Saddle pain and soreness for women. (Please see updated video linked in the description)
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- Опубліковано 15 лип 2024
- Breaking through the ambiguity of the “down there” descriptions of saddle pain for people with vaginas.
Updated video here • Saddle pain for women ...
Thank you for being an adult and being vulnerable and sharing. 🙏🏽
Thank you for your comment. I appreciate you taking the time☺️
great video hope you make more. been researching this topic for my partner and I've been surprised to see how little info there are for women cyclists.
Thanks for watching. It’s my hope that by sharing our own experiences, that we can help each other through the common problems that impact our enjoyment of cycling. Hope your partner finds something suitable. ☺️
OMG thank you so much for making this video! You're the only one talking about this online. I searched everywhere for a tip or a useful information about this problem, and I felt so alone. Now thanks to you I know that I'm not the only one suffering from soreness when riding, but you also helped with a great information on how to solve this problem. The bike industry only cares about men. Thank you again for the video!
Thanks so much for this comment. Hope you find a comfortable solution and that more of us talk to each other and share experience and tips☺️
Thank you so much! I had a tone of soreness(what feels like bruises) as I ride my bike five days a week. A friend in the bike industry kept telling me it was the height, how padded it was, and whatever we did nzver worked. Im kinda glad im not the only one suffering. :')
This a wonderful video. I introduced my wife to cycling. Having ridden for 25 years I knew how to set up her bike correctly including getting a woman’s saddle. Happy days. But no, she was getting labial lesions on longer rides. I searched online but it was very disappointing. I asked a female rider, who admitted that she too gets occasional soreness but she said she just lives with it and was not saying more than “soreness down there’. Then I found this video. We watched it and she was totally absorbed by your honest and specific delivery. We are in America and Americans are very reserved, almost prudish so your ‘matter of fact’ delivery is refreshing and reassuring. We’ve got a ISM on order ;)
Thank you so much for the lovely feedback. I hope it works for you. In the end, I didn’t keep the ISM as I found that due to my less aggressive, more upright position for gravel riding, it ended up being a bit too wide. I know a female road cyclist who found it a great saddle through in that more stretched out position. If your wife doesn’t find this solves the problem, and you’re able to get a bike fit (if you haven’t already), it’s definitely worth doing that as saddle problems are very often the result of an incorrect riding position. The final thing to consider, again, if you haven’t already, is to invest in a really good quality’s pair of bib shorts.
Wishing your wife happy, comfortable riding! Thanks again for the comment☺️
Lets get an update! Im trying to help my wife out too
@williamfwoods I really do need to do an update. I’d say definitely make sure she has some well fitting, good quality shorts. Depending on climate and distance, chamois cream can definitely help, and if still uncomfortable, look as riding position. If the bike fit looks right and there’s no numbness in the hands, it definitely could be the saddle. Unfortunately, because women’s anatomy comes in so many different proportions, recommending a saddle that works for everyone is tricky. I’ll make it my aim to update this video in the next week or so. Thanks for stopping by. ☺️
@deblordoutdoors5783 please update🎉❤
Sis, THANK YOU! It’s hard to find information about saddle soreness for women. Most of the information I found was for men. Great video!
Same issues, same struggle! The chafing when I ride more than 15 miles is my ONLY limiting factor! I have customized my saddles for many years, to remove more padding, but it is not adequate. No
bike short, lubricant, or even band-aids solve this problem. Post menopausal women have thinning of the tissue, and muscle, skin is loose, so things are squishy. UGH. I have a ISM saddle being sent as a demo, fingers crossed! Your video really was sort on! I will never stop riding!
I’m so sorry you’re having such discomfort. I’ve found that changing my riding position had also helped. I installed a longer stem which I guess has distributed my weight across my 3 points of contact more evenly and it’s definitely helped. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you that you find some relief. It’s a really interesting point you raise about changes to our bodies in menopause. I’m not quite there yet but it’s something I’m going to look into and see if I can find any useful information to share.
I can't tell you how helpful this was. I have dealt with so much you are describing and its nice to just know someone else has had the same issues. Thank you for making this video
Thanks for your feedback. I did actually find the ISM saddle uncomfortable in the end for my more upright position on gravel, and after altering my bike fit and getting some better bibs, I have far fewer problems on longer rides. If you don’t already have at least one really good quality pair of shorts/tights, I’d look at starting there and also considering a pressure relief channel/cutout in your saddle if you don’t already have one. ☺️
Thank you, a very honest and informative video. I'm looking into getting a new saddle specific for women and this video has hopefully pointed me in the right direction.
