Old 10-02-18, 08:46 PM
  #2  
gauvins
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Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: QC Canada
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Bikes: Custom built LHT & Troll

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Two things.

First, it is not entirely clear to what extent if it is the saddle that breaks in, or your butt that is getting used to the saddle. Try hammering nails all day, bare handed -- you'll suffer for a few days, then develop calluses. try walking barefoot. Try riding a bike. Different stresses but the process is somewhat similar. So maybe you could give it a little more time, and see if things get better.

Second, "somewhat similar" means that there appears to be a couple of principles worth looking into. Having read extensively and spent an irrational amount of time looking into this, I was struck by the analyses offered by chiropractors, sport physicians and ergonomists, in support of radically different suggestions. Two, actually. One being that comfortable saddles should provide support on either sides of the perineum (leading to the slotted hammock design) the other suggesting that most if not all the weight should be under the sit bones (platform design).

I've tried and adopted the Selle Anatomica, a slotted leather hammock, that will progressively stretch to fit your anatomy (much faster than the Brooks, though), and a SQLab 610 (platform design, with the addition of a perineal slot). It may well be that SQLab is a more comfortable saddle in the long run, but I want to ride with regular (unpadded) shorts such that the pressure under the sit- bones made it painful after a couple of hours. Whereas I could easily ride 6hrs+ on a Selle Anatomica

I believe that you can order both and return either or both if you are not satisfied, keeping in mind that it probably takes more than a month to really adapt to a saddle...

I'd also add that, for me, it takes weeks before I can comfortably ride all day unpadded. (It also takes weeks to be able to run a 10k comfortably when I stop for a few months)
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