[Stour1967]

Guidance please.    Started to get issues  re undercarriage soreness whilst riding.   Not changed bike,riding position, type or distance of rides .  Tried different  shorts and that  makes no difference.  So thought it must be time for a new saddle. But saddle  shows no sign of any wear or damage and still  is quite supple  to touch.  Saddle about 3 years old now   , selle italia Q-bik so only a budget level one. Do about 100 miles a week sometimes more.  Worth upgrading on saddle and hoping thats the issue?    

Topic

[CXR94Di2]

Ive just changed my saddle

Ive just changed my saddle which has been fine for over a year, then a week or two back i got terribly sore.  I decided to measure my sit bones, I found my saddle was the same width as my sit bones so i needed to use a wider saddle, which my other bikes have.  Immediately after saddle change I can tell the original saddle wasnt wide enough.

[dave atkinson]

Tjuice wrote:

Have you changed (lost or put on) weight/fat/muscle?

I used to ride with a saddle I absolutely loved.  I raved about it, it was so comfortable for me.  I then went and lost ~10kg in weight (ended up really rather lean – much less of my own natural padding 😉 ) and saddle was then excruciatingly uncomfortable.

+1 for this. when i was 10kg heavier than I am now I could be comfy on pretty much anything, but I’m a lot choosier now. The Charge Spoon is still comfy though 🙂

[Tjuice]

Have you changed (lost or put

Have you changed (lost or put on) weight/fat/muscle?

I used to ride with a saddle I absolutely loved.  I raved about it, it was so comfortable for me.  I then went and lost ~10kg in weight (ended up really rather lean – much less of my own natural padding 😉 ) and saddle was then excruciatingly uncomfortable.

Unfortunately, I suspect it will all come down to personal fit.  My approach has been to buy second hand saddles on ebay to try them at low cost, and then sell on the ones I don’t like.  Width of saddle is important – working out whether you would benefit from a narrower or wider saddle might be worth doing – there are a host of low-tech DIY techniques you can try at home to try to work out whether you have wide or narrow sit bones (google “measure sit bone width”)

If you’re a member of a cycling club, you may find you can borrow saddles from a variety of friends to try over a reasonable distance.

Otherwise, saddle fitting services are available.

For reference, my previous favoured saddle was the Selle San Marco Mantra.  I now ride with a Selle San Marco Aspide.  Actually a relatively small change, but made a positive difference for me.

[vonhelmet]

I have a charge spoon and two

I have a charge spoon and two madison fluxes, which are the same shape but with different padding I think. The gusset r is the same saddle as well. Not sure about the comment above about the spoon being obsolete, but if charge have stopped making it then either of the others should do.

I tried a scoop back when they were charge branded and found it got uncomfortable after a couple of hours. Now that they’re made under the fabric name they come in a variety of shapes – flat, shallow and radius in order of increasing curvature. I think the original charge scoop was at the radius end while the spoon is more like the shallow. I’m going to give a shallow a try on my next bike to see if it suits me. I prefer the finish of them to the spoons – they are smooth all over while the spoons have stitching which I’ve found eventually wear through the stitching of shorts, if you keep them long enough.

[VeloUSA]

Yes it could be your saddle

Yes it could be your saddle or your bike fit, or chamois cream.  Start with getting a fit as seat post have a tendency to move down a few mm after a few years, or learn how to fit yourself – https://www.globalcyclingnetwork.com/video/how-to-set-your-saddle-height-tips-for-getting-your-saddle-position-right. Ride with your saddle level. If problem persist try moving the saddle nose down a tiny bit. A good chamois cream goes a long way too – http://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/183686-7-best-chamois-creams – and don’t over apply. This causes your shorts to slide back and forth against your skin.

[Anonymous]

I disagree, charge spoon suit
I disagree, charge spoon suit me well but the fabric scoop did not

[Canyon48]

I’m afraid, there is no easy

I’m afraid, there is no easy answer.

It’s taken me about 5 years and 5 different saddles to finally find one that works for me (Fizik Antares).

Funnily enough, I tried the Charge Spoon, and unlike most people on this thread, I found that to be one of the most uncomfortable saddles I’ve ever ridden (only second to the Fizik Arione – which is an instrument of torture).

FYI, the Fabric Scoop is based on the Charge Spoon (made by the same company) and is essentially the replacement (just pricier).

[Beecho]

StraelGuy wrote:

I’ve got Charge Spoons on all three bikes. Got the last one from Amazon for £16 as they’re obsolete now.

Ditto. They just suit my butt. Have replaced all kinds of Selle Italia/Fiz:ik etc with Spoons.

[StraelGuy]

I’ve got Charge Spoons on all

I’ve got Charge Spoons on all three bikes. Got the last one from Amazon for £22 as they’re obsolete now.

[Anonymous]

If that saddle has worked

If that saddle has worked well for you over the 3 years and you are certain nothing else has changed then I’d get another Q-bik.

[mike the bike]

 

 

There is no easy answer to this perennial problem Mr Stour, what fits me very well may be murder for you.  Some folks got lucky early in their cycling career and found a seat that caused no problems.  Others are still struggling with discomfort fifty years down the road.

But, all that aside, there are a couple of perches that are highly recommended by a high percentage of users.  At the bargain end of the range is the venerable Charge Spoon; thirty quid buys you something that few people hate and many people love.  Just to prove I’m biased, I’ve got two.

Spend a little more for the Fabric Scoop and you drop some weight, improve the looks and join a satisfied army of users; it is difficult to find a bad review of this model.

Best of luck sir. 

[Author]

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