FatBottomedGirl

Hey all,

I have a bike that *is* a proper fit. I had the frame custom-made and I am positive the size is right and the overall adjustments are okay for the big picture.

Now, I used to be fat,... : 125kg for 179cm (that is, just under 20 st. and 5'10" in imperial) and got down to 85 kg (~13st. 5lbs). Meaning that: I am still slightly overweight (clearly not a climber ) so I still have "some" belly, which is increased by a bit of extra skin I have from the old days; also, my thighs are not exactly tiny (those are mostly muscle,... but still there is volume...)

I can ride on the hoods without any problems.

When on the drops, I get the feeling my legs bump a bit in my belly, which is not exactly a problem but feels weird (compared to riding upright) but in that position, I get the feeling that the belly pushes on my crotch and cause extra pressure on the perineum and yes on my penis. And this whole area gets numb when riding hard for a long time on the drops.
This gets emphasised pretty badly when on a stationary trainer where I move much less than outdoors, not to mention that I am not often out of the saddle even if I force myself to do so every once in a while (and yes, my front wheel is on the same level as the rear).

Another position I cannot sustain is the, as I call it, "fake TT"-position: when you are riding with your forearms on the bars faking a TT-position, I feel my crotch compressed by the tip of my saddle.

So I was wondering... shouldn't fat riders like me tilt their saddle a bit more nose-down to compensate this?

chaadster

I'm pretty corpulent myself, carrying 100kg on my 6' frame. Speaking from experience, I understand the notion to nose-down the saddle a bit, and while it may work-- you have to try-- I think it's likely to create a situation where you're using your arms to brace against sliding, which is problemetic.

Instead, I'd expect the full cutout of an SMP 4Bike saddle (e.g. Dynamic, Forma, Drakon, Lite 209 etc.) to be a more likely success. Perhaps a noseless saddle, like Adamo or the new Specialized abbreviated nose design, Race, I think, would be worthwhile to try also.

You can also look at the possibilities of shorter crank arm length to reduce height at the top of the stroke. Even a couple of millimeters may give clearance comfort.

The pressure and numbness issue make me first think that a saddle change is in order, and the position and size of SMP's seems ideal to address what you're describing. My SMP Dynamic alleviated those problems for me.

Maelochs

As a fellow fat person (seriously fat, not like you guys) I recommend micro-adjustment, standing up a little more frequently, and continued weight loss (though I really can't address that issue until I try it myself.)

The slightest change in angle of seat or even bars, the slightest change in saddle height or fore-and-aft positioning, could be needed to adapt your bike to your changing physique.

Trying different saddles can be expensive. I hear some bike shops will let you test saddles, but the test would have to be an hour or two to be meaningful.

I would also look at the profile of your saddle. Is it flat, dipped in the middle, is the nose high? I bought a saddle supposedly designed for people who don't move about much while riding; in general I prefer a flatter saddle (my weight will eventually depress the center some, but not much.)

One of my saddles looked pretty flat but its frame actually raised the nose and tail a little, which was fine until i got a tiny bit fitter (more flexible rather than much thinner, sadly) at which time I could feel the raised nose even though I couldn't see it. I swapped to a harder, flatter saddle and it worked out really well ... but I still make sure i stand up pretty often to make sure the blood keeps flowing. Ten of fifteen seconds every ten or fifteen minutes is enough, as a rule----except some days I am less flexible and need to stand a little more often ... but never for more than a few seconds, and then back to the saddle.

RollCNY

Are you rolling your hips forward when you go to the drops? Many folks just round their back more, which just seems to pack the jelly belly into a smaller space. Keep your back straight, roll your hips, and the mid section won't feel as compressed.

Also, there is nothing wrong with the tops of your legs grazing your torso. It is a physical manifestation of compacting your profile. When it happens with me, I just try to draw my navel to my spine, and then get a titch lower. It is all largely in your head anyway, so go after physical cues that make you push harder.

chaadster

Gross...but it does remind me of the classic line from Mista Lawnge of the Black Sheep:

"Don't sleep on the side, thinking I'm easy to beat,
cuz I'll be all up in that ass like a bike seat."

Doge

Probably not. Go near flat. Nose down slides you forward to the narrow part and puts more weight on your arms. At lighter weights power plays a bit on position taking weight off arms, not in your case. See about raising the bars/less aero position. Also more of a back arch so your sit bones are on the seat back. Look at other saddles. If you are in this for the long haul a Brooks B17 might be a good investment.

Bassmanbob

I have the Adamo Road saddle, and I like it a lot. The draw back is that the U shape of the saddle causes it to be a bit wide at the front of the saddle. I had to get used to my inner thighs rubbing against it. It didn't take long, but it was annoying at first. I also noticed it again after purchasing (and riding exclusively for a while) a Brooks Imperial saddle for my touring/commuting bike. The Brooks saddle is much narrower at the front end.

anotherbrian

Selle SMP saddles as mentioned above solve that front pressure issue by rolling the nose of the saddle down. Specialized's new saddles are similar (shorter length, rather than dipped nose?).

I'm not overweight, but experienced the same issues when going from the hoods to the drops. Tipping a regular saddle down will take the pressure off, though if you don't have the core strength to hold yourself up, you'll put more weight on your arms. For me the Selle SMP takes the pressure off the front, without feeling like I'm tipping/sliding forward, and I've been comfortable on it up to 200mi.

fietsbob

Your Pelvis really doesn't change that much when the Padding is Increased the sit Bones remain the same .

Just the belly is not going to let you get into that aerodynamic tuck, descending, but the added Mass will add speed .

Nose down rather than a level saddle still puts more weight on your hands, and you have more weight to shift.

Doge

I agree with your assessment, not conclusion. The pelvis to saddle should be the same no matter how big your belly is. Better move bars higher. At some point you might want to change to a non-road bike.

Drew Eckhardt 

No, because that will put more weight on your hands and cause other problems.

Use a saddle with a bigger cut-out, settle for a higher position, or lose weight - you can get lower without extra adipose tissue putting pressure on nerves.

OldsCOOL

You may be skinny but you are far from fat-ish. I weigh 181lbs and will diet down to 165 during the summer. Good job on the weight loss! Keep it going!

Redbullet

I'm not fat at all, but I had some similar sensations, probably of lower intensity. Saddle "nose down" to 2-3 degrees helps - it stays with personal preferences, not necesarily due to the fat. Also, the body gets used and slowly adapt to the position: try to use drops for limited periods and increase them progresively; I lost those sensations within 2-3 months of slight adaptation.
However, note that after 30 years old and especially after 40, the body looses flexibility and various discomforts appear, especially at extreme positions such as long rides on the drop - the age always has its word. They can be decreased by special stretching exercises, if you have time for them (I usually don't...).

With regards to weight, I lost 8-10 kg within 3-4 months by riding 2-3 hours per day, 4 days a week, at high intensity - most of the time around 90-105% of functional threshold (measured with heart rate monitor). I bet that anybody who do that, burns a spectacular amount of fat within months, until the muscles start to become visible.

Doge

May not be due to fat, but definitely a weigh to power to saddle and bar setting equation here.
A heavy upper body 8% body fat body builder likely has similar issues.
In light torso high power riders - the typical pro, the leg torque takes weight off the arms/bars. They are not putting as much force on the hands as the same build rider with lower power. And the rider with low power and heavier upper - muscle or fat - is putting more weight on the bars.
Stop that.
That is not how road bike were designed to be ridden. So do some of these:
-Make bars higher
-Ride with more power
-Make torso lighter
-Make top tube/stem length shorter.