Team BKool CycleChat

[berty bassett]

Bertie, great watts per kilo

only because Geoff hacked off both arms and half my torso to lighten me up to 39kg ! but i see he has now replaced them with lead lining and replaced my shoes with deep sea diving ones
kind Geoff ! - enjoy your holiday
would anyone mind if i tried to sign up for dd - dont want to tread on anyones toes and i don't mind if i am still the new unknown boy

 

[BILL S]

Have you had your sit bones measured? Seems to be important to make sure you have the correct width saddle, although I understand most are OK with medium, if you have narrow or wide sit bones a medium may not support properly!

I never have had them measured but I think I have wide sit bones as I tend to sit to one side to get comfortable and swap sides to average out the pain if that makes any sense. I think I need to get them measured soon and buy the right saddle. I'm sure the right saddle is more important than lightweight saddle. Also will get better shorts.

 

[BILL S]

@BILL S I'm off to Italy for a week in the morning, so I won't be around to start next Tuesday's Handicap.

I was thinking you could run Stage 3 (Rundlestone) again, if you want to start it?

I have adjusted the Handicap weights after yesterday's run, and shifted them all up to accommodate theboxers comment that minimum weight seems to be 70 lbs (around 32 Kg).

AAAC 76C as you are generating ever higher average wattages, and with the minimum weight factored in, I've had to load you up with a handicap weight of 99Kg. I suspect this won't slow you down much, as you will probably exceed maximum resistance on the steeper bits, unless the new software slows you down to compensate!

Enjoy!

I will, of course, be keeping tabs on this thread on the WiFi!

Here's the new weights...

Thanks for that Geoff. I'll start the Rundlestone next Tuesday. Hope the 99kg will help to slow down AAAC but I wouldn't be surprised if he still powers up there in the lead.

 

[BILL S]

This may tempt you-coming to Zwift soon.

.
I have to say your experience does worry me. I have been having similar issues recently with long rides on the turbo. There is always a point where i have to get out of the saddle to ease the discomfort. Mind you, nothing like what you went through. Like Geoff says, try some of those Altura or Endura shorts where they measure your sitbone. Could work for you.

Bob. That does make zwift look interesting. How do I sign up for it? Do I get a free month or something?
And as for the DD, don't worry about it, just make sure you have a comfortable saddle and good padding, which from what you just said you probably do have anyway. Apart from that it's just a bit of leg pain that we're all used to.anyway.

 

[BILL S]

would anyone mind if i tried to sign up for dd - dont want to tread on anyones toes and i don't mind if i am still the new unknown boy

Berty. You are most welcome to join us at the DD and I'm sure I speak for everyone else who's going along.

 

[AAAC 76C]

Thanks for that Geoff. I'll start the Rundlestone next Tuesday. Hope the 99kg will help to slow down AAAC but I wouldn't be surprised if he still powers up there in the lead.

99 kg, that's a;most a tonne isn't it?

 

[CXRAndy]

Child bearing hips

99 kg, that's a;most a tonne isn't it?

Not quite, but it feels like it going up the D huez

 

[bobinski]

Bob. That does make zwift look interesting. How do I sign up for it? Do I get a free month or something?
And as for the DD, don't worry about it, just make sure you have a comfortable saddle and good padding, which from what you just said you probably do have anyway. Apart from that it's just a bit of leg pain that we're all used to.anyway.

Pop over to Zwift.com and you can do a 2 week trial. Remember to set up the trainer manually. Then you are good to go. It's not Bkool. But I do like the mountain route in Watopia. I am building up to having a real go at it with intention of getting within top 1000 - out of 15000 or more. Would be good to get a team from here together for that.

 

[Whorty]

Looking at Whorty stage 6, each hill( Climb and descent) approximately took 3-4 mins to complete. So fag packet calc 1.5-2mins of climbing 26 times

Talk about a mega interval session looking forward to it

Why cant we have scale on the graph change to time as well?

I was trying to do it as interval sessions .... as much power on the ups, and freewheel on the downs. I started to run out of puff about 3/4 of the way in, and I still had the 'wall' of a climb at the end, which is a challenge

 

[Whorty]

would anyone mind if i tried to sign up for dd - dont want to tread on anyones toes and i don't mind if i am still the new unknown boy

No newer that me Bert, and I've signed up Not sure what I've let myself in for yet, or how much pain it's going to be, but hey ho, I'll try most things once

 

[gbrown]

I never have had them measured but I think I have wide sit bones as I tend to sit to one side to get comfortable and swap sides to average out the pain if that makes any sense. I think I need to get them measured soon and buy the right saddle. I'm sure the right saddle is more important than lightweight saddle. Also will get better shorts.

If your sit bones are wide you won't get proper support from most saddles, which are designed for average width sit bones.

I had mine measured soon after I started road riding, and they were average (around 138 mm) so the saddle that came on the bike (a Bontrager Affinity RL) was great, and I got a carbon version of the same saddle when I upgraded the bike. Barely any padding, but still pretty comfortable for hours.

Edit: It helps that I've a well padded posterior!

Just had a friend get his sit bones measured (as he was suffering) and he is narrow (125 mm) so he's gone for a narrow 128 mm saddle.

If you are much wider than average, you will get the saddle pressing on your perineum, and shifting from one side to another won't help much, as you'll still get one side of the saddle pressing.

I know Bontrager and Specialized (and a few others) do a sale or return, where you can get your sit bones measured at a LBS, get an appropriately sized saddle and if you don't find it comfortable, take it back with in a month or two (so long as it is in good nick).

