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I only ever ride my $200 Giant mtn. bike to get somewhere. Not today!

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I only ever ride my $200 Giant mtn. bike to get somewhere. Not today!

Old 08-17-21, 03:26 PM
  #1  
CheGiantForLife
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I only ever ride my $200 Giant mtn. bike to get somewhere. Not today!

Today, I decided to go for a ride and just see how long I could stay comfortable

Mostly flat. I was pedaling for most of it. Very little coasting.
4.5 miles
23 mins
11 mph



I noticed my sperm tubes area was getting uncomfortable towards the end, and I was shifting around in my seat.

I think a decent goal is to get to 1 hour.
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Old 08-17-21, 03:55 PM
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AdkMtnMonster
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My sperm tubes are only good for a few minutes. Longer if I coast.
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Old 08-17-21, 04:15 PM
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Russ Roth
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In my experience that is an unacceptable amount of time before you experience pain, you need a new saddle. Unless you're extremely heavy, I have friends at 325lb that don't experience saddle pain for 1/2 hour to hour rides that are not in shape, that is too short a time period to go and have it hurt. A good saddle doesn't have to cost a lot, two of my favorite saddles are take offs from decent bikes, but you need to find one that works. Bikes might last for decades but foam breaks down and hardens and the saddle might not have been right even from new. Find a shop that will install one and let you try it out and go try it out, it can make a lot of difference.
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Old 08-17-21, 04:17 PM
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I'm not sure a 4.5 mile ride qualifies as newsworthy even in the General section. Also, you can have those pesky sperm tubes removed.

Last edited by shelbyfv; 08-17-21 at 04:20 PM.
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Old 08-17-21, 04:33 PM
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Seriously, your saddle isn't working for you at all.

If you really care, you can google (or whatever search engine) and find out ways to measure the width of your ischial loops and figure out the proper width of saddle so that it actaully supports you.

Padding is not a huge issue. One one of my bikes the saddle is a piece of upadded carbon fiber and it is fine to ride ... no different than any of my other bikes. Too much padding can cause problems .... but I doubt that is the issue. Most probably your bike is not set up quite right, and most probably your saddle is entirely the wrong size and shape.

All that aside .... good ride. Take your time and ride for pleasure and you will naturally gain range and pace .... keep at it.
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Old 08-17-21, 05:48 PM
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Before it was $299. Now it’s $200. Are you factoring in depreciation?
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Old 08-17-21, 10:04 PM
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Originally Posted by CheGiantForLife
Today, I decided to go for a ride and just see how long I could stay comfortable

Mostly flat. I was pedaling for most of it. Very little coasting.
4.5 miles
23 mins
11 mph



I noticed my sperm tubes area was getting uncomfortable towards the end, and I was shifting around in my seat.

I think a decent goal is to get to 1 hour.
Could be something as simple as the tilt for your seat or shifting forward/backward position
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Old 08-17-21, 10:29 PM
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Originally Posted by MarcusT
Could be something as simple as the tilt for your seat or shifting forward/backward position

I agree. Try tilting your saddle down slightly in the front first and see what happens.
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Old 08-18-21, 07:40 AM
  #9  
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So many unknowns here.

My first guess bike is wrong size. Most likely too large.

Second guess bike is not fitted properly.

Third guess, you need to swap saddles (seat). On saddles I bought many take off saddles $10-20 to figure out the general saddle shape I liked. Then I started buying mid range / higher end used saddles $30-50 in the shape I liked.
The thing with used saddles is buy/sell. You might be out $5 for shipping per saddle. another option, Your Local bike shop will often have saddle rental/demo saddles too. Along with most bike shops will have a box or basket full of random take off saddles.

Or you might be like me and end up with a box of extra saddles (I've 4). So I've $200 in saddles just sitting in a box.

I'd rather spend $400 and have a comfortable seat on a $200 bike than spend $400 on a bike and be uncomfortable.

It might be harder to do with covid, but I also parking lot demo rode many bicycles out of bike shops too. There are certain seats that are just flat out disagreeable with certain people.
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Old 08-18-21, 07:45 AM
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I've got a Bongrager saddle on my Trek and it's comfortable enough for me to ride 40 miles without padded cycling shorts without any discomfort. I think having discomfort after 4.5 miles indicates a problem.
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Old 08-18-21, 09:14 AM
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I'd been looking for a way to introduce the term "sperm tubes" into everyday conversation. Now I've found it. Thanks!
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Old 08-18-21, 10:51 AM
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saddle sore

Originally Posted by CheGiantForLife
Today, I decided to go for a ride and just see how long I could stay comfortable

Mostly flat. I was pedaling for most of it. Very little coasting.
4.5 miles
23 mins
11 mph



I noticed my sperm tubes area was getting uncomfortable towards the end, and I was shifting around in my seat.

