# Crotch burning while climbing... saddle adjustment suggestions pls



## Loraura (Jun 30, 2008)

I've tried many many saddles. Had professional fittings. Most issues are resolved EXCEPT if I climb alot on a ride over 15 miles, my girly bits become very unhappy. The more climbing and the steeper the climb, the worse it gets. 

For example today, the burning did not begin until mile 34. I had been climbing since mile 24. The grade at mile 34 was 7%.

The best way I can describe it is burning. As if my saddle is actually producing heat and burning me through my shorts (tried several brands of shorts, but perhaps I haven't found the perfect pair yet). Standing helps relieve it for a moment, but as soon as I go back to seated climbing, the burning returns. Once I'm back on the flats, or at least rollers, it's fine. It doesn't start immediately on climbs, but after some time. Once it starts, it's there until I get back on the flats.

So from anyone who has had this experience and resolved it... adjustment suggestions?


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

The burning, aching crotch has always been part of the climbing experience for me. Once I hit the top of the hill, though, it quickly goes away. Of course, getting out of the saddle every once in a while works well, but when I sit back down the pain returns. I have a sense that the discomfort derives from the stress and strain of trying to get up that ^%$# hill. You brace yourself against the back of the saddle. You rock your hips in an attempt to get your legs to turn the crank over one more time.

In any case, lately I've gone to a softer (but not squishy!) saddle. Same model - a Fizik Vitesse - but the softer, 'early in the season' variant. It has made climbing more comfortable.


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

Try tilting the saddle nose down a smidge.


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## ColoradoVeloDude (Oct 7, 2005)

il sogno said:


> Try tilting the saddle nose down a smidge.



Have you tried a professional bike fitting? If you have been riding for a while, things may have changed or drifted from where adjustments were originally set. Yes, I mean like taking the seat off and back, handlebar positioning, and other mechanical take apart and put back together items that didn't get stuff back to the exact position. Also, your body may have adjusted itself over time too. One other thing may be the angle between your pedals and the bottom of your cycle shoe (look up Bicycling Wedge or LeMond Wedge - these did wonders for me - took all the voids out during the pedal stroke). See here:

http://www.bikefit.com/products.php 

Also, try scooting back on your saddle when climbing - maybe 0.25 to 0.75 inches so your sit bones are on the back of the saddle when pedaling uphill. Also, does your saddle give you any other problems - like on long flat rides? You might have to go for 20-30-40-50 miles to get to the point where the problem arises. Century rides are good for vetting out these types of issues. 

Also, the blood flow "down there" may be impeded by the sustained climbing. Try standing up on your pedals doing something called the "Miracle Shift" for a few hundred feet. Sitting while climbing is overall more efficient, but try this once you have problems:

a) Shift into the middle front chain ring
b) Shift the back cassette down into the middle of the range
c) Get a good grip on the top of your handlebars (you'll find a place that feels secure while doing this)
d) Stand up on the pedals pushing down on the pedal (it'll feel like light mashing - that's good because you want to kind of work while pushing down but not too hard) while letting your bike slant under you away from the pedal - do this from side to side
e) Ride like this for about 200 to 400 feet.
f) Sit down
g) Shift back into your normal Happy Gear of Climbing.

This allows the blood to flow where it may be constricted and also has the effect of making the uphill climbing load seem less when you sit back down.

Also, how do you sit on the bike when climbing? Ideally your hands should be on the tops of the bars, not in the drops. If you are in the drops while climbing, you are hunched over your diaphragm and it can't move as freely to make your lungs work at their peak and you may also be putting more pressure down on the forward third of the saddle. 

One other thing - doing more hill climbing will help overall also. Further experimentation may be required with small (like 1MM to 5MM adjustments) in seat height, forward/aft positioning, and tilt. You can't manage what you can't measure so be sure to keep good records of what you adjust and how it changes things (for better or worse) so you can track your "dial in" process.. Here's another technical solution, the Moots Seat Post that has the ability to make independent adjustments on the saddle positioning (yeah, it's expensive, like ~$290 - yikes!) More here: 

http://www.moots.com/#/product/ti_components/seat_posts/cinch_seatposts/ 

Hope these tips help!

Happy cycling!

ColoradoVeloDude
Colorado Springs, Colorado


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

ColoradoVeloDude said:


> Have you tried a professional bike fitting?
> .....
> 
> Hope these tips help!
> ...


Thanks, CVD. Another very helpful post. :thumbsup:


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## ColoradoVeloDude (Oct 7, 2005)

il sogno said:


> Thanks, CVD. Another very helpful post. :thumbsup:



You're welcome. Resolving this issue is like trying to find a nagging rattle in your car. Only turning up the stereo won't make this go away. Ugh. This is going to be a toughie to fix.


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## ColoradoVeloDude (Oct 7, 2005)

Loraura said:


> I've tried many many saddles. Had professional fittings. Most issues are resolved EXCEPT if I climb alot on a ride over 15 miles, my girly bits become very unhappy. The more climbing and the steeper the climb, the worse it gets.
> 
> For example today, the burning did not begin until mile 34. I had been climbing since mile 24. The grade at mile 34 was 7%.
> 
> ...




