Is the Problem My Bike Saddle or Me?
Part I of III in the Saddle Series
As a bike fitter, physiotherapist, and avid cyclist myself, bike saddle discomfort is the primary complaint I hear from my cycling clients and friends. This isn’t too surprising, as bike saddles are not designed to be lounged upon. They’re designed to serve a specific purpose – to support the bony pelvis and allow you to turn your legs in small revolutions, 70-100+ times per minute, for hours on end! But during the process of a bike fit, I often find that even when a cyclist doesn’t complain of saddle pain it’s still a hidden culprit. Why is that?
Proper pelvic position
On a road bike, proper pelvic position on the saddle means that your weight is distributed between the ischial tuberosities (sit bones), and ischiopubic rami (bony arch connecting sit bones in the back to pubic bones in the front). A triathlete in the aero position will have the majority of the weight on their pubic bones, whereas a mountain biker sitting more upright will have more weight on their ischial tuberosities. Regardless of what kind of bike you’re riding, it’s important that the pelvis maintains a good position relative to the spine, and does not have too much posterior tilt (see examples below). Too much posterior tilt on any bike is a position that will shut off the glute muscles, reducing the effectiveness of one of your biggest power generators as a cyclist.
Poor pelvic position
Good pelvic position
Often when a cyclist is sitting on an uncomfortable saddle they will subtly change their body position to try to make the saddle more tolerable. Some riders become so good at compensating for their uncomfortable saddle, they don’t realize it is the underlying cause of other dysfunctions on the bike. Typically the rider either shifts back so that their body weight is dispersed over the widest part of the saddle, or tuck their pelvis under (posteriorly tilt the pelvis) so that the weight is biased toward the “sit bones” and away from the pubic bones.
These compensations can reduce the contact pressure on the saddle, but they inevitably create more tension in the arms, shoulders, and neck which are now working hard to keep your pelvis off the painful part of the saddle. It is crucial that a cyclist is able to relax their body weight onto the saddle in order to maintain a proper pelvic position, good glute muscle activation, and relaxed shoulders and neck.
Your saddle height is too high if…
Even the best saddle in the world will cause problems if your saddle height is too high. This is easy to identify because the rider will rock back and forth over the saddle with every pedal stroke. You can check this by asking a friend to ride behind you and tell you if you are rocking. For most people, the knee should be bent between approximately 35 and 40 degrees at the bottom of the pedal stroke, but this can be difficult to assess on your own. If in doubt, err on the low side for saddle height as you will not lose power and are much less likely to cause saddle sores or back pain. A saddle height that is too high, however, is associated with a loss of power and increased risk of injury.
Your saddle is the problem if…
This is an easy answer – if you can’t sit properly on your saddle throughout the duration of a ride, you develop chafing and saddle sores, or you have numbness and swelling where your body contacts the saddle that doesn’t subside when you stand up on the pedals, you probably need to try another saddle. I notice that poorly fitting saddles often cause symmetrical saddle sores, or ones that alternate between sides of your body, due to improper width or shape.
You are the problem if…
The last likely cause of your saddle pain is… you! You can have a fantastic bike fit and perfectly designed saddle for your body, but if you have strength and flexibility imbalances or poor core stability, you will always struggle to maintain a strong stable position on the bike. Keeping your pelvis still as your legs are exerting large asymmetrical forces with every pedal stroke takes work, and this is the job of your deep core stabilizing muscles. In addition, if you are tight in one hip, or weak in one leg, your body will shift accordingly to allow you to continue to turn the pedals. Cyclists with generalized poor core stability will often have symmetrical saddle pain, and those with asymmetries will have asymmetrical saddle pain/sores.
Stay tuned for the rest of the Saddle Series to learn how to choose the right saddle for you, and the best core exercises for cyclists.