Thicker chamois = saddle adjustments?

[67-59]

I've been riding for years with cheap thin-padded Nalini shorts. They've been fine for my past riding habits, rarely going much beyond 40 or 50 miles. This year, I've extended my rides -- my longer training rides have gotten well over60 miles, and growing. I have noticed a marked loss of bum comfort after about 50 miles, so am looking into investing in shorts with thicker padding (thinking Assos or Rapha).

For those who have made this transition, is it likely I may need to lower or otherwise adjust my saddle to accomodate the padding? It's taken me a loooooong time to dial in my saddle, and I have lower back issues that sometimes flare up when the saddle is wrong. Lately, my back has felt great, even after the longer rides! Just want to make my bum feel good too.

Logic tells me that I might need to lower it just a tiny bit, but I thought I'd ask for others' experiences. I asked a guy a the LBS that sells Assos, and he says he goes between Assos and thinner-padded short with no need for adjustment. FWIW - I'll probably keep the Nalinis for shorter rides, and only use the newer shorts when going 50+...unless that means I need to adjust my saddle every time.

I know the final answer is that I won't know for sure until I try it, but just looking for others' experiences. Thanks in advance....

[aoe]

Wear thinner socks. jk, sorta.

[MattTuck]

No experience with the rapha stuff, but I'd think that we're talking a few mm difference, and in the noise. I don't adjust my saddle when I wear thicker socks either.

[benb]

You might need too.. but you can easily come up with something that works for both pairs of shorts.

My Assos shorts have at least 1cm of padding.. it compresses but not completely.

If you were to try and counter this with socks you'd have to wear thicker socks FWIW..

It sounds ridiculous but would it sound ridiculous if you had to make an adjustment when you put heavy duty winter tights over your bibs? As long as your butt feels OK it's all good.

[Louis]

IMO worrying about the thickness of various chamois and adjusting the saddle height for each is way too anal. Your body has some ability to compensate for small changes. Compressed chamois height is a small change.

[redir]

I think I remember reading in Lemond's training book that he suggested you make a changes to saddle height based on this but I always thought it was kind of ridiculous.

[benb]

The point is just to set the saddle height to something that works in your thickest clothes.

What would be anal is to adjust it up or down depending on what you are wearing on a given day.

But speaking from experience, if you set it near the maximum with thin shorts and then go out in thicker shorts + tights you can end up with a saddle sore.

I only know this since seemingly every person whoever looked at me on a bike overestimates my correct saddle height.

[spacemen3]

I wouldn't rule out lowering your handlebar height slightly to shift some of your weight off of the saddle.

[verticaldoug]

IMO worrying about the thickness of various chamois and adjusting the saddle height for each is way too anal. Your body has some ability to compensate for small changes. Compressed chamois height is a small change.

+1

I'd guess compressed chamois is 1mm maybe 2mm difference at most. I really doubt you can tell the difference in a blind test. To be honest, being tired from more miles in the saddle will degrade your efficiency more than thick chamois.

The thicker assos pad may not be the solution. It just may be your body hasn't adjusted to longer miles in the saddle. If you always ride short, then ride long, your body knows.

[harryblack]

Louis is 1000% correct.

MAYBE if you were going from regularly riding in a Speedo triathlon style to wearing ultra-thick chamois shorts + the heaviest winter tights it's something to think about for two seconds but even with a twitchy back, don't give this another thought...

However DO keep up with all flexibility and core exercises you might already for your back!!

IMO worrying about the thickness of various chamois and adjusting the saddle height for each is way too anal. Your body has some ability to compensate for small changes. Compressed chamois height is a small change.

[67-59]

Thanks all for the input. Yeah, I probably am too anal about saddle position - just wary after years of saddle sores and back issues. Maybe I've really just had the wrong shorts all along.

harryblack -- yes, I am working hard on core strength exercises and stretching. After my first herniated disc, I did them for a while but then got lazy. But after it happened again (last spring) and I was laid up for the better part of six weeks, I decided that they needed to be part of my everyday routine. Now, I won't go to bed at night without at least doing the basic exercises I learned from my PT. Makes all the difference....

[Not the Slowest]

I also am a bit anal about my saddle and when I get a new one or two I have my fitter do the adjustment because I always screw it up and end up riding unhappily.

Suggestions:
A) Time to Check the saddle position ...gain..did it drop even a tad?
B) Some saddles do soften and compress over age
C) Did you compress or get shorter. Seriously... as we get older we all do. Of course if your 30-55, just smack me in the head.
D) As above, flexibility chamges. This applies to EVERYone especially if you spend much time in a chair.

Last suggestion: Time to get fitted or refitted to tweak the issues.

As stated I too believe that the short should not be the issue here, but I have bought then trashed some of the thicker pads.

Good Luck

Robert

[Earl Gray]

Grant Petersen would tell you to just go ride your bike.

If you body can not adapt to this level of change it's is time you teach your body to adapt to this level of change.

If you do have any problems adjusting to the thickness of you shorts, the problem is between your ears and not between your legs.

[beeatnik]

The unintentional comedy of this thread is just too rich. Rich like chamois butter.

[rustychisel]

comfort bears little or no relationship to thickness of chamois, what suits you and is comfortable just is. A thick chamois can bunch and be like riding a surfboard, but like most, I wouldn't worry about the discrepancy in height of a compressed garment.

Be more concerned about the fit and comfort of the garment itself, I think you'll find Assos a big step forward.

[wc1934]

IMO worrying about the thickness of various chamois and adjusting the saddle height for each is way too anal. Your body has some ability to compensate for small changes. Compressed chamois height is a small change.

agree - you are over thinking this - purchase a nice pair of bibs and give them a try - bet you will not even remember your original question.

[pdmtong]

agree - you are over thinking this - purchase a nice pair of bibs and give them a try - bet you will not even remember your original question.

unless you are vying for the top step on the TdF podium...move on and worry about something else.