Thank you for posting this! So helpful
Thank you so so much. This is very helpful.
Love this! And I love that you use accurate terminology and descriptions :D I'll check out that saddle, thanks for the video and recommendation!
Thanks for checking it out. I need to do a bit of an update as I actually went back to the Bontrager saddle and realised that the bulk of the issue was my bike fit. I put a longer stem on and have tweaked my saddle height and found I’m much more comfortable. If you have money that you are considering spending on an expensive saddle, you may very well get more bang from your buck spending it on a proper bike fit. Good luck and hope you find comfort soon! ☺️
Good video, thank you!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I am new to "cycling" (via my weekly spin sessions).
I am really enjoying it and I don't want to give it up.
The lack of research available for a newbie like me is pitiful. But hearing about your candid experiences has definitely given me hope. Thank you!
Thanks for your comment. You may have seen in my other replies in the comments that I actually went back to the Bontrager saddle in the end as my position as a gravel rider is not aggressive enough to get the benefit of the split nosed saddle. What I did do was play around with my saddle height, saddle tilt, fore and aft position, and also stem length. If you take a multitool on rides and continue to make micro adjustments of just a few mm at a time, you might find your sweet spot. Failing that, it may really be worth consulting a professional bike fitter. Best of luck and hope you find some comfort.
Omg thanks so much for being so frank, it’s so helpful!
So glad you found it useful☺️
Thank you so much for this, liked and subscribed 👍
Thank you soooo much for making this video and actually using some of the correct anatomy words. I feel like this is a completely under discussed topic. I’m also looking for a solution and this video has given me a lot of insight. Thank you!
I hope you find the right resolution without having to spend too much money. Thanks for watching and for the feedback☺️
Great video! Me too I'm looking into the discomfort issues of my partner and this video is extremely informative on this subject! We placed our first order, realizing it probably won't be the last, but hopefull we'll find something! Thanks! 🙏
Thank you!❤️
chaffing for me on the inside legs it was just too wide nose for me.
Thank you
Thanks for sharing. I now have a little better understanding of the saddle problems my female friends have talked about. I made the same progression to ISM as you. I also have a custom tunable split nose saddle (BiSaddle) check it out.
Really appretiate this video. Love the honesty - cannot find clear language anywhere im looking. Sounds like I am having exactly the same issues and have been wondering whats wrong with me. Going to try find a second hand ism saddle now
Thanks for checking out the video. I’m sorry you’re having issues, and definitely try a range of saddles if you can get them cheaply and sell them on if they’re no good, but I actually ended up ditching the ISM saddle as my less aggressive riding position as a gravel cyclist meant the saddle was too wide and chafed after a while. (The ISM saddles are really designed for TT riders in a super-aero position). If you don’t already follow Francis Cade on UA-cam, check out his videos with bike fit James. There’s loads of useful info about getting your fit right, and you might find a solution before spending more on a new saddle. Best of luck☺️
Thank you so much for sharing! I found a saddle I really get on with for my full suspension mtb. It actually came with it. 😊 However, it only feels great with bibs and the “sticky” surface of this saddle destroys my bibs a little. I still wish this saddle would work for me on my gravel bike but it doesn’t. Now I’m experimenting with 4 different saddles. The one I really liked didn’t really feel that great on a long ride, after 45 kilometers. 😢 One of the four is a power mimic. Great for climbing and putting power down but I’m not sure if it’s it… It’s not easy for us women. ❤
No it’s really not. I find even on the same bike, different riding styles can be more or less comfortable. I can do 40+ miles off-road and feel okay, and 30 on the road and start to get sore in the crotch, hands, and shoulders. We need more women designing and testing saddles and we’d soon get a resolution! ☺️
@@deblordoutdoors5783 Yes, yes and YES! 🙏❤️
Another thing my fitter told me was to pay attention to the wings of the saddle. It’s better if they’re flatter so as to prevent the pelvic bones from rocking . The specialized ones aren’t flat enough and the rocking (although minimal) really mess us up
That’s good to know, thank you. ☺️
Great video, I'm having the same issues, I have just put a bid in for a ISM saddle, fingers crossed it works for me.
