Carey said:Will an air seat prevent this?
No.
Air seats are generally comfy for the first 10 to 20 miles. For longer
rides you still get the numb saddle soreness.
The problem with air seats is that they bulge up where you're not
sitting and bulge up into the softer tissues. That is the opposite of
what you want to have happen if you're going to do a long road ride.
Ah, but they are so cushy when you first sit on one which makes their
comfort deceptive. Another problem with air seats is that it is more
difficult to adjust your position on the saddle to move the pressure
points around. When you move over to a different part of the saddle or
change your posture on the saddle the air seat just bulges the same as
it did before and the result is that you end up with the same pressure
points.
Some of the long distance road riders are starting to switch back to
foam seats after experimenting with air seats. Experimenting with
different types of foam and cutting the foam to different shapes and
profiles. Some people are experimenting with flatter saddles that
don't have as deep of a "U" shape.
All in all it comes down to personal preference. Foam has the
advantage that you can adjust your position and posture on the seat to
keep the blood flowing and stave off the numbness. Cutting the foam in
a KH seat to suit your idea of a comfortable saddle shape works for
some people. It will take some experimentation.
One style and build of a saddle is not going to be comfortable for
everyone. What one person says about saddles may not hold for you.
--
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