Twisted on the saddle
 

I wasn't sure where to post this or even if I can describe my ill or if anyone could point me in a direction for a solution

I broke a bunch of bones on my left side last Fall including a fracture to the left greater trochanter. When I started to ride, there is a muscle inbetween and inside the hamstrings that attaches up near the butt to the underside of the hip. If I ride moderately hard, this muscle really hurts like a cramp. I tried to stretch over the months and thought it would go away but it hasn't.

A symptom that might related. My trusty old Berthoud leather saddle went from never giving me a stitch of problems to being uncomfortable on long rides. I thought maybe it was worn out, so, I replaced the entire leather top and broke it in. When breaking it in, I noticed that my left sit bone is in the center of the saddle and forward whereas the right sit bone is at the rear of the saddle and at the very edge. It is like my rear end is cockeyed. It truly is a PITA.

A Chiro I know has worked with Olympians and is a cyclist himself. I was thinking of making an appointment and getting his opinion. I don't know what is wrong. PT? The real bummer is they missed the hip in the trauma center despite me telling all of them many times how much my hip hurt although probably there isn't anything that could have been done.

I can't slide the saddle back any further. A longer railed and wider saddle?? (To get my right sit bone some relief). The frame is slightly small but I have had it for 6 years, the fitter thought the 58 cm was better than the 61 cm. He said the 61 would be too big. I always rode it with a long stem and saddle all the way back. It is like I need a wider saddle with a long rails but with a very narrow nose part. Some of the saddles I have tried are bad because being offset and twisted, the nose hits in a sensitive area. I am not sure more saddle tests will work but am open to trying anything

I also went from basically 50/50 left/right pedal power balance to 45/55 with the right much more dominent.

Any suggestions?

See your chiropractor, or, better still, an orthopedic surgeon!

I saw a couple. The trauma center and radiologist missed a broken scapula and the trochanter.

What do I say to the surgeon? My rearend hurts after 100 miles and the muscle attached to the trochanter hurts at Tempo.

I think you might be right WRT the Chiro.

I might try to find a good fitter. I have had three fits in my life and none of them seemed interested in how I sat on the saddle but I was perfectly square and even.

I have a new theory thinking about it. I used to clip in on the left but now I learned to clip in from the right foot because it hurt too much clipping in from the left (broken left ribs, scapula, clavicle, humerus, and rebuilt elbow, etc). MAYBE.......I inadvertently learned to shift to the right just by how I get on the the bike. Sounds far fetched. There is a Retul fitter about an hour away. ERO sports in Allentown, PA. I know nothing about them but the 3D of Retul sounds like what might help diagnose.

I was hoping someone would have the solution by inspection: N + 1

So, I have just a little over 500 miles on the new fit with a little improvement in left hamstring pain and less derriere discomfort. I am going to see my Chiro for him to have a poke around.

The fitter moved my seat forward 20-30 mm and we went with a 30 mm longer stem. The saddle forward also effectively lowered my saddle a bit. More weight is on my hands and more strain on my screwed up neck but my butt is a little more centered. I was surprised the Retul 3D only takes shots from the side. How is that 3D? In any case, It appears retul doesn't even look at asymmetry and when I pointed out my asymmetry, the fitter said they have seen much worse and mine isn't too bad. I could be wrong. Was it worth 90 minute drive each way and a fairly substantial fee for 50 minute of fitting? I would say yes but it wasn't earth shattering other than one conclusion was I need a bigger bike, specifically about 420 mm reach with 130 stem or maybe 140mm stem vs 398 mm on current bike. No complaints, it helped a tiny bit. It takes a little longer before the pain makes me back off and there is less pressure pain on the saddle, it seems I sit more squarely but I also changed to a wider saddle.

One thing the fitter said is that everyone should get fit twice per year because their body changes. My last fit on this current bike was 6 years ago. The fitter had moved the stem 10 mm lower back then, nothing else.

Bottomline, if time and money are not a problem, a fit might help and was worth it to me.