RoadRider5

Haven't been riding my bike because I've been struggling with both saddle sores and soft tissue pain both indoors and outdoors for some time. I think it's definitely time to change my stock saddle, although since it's winter right now and I'm not willing to ride outdoors with all the snow, will testing a saddle indoors be just as effective as testing outdoors? Or if I just end up getting a saddle that will work for me indoors and not outdoors?

Edit: Thanks for the replies and tips

Iride01 

Are you going to be on the bike indoors? If using a trainer and riding for the time you will be riding outdoors then you might get some idea. However I don't sit the same indoors on a trainer as I do when riding outdoors. Indoors I'm more relaxed and sitting more upright.

Stock saddles usually are pretty decent for the big and common bike brands, IMO. If you are actually getting saddle sores, then that is likely the clothing you wear when you cycle. If you ride infrequently, it can take some time to get use to a proper saddle. But if you ride infrequently, you might be better served by a wide cushy seat. But you will likely never ride long rides on that really cushy wide saddle with out getting some actual saddle sores.

RoadRider5

Yes, I am going to be on the bike indoors for probably 2 more months. Thanks for the insight!

phughes

If you are getting saddle sores, it is most likely a fit issue. If the saddle sores are showing up on one side, and not normally the other side, it is most definitely a fit issue, generally speaking, the saddle is too high.

BTinNYC 

I use the same saddle on the trainer as my bike, and set up the same. I've tested out different saddles on the trainer and it doesn't lie...I return to my standard; the inexpensive Charge Spoon.

urbanknight

If anything, I would imagine testing the saddle indoors would be BETTER than testing it for outdoor rides because indoor cycling generally has you sitting in the same static position for most or all of the time. Outdoor cycling has you getting off the seat at red lights, standing while climbing, shifting positions for descents, etc. and thus relieves the pressure on your sensitive areas. This is just conjecture though, so maybe someone has solid evidence as to why I might be right or wrong about this.

Also, have you looked into embrocation? After I got heavier and less aggressive (not standing as often), Chamois Butt'r and a more curved saddle was required for me to endure rides of any decent length.

mstateglfr 

If a saddle is comfortable for 1 hour on the indoor trainer, itll be fine for me to use outdoors for however long my legs can last.
The opposite is not true, at least for me. A saddle can be super comfortable outside, but an ass-hatchet indoors.

genejockey 

My experience has been otherwise. The saddle my Canyon came with, for example, comes from a good company (Selle Italia), but 10 miles on it was torture. It was built for somebody else's bum. But your point about saddles and riding infrequently is very true. It's not just getting used to the saddle, it's putting in enough time on it to know what's wrong with it. The saddle that came with my Bianchi - a Fizik - felt fine up to 10 miles. By 20 I was distinctly numb in the plumbing.

I think that riding indoors is more of an "acid test" for a saddle than riding outdoors. As you say, you sit differently, but you SIT, almost exclusively indoors. If a saddle is comfortable for an hour of seated spinning indoors it will probably be good for longer outdoors.

msu2001la

Agree with others here: indoor riding is the ultimate test of a saddle, and bike fit in general.

I would strongly suggest the OP look into getting a bike fit from a quality fitter before buying and trying new saddles. A good fitter will be able to assist with this. It's money well spent.

phughes

I will say this again. If you are getting saddle sores, and especially soft tissue pain, it is most likely caused by the bike fit, and not the saddle. That is not to say a different saddle won't be more comfortable, but the issue is the fit, either a too high seat height, or too great of reach or drop, or a combination. Very likely your saddle is too high. The trainer is a great place to check fit.

RoadRider5

That might be it, I'll look into that

himespau 

You are so much less able to move when riding indoors. Make sure you're using chamois cream and potentially look into a rocker plate. The more motion you're able to get (even if it's just standing up on the pedals for a while every 15 minutes), the better off you'll be.

urbanknight

Since you're saying it a second time (I just read it and moved on the first time), I'm not sure I fully agree with you. Most people I know who had saddle sores and fixed it were on too narrow of a saddle, had the wrong tilt on the saddle, or were otherwise having chafing issues that were resolved by a embrocation and/or a different chamois (I do realize that chafing could be caused by fit, but it also might not). That being said, it could very well be a fit issue and it wouldn't hurt to have it looked at first if for no other reason to rule it out before wasting $$$ on saddle after saddle.