I think a decent goal is to get to 1 hour.
'

I recently replaced the original saddle I had on my TREK VERVE III with this one. So far I`ve been happy.
https://bikeroo.com/collections/bike...39567671066780
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Old 08-18-21, 01:11 PM
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Originally Posted by Phil_gretz
I'd been looking for a way to introduce the term "sperm tubes" into everyday conversation. Now I've found it. Thanks!
Is Sperm Tube some kind of new adult website? Asking for a friend.
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Old 08-18-21, 01:15 PM
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It's a new paternity donor website where one markets his, um, wares. Highly popular in the UK for obvious reasons....
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Old 08-19-21, 07:28 AM
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CheGiantForLife
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Originally Posted by roadsnakes
'

I recently replaced the original saddle I had on my TREK VERVE III with this one. So far I`ve been happy.
https://bikeroo.com/collections/bike...39567671066780
I am cheap, so I have a ton of money.
But, I am willing to spend $30 for a new seat.

What's the best way to research buying a new seat?
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Old 08-19-21, 07:42 AM
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I highly recommend the one I have but I don't know what model of Bontrager saddle it is. After looking online, I think it's a Race Lux, or at least it's very similar to it.
But, what works well for me might not work for you.
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Old 08-19-21, 07:47 AM
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Seat

Originally Posted by CheGiantForLife
I am cheap, so I have a ton of money.
But, I am willing to spend $30 for a new seat.

What's the best way to research buying a new seat?
Good question, but it probably does not have a good answer.

I just read the reviews. But, that can be confusing at best.

Some will say it`s "The best seat I ever had! I can ride all day on it"
Others will say it`s , "The worst seat I ever had! Can`t even ride 10 miles on it!"
I figured the price was that if it didn`t work out, I`d be trying something else.
But, I have a few hundred miles on it and so far so good.
I even have a padded seat cover for it, but have yet to put it on.
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Old 08-19-21, 07:52 AM
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Originally Posted by CheGiantForLife
I am cheap, so I have a ton of money.
But, I am willing to spend $30 for a new seat.

What's the best way to research buying a new seat?
Go to a store and tell them you want a saddle that will fix the pain in your sperm tubes.
...or maybe phrase it any number of better ways.
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Old 08-19-21, 08:04 AM
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Post a pic of rear end and someone will find a saddle that fits.
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Old 08-19-21, 02:19 PM
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^^^^Please don't....
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Old 08-19-21, 02:44 PM
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I switched to sperm transistors decades ago.

Something is definitely wrong with your setup. It sounds like it's holding you back.
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Old 08-19-21, 03:05 PM
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Here is my seat.


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Old 08-19-21, 03:06 PM
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Someone in an earlier post mentioned that you should do a web search of measuring your pelvis for a saddle. The easiest way I have heard are to sit hard on a piece of corrugated cardboard, to create depressions, or to coat said cardboard in chalk, so you wipe off the chalk where your ischeal loops hit it. But seriously, do a little research. I have a fat butt, but also a wide pelvis so I have to look in the 135-142-mm wide range for saddles, while most folks seem to be in the 105-115 range.

Even a saddle which had support exactly where you need it won't help if you have it mis-positioned so that you don't sit on that support, or if it is too tall or short, or tilted wrong.

I truly do not want to sound like a jerk, but instead of asking aimless questions here, listen to the answer---do some online research. There is a ton of stuff out there by people who have a lot more experience than i do, and you sort of need to learnt eh general principles because every person is a little different.

Alternatively you could spend several hundred dollars getting a bike fitting and the fitter would recommend whichever several-hundred-dollar saddle was made by whichever manufacturer sponsored his equipment or offered him the best kick-backs on sales.
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Old 08-19-21, 03:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Metieval
….It might be harder to do with covid, but I also parking lot demo rode many bicycles out of bike shops too. There are certain seats that are just flat out disagreeable with certain people.
Your local bike shops are your friends.
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Old 08-19-21, 07:21 PM
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Originally Posted by flangehead
Your local bike shops are your friends.
Yes they are.
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