Question for those who ride an armchair for a saddle

[Spoked Wheels]

For those of you that say they ride the most comfortable saddles, might help me understand something.

I find that I'm comfortable riding Brooks saddles BUT I always feel sore for the first 5 or 10 minutes of any ride, and that is usually from the day before. Do you feel any soreness at all from the previous ride? I know that some of you can ride all day so I'm wondering

I was reading a thread that talks about toughing up your rear side and it occurred to me that maybe I don't ride enough. Even with a Brooks I find that after 3 or 4 hours in the saddle it becomes uncomfortable. Perhaps, if I did more 4 hours ride and more regularly then comfort could improve.

Ideally I would want to ride all day so I'm wondering whether I need toughing up further or simply I need to find a more comfortable saddle.

 

[Profpointy]

Though I am a great advocate of Brooks saddles, I did change my swift to a team pro which I found much more comfy, and also favour B17 especially if sitting up a bit more - so not all brooks saddles are the same.

Also, it needs to be adjusted right for you - fore/aft, tilt (if any), height etc.

Finally it is possible you simply don't have a brooksian arse and need summat else

I'm not a great believer in 100s of miles of misery "breaking in" Brooks saddles nor magic chemicals to help this. Mine were comfy to start with.
A bit like shoes - if they don't fit to start with, whilst they might improve a bit, they'll never be great - but may fit someone else.

 

[Spoked Wheels]

Adjusting the saddle always presents a challenge for me, I get confuse with so many changes of fore/aft. up/down, nose up/down/level that I'm never sure what is the best combination. I use KOPS as a starting point but no more than that cause when I used to use the system I would have to make adjustments to correct settings that were giving me problems, ie knee pain, hand soreness, etc. I would end up with something near KOPS.

I think I will get a bike fitting if I find a good one in Bournemouth or perhaps Southampton.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

I am also a fan of the Brooks B17 Standard saddle and don't think you can beat it for comfort ( except on a recumbent of course!) Position and tension are crucial though. Also many people having been correctly encouraged to raise their saddle, have raised it a bit too far so that their hips rock to try and get to the bottom of the pedal stroke. If all the above are set correctly, it still takes time to get used to long days in the saddle. This is because the muscles in your bottom need to develop as do your core muscles. The other thing to remember is that once you are on your saddle most of your body weight is being supported by a very small area of your body - which has the effect of concentrating pressure in that area. This in effect, can quickly restrict the blood flow to the area......The best solution (apart from the bike fit - which is really worthwhile and worth the price) is to regularly lift your bottom clear of the saddle by standing on the pedals or pedaling out of the saddle.

 

[Spoked Wheels]

I am also a fan of the Brooks B17 Standard saddle and don't think you can beat it for comfort ( except on a recumbent of course!) Position and tension are crucial though. Also many people having been correctly encouraged to raise their saddle, have raised it a bit too far so that their hips rock to try and get to the bottom of the pedal stroke. If all the above are set correctly, it still takes time to get used to long days in the saddle. This is because the muscles in your bottom need to develop as do your core muscles. The other thing to remember is that once you are on your saddle most of your body weight is being supported by a very small area of your body - which has the effect of concentrating pressure in that area. This in effect, can quickly restrict the blood flow to the area......The best solution (apart from the bike fit - which is really worthwhile and worth the price) is to regularly lift your bottom clear of the saddle by standing on the pedals or pedaling out of the saddle.

Thanks for the reply but I'm interested in finding out if people can ride without any soreness from the day before.

I also like the B17 but I prefer the Swallow. I should try B17 narrow.

The saddle high is right at the moment, my leg has a bend with an angle that is within the range (people that have written about bike fit) in any case, saddle too high and I get shafting or saddle too low and I get knee pain.

I do stand up to let blood flow. Generally I do fine up to 4 hours, the problem is after. That is why I think it's a question of toughening up ( getting those old muscles used to take the exercise for longer).
I'm all for a bike fit but it has to offer more than simply KOPS so I need to find the right person locally.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Well in specific response to your question, I rode 103 miles at an average 12.2mph (excluding stops) two years ago on my B17.. so 8 hrs in the saddle. I was fine to ride the following day. That was before my shoulders got so bad that I could no longer ride a conventional bicycle.

