Anybody tried those *anatomically correct* seats with the groove down the middle to take pressure of certain parts of one's anatomy? Are they worth the bucks, or even worth bothering with? I'm starting to put more miles on the bike with each ride, but I still get "saddle sore" when I ride much over 10 miles. Especially those shared hike-n-bike trails where you can sit down for 99% of the ride.

Dennis

I've got one of those seats on my Giant (it's actually the stock one), and while I've found it to be helpful, I think it would only really work with a good pair of cycling shorts.

Not that I'm recommending the spandex (cos I think you mentioned that in another post), but perhaps a pair that has a back seam either side of the center, as opposed to the usual center one.

I used to go out with just a regular pair of shorts, and I'd be saddle sore after 15 and just in pain around the 30 mile mark. Now I go out in North Face shorts with a mesh lining. Not my first choice, but thinner material certainly helps, and I do get more mileage before the sores start kicking in.

To conclude - I've found that the recess in the saddle designed to aid blood circulation does help, but can be compromised by poor clothing choice. A grooved seat with 'proper' (or at least thin) cycling shorts would probably be the most forgiving.

Thanks. I may just go try one out this weekend. I wear cycling shorts under a pair of regular shorts for now. Hadn't thought about it, but you may be right. The seam could be causing the problem. I used to just wear the bike shorts, but then gained a few unwanted pounds dutring the lapse of mountain biking. Probably go back to just bike shorts pretty soon since I've dumped close to 25 pounds this summer. But still at just over the 200# mark, the normal mountain bike seat doesn't do much to spread the weight out!

The most comfy seat I have is on my race road bike. It is a little split. Think its a Selle San Marco Aspide. Really spartan, not much padding, but more comfy that anything else I've got. Puts the weight right on the bones that need to carry it.

On the MTB I use an Avocet 02 air. Its a little old school, but the center is relieved just like the split seats, just doesn't look like one. It has kevlar corners to keep it in shape when you go down. Its been working well. Fine for some 3 hour plus rides.

I've got gone and decided I have to do the spandex. Spending the weekends road racing makes you not care about that so much anymore.

Jason

Cool, I'll check into the Avocet. Onlyreservations I've had on wearing spandex is my middle aged over weight physique! But....I wouldn't ride without it! Much more functional and comfy than any shorts I can think of. Especially off-road. Once I got used to not having any clothing hanging loose to snag on the seat, I was hooked. I'll be glad when I get back in shape to ride more technical trails again. That way I spend much less time on the saddle!

Yeah.. I'll just keep thinking about techinical trails when I'm spending 3-3.5 hours sitting on the trainer this winter 'cause of the snow on the road/trails. Talk about saddle sores. At least I should have the computer hookup for my tacx flow this winter. That should make it like a video game so I can make believe I'm outside.(www.tacx.com, look under iMagic)

Spandex.. I ended up saying this to a fellow cyclist one day at a race "Good thing we are secure in our manhood, standing here in spandex with our legs shaved". People that don't do it don't understand how dangerous this is. I nearly broke some ribs on my first crit this summer. Got bumped, sent over a curb at 25 mph and nearly through a plate glass store window. Landed on my hip on the concrete sidewalk. Still don't know why I didn't break anything.

Jason

quote:

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Originally posted by alosix:Spandex.. I ended up saying this to a fellow cyclist one day at a race "Good thing we are secure in our manhood, standing here in spandex with our legs shaved". People that don't do it don't understand......

Jason

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Heheh...sort of like fingerstyle guitarists. The acoustic music festival I'm going to next week is one of the few places guys can hang out, talk about how they do their nails, and what products and acrylic coatings they use. And nobody thinks anything about it. I get asked by a lot of non-musician folks why I just have long nails on one hand!

I'll have to check out tacx.xom, sounds pretty cool.

quote:

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Originally posted by alosix:
Still don't know why I didn't break anything.

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Luck. I have broken 3 or 4 fingers, nose, chin and jaw (not including scrapes, scars and pointers) being bumped during road races....

Yet another reason to ride single-track!

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Originally posted by Dennis Mitchell:
Yet another reason to ride single-track!

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My last ambo ride was from single track

Missed a 'water bar' (erosion thingy on a downhill) got a few feet in the air nose down. Did a 3 point landing (shoulders + chin). Took 15 or so stitches to put my face back together. Had to stay on a backboard for hours. X-rays came up clean.

I must be getting old. Starting to loose my nerve for the road racing. Probably got 1 or 2 more seasons in me.

Jason