sore saddle hard tyres

Hi all,
At last I finally tackled the whole length of the Ridegway. Aside form it being extremely hot and very rutted in some places (cheers 4WD’s!) I am very sore in my saddle region.
This is the third saddle I’ve bought and never hurt me on my 23 odd mile weekend trips. Should I persevere with this one (Azonic hot seat) or change to a big squelchy one I had on there before. Also I think I over pumped tyres (55psi) as I was all over the place on the rocky dry bits but fine on hard tarmac – is there recommend tyre pressure for off-road?
Cheers all

 

It can take time to get used to a saddle, but get one that is designed to fit your shape - womens, small for a small butt, MTB or road, etc. Extra padding doesn't always mean less soreness.

You need to vary your tyre pressure depending upon conditions, type of tyre and body weight. Given that you were bouncing around 55 was perhaps too high.

 

Caher wrote:
> Hi all, At last I finally tackled the whole length of the Ridegway. Aside form it being extremely
> hot and very rutted in some places (cheer=
s
> 4WD=92s!) I am very sore in my saddle region. This is the third saddle I=92ve bought and never
> hurt me on my 23 odd mile weekend trips. Should=
I
> persevere with this one (Azonic hot seat) or change to a big squelchy one I had on there
> before.=20

Squidgy is not necessarily more comfortable (my MTB has a Brooks B17,=20 Squidge Factor <1, and I
find it much more comfortable after a day than=20 the "comfort gel saddle" that came on it).
However, a suspension seatpost may well make a worthwhile difference.

Pete. --=20 Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics,
Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email protected]
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

"Caher" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Hi all, At last I finally tackled the whole length of the Ridegway. Aside form it being extremely
> hot and very rutted in some places (cheers 4WD's!) I am very sore in my saddle region. This is the
> third saddle I've bought and never hurt me on my 23 odd mile weekend trips. Should I persevere
> with this one (Azonic hot seat) or change to a big squelchy one I had on there before. Also I
> think I over pumped tyres (55psi) as I was all over the place on the rocky dry bits but fine on
> hard tarmac - is there recommend tyre pressure for off-road? Cheers all

Saddle. Given that its been quite dry recently, the ruts in mud will be hard. Therefore, I would
suggest some form of springing below the saddle. Whether this is part of the saddle, a suspension
seatpost, or a suspension bike is a matter of choice. If basically happy with the saddle, try a
suspension seatpost.

Tyres. Probably too hard for off-road. Carry a pump and vary pressures between surfaces - feel of
tyre with fingers is accurate enough pressure measurement for all but serious racers, though you
could carry a pocket pressure gauge. Locally to me there are sand areas which require very low
pressures and I have to deflate tyres to ride there, then inflate again to ride on the road.

NC.