 

[Spoked Wheels]

Well in specific response to your question, I rode 103 miles at an average 12.2mph (excluding stops) two years ago on my B17.. so 8 hrs in the saddle. I was fine to ride the following day. That was before my shoulders got so bad that I could no longer ride a conventional bicycle.

Thank you for the reply.

Are you saying no soreness at all, not even for the first few minutes? That sounds great. I guess I'd have to wait three or four days to not feel any soreness on the next ride. Would be great to hear from other people too

As I said before, I feel sore for the first 5 minutes after a ride but then I'm fine. Considering that some people cannot ride any length of time in comfort 5 minutes doesn't seem to bad at all.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Absolutely no soreness whatsoever. I always wear a good pair of padded pants mind you! Apart from the factors already mentioned, individual physiology must play a big part too. I have always tended to be a bit or a lot or hideously overweight - yet have never needed to resort to the various creams and potions others use as a matter of course. To do my 100 miler I was probably at upper end of ideal weight for height according to my BMI - so probably was still carrying a lot more padding than many other cyclists. (Probably why I was so slow!)

 

[fossyant]

If you are sore, your probably not riding enough. And as for brooks saddles, they are like the Marathon Plus ! Shouldn't be fitted to a bike ! Get a Selle Italia SLR (with carbony bits)

 

[Spoked Wheels]

Well in specific response to your question, I rode 103 miles at an average 12.2mph (excluding stops) two years ago on my B17.. so 8 hrs in the saddle. I was fine to ride the following day. That was before my shoulders got so bad that I could no longer ride a conventional bicycle.

I see, that sounds encouraging.

If you are sore, your probably not riding enough. And as for brooks saddles, they are like the Marathon Plus ! Shouldn't be fitted to a bike ! Get a Selle Italia SLR (with carbony bits)

I reckon you are right, I must up the mileage. Feeling good ATM so I have increased my rides recently.
Saddles are very personal and I don't blame my brooks for my soreness. My lack of fitness and weak core muscles have a bigger impact I think. If the saddle was the problem then I don't think I would be able to ride 4 hours in comfort.

I tried the Selle Italia SLR and it didn't do it for me. I have tried a few plastic saddles, looking for a saddle I can ride in the rain without any worries. I can't say I've had much luck, having said that, I'm currently riding a Fizik Antares and it's the best plastic saddle I've ridden. Not as comfortable as a Brooks Swallow as yet but it's getting better and better. I'm confident that when I get the nose angle spot on I'll be able to ride the saddle about the same way I do the Brooks.

 

[fossyant]

I find if Ive had a couple of weeks off a bike through holidays, i do get sore for the first week back on the bike.

 

[Cuchilo]

Maybe find a friend to give you a pre ride warm up

 

[Spoked Wheels]

I'm beginning to think that all I need is toughing up a bit more.

I'm now trying a new saddle, specialized with a cut out saddle, and I can manage 4 hours on the saddle comfortably, the same I can do on my Brooks Swallow. Any more than that and I begin to feel uncomfortable.

I have now tried a few saddles that I can ride 2 hours very comfortably, also I found 2 that I can ride up to 4 hours in comfort. Maybe I have not been able to set some saddles well enough to ride 4 hours in comfort or I just need more practice.

The whole thing is frustrating me The Fizik Antares I was trying before is so comfortable for about 3 hours and then it kills. I tried so many angles and positions but in the end I gave up and bought another saddle.

My wife was asking me "is there a saddle that one day you can find and ride it for hours on end?" And I don't know the answer so I'm asking here. Is there a saddle out there that I would be able to ride well pass the 4 hours I can currently do? Or is it a case that some people never find the perfect saddle?

Before you ask, no, I haven't had a bike fit as yet but the way I see it is that I can do 4 hours fine and I'm a little scare to start messing about with my setup and begin having pain in other areas

Do I get pain in other pain? No, in the past I have had neck pain or hand, wrist, elbows, knees, feet, kidney area, etc but I have been able to adjust my bike to eradicate all these pains and others just went.

Do I stand up while riding? I do now, but when I rode my Brooks I stood up only when climbing. I found this is helping and maybe next time I use my brooks saddle I can do 5 hours .

I tend to go for saddles with a firm padding, like the Antares. I think they work better than soft saddles.

Any useful advice is welcome.

Cheers