In search of the perfect saddle

Sorry for the short hiatus from posting, but the weather in Chicagoland got a little nicer and I've been out riding, gardening, and basically outside as much as possible. About a week ago I hit 1000 outdoor miles for the year. I seem to be running 350 miles behind last years mileage. But with the crappy winter I think this is a good base.

I'm enjoying my new bike a lot. I think the two features I like the most are the electronic shifting and aero wheels. Having the shifters on the aero bars and the bars is very nice. I find I shift a lot more and keep my cadence higher than when I ride my other bikes with manual shifting. Not that it takes that much more energy to manually shift, but you can shift under load with electronics which is not advised for manual types due to the use of cables.

The aero wheels are really nice. I do feel a difference at speeds above 15mph. They roll nicer, smoother and really pick up speed on the flats and downhills. I'm not sure how much they help on the uphill. The Domane seems to have better power transfer than my other bikes so not sure what to attribute to, the wheels vs the frame.

Anyway, the last piece of the puzzle has been finding the right saddle. The saddle is one of three touch points on the bike. You have the handlebars, peddles and the seat. You should be comfortable in all three areas...no numbing, hot spots, sores or aches. But I haven't been so lucky yet finding the right saddle.

Since getting my new bike I've tried over 10 saddles and I'm still on the fence on this last one. It's an Adamo which is very different than any other saddle I've tried. It is u-shaped with no nose. It's designed so you are sitting on your pubic bones and not your sit bones like a regular saddle. Thus there's a "toughening up" period. If you think about it, you never put weight on your pubic bones so it's a pretty sensitive area with tendons and nerves. I made the mistake of taking some longer rides right off the bat. I can say my soft tissue was just fine, but I was "bruised" on my pubic bones. I did call the manufacturer and asked about this problem. I was told it was too many miles too soon. That I should take many short rides and build up. So I've been swapping back and forth between my two road bikes.

I honestly thought I was alone in this journey of finding the perfect saddle. As I talked to the sales folks at local bike shops, my riding friends and reading articles...this problem is very common. I guess it isn't talked about too much since it is pretty personal and not common practice to discuss your soft tissue and genital  areas in mixed company. But as you open up about your problems in finding the right saddle, everyone seems to have a story and either found the perfect saddle or are still in search of nirvana.

I leave for Kentucky in a week and a half. I'm a bit concerned because of the miles I'll be putting in. I am actually toying with the idea of bringing two bikes so I can have two different saddles to use.

If you too are in search for the perfect saddle, check out this article that may be of help. There are books out there too. But once you find nirvana, the ride will be awesome.

Feel free to share your story in finding saddle nirvana. Love to get suggestions for the perfect saddle.

Enjoy the ride,
Sheri