Messages

1

Gear Talk / Re: saddles and sores

« on: June 16, 2016, 05:04:48 pm »

Russ, you're right about sweat, but I think you're off on the amount.  The sweat builds at a slow pace, the saddle absorbs some but I've never seen a leather saddle saturated from just sweat, that's just me though.  I once got caught in rain on my old B-17 and it became like a wet towel almost. 

So a couple updates.  I've been riding the 20 year old B-17 that was recently gifted to me and it is working very well, but I believe it was too dry, the leather was getting cracked around the rivets, I used plain oil in the cracked areas.  The saddle does have alot of sag but not as much as the old super worn out one I used to have.  On a recent ride with my Dad I switched bikes with him for a bit, he has a 168mm wide Romin Evo that is new.   Wow, talk about a totally different saddle.  It was very comfortable but in a totally different way.  B-17 feels like it spreads pressure out all over, the Romin centered it exactly on my sit bones and I felt almost zero pressure everywhere else.  I only rode it for 5 miles but it felt great.  Need to try one for a longer ride. 

I have relearned about chaffing with the B-17 but fortunately it was very easy to treat and went away in a day. 

I attempted to stiffen up my old sagging Romin saddle by wedging a ball of rubber bands between the saddle seatpost. Could feel a big difference, it was easier to keep my weight on my sitbones.

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Gear Talk / Re: saddles and sores

« on: June 08, 2016, 06:47:32 pm »

Never tried Glide, I regularly use Bag Balm, but also have used all kinds of lubes and they typically don't help when I've got sores. 

Did a killer Time Trial last night on aero bars and a B-17.  Since switching to the B-17 the sores our healing and nearly gone, way less pain.   

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Gear Talk / Re: saddles and sores

« on: June 05, 2016, 07:27:08 pm »

driftless, I respectfully disagree with the way you worded that.  If you said physical problems should be addressed with a properly fitting bike then I would agree, but saying,  "Physical problems should always be addressed first with a bike fit," means you need to pay someone to measure you and apply their  system to you, which I don't agree with.  If one has extra money and a desire to consult with an expert then by all means, but the information a person needs to properly fit their bike themselves is readily available.  You don't need lasers, video, and a custom fit system to do it.  Ten years ago when my back started hurting with longer rides it didn't take to many google searches to figure out I was way over reaching to the bars. 

Today was interesting, first longer ride on the B-17.  I switched it from my touring bike one of my road bikes and decided to use an old spare seatpost instead of removing the saddle on the bike.  30 seconds into the ride the saddle had slid all the way back on the rails.  I went back and tightened it up and tried again, seemed to be fine.  Saddle was so comfortable by by ten miles in my lower back felt find of stressed, checked and saw the saddle had slid all the way back again.  I guess the B-17 rails just don't work in that seatpost. 

Rode home with the saddle all the way back on the rails.  Wasn't terribly uncomfortable, but was glad to get it right.  30 more miles with the saddle locked down in the right position.  WOW, I had forgotten just how good these are, it's been about ten years since I last rode one.  Like I said my last B-17 had gotten so saturated with oil and water that it had lost it spine and was totally hammock like.  This saddle was amazing.  Even with a very uncomfrotable saddle sore I did nearly 50 miles without pain, only really feeling it the last few miles.  Friday I did 35 miles on my 143 wide Specialized Romin and had extreme pain afterwards.  Yeah someone advised me not to ride with sores, but I didn't listen. 

Unfortunately there is some cracking around a few of the rivets, the saddle has been on a shelf and not cared for for about 15 years.  I applied proofhide before riding, but I think the area round the rivets is too dry.  I hope it holds up, but I think I'll buy a new one either way.

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Gear Talk / Re: saddles and sores

« on: June 02, 2016, 05:11:46 pm »

 Thank you, good information paddleboy.  I'm interested in a C-17

Pat what you're describing sounds nice, wish it was that easy for me. 

I'm a bit skeptical on bike fitting for me at this point.  I have talked to several people who have paid money for a bike fitting only to have the saddle moved forward 3mm and a 5mm spacer placed under their stem.   For a couple of years I rode a 60cm road bike with a 120mm stem and had back pain on longer rides.  I knew this bike was too big for me but I got a great deal on it.  Back then I would have really benefited from a bike fitting.  I eventually started looking into bike fit myself and figured out I was on way to big a bike with way to much reach. I now ride a 56 with a 100 stem.  I think my biggest problem is going to low, I only have maybe an 1 or 2 inch drop to my bars but I like to dramatically bend and lay my forearms on the tops when I'm going all out.  I don't think I have the flexibility and core strength to really support this position, but I do it anyway essentially grinding away at my for lack of a more apporopriate word, "taint."

