raria

At my past cadence of 90I I would rarely get saddle sorness due to the fast cadence keeping my backside of the saddle. But as I've aged my cadence has dropped below 80 and now I find myself getting sore. Unfortunately upping my cadence isn't an option.

Any suggestions beyond "get a saddle that fits better" (I've tried many)?

BobsPoprad

There are probably other things that have changed.
I find I have better rides if I get out of the saddle every now and then. I have NO hills around here, so I have to force the issue.

freeranger

Are you using cycling shorts or cycling underwear with a chamois? If you are, are they old and maybe the chamois is too worn to be effective? If you aren't, may try cycling shorts or cycling underwear with a chamois.

BobsPoprad

We all change. In my younger years, I'd wear the oldest, most beat up pair of shorts (then bibs), no chamois creme, nothing. Heck, would even ride a couple of days or more before washing, as I had only one pair. Never a problem, even on 100 mile rides. Now? Chamois creme all the time, wash bibs after every ride (rotate pairs), even on 20 mile rides.

ofajen

I’ve taken to wearing two pairs of cycling shorts in warm weather. I wear cycling shorts under soccer warmup pants in the winter. The extra padding seems to help me. YMMV.

Otto

rwh 

I stopped drinking water while riding and stop every 5-7 miles for a hydration/butt break. Sure I'm not as fast as I used to be and stopping for breaks makes me even slower, but who am I trying to impress? If you have actual saddle sores then my dermatologist recommends ordinary petroleum jelly applied to the affected area.

Iride01 

Probably a drop in your power too and you are simply sitting heavier in the saddle. Therefore you have a saddle sore.

You either need to sit lighter in the saddle by putting out more power or play the saddle swap game some more.

Maelochs

This is my thought.

When you lower your cadence you need to increase your power or you will be spending more time resting on your buttocks and less supported by your legs. I ride a fairly slow cadence (I seem to have slowed even more after heart issues, but it is hard to tell) and I do have to stand more often just to get a break and restore a little blood flow, and I ma much more careful in my choice and positioning of saddles.

If I were you I might look at my entire riding position. Particularly look at leg extension, because I find it easier to spin with a slightly shorter motion but I need more height to get more extension and engage more of my thigh to hold me up at a slower cadence.

I just broke out the old Raleigh yesterday, and had some left knee issues----nothing bad, just soreness afterwards (my left knee is always a little sensitive due to other events.) Today before my ride I shifted the saddle forward the slightest amount and had zero pain after the ride. I used to have to adjust my bikes a tiny bit if I had a very slow winter, or some surgery or injury .... now it seems I might have to micro adjust seasonally as I age more.

Maelochs

Or .... I could be entirely wrong and all my advice could cripple you. You probably should keep that in mind.

mstateglfr 

80rpm creates saddle sores?
That doesn't seem accurate.

jaxgtr

I have always been a grinder versus a spinner. I am very comfortable with a 80 to 85 cadence and have not had issues. I do use a chamois creme each and every time like others have said, I stand up and move around. I don't have hills to climb, so stretching the legs and and getting out of the saddle is important. I also retire my cycling shorts once I start to feel like I have to get out of the saddle more and more.

urbanknight

I don't know about you, but aging has caused me to prefer a more upright riding position, making my previous favorite saddle not a good match anymore.

To quote Grandma (who probably got it from someone else), "Getting old is the pits".

cyclezen

saddle sores, soreness
no correlation to cadence... look elsewhere...

butt soreness? from a saddle which hasn't made you sore before - check you position
butt soreness after longer rides? maybe you need new/more shorts - always good to have multiple pairs of shorts, to rotate and have different weights for different conditions...
butt soreness because you're only riding once or twice a week - inevitable...

saddle sores, boils, ingrown hair? better hygiene! clean shorts more often, wash yourself better and apply a small amount of antibiotic cream in the nether-regions... not needed every day, just lightly every 3 - 4 days...
no more sores, ingrown hair infections or boils...
Thx
Yuri
EDIT: Creams, some do ok with them, but they're lucky... Anything which can clog the pores could increase the risk of infections.
Petroleum Jelly, the worst crap ever! Add some Fluoride and you won't get cavities...You might as well use Campy grease, its a better lubricant and much easier to cleanup...
BMI over 30? Drop a bunch of weight and you'll definitely be less sore...