I would also pay attention to the profile the saddle is designed for. A lot of fancy saddles are aimed at young, flexible, riders who adopt quite an aggressive stance, shifting weight forward on the saddle, and also onto their arms. Being much older and less flexible, I sit more upright and move weight backwards on the saddle, and off my arms onto my arse! Therefore I went for a saddle (and padded bib shorts) designed for a relaxed posture (profile 3 as Bontrager call it).

Cheers,

Geoff

 

[AAAC 76C]

If you sit bones are wide you won't get proper support from most saddles, which are designed for average width sit bones.

I had mine measured soon after I started road riding, and they were average (around 138 mm) so the saddle that came on the bike (a Bontrager Affinity RL) was great, and I got a carbon version of the same saddle when I upgraded the bike. Barely any padding, but still pretty comfortable for hours.

Edit: It helps that I've a well padded posterior!

Just had a friend get his sit bones measured (as he was suffering) and he is narrow (125 mm) so he's gone for a narrow 128 mm saddle.

If you are much wider than average, you will get the saddle pressing on your perineum, and shifting from one side to another won't help much, as you'll still get one side of the saddle pressing.

I know Bontrager and Specialized (and a few others) do a sale or return, where you can get your sit bones measured at a LBS, get an appropriately sized saddle and if you don't find it comfortable, take it back with in a month or two (so long as it is in good nick).

I would also pay attention to the profile the saddle is designed for. A lot of fancy saddles are aimed at young, flexible, riders who adopt quite an aggressive stance, shifting weight forward on the saddle, and also onto their arms. Being much older and less flexible, I sit more upright and move weight backwards on the saddle, and off my arms onto my arse! Therefore I went for a saddle (and padded bib shorts) designed for a relaxed posture (profile 3 as Bontrager call it).

Cheers,

Geoff

Don't get me started on saddles!

Well as you have mentioned is I have currently found nothing better for me than my Specialized Romin Evo.
They do do a slightly flatter saddle that I have always wanted to try that may give me that little more of a rise off of the center of the saddle (Toupe) but in general I think my uncomfortable days are down to me and not the saddle.
The Romin has a slightly hammock shape like a good old Brooks B17.
I often thing the best idea is to try and distribute your weight over the saddle surface area rather than all on the sit bones all be it they should bear the most weight.
I am currently trying a Rido Lt which puts all of you weight on your sit bones thus almost removing any pressure from the perineum but if you have a bony but like mine (all be it with a child bearing width) the bony but meets hard convex saddle support areas which can be a grind (quite literally).
I have not given up on it yet as I am still trying to vary fore and aft positioning etc. However as your but can rotate forwards quite easily because your between regions are lifted off of the saddle I find I am transferring more weight onto my hands and then I get the old numb fingers routine and find myself constantly shifting hand position.
In reality I think that when you find the right saddle you will be aware of it almost as soon as you sit on it.
I do have a second best saddle that I fit (Selle Italia Max SLR Gel Flow) that I fit when I am having a bad saddle week just to move the pressure point around so as not to concentrate any trauma repetitively.
One day I might treat myself to a bike fit and give up on the idea that I know better just because I have been riding sports bikes for 40 plus years.

 

[BILL S]

If you sit bones are wide you won't get proper support from most saddles, which are designed for average width sit bones.

I had mine measured soon after I started road riding, and they were average (around 138 mm) so the saddle that came on the bike (a Bontrager Affinity RL) was great, and I got a carbon version of the same saddle when I upgraded the bike. Barely any padding, but still pretty comfortable for hours.

Edit: It helps that I've a well padded posterior!

Just had a friend get his sit bones measured (as he was suffering) and he is narrow (125 mm) so he's gone for a narrow 128 mm saddle.

If you are much wider than average, you will get the saddle pressing on your perineum, and shifting from one side to another won't help much, as you'll still get one side of the saddle pressing.

I know Bontrager and Specialized (and a few others) do a sale or return, where you can get your sit bones measured at a LBS, get an appropriately sized saddle and if you don't find it comfortable, take it back with in a month or two (so long as it is in good nick).

I would also pay attention to the profile the saddle is designed for. A lot of fancy saddles are aimed at young, flexible, riders who adopt quite an aggressive stance, shifting weight forward on the saddle, and also onto their arms. Being much older and less flexible, I sit more upright and move weight backwards on the saddle, and off my arms onto my arse! Therefore I went for a saddle (and padded bib shorts) designed for a relaxed posture (profile 3 as Bontrager call it).

Cheers,

Geoff

Thanks Geoff. Brilliant advice that I will be following as soon as I get some time to go to my LBS. Sooner rather than later though as I am suffering more now than before the DD.
I may start by trying the various saddles I already own on my usual bike to see if any are more comfortable and if there are differences then I'll measure the width to see if I need wider or narrower. I'll try the mountain bike ones too. Probably no point working on finding a decent set of padded shorts until I find a comfortable saddle.
In the past I've always just stuck with what came on the bike but now I can see that this is quite good enough any more at my age.

 

[BILL S]

And now I know how to measure the sit bones. Before I didn't even know what they were.

http://www.artscyclery.com/learningcenter/measuresitbonewidth.html

 

[<Tommy>]

Specialized saddles are definately worth a look Bill.

As others have said, the 'Romin' has a more pronounced curve where the 'toupe' is flatter. Each style comes in 3 different widths which makes it easier to zero in on your ideal size. They also offer a variety of models depending on budget and padding requirements etc. I think shape is more important than padding but everyone's different.

Apologies if I sound like a company sales rep!

Also Evans have a really good returns poclicy on saddles.