I don’t know if you’ve considered (or had) a proper bikefit. It could be worth thinking about if the saddle change doesn’t work. I ended up going back to the Bontrager saddle, but invested in better quality bib shorts and chamois cream, which really helped. Hope you find some comfort soon.
@@deblordoutdoors5783 no i have not but I went ot look at a new bike yesterday and I think I am going to get it, they will give me a bike fit as a part of the deal. I am going to get the bike at the end of the month, i'm very excited.
@@donnajago Fantastic! Best of luck. Will keep an eye out on Strava for how you’re getting on with it☺️
@@deblordoutdoors5783 hopefully the rain will stop soon and I will be outside with real people again lol.
I don't have a vagina unfortunately but I've also struggled to find comfort when riding outdoor and indoor. If it helps, it may be worth looking at ISM saddles as they are noseless or "open" they aren't the lightest of saddles but personally I'd take the comfort over weight savings with the miles I do. I also invested in a 0 offset seat post and shorter stem so I'm more upright and pelvis rotated vertically rather than forward. Benefit to this is that I was better fitted on my sit bones and that relieved pressure on my soft tissue. I had to measure the width of my sitbones and contact ISM customer support but Dave Bunce was super helpful and he also does the instructional videos on UA-cam which I used to set the saddle up.
LOL I'm commenting as I watch and you've just mentioned ISM.
😂 At least we had the same idea🙌🏼
Thanks for your video I too have alot of extras and it's painful during and after a ride I will try those seats happy riding
Thanks for checking out my video. I actually found that I went back to the Bontrager saddle and once I’d adjusted my overall position properly (including fitting a longer stem), I managed to get much more comfortable. I’d suggest watching Bike Fit James’ videos and try and improve your overall bike fit as saddle discomfort is about bike position and decent padded shorts 99% of the time rather than the actual saddle itself. Hope you get sorted☺️
Thanks
i'd never considered women having vaginal saddle problems
It’s more the labia. Like men, we come in a variety of sizes in that area and a lot of products were designed only with men in mind. Unlike men, who can lift some of their soft tissue out of the firing line, women are perched on ours the whole time, so that can lead to a lot of pressure, friction, inflammation, and even nerve damage. Saddles with pressure relief channels are ideal, but getting the right size and shape cutout isn’t always easy.
I read in the previous comments that you’ve gone back to your original saddle recently. Can you comment as to why? I was about to order the split nose saddle to try, but now wondering if I should just stay the course with my current road bike solid-seat saddle. Thanks!
If you’ve got the opportunity to try one, it might be worth it. For me, I ride gravel almost exclusively and I’m not in an aggressive enough position for the noseless saddle to be effective. I found it was just too broad at the top of my thighs and was rubbing. You may find it works for you though, especially if you’re a roadie and more aero than upright. The saddle I currently use has a pressure relief cut out. I can’t tolerate a saddle without. It’s definitely worth considering if your current saddle supports your sit bones though and whether you’re in a position where your weight is sitting to the back. I found strengthening my core supported me holding myself up better to stop me falling into my shoulders and stop me letting my pelvis tilt around so that my soft tissue (labia, clitoris etc) was supporting my weight. It’s worth having an assessment of your position throughout your rides and seeing if any of those things could be the cause or adding to the issue.
Baught my first road bike in years. 1st day of riding and now my butt hurts like hell. Ive now been put off riding all together 😫
Aw, I’m sorry to hear that. I don’t want to teach you to suck eggs, but if you haven’t already, make sure you have padded shorts as they make a difference, and when you’ve not done a lot of riding for a while, it can take a little bit of time to acclimatise to the saddle. Another thing to consider is the height of your saddle. If too high, that can cause pain too. If it’s pain in the actual butt, rather than genitals, it should be fairly easy to resolve. Genital pain can be trickier, but with the right position, you should be able to get comfortable. I hope you don’t give up!
@@deblordoutdoors5783 yeah its the bone in the buttox. Its been sore for a few days now. Changed the saddle and also baught a pair of padded shorts. It feels better. But I dont understand how these companies allow them defualt seats in the first place. I spent £350 and I expect a good seat at least
@@Mohammed5i It’s worth sticking it out on some shorter rides to see if you get more comfortable as you get used to it. There are lots of bikefit videos about getting your saddle right so could be worth a watch to see if anything obvious jumps out as the issue.
