Padded Shorts or Better Saddle?

PB Forum :: All Mountain, Enduro & Cross-Country
Padded Shorts or Better Saddle?
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flag witterisms
Posted: Jun 5, 2018 at 3:11 Quote
Hi there,

I got a new bike at the end of last year (YT Capra), and now the evenings are much longer, I've been able to spend more time on the bike/in the saddle - but increasingly hitting the 2-3 hour ride mark it start to get sore when I am in the saddle, and then sore the day after.

As far as I can tell I have the saddle in the best position possible, and the body position is comfortable when riding.

What's best to invest in?

1) Better padded shorts (quick look on CRC shows £30+ for seemingly good shorts)

or

2) New saddle - I have seen a lot of Enduro riders on Fabric saddles, they seem to start at £45, but obviously more on the market.

From what I know, its hard to test either. All help appreciated.

Thanks,
flag Branmuffin
O+
Posted: Jun 5, 2018 at 4:34 Quote
Both will help. More than likely you just need to get your butt use to riding more. I don’t usually notice any discomfort until I pass the 2.5-3hr riding mark.
flag maciejw
Posted: Jun 5, 2018 at 4:34 Quote
Measure your bone distance. Compare it with the saddle width. No amount of padding will EVER make up for your bones being even slightly outside of flat saddle surface, or the force not being properly distributed. I learned it on the road bike, I actually have my road bike saddle (160mm) already on Capra, since the YT saddle is rather narrow/possibly normal-ish.

If width is ok, go with good underwear/shorts/padding and whatnot.

Measurement is easy, if you have any Specialized Bodyfit dealer around, they have a simple device for it, but flat chair is enough to get almost the same measurement (center to center of bones, and total width). And just to check it, basically if you are still sore, and your tissue around the bones hurts when compressed, that is due to saddle width since the pressure was not distributed properly. Nobody got ever sore from those 180mm width citybike type of saddle, right? Big Grin

As additional checkpoint - the more you rotate your pelvis to the front, the narrower the distance between the bones becomes, but I would generally not recommend changing your position as a solution, since you have your sweet spot already in your usual riding position.

Good luck with solving this. It's a night and day once you have a good saddle, since any discomfort just magially disappears.
flag asctlc
Posted: Jun 5, 2018 at 5:31 Quote
It typically takes me 3-4 2+ hour rides to get my sit bones to tolerate my seat every spring. Then I'm never sore regardless the time/distance. I used one of those measurement tools at the LBS to ensure I got a proper width saddle so it's just something those bones adjust to.
flag kaibabylon
Posted: Jun 5, 2018 at 5:33 Quote
Both. 2-3 hours a couple times a week.....get both shorts with padding and a comfortable seat. I have a about 6 or 8 seats hanging in my shop, these serfas seats work best for me. I use the mtb comfort one below, not too big and clunky even though picture looks that way, they also make a slightly more racy/mtb model as well.

I had constant problems before but have not even thought about discomfort in a couple years now with these seats.


https://www.serfas.com/shop/products/saddles/rx-921l-mens-roadmtb-comfort/

https://www.serfas.com/shop/products/saddles/mh-rx-performance-rx-saddle/
flag NoGears
Posted: Jun 5, 2018 at 13:04 Quote
Padded shorts aren't just about the padding...the pad also absorbs moisture helping to keep the area dry to prevent chaffing.
flag xblitzkriegx
Posted: Jun 5, 2018 at 13:32 Quote
measure your sit bones, get the right width saddle. make sure the saddle accounts for your cash n prizes correctly so you dont go numb.

i have a wtb volt team 142mm saddle and ride without padded shorts. 1 hour, 2 hours, 8 hours SOLID, no pain. doesnt even matter if its the first ride in the spring or not. and this is on a hardtail so my ass isnt getting pampered.

spend some time and really make sure your seat width is deal for your body. it matters a lot.
flag BarneyStinson
Posted: Jun 5, 2018 at 16:37 Quote
I’d also add that it’s worth playing with the tilt of the saddle too. Too far forward or back and the saddle won’t be supporting you in the right place. For me, it turns out that the right angle is surprisingly tilted back.

Padded shorts help, but they’re not vital imo.
flag witterisms
Posted: Jun 6, 2018 at 3:50 Quote
Thanks for all the responses -

Will reassess the saddle type this weekend.
flag slimboy
Posted: Jul 17, 2021 at 18:42 Quote
Years later and this conversation still holds up and answers a question I was asking myself.
flag Reaperactual
Posted: Jul 17, 2021 at 22:45 Quote
Couldn't agree more on saddle fit being one of the most important things to consider not just padding, base flex, padded shorts and so on.

I measured my sit bones recently by sitting on a piece of corrugated cardboard. Apparently the width of your wrist bone is the same and an accurate comparison:-

https://www.wtb.com/pages/fit-right-system

I was using a 134mm wide Fabric Line Shallow saddle which was too narrow, it was comfortable enough but I couldn't get into a comfortable sitting position and felt the need to constantly adjust my ar$e fore and aft.

Since measuring my sit bones I got a 142mm wide Fabric Scoop Radius saddle and the difference is night and day. The most comfortable I've ever sat on and feel (for me anyhow) I've finally found the perfect saddle.

Not a great colour match for my hardtail but it doesn't really matter and no complaints for the price:-

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274769239429
flag Danzzz88
Posted: Jul 18, 2021 at 7:21 Quote
I bought padded shorts and tried loads of different saddles, mostly all the onws people seem to be buying like Fabrics, Ergons, SDG etc...in the end I found all the saddles felt like sitting on a window ledge and the shorts were just inconvenient and irritating as they wrap around your gooch, so are uncomfortable for a different reason. In the end just walked into my local small bike shop, saw some Selle Royal Scientia saddles on the wall, had a poke and a squeeze and thought they seem like they might be comfortable, had the guy measure my sitbones to double check I select the best one and it was a night and day difference to all the other popular enduro saddles on the market. Forget all the fancy looking coloured race/enduro saddles, even the most expensive ones with a bit of padding and cutouts etc still all feel like shit. If you are willing to put aesthtics aside for a slightly bigger more padded saddle I strongly recommend one of the Selle Royal Scientia ones, massively more comfortable than all the other high end saddles and only costs like £60. My previous bike had a Fabric scoop shallow with carbon rails, looked good, was lightweight, durable too but comfort wise was utter shit in comparison.
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