How Long to Test a Saddle

I was also wondering about chamois butter? I've never tried this but can I expect more comfort if I used this?

noonievut said:

How long do you have to ride on a new saddle to know it's the right one? If I switch to another saddle and it doesn't feel good right away, should I spend a month trying to break it in? I was hoping a new saddle is like new shorts, in that I can tell after riding for an hour if they're right for me.

A bit more info...I usually ride between 2-4 hours, 3 times a week. I don't race or train hard, just ride for fun, fitness, but do like climbing. I have a 4-day charity ride in August (400km+) and so far my I'm not sure about my 2nd saddle (Specialized Alias), but I want one I like for this ride.

I love my bibs, so don't go there.

I've had rides on this saddle of 50km where the saddle feels great. I've also had rides where after 25km my butt hurts. I usually take a break after an hour (few minutes off the bike), and I try and remember to pedal out of the saddle every 10 mins or so. Due to some leg issues, I've not done a ride over 50km, but want to soon.

Thanks.

If it's causing numbness and you've exerimented with different positions, I would swap it out right away. If it's causing saddle sores (or mild abasions), try some chamois cream or powerglide (stick). Mine hurt like hell for three weeks or so, but now it feels great.

PeterF said:

If it's causing numbness and you've exerimented with different positions, I would swap it out right away. If it's causing saddle sores (or mild abasions), try some chamois cream or powerglide (stick). Mine hurt like hell for three weeks or so, but now it feels great.

It's definately not numbness, I had that last year with the old saddle and I know it's not that. It just feels hard and uncomfortable on the sit bones after a while. Could be the butt not being strong enough yet this season. As I mentioned, I've only done rides of 50km, and it only hurts close to that #. Maybe when I start getting more km's in I won't notice it as much.

Give it a bit more time to see if your body/physiology will adapt to it. But be forewarned, you will never effectively "break-in" a plastic based or CF saddle. Your body may "adapt" to it though, and you may even find a level of comfort that is tolerable for you. The only saddles you can effectively "break-in", or make to conform to your sit bones are the cow hyde saddles like "Brooks", which is hard leather suspended over a metal frame. Why do you think "Brooks" saddles have such a "cult following"? In your post you mentioned that sometimes the saddle feels good, while at other times it dont. It sounds to me like your posterior (sit bones) are trying to acclimate to the saddle. Maybe you just need some more time with it. You can also try the many brands of anti-friction cream, as some of those may help you. I use "Bag-Balm" myself. Stuff works great. It's a little messy applying it, but it's cheap, and half the cost of the "cycling specific" brands out on the market. Find it in a green can in the pet section of "Wal-Mart'. It is also antibiotic. Your ass will thank you!!

Wino Ryder said:

Give it a bit more time to see if your body/physiology will adapt to it. But be forewarned, you will never effectively "break-in" a plastic based or CF saddle. Your body may "adapt" to it though, and you may even find a level of comfort that is tolerable for you. The only saddles you can effectively "break-in", or make to conform to your sit bones are the cow hyde saddles like "Brooks", which is hard leather suspended over a metal frame. Why do you think "Brooks" saddles have such a "cult following"? In your post you mentioned that sometimes the saddle feels good, while at other times it dont. It sounds to me like your posterior (sit bones) are trying to acclimate to the saddle. Maybe you just need some more time with it. You can also try the many brands of anti-friction cream, as some of those may help you. I use "Bag-Balm" myself. Stuff works great. It's a little messy applying it, but it's cheap, and half the cost of the "cycling specific" brands out on the market. Find it in a green can in the pet section of "Wal-Mart'. It is also antibiotic. Your ass will thank you!!

I decided to pick up a Terry Ti-Race Liberator from a store which offers a 60 day return policy. I also had to go by my LBS because I needed a quick repair. When I was there I did a bit of a refit with the new saddle and noticed that my saddle was too far back and my cleats were too far forward. After these adjustments and 1 short and 1 long ride, the saddle feels great and the improved bike fit helped as my hands didn't hurt at all and in the morning I felt great. I'm knocking on wood as I say this, but this saddle felt great after only a 10km break-in. Maybe because it's a softer saddle it won't last as long and will become harsh, but the price was right so I'll buy another one if I have too.

Kobbi has a nice return also,at least they use to. I thought i heard Speacilized dealers had a thing you sit on to get the right saddle width.

noonievut said:

How long do you have to ride on a new saddle to know it's the right one? If I switch to another saddle and it doesn't feel good right away, should I spend a month trying to break it in? I was hoping a new saddle is like new shorts, in that I can tell after riding for an hour if they're right for me.

A bit more info...I usually ride between 2-4 hours, 3 times a week. I don't race or train hard, just ride for fun, fitness, but do like climbing. I have a 4-day charity ride in August (400km+) and so far my I'm not sure about my 2nd saddle (Specialized Alias), but I want one I like for this ride.

I love my bibs, so don't go there.

I've had rides on this saddle of 50km where the saddle feels great. I've also had rides where after 25km my butt hurts. I usually take a break after an hour (few minutes off the bike), and I try and remember to pedal out of the saddle every 10 mins or so. Due to some leg issues, I've not done a ride over 50km, but want to soon.

Thanks.

