Saddle battles

I rode that saddle bikefitters let me borrow and as I was afraid, the pressure points in the sit bones are too intense and even with a gel pad, I don't think it would help over a 30 or more mile ride.

Don't tell anyone, but I actually bought a schwinn product, the Schwinn No Pressure Bicycle Seat (pictured above). It was only $20 so if it turns out to be terrible, I'll just put it in the Museum of Bad Ideas (along with my Adidas shoes, which turned out to be too tight) and be done with it. I should get it this week and will head back to my friends at bikefitters and have them fit me into it.

I don't know if this is a new seat or if I just never stumbled on it before, but I was just thinking once again this morning as I was riding my bike for a running meet up, the design you see above would be a nearly ideal shape-and then I found it-a sure sign from god. There are a couple of surprisingly good reviews in Amazon, both positive and negative:

http://www.amazon.com/Schwinn-No-Pressure-Bicycle-Seat/product-reviews/B000DZGLVY/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

I'm already a laughingstock on the tri circuit with my platform pedals and sperm-shaped helmet, but by god, if I end up with a tractor seat on my road bike and don't want to die after I get done with a long ride, I'll live with the added humiliation.

The major concern I have is the pressure points on the butt crease and the slightly less stable feeling one has by not having a seat that is designed to be lodged up your ass and pushing your genitals up into your stomach cavity. That was one thing I did notice while riding today-it felt a little squirrely-something I could probably get used to. Since I didn't have the horn to hold me up, a lot more pressure was put on my arms. A little extra work in the gym should assist that. Also, my hope is that this will encourage me to lay in the aero bars more, as that feeling of instability goes away when you're essentially laying down on your bike-since riding in aero bars feels a little unstable anyway.

There is a chance that I will go back to the traditional saddle again, but if that is the case, I don't see putting myself through another century bike ride.

There is one more hope after the Schwinn saddle, and that is the Hobson:


It would be helpful if the width were adjustable, but let's get through the Schwinn. Maybe that will be the answer to my constant complaining on this subject.