Originally Posted by
GhostRider62
What saddle, bike, seatpost and specific tire model, size and pressure? Optimizing those can help.
"The stiff one" is Brooks Cambium, and "the softer one" is stock saddle of my Merida Sculture Endurance road bike, it's like a stiff carcass with a bit padding on top, not really that soft, an average softness. The next thing I plan to try is a saddle with cut out. I use 28mm wide tyres and pump them up to 75psi.
Originally Posted by
GhostRider62
From what you wrote, I am interpreting your fire pain to be soreness in the deeper tissues and not surface abrasion or irritation from salt, feces, etc. Skin irritation can be helped with a viscous lubricant. I used to use Lantiseptic but the last three times I ordered it, it was very thin and watery and did not last long. I am experimenting with others. When it is hot, I sweat and you do not want bacteria to enter thru your skin and want to minimize friction but it sounds like this is not your issue.
You may be right about it being a deeper tissue issue, as I get uncomfortable even on short runs (2hrs+) - when I ride in saddle all the time. It feels like some kind of numbness which steadily grows after about 20-30mins of riding in saddle, until it becomes unbearable and I have to stand in pedals. Usually I just don't wait till it come to this, and spend a few minutes out of saddle per each 15-20 minutes of the ride. It never was an issue in my first couple of years cycling, because back then it were recreation rides with friends with a lot of stops for photos, snacks and site seeing. It's only when I had to run in saddle for hours it became a problem. It's also much less of an issue when I ride more aggressively, pounding the pedals, storming hills out of saddle etc
Originally Posted by
GhostRider62
A very common problem is a too high saddle. I see it all the time on brevets. Too high of a saddle will result in excessive hip movement with the hinge point being the connection at the saddle. I would check that. Some degree of butt discomfort is common. I used to never have any saddle issues but I used to ride a lot more and was younger. Fitness comes into play. As a rider tires, they sit up more and more. They put out less power. These two factors place MORE weight on the derriere especially transients, the arms are not there to take some of the shock. So, it all goes into your ass.
I actually even paid for bike fitting session last year, that's where they said me that my saddle is way too low, like 4-5 cms lower than it should be. I tried the saddle height they recommended for some time, and in the end decreased it about 1-1.5cms. The final number I came to matches closely to the one that frame size calculator on Specialized web site recommends me for a road bike. So I reckon it's more or less fine now.
Originally Posted by
GhostRider62
The right saddle is one key. A leather saddle will mold to your bottom and distribute the forces over a large area. Some like them and some do not.
The question is how to know what is right for me.. I already paid for that Brooks (not leather), it wasn't a cheap one. I can't continue buying them blindly just to try out, these aren't very cheap.
Originally Posted by
GhostRider62
Congratulations on the SR completion!!
Thanks
Welp, I did it, but not much joy in it, minding all the suffering I have to pass through. It just I first rode 400kms - and the last 200kms of it was a total hell, I thought I should call it an end season. But after that it was only 600kms which stood between me and SR, and it was so tempting.. So I gave it a shot - it was a total hell again, past first 300kms. Certainly not something I would like to repeat, until I'll able to solve the issues above.