Saddle pain for women - updated video
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- Опубліковано 22 сер 2024
- Several years ago I made a video about saddle pain experienced by people assigned female at birth- essentially, anyone with a vagina, labia, and clitoris. I was tired of trying to find info to help me resolve my own pain, only to be met with articles and videos full of euphemisms, which was no use to me for identifying whether I was experiencing what they were describing.
Since making that video, my saddle choice has changed, so I thought it was important to highlight that, especially as it remains my most watched video to date.
For other resources, please check out Katie Kookaburra’s videos with Phil Burt youtube.com/@K... and Francis Cade’s videos with Bike Fit James youtube.com/@C...
Found the update, thanks!
Apologies. Only just saw your first comment. Hope you find something suitable☺️
Hi Debs Lots of good advice. I went for a bike fit with Women in Tandem in Nottingham and they were really helpful in sorting me and my bike. I didn’t have any major problems but the small tweaks made things far more comfortable. They put my stem the other way up and adjusted the reach to the gears and brake which was amazing. They are a charity and provide the bike fits at a really reasonable price. My saddle is starting to creak so looks like time to invest in a new one! Now the big decision….eek!
Fantastic! Thanks Wendy. I’ll definitely have a look into them. Currently got covid so stuck indoors. Hoping it’s not going to take too long before I have the gusto to get out and do something again. ☺️
Oh no that’s tough! Hope you get better soon!
Thanks for your honesty
I agree, I had a bike fit and my saddle discomfort went away.
That’s fantastic! Really goes to show what a difference it can make. ☺️
I always suggest that if anyone's experiencing genital discomfort then buy a shorter handlebar stem, I'm male and 6.1 and use a 60mm to 70mm handlebar stem on five out of the six bikes that I have.
Great advice, thanks☺️
I’ve re-watched your 2 videos trying to find what saddle you’re now using since the split nose didnt work--but can’t find it. What are you riding now? Thanks.
I went back to the Bontrager. I tweaked my saddle position and played around with my cockpit (tried a couple of different length stems, altered the reach to my hoods) and invested in some better quality bibs, and on the whole, for 2-3 hour rides, it’s been much more comfortable.
I cycle everyday 32 miles to/fro work which involves uphills and am not ashamed to say that the anatomy of my vaginal lips is going through a change by cuts and bleeding. And the funny thing is I have been cycling on this expensive so called forked saddle for women for 2 years. Male designers should be banned to design female saddles. There are times when I want to cut the entire saddle more in the middle to widen the fork area. The saddle you recommended some years ago is unaffordable for me I am afraid, so I have to suffer for a while. I do not know when female cyclists’ plight will be heard, but it is time the designers heard us and designed affordable and ergonomic female saddles.
I’m so sorry to hear that. That sounds absolutely miserable. It’s really expensive trying to find the right saddle, and as someone who is just managing to keep head above water financially each month, I can definitely empathise with the frustration of feeling stuck with an uncomfortable or painful situation.
I found that the sweatier I get, the more friction I experience, so use more chamois cream directly applied all around the genitals when it’s hotter or I’m doing longer rides, and got the best bibs I could afford (which aren’t a top of the range brand, but are an improvement). But it’s not completely foolproof.
I really hope you find a solution to ease some of the issue soon.