I think being paranoid about hygiene over the last few years saved me some painful bumps and I dropped the ball a couple weeks ago.  The day I did the century 2 weeks ago I finished at a friends house.  Hung out with him and his wife for 30 minutes, then I just put on loose shorts over my cycling shorts.  Made a couple stops on the way home and didn't take a shower for a couple more hours.

While I was touring I had a major hygiene routine every morning and after every ride. 

I don't think I really need a cutout, but I tend to like them in the Specialized saddles I've been riding.  When I tried to go back to my Regal it has way to much pressure right in the center where the cutout would be. 

I purchased an imperial around 2009 when I first started trying to fight the problem head on.  It didn't feel like it was working for me and I sold it fairly quick. 

In a stroke of good luck I ran into my old friend, he doesn't ride anymore and for years I've been asking him to sell me his B-17 and Professional and for years he's been telling me no.  Well the other day he said he'd give me any bike stuff I wanted because he was moving to a much smaller house.   I'm sure he still has a professional somewhere, but he found and gave me the B-17.  I've done one short ride and couldn't believe how comfortable it was, but no saddle is going to be comfortable until these boils heal.

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Gear Talk / Re: saddles and sores

« on: May 30, 2016, 10:53:52 am »

What's funny is that I started riding longer distances when I was about 14, I did my first century that summer.  I didn't own a pair of bike shorts until I was maybe like 18.  I never had these sores back then.  Thing was that I suffered on just about every ride past 40 miles with a sore rear, probably because the saddles I used back then were the standard hard plastic shell with padding that had no flex.  I had really sore sitbones after longer rides, but never damaged skin boils, saddle sores. 

The older guy that lead most of the rides got into Brooks saddles and bought several.  He loaned me a Professional to use for about a month so I could help break it in.  Was so comfortable.  Later he loaned me a B-17 to put some miles on for him, was even better.  That's why I bought my own a couple years later.  I remember that seat being super comfortable for about the first 3 years.  I started getting the bad boils in 2004. 

So went to the doctor several times for them, as they weren't healing and so large and painful that it hurt to even walk.   it was waste.  A GP sent me to a dermatologist.  The dermatoligist sent me to a urologist.  The urologist checked me out for 5 seconds and started laughing,  "These are infected hair folicles.  Why are you here?"  he said.

"Good question." 

A couple years later I tried again, this time doctor sent me for an ultrasound.  "Yeah got the results back those are just abscesses under the skin."

"Yeah I knew that," I replied I get them from riding like I said.

"Well stop riding," he replied. 

Anyway, looking at my records I bought a Romin in april 2012.  That year I put on over 6000 miles.  About 2500 more than usual. 

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Gear Talk / Re: saddles and sores

« on: May 30, 2016, 08:34:22 am »

Thanks for the advice.  Why no rubbing alcohol?

I've about 2478 miles in for the year at this point.  Probably around 1000 of that on the trainer over winter.  I rode about an hour a day on my good ol' Regal on a very upright bike with no saddle problems.

I know what you are saying about getting tired on the bike and bad form causing your to ride wrong.  I try to watch out for that.

I just bought some good shorts, Gore and Izumi, I almost sprang for the Assos but balked at the price.

So last Sunday I did the century on the Romin and defiantly could feel that I had damaged the skin.  Also due to the nature of the ride I wasn't able to clean up as soon as I'd like.

Tuesday night I did a 10 mile time trial and even though I was only on the bike for about 35 minutes I definitely made things worse.  Very low position just seems to make things worse.

I didn't ride again until Sunday, I did a 30 mile ride with my Mom, same saddle.  Afterwards the sores were the worse they've been so far. 

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Gear Talk / Re: saddles and sores

« on: May 30, 2016, 08:12:25 am »

I abused that B-17, well actually I murdered it.  To try to give it some spine I punched holes and tied it.  That didn't really seem to help.  Tightening it seemed to have no effect.   I eventually tried heating it in the oven.  After about ten minutes at 150 it had leached out alot of oil.  Later my wife baked something at 400 degrees.  A while after she took it out I popped the B-17 back in the oven, it had been off for several minutes and I thought it had cooled off.  In 5 minutes I began smelling something like burning steak.  I took the saddle out and found it had shrunk so much that it was bending the rails as it cooled it popped all the rivets and pretty much just fell apart. 

I bought a Selle Anatomica but the bike shop didn't sell me the clyde version.  It lasted about ten rides.  They gave me my money back.

I bought a B-17 Imperial and had the same problems. 

I would like to try a professional those things are  like rock solid. 

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Gear Talk / saddles and sores

« on: May 29, 2016, 09:23:52 pm »

This forum seems to have many wise people with good advice so let me ask about saddles and sores.  Not a pleasant topic but I appreciate some help.

