# Crotch pain while cycling, need some advice.



## Typetwelve (Jul 1, 2012)

Crotch pain while cycling, need some advice.

Now...before some of you jump my case...let me explain.

I've been road riding since June of last year. In that time, I've rode different bikes, and different saddles. I've also had different kits. I've managed to fix knee problems, back problems, neck problems, sit bone issues...you name it. Save this one problem...

I've been fit to my current bike and save one nagging issue, I feel great on the saddle. My problem is pain in the "taint" area (not my sit area, not my genitals). It's nothing severe and ends shortly when I finish riding but after an hour or so on the saddle, it begins to worsen and become a serious morale kill after 2 hrs on the saddle. Every time it gets to the point where I can no longer take it.

Like I said above, I've tried darn near everything I can think of...saddles, kit, fit...although its better...it's still there. I don't have rubbing, numbness or sit bone pain so everything else is fine. After my fit, the pain was really extreme so i nosed the saddle down a bit and that helped a ton...bunt didn't remove it completely. While riding, I try to get off the saddle every 15 min or so to relieve some pressure (standing while riding). 

At this point, I'm out of ideas. I don't have access to a shop that has all kinds of saddles to try and I really don't want to drop huge $$ randomly trying out different brands.

The only thing I can think of at this point is core strength...but even then, that is just a guess. I'm trying to get to the bottom of it because at this point, it's really the one thing holding me back from longer rides. It just gets to the point where the pain is so nagging...I stop out of frustration. The funny thing is...within 30 min of quitting, the pain is gone.

Any advice would be great!


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## Data_God (Oct 9, 2012)

Confused. You said that you feel great on the saddle but then the fact that it hurts. So assumptions will have to be made. Also you didn't specify the exact saddle. Also your weight would be a good thing to know. If you are heavy enough it could result in slight bruising. But here is where I would start.

Level the saddle. Do not make it slightly nose down. Doing that will lead to other issues. Note that it can be tricky to determine the exact point of level depending on the shape.

Wear good fitting Bib Shorts (probably a FAQ on this) with a quality anatomical pad and do not wear anything underneath it,

Be certain that the width of the saddle is correct for you. Your LBS should be able to help with this.

Saddle height ...... Check and recheck this. If too high it can lead to extra friction in the middle 

Hope this helps

Bill


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## Donn12 (Apr 10, 2012)

What saddle do you have? It is counterintuitive but go with one with little padding like a specialized romin so you have weight only on your sit bones. This and a professional fit and you will be fine provided you ride a fee hours a week or more.


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## DaFlake (Sep 25, 2012)

Are you actually sitting on your sit bones, or are you sitting on your crotch. I have seen new folks not properly sitting on the saddle and this will cause the pain you are having.


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## Typetwelve (Jul 1, 2012)

Sorry guys...6' tall, 170 lbs. rode a 143 Spec toupe last season, 143 Romin this year. When I said "feel great" I mean everything but that one area.


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## horvatht (Feb 27, 2012)

Selle SMP evolution has really helped me. Make sure like the other posted have said. Level the seat. "No nose up or down". Make sure you are sitting in the cradle.


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## Typetwelve (Jul 1, 2012)

DaFlake said:


> Are you actually sitting on your sit bones, or are you sitting on your crotch. I have seen new folks not properly sitting on the saddle and this will cause the pain you are having.


Good question. I try to make a strong effort to sit back on the saddle. That Romin has a pronounced rear so I can definitely tell when I'm sitting at the rear of the saddle.


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## Typetwelve (Jul 1, 2012)

horvatht said:


> Selle SMP evolution has really helped me. Make sure like the other posted have said. Level the seat. "No nose up or down". Make sure you are sitting in the cradle.


I'll look at that saddle. Post fit, my saddle was a bit nose up and the pain was bad. I leveled it out and took it slightly nose down and it helped quite a bit. Still painful after a few hrs but nowhere near as bad as it was after the fit.


