Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Turbo trainer saddle pain

Is it normal to find that your usual comfy minimalist saddle when out on the roads becomes an almost medieval torture device when using your bike on the turbo for an hour or more? 

I've got a Specialised Tuope comp saddle that on rides up to three plus hours never seems to give me any grief.  On the turbo very different story. 

So is this normal and if not what am I doing wrong? 

Thanks for any help or pointers.

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

Add new comment

18 comments

Avatar
Johnnyvee | 6 years ago
1 like

Cdean - YouTube may prove you wrong on that. Though when I tried I nearly had a face/garage floor interface.
Think it's one of those takes time things.

Avatar
madcarew | 6 years ago
0 likes

All the above. Being on a trainer lacks all the variety of 'actual riding', so accelerates the related fatiguing processes. Having said that, some people won't notice it either. Can readily spend 2 hours on my trainer on my normal road bike and not have a saddle problem. YMMV

Avatar
paulrattew | 6 years ago
1 like

It's not just that you move in and out of the saddle more when you are out on the road, but that the bike also moves a lot more under you shifting the pressure points constantly (well, with each pedal stroke). On a turbo the bike is held still, so that normal movement isn't there. This means that you are pressing into the saddle in a totally different way, causing much greater pressure.

You may find that a different saddle is needed if you are going to be doing a lot of work on the turbo. I mostly use a bontrager montrose 138mm on the road but have a fizik antares versus 142mm for the turbo. Such a quick switch that I don't mind doing it for the extra comfort.

If you are in the market for a new turbo and are really having issues with saddle pressure, then it would be worth testing out the Kurt Kinetic Rock and Roll turbo - this allows the bike to sway under you so the saddle pressure is more akin to that you would experience outdoors. Not everyone likes the bike moving under them indoors though - its a bit of a weird feeling in a way that a similar movement out on the road feels totally normal

Avatar
Johnnyvee | 6 years ago
1 like

The nose tilt and more standing seem to be key since I've managed to complete quite a few trainer road sessions now and using these two has helped. I've always used my best bibs too as they're the most comfy.
Jo Irish - hope you manage to sort it out to a comfortable level.

Avatar
Simontuck | 6 years ago
1 like

I'm following a plan and it has me on the turbo up to 90 mins at a time. I really struggle, after 30 mins doing a set power output I go all numb in the saddle area. I've got an ISM saddle and a fizik VSX arione, both are fine on the road and I've done 80 miles on the fizik and 130 odd miles on the ISM with no problems.

Just after christmas Sufferfest sent me a free membership so I could do the Tour of Sufferlandria. 1 hour most days, up to 2 hours with very little issue, because the Sufferfest videos build in some standing. So if you are turbo training try and build in a little stand up time, be careful though, some trainers are more stable than others!! I wonder if people who use rollers have the same issues??

Avatar
cdean replied to Simontuck | 6 years ago
1 like

Simontuck wrote:

I wonder if people who use rollers have the same issues??

I certainly do! I was going to start a similar thread on here as I've done 80 and 100 mile rides with no numbness and in relative comfort, but recently 30-40 minutes of rollering is enough to make me quite uncomfortable. I was blaming it on not getting out of the saddle, shifting at junctions etc. I'm not sure you can really pedal out of the saddle on rollers!

Avatar
TypeVertigo | 7 years ago
0 likes

My folding bike is my turbo trainer bike at the moment and it's got a WTB Silverado mounted. Cheapest model with the chromoly rails. So far so good.

Granted, I don't spend more than an hour at a time on the turbo, because for me it's not really supposed to replace the same amount of time ridden outside. The threadstarter does have the same concerns as I did with my newly swapped-in Fabric Line saddle on my road/cross bike though. A degree of nose down tilt solved most of my comfort issues.

Avatar
Jo Irish | 7 years ago
0 likes

I've had this trouble too, especially on the high cadence intervals with glutes engaged. I only came across this thread as I was just looking for a specific saddle for the turbo, something with suspension or springs indecision

Avatar
kitsunegari | 7 years ago
2 likes

I find Sufferfest better for saddlesoreness because there's a lot more prompting to stand.

But yeah as above, vary your position, and use chamois cream.

Avatar
Johnnyvee | 7 years ago
4 likes

Thanks guys turns out a combination of dropping the saddle front and standing up resolved the issues.  Happily did nearly two hours yesterday and no grief. 

Avatar
rjfrussell | 7 years ago
2 likes

I think the big thing is that on a normal ride most people move around a fair bit-  standing to crest a small hill, slightly out of the saddle to close the gap to the bike in front, foot down at a junction, etc.  On the turbo you can become very planted churning out a very steady rhythm  I try to get out of the saddle, even if its only for a few seconds every 10 mins or so.

Avatar
fustuarium | 7 years ago
2 likes

Are you using a riser block? I'd check it's level using a spirit level accross the skewers.

Other thing is on the road you tend to take weight off the saddle descending, standing etc I find it's worth doing standing drills on the turbo if it's an hour plus.

Finally, for some reason folk seem to use their crappy bib  shorts on the turbo. I don't get why as you are in contact with the saddle for a higher proportion of the ride. Try your normal kit.

Avatar
Johnnyvee | 7 years ago
0 likes

Thanks Swiss and CXR94Di2 I'll give those a try tomorrow and see how it goes. It's only since I got the new turbo and decided to do some structured training.
That'll teach me!

Avatar
CXR94Di2 | 7 years ago
1 like

Yes I found this out just recently, having not any saddle issues for years.  Slightly tilt the saddle down a notch and move around every few minutes.  Also sweating can play a part so have a decent fan blowing over your midrift

Avatar
Swiss | 7 years ago
4 likes

Yes it's normal just press the pedals harder till everything hurts and you won't notice the saddle.

Avatar
GBurch replied to Swiss | 7 years ago
2 likes

Swiss wrote:

Yes it's normal just press the pedals harder till everything hurts and you won't notice the saddle.

Best advice you can get.

Avatar
Johnnyvee | 7 years ago
0 likes

OK I'll give all those a go and since the weather looks far from good this weekend around here it may be a long turbo session again. 

I blame TrainerRoad,  lol.

To be honest I'm enjoying the training but the discomfort is taking my concentration away sometimes. 

 

Avatar
trohos | 7 years ago
0 likes

I'm not a specialist but,

1 hour turbo trainer = 2 hours out.

When you cycling out, the bike and body aren't stable, plays. In the trainer the bike is stable and your body plays and apply pressure with the movement.

Try, out of saddle, every 10 -15 min, chamois creme, a position slightly back in your seat.

Latest Comments