From around 2005-2010 I had almost constant issues with saddles sores when riding.  Now these sores are perhaps different then what other people experience, I'm not sure.  They are like blister boils and very painful and usually don't have much damage on the surface.  They would usually pop up as soon as it got hot and I started riding more. 

I was riding about a 6 year old B-17 when this started.  I probably way over oiled it and used vasoline as a chamois cream.  The saddle was very soft and hammock like.  I eventually tried a Specialized BG2 which had big rubber elastomers under the sit bones.  Things just got worse until I was constant pain whether I was riding or walking. 

In 2010 I bought a selle san marco rolls and the sores started to heal.  Even though the sores were healing I found the seat uncomfortable as I was putting my weight on the sit bones, yes I know that's where weight goes, and my 250 pounds was all on there.  I tried a san marco regal and found it more comfortable. 

I came to the conclusion that the seats with flex like the B-17 and BG2 were acting like hammocks under my weight and I was rubbing the soft tissue with so much pressure that it was litteraly tearing the top layers of skin from the inner layers creating abscesses. 

In 2012 I bought a Specialized Romin and found it incredibly comfortable.  I remember doing long rides with no pain and irritation and almost feeling like I was missing something. 

This year I'm finding myself with the painful boils again even with the Romin.  The Romin now has about 10,000 or more miles on it.  It still looks good but I'm feeling that hammock effect under it. 

I tried going back to my regal but it just hurts. 

I recently did a 250 miles in 3 days on a Specialized Avatar my Dad loaned me, I had minor irritation the entire time, but no serious pain.  A few days later I did a century on my Romin and the boils are back with a vengance.

I'm strongly thinking of buying a new Romin, since it was so good back when I bought it.  I would really like to try a new B-17 and see if one would work for me if it wasn't so soft and hammock like. 

So questions. 
Do you think I'm correct in my hypothesis about the cause of my sores.
Do you find that saddles wear out?  I mean even if a saddle appears to be fine cosmetically it has broken down and not stiff enough to support the sit bones. 

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General Discussion / Re: If you only had a couple of weeks?

« on: May 29, 2016, 09:01:54 pm »

Had a wonderful time on my 3 day mini tour. 

https://barndoorcycling.wordpress.com/2016/05/19/ride-to-mammoth-cave-day-1-the-battle-of-lusk-creek/

I think I'm going to have a week in July to go somewhere.  Just don't know where yet. 

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Gear Talk / Re: Great Divide Route Bike Set up

« on: May 12, 2016, 09:51:24 pm »

I helped my friend get his bike ready to race tour divide a few years ago.  He used a Scott Scale with niner carbon fork, no suspension and was very happy.

The Hook would be a very good trail bike, and the 1x8 would be fine for most trails, but on the divide I think you could really use a granny gear unless you are a super strong rider.

THe Ghost would probably be a better choice, but those tires look a bit on the wimpy side.  Probably be OK.

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General Discussion / Re: If you only had a couple of weeks?

« on: May 04, 2016, 08:06:03 am »

Amtrak has been a consideration.  A ticket from nearby Carbondale to Seattle is only 220 dollars, but an amazing 48 hour train ride in coach.  St. Louis which is a 2 hour drive from me can get me to Colorado and Flagstaff for 100 something. 

Russ thanks for your input.   I'm going ready to take off for a few days East, but if I'm going to do a longer tour I want to actually be somewhere I haven't been.  I've driven the 5 hours to Chicago many times and I don't think riding North in Illinois would be very interesting.  I know I'd see things I haven't seen before but it would be hard to see over the corn. 

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General Discussion / If you only had a couple of weeks?

« on: May 03, 2016, 05:22:21 pm »

Unless something changes I will return to teaching next year after 4 years of various jobs and erratic time off.  In 10 years of teaching with summers mostly free I did a supported week long tour almost every year; all rides with acronyms usually starting with BR, but never toured self supported, kind of wimped out I guess.  I've planned a short 3 days tour in a couple weeks from my home in Southern Illinois very close to the TransAM to Mammoth Cave where my wife will meet me for some caving. 

So if I enjoy the 3 day adventure and want more, which I'm expecting, then I'm strongly considering quitting my current job in July.  I'll start teaching in mid August.  My wife has said she could only bare to be apart from me for a couple weeks max, unless I left her with significantly more money then I'm able to. (I think she was joking)  Her going is out of the question really, she's got health issues that keep her from "roughing it" 

So if you had 2 weeks to go ride somewhere what would you do?  I'm fairly capable of 75-100 mile days if they are not mountains.   Honestly what I'd like to do is ride the Northern Tier from the West Coast, but don't have that kind of time. 

One other question, is it cool to connect up with other cyclist you meet on route?  I know that it would be all about social interaction and seeing if a individual or group would like a tag along.  I guess my question is does that happen much?

Thanks!