I reread your post again. Some things came to mind:

a) What has changed? Was climbing ever comfortable? Is so, did something change (equipment, body, weight gain/loss)

b) Sounds like some circulation in getting cut off while in the position you use to climb. What's different between riding flat and climbing on your position on the bike?

c) Maybe the combination of saddle and shorts are causing the circulation to be cut off or nerve pressure. Think about what happens when you get this problem and what happens when you stop. Does it feel numb or burning? Does it go away immediately or sort of waft away (like recovering when your arm goes to sleep). Immediate relief would probably be some sort of nerve thing - relief that kind of radiates out or in would probably be a circulation thing.

d) Saddle: Yeah, you've been here. But, maybe your saddle is too "squishy" for you. I use a Brooks Professional - it's like sitting on a block of wood. But, it's a very comfortable saddle once you break your butt into it. (I don't think Brooks saddles are broken in - more like your body breaks into them - it'll take +/- 150 miles to get used to it - a good source is www.wallbike.com). Note on Brooks - you'll have to be wary of rain because it's all leather - I carry a cheap shower cap to put over the saddle when parked if I get caught up in the rain.

5) How about a sports doctor? Or female type of doctor to check it all out and rule out any other physical issues that your body may be putting in the way to a solution. 


From what you describe, it's a lengthy amount of time (about 10 miles at a 7% grade) that give you issues. My first thought would be that your hips are swaying from side to side while you pedal during the strenuous parts of the climb and the focus of that energy is on the sensitive stuff between your legs - not only the girly bits and along the outside but also deeper into the tissues and mashing/grinding/compressing these muscle/tissue structures up against your pelvic bones and the bony structures in there. Granted, there is a lot of "stuff" there - nerves, muscles, blood vessels, cartilage, bone, and who-knows-what. Maybe some other study is needed also - interent home work. Start looking up human anatomy in those regions and see if you get more information to start identifying what could be the issue. 

I had a issue like this when I replaced a worn out saddle. The new saddle made my peritoneum take all the load of my body into the squishy parts of the seat cutting off the circulation. Halfway through a climb (like 2.5 miles into a 3% five mile climb) all my manly parts went numb. No seat adjustment could make it go away. And, this was a high-tech cut-out Specialized saddle without too much padding that should have worked. The Brooks made it all go away (well, except for the butt-osis while it was breaking me in). 

Do a few rides and bring your wrenches with you. Climb, get numb/burning, adjust, try again. Some ways will make it worse, some better. It's going to take some time to figure this one out I think....

Hope it helps...

ColoradoVeloDude
Colorado Springs, Colorado.


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## Loraura (Jun 30, 2008)

Thanks CVD! There are a lot of questions in there. I'll try to answer them. If they were rhetorical and you didn't really need the answers, just wanted me to think about the questions, that works too! They were good questions and I hadn't thought of all of them.

I did have professional fittings within the last 6 months. I can go back to the fitter. I just thought I'd try to figure out something helpful on my own.

I don't know how a long flat ride would be because I live in Central Texas and can't go on a ride more than 15 miles without a decent climb to get back home. I guess I could try long laps close to home, but boredom steers me on longer routes that include the hills.

I have tried climbing in different hand positions (drops, bars, tops). Drops are definitely worse for the burning issue. While in the drops, more pressure on the front of the saddle, problem is worse and arises faster. I'll try being careful about being far enough back on the saddle.

I've tried 4 or 5 saddles. It's never been comfortable climbing. It used to be uncomfortable on the flats, but the current saddle only bothers me when climbing. It could very well be too much padding, or not the right shorts found yet. I'm still experimenting. I'm not having any numbness, just burning. I also have added assos chamois cream, which helps chafing but not burning.

I don't think my hips are rocking, I believe my fitter got that to stop. I'll ask my husband to check. I hadn't changed anything until just now when I nosed the saddle down. The Cannondale non-standard seat post is a PITA, so I don't touch it. Pedals, shoes, haven't changed.

I would love to just stand while climbing to resolve the issue, but by the time this problem presents, I can not stand anymore. If I can still stand to resolve the problem I do, and it does resolve the problem for a small amount of time. I'm working on this. My fixie is forcing me to get stronger in this area. I'm still a fairly weak rider, physically.

I've considered getting a brooks more than once! And I still might. But I thought I'd ask for advice before I give up on this saddle.

I nosed the saddle down a hair, we'll see if that helps.

Thanks again for all the help.


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## Loraura (Jun 30, 2008)

Update:

My bike was in the shop and I had two planned ride events, so I rented a bike.

OMG I found a saddle. No numbness, no burning, no... anything!

So I took a zillion measurements to compare to my bike set up, and ordered the same saddle. (Specialized BG Ruby 155)


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## Trek2.3 (Sep 13, 2009)

Get one of these. The problem will disappear. I've got 2000 happy miles on mine. I even put one on my indoor exersice bike.
www.moonsaddle.com


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## ColoradoVeloDude (Oct 7, 2005)

Loraura said:


> Update:
> 
> My bike was in the shop and I had two planned ride events, so I rented a bike.
> 
> ...



GREAT! I knew this day would happen, when the planets aligned and the stars showed auspicious signs. Now, confirm your new find with a couple of long rides, then order two or three of them to put away in the closet wehn you wear out the one you found. Note also that a different brand of cycle shorts (different chamois) or new cycle shoes (slight height adjustment because of the platform height of the shoe) or ever thicker bar tape or different thickness gloves may cause problems in the future. It's probably something that you can dial out - but just be aware of it.

later!

ColoradoVeloDude
Colorado Springs, Colorado


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