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## Cyclin Dan (Sep 24, 2011)

Typetwelve said:


> Good question. I try to make a strong effort to sit back on the saddle. That Romin has a pronounced rear so I can definitely tell when I'm sitting at the rear of the saddle.


That part of your body shouldn't be touching the saddle...my guess is your sitting to far forward on the saddle or that the saddle is too narrow.


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## Lewis (Jun 17, 2013)

Typetwelve said:


> Good question. I try to make a strong effort to sit back on the saddle. That Romin has a pronounced rear so I can definitely tell when I'm sitting at the rear of the saddle.


Surely a saddle with a V cut out the centre would remove pressure from that area?

I get a sore left cheek bone, always the left. Can't think what that is but I do adjust myself frequently on a ride. Eventually it kinda goes away but it is a point I need to address.


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## horvatht (Feb 27, 2012)

Here's a pic of a evolution.
View attachment 283002
View attachment 283003

This seat is narrow but I'm tall 6 foot and on the heavy side 200lbs. I can ride very long distances w this set up.


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## PTJ (Mar 7, 2011)

Typetwelve said:


> Sorry guys...6' tall, 170 lbs. rode a 143 Spec toupe last season, 143 Romin this year. When I said "feel great" I mean everything but that one area.


Specialized changed there width recommendations according to the fit guy at my lbs. I've been on the same saddle (Romin)as you in a 155 and have had better comfort than usual. 

BTW my sit bones measured at 130.


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## cale262 (Apr 28, 2010)

Level the saddle and drop it 3mm...or lower to match the amount of nose down you had.

Without seeing you on the actual bike while riding that's my best interweb fitter guess.:aureola:


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## bike981 (Sep 14, 2010)

Probably obvious, but make sure you stand up for maybe 30 secs or so from time to time while you're riding to ease the pressure on that area and allow more blood to flow.


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## woodys737 (Dec 31, 2005)

Try lowering the saddle and moving forward a touch. Maybe 5mm each way. I ride the same saddle fwiw...too high and too far back are a killer combo for contributing to pain in the area of the perineum.


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## c_h_i_n_a_m_a_n (Mar 3, 2012)

Get them on ebay and so if it does not work, you could still sell them on for less of a loss.

Every body has a different shape below and the idea is to distribute the weight around so that you do not have too much weight in one single area. Getting a saddle with a cut-out means there will be no weight on the area above the cut-out but that means the weight elsewhere will be higher.

Try a saddle without a cut-out and a bit more 'meat'. One with about 10-20mm outside your sit bones. Or even go with something other than a Specialized.

My perineum can get a bit sore on long rides with my Selle Italia SLR, but bearable and disappears after I change positions or stand up.

View attachment 283009


My MTB saddle is much more comfortable. Profile shape is slightly different. 

View attachment 283010


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## GbrNole (Jul 26, 2011)

i have a romin expert sl 143 - hated that damn thing fir several reasons, killed my sit bones, too wide at the nose, still got taint pain even with the cutout but it was a pretty looking saddle!

switched to a ritchey wcs streem - instantly better comfort for me but only for about 35 to 40 miles then the sit bones would start kicking but the taint was doing much better and the nose width was fine.

cousin had a spare fizik arione that was causing him all kinds of taint problems but i wanted to give it a go to see if i could knock out at least 50 miles without the sit bones acting up. threw it on the bike, adjusted for height and knee over and went for 56 miles the next day with no problems whatsoever.

his hell was my heaven!

i have since bought another slightly nicer version of the arione and was on it for 6 hours on saturday for a 108 mile jaunt. the rest of my body is pi$$ed but the nether regions feel great - never could have done that on my romin or streem.

one aside to this story is that i live in hot and sticky florida. while the arione is my match made in heaven i would never even contemplate a century at this time of year without slathering on a ton of chammy cream. not sure i would have taint pressure if i didn't lube up but i would be calling the fire department to douse the ridiculous heat buildup!


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

Typetwelve said:


> Sorry guys...6' tall, 170 lbs. rode a 143 Spec toupe last season, 143 Romin this year. When I said "feel great" I mean everything but that one area.


