maartendc

Hi all,

After trying a lot of saddles I am currently using a Specialized Romin Evo Expert saddle, and I like the fit of it. Its the only one so far that doesnt cause a lot of chafing on my upper thighs.

However, on long 4-hour rides, my sitbones do hurt during the last hour or so. So the first 3 hours are usually fine, the last hour my sitbones are sore.

Is this normal?

It is a pretty firm saddle, not a ton of cushioning. There are lots of potholes and bad pavement where I ride, so the pain could be due to bouncing up and down the saddle for long periods?

= Should I try a softer saddle? I have heard too soft of a saddle is also not good.

Thanks!

dmanthree

Unfortunately, I don't think anyone can really answer this question. Saddles are so personal that what works for me will not likely work for you. I'm riding a Brooks C17 and it works for me, but others sear at it, not by it. A softer saddle might work, but it might cause other problems, like overheating.

AnthonyBikes

As I do agree with dmanthree that saddles are a personal choice, anyone on the saddle for more than 4 hours is going to get some saddle pain softer padding or not. I experience that same after 3 hours my sit bones start hurting. I believe this is normal. What I do find to help some is your shorts or bib are a good fit and padding as well.

Silvercivic27

The problem is that your legs are getting fatigued after 3 h and you're spending more time on your butt for the last hour...the problem may be with your fitness to tolerate a 4 hour ride, not your saddle

Sojodave

I had a Specialized Romin Evo and I had the same problem after long rides. I switched to a Specialized Power saddle and I solved the problem of saddle soreness. Everyone is different and your mileage may vary. I went through 8 saddles until I found "the one". Good luck.

Shuffleman

Good advice. I usually have no problems with any saddle. My regular bike has a Pro Logo Kapo Evo saddle, which I always liked. However I just built up another bike and went with a Brooks B17 saddle instead of another Pro Logo. I am floored by the saddles comfort. I may buy another one for my regular ride.
They are personal preferences but conditioning does factor in as well.

Carbonfiberboy 

I tried that saddle for a couple long rides, one a century. I found that the padding in the saddle has a softer bit of foam right where the sitbones go, probably by design. However over the hours, that spot kind of sinks down and causes a larger area of sitbone-covering flesh to have its circulation cut off, causing pain. So feel with your thumb right where you sit and see if I'm right about that. I took that saddle and all the other Spesh saddles I tried back. But I bought 4 of these:
VELO SENSO SPORTS VL-3206 Saddle, Black x White


Which have the same approximate shape as the Toupe series, but with much higher quality materials and for much less money. Also does not chafe my upper thighs, which is always my issue too.

bleui

since you already use Romin, please consider a trial on their Power saddle and do a long ride

Sy Reene

Risky move... most people would buy one saddle and see how it actually feels before buying 4 of them.

Bmach

I have four different bike that I ride, each with a different saddle. I have (maybe) a hard ass because I have never had an issue. That being said Is the saddle the right size for you?

Carbonfiberboy 

You are right. First I bought one, rode it for a few months, then bought 3 more. Amazingly, they were and are still being made.

RNAV

My advice is to find a fitter that 1) offers saddle pressure mapping, and 2) has a wide range of saddles to try. Most of these folks charge around $50 for their saddle pressure mapping service. Hands-down the absolute best money I've spent on cycling.

In a matter of about 45 minutes, I was able to try numerous saddles and see very easily which saddles gave me hot spots (high-pressure areas) and which saddles did not. For 16 years I've used saddles with cutouts. Ended up with a non-cutout saddle, which I never would have even considered had my fitter not suggested I try it solely to see what it looked like on the pressure map. It is by far the most comfortable saddle I've ever ridden on . . . like having an angel cup your crotch.

So my experience, at least, is that pressure mapping can save you A LOT of time and money (if you're like me and have tried about 20 different saddles).

dmanthree

interesting. I think my new ride came with a Power saddle, so I'm giving it a try. I've only gone as far as 24 miles on it, which isn't a real test. Time will tell.

dim

I've learnt that it's not the saddle, it's your arse

any decent saddle is fine, but your arse has to get used to sitting in a saddle,..... that takes miles and miles

but once your arse is broken in, you don't even think saddle .... no matter what saddle you are using

f4rrest

I have the same saddle and had the same issue.

Also have the power saddle and the chicane. Both generate less sit bone pressure.

You can also try double bagging your shorts to see if more padding helps.

I've been known to adhere additional materials to my saddles to address fit issues.

You can definitely try easy mods with felt, leather, rubber, and electrical tape.

Chuck Naill

After someone mentioned I should raise the nose on the saddle, any discomfort was eliminated. Kona specs a Brooks B-17 on the Sutra, my first experience. I can see why others praise them so.

maartendc

Thanks for the tips, I will maybe give those a try. Do the power and chicane have roughly the same shape as the Romin?

Thanks for the tips, I will look into that saddle as well.

Thank you, you are the second or third person to recommend a Specialized Power, so I will give that a try. Does it have roughly the same shape as the Romin?

That is a good point, I hadn't thought of that. Let's see if it gets better as I get fitter. Thanks!