That also reminds me, RoadRider5 how level is your saddle? I've known many people (including myself) who tried to relieve pressure by tilting the saddle forward when it was actually better to tilt it back slightly, so gravity would pull you back and resting on your wider, cushier, derriere instead of the more sensitive parts further forward.

phughes

Tilt of saddle = fit. Using a chamois is a way of mitigating an issue, but what caused the issue? The OP also complained of soft tissue pain, usually caused by fit, too high seat height, too much reach or too much drop, or a combination.

It's not me saying this, good fitters say this. You can mitigate the issue with various band aid approaches, but it is always better to fix the underlying problem. Look at fit first, then look at other things. I can ride 50-70 miles a day with no chamois, no padded shorts, and do it day after day on tour, and I do, but I could not until I addressed the fit issue. My seat was too high. I tried all sorts of shorts and ointments, but nothing worked until I got the seat down where it should be. Too many people come out of a "bike fit," with a seat that is too high for their individual fitness level, and flexibility, and often too much drop and reach. They have soft tissue pain, and get saddle sores.

Interestingly, once I got my seat height correct for me, I no longer have to tilt it up to remain planted on the rear of the seat, I just stay there naturally. I'm running a Brooks too.

If the OP only had chafing, I would be all for suggesting some sort of product, but since they also experience soft tissue pain, I lean towards a fit issue.

urbanknight

Fair point. I guess I'm imagining "bike fit" meaning go pay a professional $400 when a simple adjustment could be all that's needed.

There are various possibilities there. Dry skin, sensitive skin, too much sweat, overweight taxing the body and all its support points, chub rubbing, as well as various fit aspects. The human body was not designed to rest most of its weight on a surface that narrow, so sometimes issues are natural. People are different as well. Some people are more stout and can handle more. Others are more delicate and at least need to ease into things or find various accommodations.

Another fair point, and you're probably right that fit should be checked first either way.

phughes

Yep, good synopsis, it all comes down to the individual.

Road Fan

This is one of my experienes as well. How do you set your saddle height? What do you think of the heel-on-pedal technique?

Iride01 

Yeah, I'm sure it varies from one bicycle manufacturer to the other, but within the same brand of bicycles for Specialized, Trek, Giant, Cannondale and etc., the saddles seem to be better saddles as the price tier of the bike goes up.

Not sure what Canyon does. I've not seriously looked at them yet since I can't ride one first. Perhaps they just use a cheap but good name saddle for all their models thinking that it's going to be replaced anyway.

genejockey 

It's not the quality of the saddle that's the problem. It's the shape, for me. I need what they call a "wave" saddle, because I'm pretty inflexible and roll my pelvis forward, riding with a straight back. AND I have thick thighs. So I need a wave saddle with a narrow nose. A lot of saddles these days seem to be flat, with a wide nose, which just won't work for me, though they work for lots of other people.

Unfortunately for me, Avocet went out of business long ago and nobody's making the O2 Air 40R anymore!

phughes

I do a combination of things. I think the heel on pedal method is decent, but not with the crank arm perpendicular to the ground. I place the crank arm in line with the seat tube when I do it, since that is where your leg will actually be at full extension. Other than that I fine tune it by feel, and also have used Steve Hogg's hill test. https://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com...ard-can-it-be/

gravelfan

I have a gel version of the same saddle on my trainer bike. Everything else I do is the same.

rsbob 

Lots of excellent advice above. Would like to put a punctuation mark about also using chamois cream - especially on the trainer.

Sojodave

I learned to not judge saddles indoors. Most saddles don't feel great indoors as compared to outside.

BTinNYC 

Yup. I was excited, wow, a hunnert dollar saddle with a cool shape.
Nope. My standard went on the Canyon.