me "Do you know you pronate?" Yes, I did but thought it was only when walking but no also on the bike.

After examination she provided me with a 0.5cm heel raiser for my left, shorter leg. The outcome was dramatic, pronation ceased, saddle height raised by 1cm, perhaps 1.5cm as I forget, my tendency to pull to the right on my bike disappeared and I became a more stable and upright cyclist.

For decades my seat position was a compromise between the needs of my left and right legs. The end result was a tendency to constantly pull to the right. I thought I was simply a poor rider in this respect. The heel raiser and other adjustments changed this in 10-14 days.