which bike seat to get

Question
QUESTION: I've concluded that the Bontrager Sport saddle that came with my new bike is not for me. I find myself shifting constantly to get comfortable on anything more than 2 miles. I get pain in the groin and the sit bone area. I see ads for many different saddles, several with grooves cut out, some wider, some shorter, without horns, etc. I'm a 195 lb man and ride recreationally, on flat surfaces. What can I get that will make me not think about the seat while I'm riding? Also, will padded shorts help.

ANSWER: Hi David,

I like the more ergonomic seats the ones with the grooves in the center, but each of us is slightly different, so you may have to try a few before you find one that fits you.

Padded shorts will definitely help. BTW you can pick up new shorts on ebay and some of the auction sites for about 1/2 what they cost in the shops. You can also get some pretty good shorts and stuff from my website as I am an affiliate of Bike Nashbar which has high quality bike stuff at really good prices, and are alswyas having sales. I buy a lot from them myself.

Here is a link so you can check them out. http://www.nashbar.com/?PID=2134187&cm_ven=CJ&cm_pla=2134187&cm_ite=Nashbar+Logo

I found that I like the padded seats best that have the split in them. I prefer a slightly narrower seat, I am 199 and 5'9 so size wise we are similar. I ride anywhere from 12 to 20 miles each morning. I also find that the seats that come with bikes almost always need replaced the only one I haven't is the Specialized Expedition that I use to get groceries and also do some track riding with my grandchildren.

You can probably go to your bike shop and ask to try out a few different ones.

What type of bike did you get. I have the Specialized now and just bought a Giant that I will be racing in September at Warner Robbins Georgia in the Golden Olympics. I will have to change the seat on it also,most likely.

Hope this helps

Have a great day


Jerry Goodwin
www.bmgfitness.com/exercise
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www.healthandfitnessebookclub.com



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your reply. I plan to shop for shorts at nashbar.com I have also found a web site where they sell for $30 (aerotechdesigns.com) I hope they will durbable at that price point. You asked about my bike; it is a Gary Fisher Advance (women's 18") and seems to be right for me with the seat elevated. Maybe there were better choices, but I wanted to stay under $300 and it was on sale. So far, I am enjoying it and strengthening my legs. Can't beat that.
ANSWER: Hi David.

The Gary Fisher Bike is a good bike and if you got it under 300.00 you got a great deal. I picked up a seat that I liked at Wal Mart of all places in the bike section for 24.99 I think, padded and with the split. Pretty sure it was a bell and it works for me.

I am only slightly familiar with aerotechdesigns.com but have heard of them seem like a decent company. haven't heard a lot of complaints. I have shorts I bought on ebay, voler and velowear as well as Jerseys that I get from the bike club and I have two pair of shorts I got from Bike Nashbar that are over 4 years old and I ride pretty much daily. I have probably 10 or 12 pair so I don't wear the same ones each day. I actually like the way the Tinley Shorts fit as they come up a little higher. The Tri Shorts I got from Voler work real well when it is hot out as they are a little shorter than the regular peloton shorts.

I picked up the nashbar shorts for 19.95 about 4 years ago and they still look and wear well. I don't use them as much right now since the average temp here in South Georgia is about 90, so I have favored the tri shorts here lately.

Is there a bicycle club where you are? I get Jerseys and even shorts sometimes through the bicycle club. They have a guy there that designs them and we order as a group. I got shorts one year, these are high quality Voler Shorts that would run about 89.00 and we got them for 49 through the club. This year the club only sold the Jersey, so no shorts.

Where do you live? The club here in Albany has a "ride" called the Nut Roll and riders come from all over the country to ride in it. We have 30, 45, 60 and 100 mile routes around some very beautiful country. Last year one of the rest stops was at Jimmy Carter's boyhood home and he stopped in and took pictures with some of the riders. It was not announced or anything he just showed up.

If you are interested you can find out more at www.pecancitypeddlers.org

They are the umbrella group for the South Georgia Area Cycling racing group, the Capital City P Nuts, and of course the Pecan City Peddlers (Nuts on Wheels)

Look at the sales at Nashbar often you can get shorts or just about anything at 20-50% less than what you would pay elsewhere. Nashbar is owned by Performance Bike and it seems that Nashbar is more for those of us on a tight budget. Sometimes I will see the same thing on both sites for as much as 50% less at Nashbar than at Performance.

Hope this Helps

Have a great day

Jerry Goodwin





---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Jerry: Thanks for all the valuable info. I plan to look into a split seat; that seems like the way to go. Then I'll pick up a pair of shorts with the padded chamois. I spend my summers in Long Island, and there is a nearby boardwalk along the ocean in Long Beach, NY with a designated bike lane. It is about 4 miles long and I bike there. I am primarily interested in exercise and building up my legs. I play a lot of tennis and the biking has been great. The rest of the year I will be in Martin County, Fl. There are plenty of areas to bike there, so of course, I will have to get a decent bike when I get back. The one I keep there now is an old piece of junk just to get me to the pool. Bought it used for $25.00, so that will go to charity. Biking is an addictive pastime as well as great for health, as you know. Thanks again for all the tips.
Dave

Answer
Hi David,

You are very welcome, I am here to help. I live in Georgia and if you get up this way and want to ride let me know. We have several trails. Moultrie actually has 13 miles of old railroad turned into bike trail and of course our neighbors to the North (Atlanta) has the famed Silver Comet. I understand the Parks at Chehaw has a new single track that was just completed for the Mountain Bikers and my grandson and I go play on the BMX track there about once a month. That is where they will have the Nut Roll.

Moultrie is about 60 miles from Tallahassee, so at least part of the year we are sort of neighbors. My wife's brother live in Kissimee/St.Cloud area.

I was actually on the Ohio State University Tennis Team in College. Don't know if I can even play any more though, haven't played in years. Coach said I had one of the strongest backhand stokes he had ever seen, problem was accuracy more than strength though, I would sometimes hit it for several hundred feet, which of course was way out of play.

Here is a thought to help you really build your legs. I picked up a bicycle trailer several years back for 100.00 at Wal Mart. You can sometimes pick them up used for a song. I am currently preparing for the Georgia Golden Olympics, so each morning I get my bike which is a Specialized Expedition and the trailer. I load the trailer with at least 25 and sometimes 35 lbs of weight plates. That gives me a bunch of resistance then I ride to Wal Mart buy some groceries etc. The other day I had a 35 lb plate on the trailer, 6 12 packs of soda, and some other groceries. There are several small hills and one rather long one between my house and Wal Mart. It wasn't too bad going but coming back I was having to really work to keep from downshifting. I try to keep the bike in the large chainring on the front and at least 10 MPH for training. That will definitely strengthen your legs. I am hoping that will make me faster for the race and the time trials in September. This year is sort of a practice run but the 2008 games are the qualifying games for the Nationals in Kentucky and I want to qualify, so it would be good to at least be able to stay with the pack this year.

That is just a suggestion to help build the legs up quick and also increase your speed and your stamina on the bike.

Have a great day and thanks for the nice comments, I am glad I could be of service. Let me know anytime you need anything more.

Jerry Goodwin