[Dash01]

I just picked up a Cervelo One (aluminum) used from my lbs. I haven't been riding in a long time and I went on a ~22 mile ride yesterday. Some of the roads were rough and my ass is hurting like mad.

I realize that I will get used to a lot of this, but are there any parts that could help ? I have a Selle Italia seat. It's hard ,but doesn't get in the way.

Thanks,
Eric

 

[Toshi]

toughen up that perineum -- go riding more often

 

[EricMcFlow]

I think thats the punishment for buying an aluminum tri bike w/ aero tubing.

 

[Dash01]

crap..still glad I bought it.

-cf seatpost won't help?

 

[Pau11y]

crap..still glad I bought it.

-cf seatpost won't help?

It'll help w/ the hi-freq vibrations which your Al frame likes to transmit. Also, I really like the Terry Fly saddle. It's pretty cheap and light and has quite a bit of padding. I use it for road and mountain.

 

[rooftest]

It's something you'll have to build up to - a good chamois in some good shorts is key.

My belief is that less padding on the seat is better - I ride a Specialized BG road saddle on both my road and MTB

 

[Ian F]

Agreed. Time is the key. This is probably the biggest difference between mtn and road cycling. You spend so much more time in the saddle on the road and your position tends to be more constant.

Personally, I ease the transition by having the same saddle on all of my bikes. My BMX, DH, XC, DJ, and road bikes all have a variation of the Selle Italia Flite which I have used for more than 13 years. But even still, if I go a few weeks (or longer) w/o riding my butt will hurt.

Also, do NOT go to the LBS to try out new saddles when your butt is sore from a ride the day before. Nothing will feel better and you'll accomplish nothing but waste a lot of time. May seem obvious, but I've seen it happen.

 

[Zutroy]

My belief is that less padding on the seat is better - I ride a Specialized BG road saddle on both my road and MTB

I think that is true on a road bike, however on a tri bike a the one I think you want more padding. Your seat is pushed forward more than a road bike which shift your body angle and where your weight rests. If you look at the Tri seats these days they are all really padded. One cheap fix you can try is getting a tri seat cover. Desoto and QR both make one for the flight saddle. Most tri shops carry them, they help a bunch.

Some of it goes away with ust riding, your body get use too it. I know when i go from here, with alot of climbing and standing to someplace flat, my crouch is not happy for a few days cause of the extra abuse it takes sitting more.

Good shorts are really nice, but in my experience they really only help with things like saddle sores and chaffing, no actual sitting pain.

 

[Dash01]

I am also starting to think my seat was angled wrong. My main sit bones don't hurt at all, but the bones behind the goods(gooch area)hurt like hell. I'll mess with it and see how it goes..

Thanks for all the replies,
Eric

 

[Zutroy]

I am also starting to think my seat was angled wrong. My main sit bones don't hurt at all, but the bones behind the goods(gooch area)hurt like hell. I'll mess with it and see how it goes..

Thanks for all the replies,
Eric

Are you sitting up on the nose of the saddle?

 

[Dash01]

Are you sitting up on the nose of the saddle?

Judging by what still hurts, I think so.

 

[Zutroy]

Judging by what still hurts, I think so.

Yeah, then the geomtry on the bike is pulling your foward. I'd try the cover, or by a tri style seat.

 

[rooftest]

You shouldn't be sitting on the nose of the saddle - rather than masking this with padding, I'd try to change your fit. (stem position, handlebar angle, seat position, etc.)

Note that you always want a level seat - if you tilt it forward, you'll be spending energy pushing yourself back up on the seat - then you'll be asking why your arms hurt.

 

[Dash01]

Thanks for all the advice. Once I start feeling better I'll go experiment around with different settings.

 

[Zutroy]

You shouldn't be sitting on the nose of the saddle - rather than masking this with padding, I'd try to change your fit. (stem position, handlebar angle, seat position, etc.)

Note that you always want a level seat - if you tilt it forward, you'll be spending energy pushing yourself back up on the seat - then you'll be asking why your arms hurt.

On a tri bike...which a Cervelo One is, you sit on the nose. Your sitting at a 76-78 seat angle depending what year it is. It forces you to move forward and sit on the nose. It's even worse with TT bars. There is a reason the all the tri seats are built the way they are.

