Saddle Comfort

[kdavid44]

I would like some advice on adjusting my saddle for maximum comfort. No matter which saddle I have tried I usually have the same problem. The right side of my saddle always causes me to be sore on the right sitbone. I have tried moving the saddle up, down, foward back and have tilted the nose up, down and level. I previously had a problem with my left leg being shorter than right, but this was corrected with shims under my cleat. My right leg is the stronger leg due to disc surgery 35 years ago. Could it be that I am using my right leg to pedal more than my left. any advice will be welcomed. I am tired of buying new saddles to correct this with no success. Currenty I am using Serfa VadoDD on one bike and a Saddleco on my Serotta. I have tried the Aillante, Flite, Aspide, Prolink, Terry Fly and Dragonfly with the same results.


David:crap:

[Climb01742]

david, the issue sounds like it might be with your body, rather than saddle. i have some hip/leg structural issues so i'm speaking from personal experience. my suggestion would be to go to a good, sport-oriented chiro and have him/her checkout your alignment. leg length and hip/leg alignment can be two different issues. it sounds as though you've spent a fair amount on saddles. a few chiro visits may solve your issue and save you some money on even more saddles. good luck.

[IFRider]

At first, I was going to suggest leg length but saw that was already being addressed. I would try a Brooks saddle. The reason I say that is that the leather actually breaks in. So in theory, any anatomic difference between left and right would be accomodated. AFAIK, the saddle you listed don't really break in.

Warren

[dave thompson]

I've found that by turning the saddle slightly, to the left or right, the pressure on one sitbone or the other can be alleviated.

[kdavid44]

I was fitted by a physical therapist who specializes in cycling and triathalon. He is a Cat 2 racer and he addressed the leg length and shims mentioned above.I got rid of back pain and chafing issues, but has left me with the right sit bone issue. Should I lower the seat a little. I have tried moving nose of saddle to right with no relief. Left is uncomfortable for the nether area.

David

[Climb01742]

could try lowering it. i was told an interesting story. at the beginning of the tour, riders are on their normal size bikes. but as the tour goes on, and riders get sore, tired, less flexible, they often switch to smaller bikes. so maybe lowering saddle might work. but it sems like a fix for the symptom, rather than the causal situation. but since i've only just gone to about every kind of doctor on earth, and aren't one, i'll shut up and stop playing one. have you gone back to your therapist with this new issue? because sometimes when you fix one thing, something else crops up. good luck. i suppose riding 100% out of the saddle is not an option? :beer:

[kdavid44]

Climbo,
I plan to see him soon, but I am recovering from surgery and I want to wait until I can pedal at full speed before seeing him as he does his evaluation while I am on the trainer. I will try lowering the saddle tomorrow. I am 60 years old. I don't think riding out of the saddle will ever be an option. Unles I want to limit my rides to 15 minutes.

David

[Climb01742]

david, kudos on cycling at 60. i'd be curious if you sit evenly on your saddle, side to side. perhaps over the years, with a leg length difference, your body compensated by tilting. having corrected the leg length, your body may not have yet caught up. maybe its still a bit tilted.

again, i speak from experience. my right leg is shorter. we've addressed the leg length. but now i'm dealing with various muscle imbalances and tightnesses that were created over the years by my body compensating. so i'm slowly fixing issues in my legs, hips, back. it really is an onion, with many layers. but a good sport trained therapist should be able to help you address each "layer" as they appear. if only injuries were like light switches. on/off. good luck and hang in there. i forget the ratio, but there is an accepted ratio of the time you were hurt to the time it takes to heal. healing takes a lot longer.

[Todd Owen]

I had a sore right hip about a year ago and had changed from a rolls saddle to turbo 4. I also had my seat way too far back and after a fit for my serotta moved the seat up a bit. needless to say I only ride the rolls now. the rolls saddle is wider and uniformly padded than most so you can move around on it a bit. you can still get them new with ti rails I also think the look great. good luck.