@@deblordoutdoors5783 yeah thats a really good shout. Will try shorter routes and get used to it like you said ❤
Heya :) honestly the first few rides of a season are gonna do that. It may help to know that it's normal and your sitbones will get used to it! Just take it easy for the first few rides and work up to longer miles/time in the saddle. It won't take long!
The way I sit on my seat I get a lot of pressure on the front not so much soreness just pressure and have to stand up to get the blood flowing back into it. Does this seat help relieve that pressure?
Hi, thanks for watching. I actually got rid of it in the end as my position is more upright so I wasn’t benefiting from the noseless part of the saddle. If you’re in a more aggressive position for road riding or time trialling, it might be worth a shot.
Look at Spongy Wonder (made in Canada), the only saddle in the world that will solve all your problems.
Have you tried tilting your saddle down more in the front? It seems like you have it level with the ground.
Got it sorted now, thank you. I did try and pitch it down a couple of degrees, but I just felt I was sliding forward and putting more pressure through my hands. I went back to the Bontrager saddle in the end.
Did you ever try the Infinity saddle??? Its design looks like it doesnt touch any soft tissue.
I’ve not come across them before, but just had a Google. I suppose it’s that delicate balance of getting enough of a cutout that there’s no unwanted pressure, and not so much cut away that there’s too little support.
@@deblordoutdoors5783, sorry to bother you you with another question but why do you feel bibs to be better for our “down there” undercarriage than shorts with good chamois?
@lauralanebender7738 For me, having the over shoulder straps keeps things in place more in my experience than shorts or tights with drawstrings. I don’t remember without going back and watching what I said about this… but bibs have definitely been a more secure fit for me.
im pretty new to cycling, and as well as labial soreness you describe, I was getting clitoral pain and an 'unexplained' bout of cycsitis! Cystitis for Cyclists! 😢.. so I vowed to search out womens saddles, I wanted to find a saddle made BY women FOR women, before I commit... but yes, online research seemed like a very good idea before forking out hundreds of pounds for a bike saddle (when my bike is worth peanuts! I used to live next door to a bike shop and they literally gave it to me for free... ! I think someone bought a new bike, didnt know what to do with the old one, and just left it behind with them!).. Im wondering if you have trialled the ISM Metro saddle, which looks similar to the ISM one you try out here, but with a much fatter bottom area. I dont have a particularly large bum, but I know that a large saddle can be more comfy... have you tried these ones at all? best wishes, and THANK YOU for making a very sensible understandable video about womens saddles (for people with vaginas!) 👍🙏🏻🌟🧡🧡🧡
Thanks so much for your comment. No, I haven’t tried that one. I’ll definitely look at it. Hope you find many comfortable hours on the bike☺️☺️
Great video - we need to talk about this more! You can buy a $10,000+ bike but women can’t get a saddle that doesn’t hurt! Hmm
It’s definitely an issue that’s not going away. Thanks for checking the video out☺️
Great video but it sounds as you have too much reach. To much reach means that you're very stretched out.
I played about with stem length and saddle position but I think the main problem might be I have one leg slightly shorter than the other and I can tell with the friction and pressure points, that I’m slightly listing to one side. Getting bibs that fit better and have a better quality chamois has helped. I also went back to the Bontrager saddle in the end.
you are using a very strange camera set up. camera vs objective. your head has very strange shape...
You’re using a very strange method of feedback. Your comment has a very strange intention.
hey shut up
I'm almost 60 years old and was not yet aware of the names and locations of all of my lady parts.
Crazy that somehow in my culture I got the message that parts of me where taboo or bad to be aware of and talk about.
I googled it and referred to the diagram as you wrre talking.
When I first looked at the diagram a spark of some old thought felt like I am seeing somthing we dont look at but within seconds it just became something matter of fact.
Strange that something half the people on planet earth have has been treated as taboo, so poorly embraced or known.
Thank you for using the correct names.
Now I see these parts as something that has always been there and there is nothing to make such a big deal over, yeah it's there, it is what it is. I love understanding the reason each of the parts are there and seeing the incredible design and purpose for each part of the system that serves my life on my body.
Here is the diagram I used, it comes along with clear descriptions of what all the lady parts are:
www.teenvogue.com/story/vagina-anatomy-diagrams
So sorry that I missed the notification for your comment. Thank you for taking the time to leave your experience. It’s wonderful you’ve been empowered to learn more about yourself. It should never be the case that we should feel shame about our bodies, but the sad reality is that we do. Hopefully, the more we learn, the more we can leave the shame behind☺️