A saddle that is just right for me feels "right" the moment I sit on it and ride. I disagree that it takes a long time (like a month or so many kms/miles) to know what feels right or not. If you think a saddle feels right after 'breaking it in', I dont think its the saddle that has been "broken in" but your bottom that has adapted.

hd reynolds said:

A saddle that is just right for me feels "right" the moment I sit on it and ride. I disagree that it takes a long time (like a month or so many kms/miles) to know what feels right or not. If you think a saddle feels right after 'breaking it in', I dont think its the saddle that has been "broken in" but your bottom that has adapted.

Couldn't agree anymore and now that I've had this happen, I'll not have to wait until my bottom is broken in (sounds painful :eek: )

noonievut said:

How long do you have to ride on a new saddle to know it's the right one? If I switch to another saddle and it doesn't feel good right away, should I spend a month trying to break it in? I was hoping a new saddle is like new shorts, in that I can tell after riding for an hour if they're right for me.

A bit more info...I usually ride between 2-4 hours, 3 times a week. I don't race or train hard, just ride for fun, fitness, but do like climbing. I have a 4-day charity ride in August (400km+) and so far my I'm not sure about my 2nd saddle (Specialized Alias), but I want one I like for this ride.

I love my bibs, so don't go there.

I've had rides on this saddle of 50km where the saddle feels great. I've also had rides where after 25km my butt hurts. I usually take a break after an hour (few minutes off the bike), and I try and remember to pedal out of the saddle every 10 mins or so. Due to some leg issues, I've not done a ride over 50km, but want to soon.

Thanks.

My opinion is just my opinion ...

BUT, I think you should know within a couple of weeks OR a couple of hundred miles whether-or-not the saddle is suited for your butt.

My preferred "plastic" saddle has been the San Marco Concor for the past two dozen years (yes, I have replaced some of the original Concor saddles with a couple of Concor Lite variants) ... my brother still swears by his Cinelli Unicanitor ...

I also have traditional "leather" saddles on a couple of bikes -- the disadvantage of a leather saddle is that they generally weigh 450-to-550 grams (some weigh more!).

NOW, the kicker is that I normally ride wearing rugby shorts and my fruitofthelooms. The only time I pull on cycling shorts (which do happen to be padded) is in colder weather when the breeze is a bit chilling.

I reckon your riding comfort might be increased if you adjust your saddle properly -- try lowering it by 1/4" ... consider ensuring that the top of the saddle is level or pointed slightly downward.

A lot of people who have discomfort when riding are ALSO sitting on the wrong portion of the saddle, IMO. Your sit bones want to be on the BACK 2-or-3 inches of the saddle ... otherwise, you may as well be straddling a pole.

You may also want to try a WIDER saddle -- so-called women's saddles aren't just for women -- the Selle Italia Flight series seem to be as wide as the fi'zi:k women's saddles. Regardless, the object of comfort is to properly support your sitbones.

BTW. The so-called chamois actually used to be Chamois, and it's function was to absorb moisture AND provide a barrier to the WOOL shorts -- yes, I have an old pair of Merino wool Protogs which predated the "lycra" shorts that commonly worn, now.

BTW2. Yes, I've tried other, contemporary "plastic" saddles ... adjusting the height goes a long way to making them more comfortable or less; and, you will ultimately find one-or-another more comfortable than another.

[quote="noonievut"]I was also wondering about chamois butter? I've never tried this but can I expect more comfort if I used this?
NO DOUBT...The butter will help, use a lot. I dispise the Assos cream, but Chamoise Butter brand is good.

Sometime saddle discomfort can be a sympton of poor fit eg. saddle set back, seat height, saddle angle.

Can I just suggest that you recheck and retune your postion on the bike using something as easy as the

competitivecyclist.comCCYOpen ↗

This has been recommend in many previous threads.
I tweaked some of my position settings by a few cm's and this has made a big difference to comfort on the bike and in the saddle.

For example I switched to a FIZIK Arione for the ride to day and it was immediately comfortable, I'm pretty sure it was more the result of the bike fit rather than the saddle itself.

A nonstop 25 mile trip should do it. That is, without standing up at all.

That's about how long it takes to tell if a plastic saddle is going to work.

For the famous Brooks leather and a nearly "air-conditioned" ride (Yes, available lightweight with titanium rails), start with one that is wide enough so that your soft tissues cannot touch. It takes about 10 of those 25 mile trips to cause a Brooks to break in. But, since it forms to fit you, then there's no worries about whether it will work or not. The first few trips are very "hard" seeming, although nice and cool. One day soon, two small dents appear in the top and the pressure of the saddle is no longer felt. A plastic saddle cannot do that.

I tried a Brooks because there was one uncomfortable bike that I couldn't throw away because my mother gave it to me when I was younger, but the Brooks was its last chance. I wanted to use it as a trainer. I added a Brooks on the advice of Harris Cyclery. At first, I thought I had made a terrible mistake because it was so hard. I rode it anyway, just because my crotch didn't hurt and it was so very air-conditioned. Later, in fact, on my birthday, there was a sudden change to the saddle. Two small dents appeared, just as they promised. It feels cool and slick. Although still firm, there's been no discomfort at all. Amazing!

I do want to buy another one for my "real" bike, but just don't want to break in another. Thinking about the zero crotch pain and the air-conditioning for the summer is probably enough to convince me. 😉

The weight of the Brooks happens to be less (or just similar) than the weight of the average plastic saddle should you compare equal price ranges, equal sizes, and equal purposes. I was so very surprised.