The Ninety Minute Saddle

Everyone has had at least on of these in the past. A saddle, that after a short time, makes your bum feel like it's going into hibernation. And it just doesn't immediately go numb. No. It has to feel like a vise smashing the delicate undercarriage to oblivion.

You squirm a bit, trying not to stand up, repositioning yourself more comfortably. Yah. That lasts about 30 seconds. You try it again. (I was told one time, that insanity is trying the same thing again and again, expecting different results.) It still is not working. So you have to now stand up. You shift into a bigger gear and begin the pedal, pedal, glide technique. After the "pins-and-needles" effect goes away, you slide back onto the saddle. MUCH BETTER!

After about a half hour, you end up with the same issue! Crap! So you repeat the above steps. Now you feel confident about going on with your workout. But what you don't realize, is that this experience is like a bad nuclear isotope. It has a rapid half-life! Your last half hour or so, you feel like you are in a merry-go-around. Up, down. Up down. Up down. Your tender bits feel like they are swollen, throbbing with firery pain. You can't wait to get off the bike.

This was my exact experience today. After fighting a head cold for 9 days, I decided I needed to rotate my legs (and this morning's weather was awesome!). I did a respectable 15.5mph over 40 some miles. But, I do have to say that the saddle was a pain in my back side!