Some follow-up. I wanted to let all of you know (and perhaps future sit-bone sufferers) that it may very well be that I've been riding too narrow of a saddle.
A few years ago when I didn't have this issue at all, I was riding a cheapo stock saddle on my Specialized Allez, which was more than likely (can't check now) 143mm wide. Here it is; one of their "body geometry" saddles, circa. 2005.
The problems really must have started when I bought a new bike (Giant TCR) with a Fizik Arione (130mm wide) on it. Back in 2010, I'd only ride the Giant on Sundays, and I suppose my sit bone issue wasn't really evident at that point, as it usually occurs during consecutive days of hard riding...in which case I get a saddle sore on one sit bone or another. I felt the Arione was okay, and even ended up buying another one for my second bike. As my ride frequency increased over the next couple of seasons, the saddle sores began to be a big problem. At the time, I thought it was my position on the bike. Eventually changing to the Adamos didn't matter one whit, as they are also narrow (135mm). If anything, without a "nose," all of my weight on the saddle was even more concentrated on my two bony friends, the ischial tuberosities.
Fast forward to the present. I've been to a trusted LBS fitter, and he went over my fit very carefully, and helped position me onto a new saddle - a Selle Italia Maxflite Gel Flow (150mm) on my Giant. Didn't even buy the saddle from him; got it online, after reading about width-related problems.
This month I've been trying it out, and a different one for my "rain bike" a 155mm Specialized Romin. The plan is to only keep the saddle that works best, and put the same one on each road bike. It has been hard to tell if the issue is resolved; neither saddle has caused sores yet, but I have been sick for the last few weeks and haven't had as much time to ride far on consecutive days.
To be frank, I never was keen on the swoopy design of the Romin, but at this point I'd probably ride a fluorescent pink woman's saddle if that alleviated the saddle sore problem.
A few years ago when I didn't have this issue at all, I was riding a cheapo stock saddle on my Specialized Allez, which was more than likely (can't check now) 143mm wide. Here it is; one of their "body geometry" saddles, circa. 2005.
The problems really must have started when I bought a new bike (Giant TCR) with a Fizik Arione (130mm wide) on it. Back in 2010, I'd only ride the Giant on Sundays, and I suppose my sit bone issue wasn't really evident at that point, as it usually occurs during consecutive days of hard riding...in which case I get a saddle sore on one sit bone or another. I felt the Arione was okay, and even ended up buying another one for my second bike. As my ride frequency increased over the next couple of seasons, the saddle sores began to be a big problem. At the time, I thought it was my position on the bike. Eventually changing to the Adamos didn't matter one whit, as they are also narrow (135mm). If anything, without a "nose," all of my weight on the saddle was even more concentrated on my two bony friends, the ischial tuberosities.
Fast forward to the present. I've been to a trusted LBS fitter, and he went over my fit very carefully, and helped position me onto a new saddle - a Selle Italia Maxflite Gel Flow (150mm) on my Giant. Didn't even buy the saddle from him; got it online, after reading about width-related problems.
This month I've been trying it out, and a different one for my "rain bike" a 155mm Specialized Romin. The plan is to only keep the saddle that works best, and put the same one on each road bike. It has been hard to tell if the issue is resolved; neither saddle has caused sores yet, but I have been sick for the last few weeks and haven't had as much time to ride far on consecutive days.
To be frank, I never was keen on the swoopy design of the Romin, but at this point I'd probably ride a fluorescent pink woman's saddle if that alleviated the saddle sore problem.