Here is my experience, entirely anecdata. I used to ride lots a decade ago, and remember a fair amount of discomfort with saddles on long days. I really only got back into long distance riding in the past couple of years, but have not experienced discomfort much anymore, except sometimes when adapting after not riding for a while.
In the interim, I started lifting weights casually, including moderately heavy squats, and have added a bit of muscle mass to my booty that way. I have often wondered if having more muscle mass back there helps. I find myself often repositioning over the course of a long ride, moving where I'm sitting slightly and flexing/moving my butt muscles to find comfort. So perhaps in addition to a bike fit, you could try that, if that's not something you've tried before (potential side effect: all the wonderful health benefits of consistently doing weighted squats!). Noah Brookline, VT On Thursday, March 21, 2024 at 9:49:45 AM UTC-4 Bill Lindsay wrote: > I will second Patrick Moore's recommendation to consult with a fitter. > Dozens of saddles over 15 years and never being able to do a 20-mile ride > pain-free? That's indicative of something else going on, IMO. > > Bill Lindsay > El Cerrito, CA > > On Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 4:18:09 PM UTC-7 Patrick Moore wrote: > >> I'm sorry to hear that, but I am confident that you can find a solution. >> IME, saddle comfort depends as much on saddle setup -- height, setback, >> tilt -- and on body position when your ride -- thus bar shape and position >> -- as it does on saddle shape. >> >> My own test is, "did I think about the saddle during my ride?" If I don't >> think about it on a ride of typical length, then I judge the saddle a >> success. Of course, what "disappears" for 20 or 30 miles may come back with >> a vengeance after 50 or 100 miles, so one has to take into account all of >> one's riding. >> >> Perhaps you might consider getting a professional bike fit? Really, if I >> were in your situation, I'd consider this money well spent. >> >> Good luck, and let us know what happens. >> >> Patrick "Original Flites and only original Flites" Moore >> >> On Wed, Mar 20, 2024 at 2:00 PM Emily Guise <emily...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> Hello folks, I come to the group with a dilemma. I've never had a saddle >>> that I could ride for longer than 20 miles comfortably. I've always ended >>> up with sore sit bones, numb soft tissue, or both. This has really limited >>> my ability to go on longer trips and after my five day ride on the C&O >>> canal trail last Sept, it was more apparent than ever I need to find a >>> saddle that won't hurt. >>> >>> I've tried dozens of saddles over the last 15 years- leather, plastic, >>> cutouts, no cutouts, wide, medium, softer, harder, you name it. :( Most of >>> the saddles that have stayed on my bikes for longer than a month have a >>> central cut out, are on the wider side, and plastic. They're good for >>> around town, but that's it. I've never had my sit bones measured. >>> >>> It occurred to me recently that because I've never had a truly >>> comfortable long-distance saddle, I have no idea how one feels. So I >>> figured I'd ask the group. How did The One saddle feel for you? Did it >>> "disappear"? Was it love at first sit? Did it need to be adjusted a lot >>> before finding the ideal position? Is there a certain amount of miles you >>> ride before it becomes uncomfortable? >>> >>> I'd love to hear the group's collective wisdom so I know what to look >>> for in the next saddle I try out. Thanks! >>> >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com. >>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/d8d572c1-c108-4cf3-87c4-cd982950a2dan%40googlegroups.com >>> >>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/d8d572c1-c108-4cf3-87c4-cd982950a2dan%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>> . >>> >> >> >> -- >> >> Patrick Moore >> Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> Executive resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, letters, and other writing >> services >> >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> *When thou didst not, savage, k**now thine own meaning,* >> >> *But wouldst gabble like a** thing most brutish,* >> >> *I endowed thy purposes w**ith words that made them known.* >> > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/ee21fbf1-e6ff-4e94-beb0-2df68a39e6d3n%40googlegroups.com.
