I took the plunge and went for the Assos shorts - they are nice but I'm still getting some pain from sitting on the saddle. The pain isn't on the sit bones, as one might expect after 6 hours on a bike; no, when it starts, it's all around the front. A lady on the BikeRadar forum advised me that I shouldn't expect to get any pain there at all. This lady does some amazing distances on her bike so I feel that she is someone to really take notice of. She had been through exactly the same problem - has been through multitudes of saddles and shorts - and has finally come up with a solution that works for her. This is it, a Selle An-Atomica saddle - www.mcmwin.com
Reading the testimonials on the website really makes me believe that perhaps it is possible to ride without the pain. I ummed and ahhed over the price but finally decided that although it's a bit more expensive than my current saddle (well, almost 3 times more expensive at £166 inc shipping at the current exchange rate) it is a price worth paying if I can finish a sportive without the soreness. I still expect to feel some discomfort on the sit bones after 8 hours on a saddle but not that level of rawness that I have been experiencing. I paid for DHL shipping so I hope to receive it early next week and have it on my bike for my Wednesday ride and get it tested before the Etape Caledonia next weekend. I went for the black model with black rivets.
I still don't have a number and I'm obsessively checking that bloody website.
Weight-wise, things are going really well. I'm now 82.5kg - that's a loss of 10.5kg (or 23lbs). I feel great. Perhaps a little run down this week, but otherwise, really, really good about how it's all going. Training seems to be going well, sportives are going well, weight is coming off - all seems to be good.
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
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2 comments:
Whilst the architecture is obviously different (I assume!!), I too have suffered such discomfort, even with my extra-nice, properly-fitting Specialised Saddle.
As it transpired the problem was that the saddle was insufficiently tightened and over a number of miles had adopted a slightly nose-up attitude.
Now that the saddle is back slightly nose-down, discomfort has abated and all I now worry about is forgetting to 'go light' over cattle grids. (I still have bad dreams about last year's Etape du Dales)
Hey Clive!
You mean my architecture? - let's bloody well hope that it's different ;-)
I should get my spirit level on my saddle and check that it hasn't slipped any. I went for 37 miles into the peaks and it was much less painful today - perhaps the saddle has a sixth sense that it's about to be relegated to the turbo bike.
I'm glad your saddle is back to comfy now - you're going to need it to be with your plans for the year.
Karen
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