Padded seats

[Stu9]

The ones you pump, anyone got or had one, any good or a waste

 

[Globalti]

Massive waste of money. Thick squishy padding allows your sit bones to sink into the saddle, transferring your weight to soft tissue, which becomes sweaty and starts to chafe and get sore.Spend your time finding a good, firm saddle that's the right shape for your bum and buy some decent shorts without gel padding; the pad is only there to prevent the shorts from wrinkling or creasing. My most comfortable shorts are the ones with a thin, firm pad and good quality lycra that holds the pad firmly stretched and in place.

For a new cyclist there will always be a period of getting used to the saddle. Weight distributiuon is vital and that includes the height of the saddle and the bars and the angle of the saddle and the bars as well. Don't waste money trying saddles until you've got all that right.

 

[Stu9]

A waste then, I'm not into the shorts ect I'm not serious just commuting now and again or a general bugger about

 

[vickster]

Get some padded underwear to go under your normal clothes. If you are getting sore, you need to both toughen up your nether regions and if it continues, get some padding between you and the saddle

 

[Stu9]

Got padded shorts and never wore them, I'll try them again under joggers or something

 

[vickster]

As long as they are decent one, cr*p ones will either provide little benefit or may chafe

 

[Stu9]

Don't know good from bad, all I know is they were a tenner from decathlon last summer

 

[vickster]

They'll not be great, does the pad fit well. And don't wear underwear underneath of course

 

[Profpointy]

whilst padded shorts are indeed "a good thing" they are only the icing on the cake. First need a good saddle, ie one that suits your arse, and is adjusted right. Padded shorts are not a cure for a badly adjusted saddle that doesn't suit you, never mind and out-and-out bad saddle. I favour brooks leather saddles (B17 or team pro) but they don't suit everyone. Hardly anyone here favours gel saddles, though I admit I've not tried one.

 

[raleighnut]

Another Brooks fan here, but they ain't cheap.

 

[Stu9]

They'll not be great, does the pad fit well. And don't wear underwear underneath of course

To be honest, I've been on the bike with them

Prof...how are you meant to know if a seat's ok till you buy and use it, then if not you're stuck, need to sell and try another, will end up expensive

 

[Profpointy]

To be honest, I've been on the bike with them

Prof...how are you meant to know if a seat's ok till you buy and use it, then if not you're stuck, need to sell and try another, will end up expensive

I'm afraid that is indeed the problem. My first proper bike had a crippling saddle (after 30 miles) . Advised to get a Brooks - result ! Got Brooks for every bike since and never wanted to risk summat else. Even so my recent Brooks swift didn't suit, albeit ok-ish so reverted to team pro.

Trial and error -

 

[vickster]

To be honest, I've been on the bike with them

Prof...how are you meant to know if a seat's ok till you buy and use it, then if not you're stuck, need to sell and try another, will end up expensive

I assume you mean, you've not?!

By second hand, get your sit bones measured so you at least have a starting place

 

[S.Giles]

Hardly anyone here favours gel saddles, though I admit I've not tried one.

I'm very happy with mine. I'm not sure I 'favour' them over non-gel saddles, but mine certainly does the job.

A friend of mine is going through the 'try every saddle in the world until you find that magic one which is just like sitting in a comfy chair' process at the moment. My advice to her has been to first get used to being sat on a bicycle. The only way to do that is by putting in some hours. She never listens to me, though, so will probably become the owner of a pile of discarded saddles (she's presently on saddle #3) before she realises I was right all along.

 

[Stu9]

Vic....yea missed out the word "not"

Prof...to hell with that ie trial an error, I'll use what's on it and if to sore I'll may get gel that Giles uses