 

[reflux]

On a tri bike...which a Cervelo One is, you sit on the nose. Your sitting at a 76-78 seat angle depending what year it is. It forces you to move forward and sit on the nose. It's even worse with TT bars. There is a reason the all the tri seats are built the way they are.

Tri bikes are only meant to be somewhat comfortable when putting down power. For just cruising around, tri geometry feels very bad.

 

[V-Dub GTI]

get one of thoes suspension seat posts!

 

[rooftest]

On a tri bike...which a Cervelo One is, you sit on the nose. Your sitting at a 76-78 seat angle depending what year it is. It forces you to move forward and sit on the nose. It's even worse with TT bars. There is a reason the all the tri seats are built the way they are.

Why is this, by the way? Wouldn't it be better to have a bike that fit for time trialing? I don't see how putting your weight on your 'nads is faster. And if it is, are the long term effects worth it?

 

[Zutroy]

Why is this, by the way? Wouldn't it be better to have a bike that fit for time trialing? I don't see how putting your weight on your 'nads is faster. And if it is, are the long term effects worth it?

It depends on how you define fit. Tri bike are designed for 2 things, putting down the most amout of power with the least effort, and making it easier to run after you just spent a period of time riding. Moving the seat angle does a couple things, it put your over the top of the pedals forcing you to rotate you hips, then you have the much , lower and forward handle bar position which forces even more hip rotation, thus your almost sitting on your nuts. You could push the seat forward to sit on the back where you would on a road bike, but then you would be on them.

Tri bikes aren't made to be comfortable rides, some people can ride them other can't. If you look at a race like the ironman, about a 1/3 of the field is riding a shallow road geometry.

 

[Ian F]

Tri bikes aren't made to be comfortable rides, some people can ride them other can't. If you look at a race like the ironman, about a 1/3 of the field is riding a shallow road geometry.

It should also be noted that most time-trail races are only an hour or so in length.

A TT bike is kinda like the DH bike of the roadie world. You can use a DH bike on XC rides, but that's not what it was designed for. Likewise, you can use a TT bike for general road riding, but that is not it's meant for.

It can be funny how bikes are geared for the country where they are made/sold. During the 80's/90's road frames made in the US tended to have quicker geometry and higher BB's than European makes. This was due to that fact that races in the US tended to be criteriums rather than lengthy road races. However, since then, there has been an upsurge in road riding in general and frames seem to have returned to more classic European (re: stable; comfortable) geometry.

 

[Zutroy]

It should also be noted that most time-trail races are only an hour or so in length.

A TT bike is kinda like the DH bike of the roadie world. You can use a DH bike on XC rides, but that's not what it was designed for. Likewise, you can use a TT bike for general road riding, but that is not it's meant for.

It can be funny how bikes are geared for the country where they are made/sold. During the 80's/90's road frames made in the US tended to have quicker geometry and higher BB's than European makes. This was due to that fact that races in the US tended to be criteriums rather than lengthy road races. However, since then, there has been an upsurge in road riding in general and frames seem to have returned to more classic European (re: stable; comfortable) geometry.

Alot of Tri guys to ride there Tri bikes all the times. Once you get use to it, it's not so bad. I perfer to train on a "traditional" frame, but you will see alot of guys out everyday on tri bikes.

It is interesting that the US geos have moved over to more of a euro style. It seems to me to have gone hand in hand with the increase in Road races in the US, and less of those great parking lot crits. What's interesting is on the TT style, more and more of the Euro pros are ridiing steep tt positions. In fact trek is dumping all the 73 degree TT frames in favor of the 76-78 degree geos on all the TT/Tri frames this year.

 

[Ian F]

Alot of Tri guys to ride there Tri bikes all the times. Once you get use to it, it's not so bad. I perfer to train on a "traditional" frame, but you will see alot of guys out everyday on tri bikes.

Well, that's kinda what I meant. When I raced DH, I would do XC rides on my DH bike just to get more time on the bike (strength training was done on the road). If I were doing Tri races or TT races, I would be riding a TT bike.

However, if comfort is the main goal, a more traditional frame is a better choice (barring odd physical geometry requirments). Hell, I've toyed with the idea of swapping my Colnago for an even more laid back touring bike. Weight and speed are less of a concern to me than being comfortable during 100 mile rides.