Is there a saddle designed just for using with a trainer? I’m a woman btw.
Same bikes and saddles that are fine for outdoors are torture on trainer. During a workout of about a half hour I’m ok but afterwards I’m sore in my, huh, soft area.
(Have put two of my bikes, each with a different saddle, on this trainer with same results.) Have tried repositioning the saddles (lowered nose, lowered/raised height, moved forward and back, etc.) with a somewhat reduced pain but still not great.
Have read this forum’s long post about saddle troubles while using a trainer. I’ve pretty much done all the suggestions on that except get a rocker plate which is out of the question. Too expensive. Too much work and no interest in making one.
My girlfriend has this exact issue, tried a couple different saddles and positions on the trainer without any success.
I’m going to bookmark this thread in case anyone has a sollution.
I don’t have the female perspective - but I know what’s worked for me is being more conscious about moving around / getting out of the saddle. When I’m on the road, I’m constantly getting up, shifting my weight, etc. and I think that does a lot to minimize saddle fatigue, but on the trainer I can easily just sit and mash in the same position for a long time. Having a timer to remind me to get up every 5-10 minutes, or standing at specific parts of the workout, has really helped. Generally I stand long enough that I can feel a bit of bloodflow returning to the area (might just be mental but I do think it’s a real feeling) feels like the right amount of time.
Here’s a link.
Men have similar issues, I find standing at the recovery phases of the intervals has dealt with most of the issues. I also have a specific saddle for indoor training
Have you considered the super simple “hack” options of compression foam under the trainer feet instead of a full rocker plate?
Rolled up yoga mats, those strain relief standing mats and even pool noodle foam can all be placed until trainer feet to give a small amount of flex and motion compared to being fully rigid.
Might be a cheap or free thing to test depending on what you have on hand.
If you can’t make any of the saddles you own work, I’ve heard people recommend going to a “good bike shop” that has a “library” of saddles. Since a good bike shop is getting increasingly rare and one with a huge try-before-you-buy saddle collection ever rarer, you might try ordering from an online retailer with really good return policy. (I’m in this situation right now, on my third saddle, and waiting to see how good my supplier’s return policies are… )
I bruised my sit bone a couple of years ago which led to trying ten different saddles and different shorts. I landed on an SQLab “active” saddle and Assos shorts.
I think the Active feature really helps as I have some pelvic asymmetry.
An intermediate step while injured was a Selle Anatomica saddle. They are a touring type saddle like a Brooks but they are super soft. You end up sitting in the middle of it - like it’s a little hammock. This saddle allowed me to do base training a couple weeks after the injury (10-15 hours per week) without pain.
I think if I had a dedicated trainer bike I’d use an Anatomica because it’s more conducive to an upright position.
If I had to do a multi-hour Leadville type event I think I’d definitely use the Anatomica.
Not sure if you already do this or if it will fix your issue but I make sure to get out of the saddle for 40-60s every 15min at a minimum. If I don’t do that then my sit bones really start to ramp up the pain.
However, if the pain is in the area between your sit bones then I might investigate how you are sitting on the saddle. I find that if I get lazy (or fatigued) and don’t use my core to hold my pelvis correctly then I get some numbness down there. It quickly alleviates itself if I engage my core and roll my pelvis bag a bit and put the pressure on my sit bones and off the soft tissue.
Another vote for the Power MIMIC from Specialized. It will still help to stand periodically but the soft front area and hollow middle offer comfort that a dozen other saddles haven’t. The acid test of any saddle is how it feels during an hour on the trainer. If it works there, it’s been great for all day on the road.
My wife was struggling with the same issue. Bike fit and Selle Italia Gel Flow IIRC worked well. The Selle Italia saddle has a bit more cushion (mid range) and a decent cut out.
Since she’s not a racer her bike fitter raised her bars up/shortened her stem so she’s not reaching as far forward and rotating her hips to far to hit those soft areas as much.
I’d try to stick to the same saddles, and to be fair it’s painful for many on the trainer. But you should be able to go for more than 30 minutes.
My derriere is used to hours in the saddle outdoors but I find the pressure distracting after and hour on the turbo so I bought a cheap Selle Itallia saddle which is heavily padded and aimed at the beginner market. Found my inner thighs rubbed on the nose so wrapped it really tightly with electrical tape in that area.
Has made a huge difference.
Going to echo what many have said here. I’m a female rider (166cm/70kg) doing about 70% of my rides outdoors and 30% indoors with the same saddle. I’ve found that the Kikr axis feet have helped with indoor training, as well as putting a chopped up yoga mat under my trainer’s feet. Also periodically moving around, from side to side, trying to engage my core as much as possible (looks silly but really pays off).
I also have a Specialized Myth saddle that has absolutely changed everything for me. Is your bike fitted? I asked because this saddle and width were recommended to me during my fitting. It’s super wide and very comfortable.
Tried various saddles, also the ISM saddles… all interesting and probably fine, but all need a lot of time to get used to and need to be adjusted properly to your height, sitbones etc.
Eventually I returned all of them and simply lowered my saddle (Fizik Arione, one of the more harder saddles) and do not really feel soreness since then following also this:
Moving around, relieving by standing up etc. helps a lot. Why not get off the trainer for a couple of minutes during longer workouts, take a drink, short snack, stretch a bit and return to the training more relaxed? Helps me a lot.
)
