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forum
Saddles and numbness
I've had my road bike since January, changed the stock saddle to a Fizik Antares Versus to improve comfort. However, I can do 30 miles fine, no issue, then for 30-65 or so I get numbness towards the front. After 70+ it seems to subside or I just can't feel it anymore.
Any recommendations? New saddle? Saddle angle? Better shorts?
I have been racking up the mileage in training for the 145 mile C2C in June and with several 100+ mile rides in the near future I''m keen to be comfy.
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.
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12 comments
I know this might sound stupid but the other night I cycled without gloves and I got really bad numbness from the seat. When I wear gloves, no problem.
Had a selle san marco ponza onmy bike when it came two years ago. Thought it wasn't very comfortable at the time. So I spent a bomb on an sq labs 611 saddle. Its got a cutout section for the soft bits. However the shorts I had a t the time were too baggy so the chamois of the saddle ended up filing the cutout section and actually made me really numb. Bought a vintage frame (made into a fixie) which had on it a 1978 vintage leather racing saddle of the racing variety. no cutout, but also no numbness.......no padding over the ischial tuberosity area.
I have found for true comfort, I actually need a little bit of pressure under the soft bits.
Anyway have gone back to the san marco and it is absolutely beautifully comfortable on long rides. Really firm , positive sweet spot, hardly any padding. Have changed shorts to Desoto 400 mile and they are brilliant. chamois is properly tight, and moves with you. shorts and chamois is a big part of it in my limited experience.
Also, to prevent sliding forwards onto the narrow part of the saddle, it is pretty important to avoid the temptation to move the saddle forwards in most cases I think, but to get your stem length correct, so you are not reaching out for the bars too much.
Well I spent some time on Thursday night adjusting my saddle, levelled it up and then tilted it very slightly up, moved it forward by 10mm and tested on turbo. Saturday, I did the 100 mile Rutland Cicle and it was fine, no numbness - nothing like what I've experienced before now. Slight saddle soreness but that's to be expected. So I'm much happier.
I'm having a very similar problem with my saddle, usually starts about 20 miles in to a ride for me though. 65 miles yesterday and very saddle sore today, particualrly round the sit bones. Tried moving my saddle forward by 10mm so that more of the big end was under my sit bones but that just seemed to make it feel worse. Don't want to go fork out for a new saddle if there's something I'm not doing right which could change things. Everything was fine until about Jan/Feb when I started getting out again and I've not changed the saddle position since I first got the bike.
I have the same problem too. Although my saddle is thick but I still got the numbness. I am 5 feet 5 inches and 180 lbs. What can you recommend? Is my weight the problem here?hybrid bike reviews
As I mentioned in a previous post I went for the Selle SMP stratos - I did a review here
http://ukmambo.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/selle-smp-stratos-saddle-review.html
It fixed the issues I was having but all saddles vary between people, though many swear by this saddle. With this one your sit bones go inside the saddle not outside.
Even with the above saddle - the difference that even a quarter degree change in tilt or moving it back or forward a few mm can make a dramatic difference. Also make sure you have the right size saddle - did you get you sit bones measured before choosing a saddle?
Can you tell me if your local Evans was in Bristol?
Had a tinker in the garage, shuffled it forwards and leveled it a little better. Stuck it on turbo and it feels better, like weight is further back on saddle. Will tell on Saturday, 100 miles round Rutland!
Tip the saddle forward slightly, or move the bars up and angle them differently.
Should help
Check out this image, which shows where your weight distribution should be focused:
http://www.redbike.net.nz/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/saddles.jpeg
The reason non-cyclists laugh at our saddles ("eee, they're like razor blades them!") is because they think we're sitting on the long thin bit, rather than the wider parts at the back, either side of centre.
Your shorts sound good quality, so probably not them. Chamois cream helps with chafing, but not pressure so much.
Bike fits are great as a guide, but I'm still making minor adjustments to my fit 6 months later. If you want to be sure of being able to go back to your current position, just take a note of the numbered marks on the saddle rails or measure the distance between the saddle nose and the stem. You may wish to take the allen key out with you to adjust further on the way.
Exactly the same, I feel my weight is over the front. The bike was fitted for me and I replaced the saddle to the same position as the previous one, which I had the same problem with around 25+ miles. It can't harm to adjust it slightly and see. I'm using Castelli and Garneau shorts, the Garneau have a better pad but done 85 miles in the Castelli.
Which part of your anatomy is your weight on? I just bought a new saddle, and felt my personal bits taking the majority of my weight on the long thin top part of the saddle. Moving the saddle forwards on the rails by about 10mm corrected this, as now my weight is on my sit-bones which rely on the flared side sections towards the back.
Place a spirit level on top of the saddle, and get it nice and horizontal. You may personally want to change this, but it's a good starting point. Mine stays horizontal.
What shorts do you use?