Globalti
Legendary Member
No chance. You need to be spending £30 or more. Look at the dhb brand from Wiggle: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-aeron-cycling-bib-short-1/
These would be a good starter.
Padded seats
- Thread starter Stu9
- Start date
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No chance. You need to be spending £30 or more. Look at the dhb brand from Wiggle: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-aeron-cycling-bib-short-1/
These would be a good starter.
Having read several of these threads, I'm starting to think I have an unusually compliant behind!
My "better" mountain bike is the only bike I've ever had saddle issues with. It has a very narrow saddle which was fine at first, and gradually became less comfortable. I think this probably has something to do with me having had the bike from age 12/13+ and my hips getting wider after a couple of years. I tried a gel saddle cover, which was useless and too big for the saddle so sliding around as well...Eventually I bought a cheap female specific saddle (my first and so far only!) but the stock saddle was impossible for me to remove from the bike (not sure if rusted or too tightly screwed or whatever) and by the time my dad got round to it weeks later I had gotten used to the original stock saddle again! It's still not the best, but for short rides (both with and without padded shorts) it's no longer painful. The female saddle is still in the garage somewhere, never been used. I might try it at some point to see if it's any better, but it's not a priority.
On my "spare" mountain bike, the saddle that came with it (selle royale but not too padded) is perfectly adequate, although always used with padded shorts (decathlon cheapo men's mountain bike shorts) as ironically it's the bike i actually do trails on, as opposed to pootling along the river bank.
My new commuter came with a pretty narrow (mens) stock saddle but surprising it's been the best saddle I've ever tried. Comfortable without padded shorts (everyday commute), and with them (occasional longer weekend rides- same cheap shorts btw) it's like being supported by a cloud
I think I must have pretty narrow sit bones for a woman because all the saddles I've ever used (including rental bikes, borrowed friends bike etc) have been men's ones and I've had a major issue, certainly not over short distances.
My "better" mountain bike is the only bike I've ever had saddle issues with. It has a very narrow saddle which was fine at first, and gradually became less comfortable. I think this probably has something to do with me having had the bike from age 12/13+ and my hips getting wider after a couple of years. I tried a gel saddle cover, which was useless and too big for the saddle so sliding around as well...Eventually I bought a cheap female specific saddle (my first and so far only!) but the stock saddle was impossible for me to remove from the bike (not sure if rusted or too tightly screwed or whatever) and by the time my dad got round to it weeks later I had gotten used to the original stock saddle again! It's still not the best, but for short rides (both with and without padded shorts) it's no longer painful. The female saddle is still in the garage somewhere, never been used. I might try it at some point to see if it's any better, but it's not a priority.
On my "spare" mountain bike, the saddle that came with it (selle royale but not too padded) is perfectly adequate, although always used with padded shorts (decathlon cheapo men's mountain bike shorts) as ironically it's the bike i actually do trails on, as opposed to pootling along the river bank.
My new commuter came with a pretty narrow (mens) stock saddle but surprising it's been the best saddle I've ever tried. Comfortable without padded shorts (everyday commute), and with them (occasional longer weekend rides- same cheap shorts btw) it's like being supported by a cloud
I think I must have pretty narrow sit bones for a woman because all the saddles I've ever used (including rental bikes, borrowed friends bike etc) have been men's ones and I've had a major issue, certainly not over short distances.
Profpointy
Legendary Member
it's still trial and error though isn't it?
shouldbeinbed
Rollin' along
- Location
- Manchester way
A) dont necessarily dismiss Decathlon clothing, likewise Aldi - some places do offer better quality and VFM than their price point suggests.
B) Don't think of the saddle in isolation when getting your bum comfy, that is only 1 corner of the triangle of contact points between you and your bike, factor in the cranks and handlebars too as part of a holistic comfort set up.
1st thing 1st, get a saddle that roughly matches your bum girth (or lack of), a fat squishy saddle isn't necessarily the answer. Narrow backsides on wide wallowy saddles are just as uncomfortable to ride as the archetypal like a razor blade up the crack ones. (apols for crudeness).
Once you've happy you have enough width to accommodate your sit bones but not so much that you're rolling your hips to get to the saddle edge and have a nice fluid up/down pedal stroke, get your groin to lowest point of pedal stroke /toes to floor distance sorted.
If your frame is a size out or you have a disproportionate leg:body ratio this is where different length cranks might assist so you're not over reaching to the pedals & crushing yourself into the saddle or kneeing yourself in the nose on every upstroke.
Then get the saddle into a neutral position: flat level and centrally fore/aft on its rails (ono : mindful of knees vs bottom bracket) and consider reach to the bars: how sit up & beg or hunkered down do you like to ride? Maybe a shorter/longer stem or higher/lowering the handlebar will make a bigger rough adjustment and improvement in overall comfort than endless fiddling just with saddle. E.g. If you ride perched on the nose of the saddle or with your bum hanging off the back of it.
Once you've got your leg & upper body positions broadly sorted then you can fine tune the saddle fore/aft and nose tilt to get properly comfortable and shouldn't need any enhancements.
If you do want padded shorts, for example, after that then they'll be to add a touch of luxury to your comfort, or aide you on longer rides rather than a necessity to mask a saddle that doesn't suit your particular shape or one that isn't adjusted well enough to cosset you along.
Take a little time setting it up and it'll see you right for the life of the saddle or bike.
B) Don't think of the saddle in isolation when getting your bum comfy, that is only 1 corner of the triangle of contact points between you and your bike, factor in the cranks and handlebars too as part of a holistic comfort set up.
1st thing 1st, get a saddle that roughly matches your bum girth (or lack of), a fat squishy saddle isn't necessarily the answer. Narrow backsides on wide wallowy saddles are just as uncomfortable to ride as the archetypal like a razor blade up the crack ones. (apols for crudeness).
Once you've happy you have enough width to accommodate your sit bones but not so much that you're rolling your hips to get to the saddle edge and have a nice fluid up/down pedal stroke, get your groin to lowest point of pedal stroke /toes to floor distance sorted.
If your frame is a size out or you have a disproportionate leg:body ratio this is where different length cranks might assist so you're not over reaching to the pedals & crushing yourself into the saddle or kneeing yourself in the nose on every upstroke.
Then get the saddle into a neutral position: flat level and centrally fore/aft on its rails (ono : mindful of knees vs bottom bracket) and consider reach to the bars: how sit up & beg or hunkered down do you like to ride? Maybe a shorter/longer stem or higher/lowering the handlebar will make a bigger rough adjustment and improvement in overall comfort than endless fiddling just with saddle. E.g. If you ride perched on the nose of the saddle or with your bum hanging off the back of it.
Once you've got your leg & upper body positions broadly sorted then you can fine tune the saddle fore/aft and nose tilt to get properly comfortable and shouldn't need any enhancements.
If you do want padded shorts, for example, after that then they'll be to add a touch of luxury to your comfort, or aide you on longer rides rather than a necessity to mask a saddle that doesn't suit your particular shape or one that isn't adjusted well enough to cosset you along.
Take a little time setting it up and it'll see you right for the life of the saddle or bike.