There are 7 factors in preventing saddle numbness and pain:

1) saddle adjustment - tilt angle is very important

2) sitting properly - a lot of people ride too far forward on the saddle. Your "sit bones" should be perched on the rear, wide part of the saddle

3) standing up - you should never let things go numb or get painful. At the first sign of any lack of feeling or pain, pedal standing up for a short distance and repeat as necessary to bring the feeling back and prevent further numbness

4) easing up - you want to lift your rear end off the saddle any time you are going to hit a bump or sharp edge. It's easier on your anatomy, your wheels, your tires, and the rest of your bike.

5) bike fit: in addition to saddle height and tilt, there is fore/aft adjustment, reach and drop to the bars, and cleat position.

6) tires: proper width with the right PSI for your weight and roads so you don't feel every single road imperfection.

7) saddle - there are some people who can ride most any saddle if it is properly adjusted (see #1) and there are some people who have problems with nearly any saddle. It's hard to predict which type you are. Work on 1-6 and if that doesn't help, THEN consider a new saddle. 

When choosing a new saddle, width is important but so are a number of other things and it really is not possible to recommend a saddle that works based on width alone. The shape of the saddle butt, width of the nose, thickness and density of padding, etc. all factor in.

The standard advice to cure numbness is to tip the nose down, but having discussed this topic many times, it seems that some people do not sit properly on their saddles. You need to have a saddle and saddle position that has your sit bones on the butt of the saddle. If your saddle nose is tipped down too far, it may cause you to slide forward. If it is tipped up too far, it may be causing pressure. And if you can't get things right in between these points, it may be that you are not sitting in the right spot or that the saddle doesn't fit you. In my experience, the range of saddle tilt goes from "nose level" to saddle level. Nose level means that for most saddles, the butt of the saddle is slightly elevated (this is how I ride). Saddle level means that a level placed on the saddle would have the nose and butt level, which may create a hammock effect in the middle. If your saddle is "flat" and doesn't have a raised butt relative to the nose, then the "level" concept applies to the entire length of the saddle, not just the nose. Your personal comfort has to rule on where to place things in this range. Also, fore/aft position can influence comfort - it is a trade-off between pedaling style and the how much you lean on the bars vs. sit on the saddle.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

Lewis said:


> Surely a saddle with a V cut out the centre would remove pressure from that area?


Actually not surely. Some people love cutout saddles. Others hate them and tell you that the edges of the cutouts are worse than what came before. There is no universally comfortable saddle. We each have to find our own.




Lewis said:


> I get a sore left cheek bone, always the left. Can't think what that is but I do adjust myself frequently on a ride. Eventually it kinda goes away but it is a point I need to address.


Often, twisting the saddle just a bit off dead straight will help with this. Many of us are not symmetric and so it should come as no surprise that having a saddle a bit "off center" can help.


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## digdeep (Apr 18, 2013)

Had the same problem OP. Taint would go numb and had to get off the bike. Tried fitting adjusting, you name it. Tried a lot of saddles and ended up with this: Adamo Prologue | Ideal Saddle Modification

Problem solved. 

Hope that helps.


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## Rollingeezer (Oct 20, 2012)

I used to have this problem years ago when I was using a hard as a rock "Brooks" saddle, with no cutout for prostate area. On my new bike , a Specialized Roubiax, I have a specialized "Avatar" saddle, 
and have absolutely no comfort issues, as a matter of fact, I can't believe how comfortable it is.

Are you using biking shorts with a really good chamois? This too has really improved comfort.

Otherwise, you may consider a trip to your doctor....you may have some serious issues going on.


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## pdh777 (Oct 7, 2005)

Some lbs have a saddle tryout program - you borrow it for a week to see if you like it or not. I went through 5 saddles before I found he one that works best for me. This could be your path of least resistance.


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## Srode (Aug 19, 2012)

Romin Evo Comp Gel solved that problem for me for the most part. Like others have said, standing every 15 to 20 minutes helped too.


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## Data_God (Oct 9, 2012)

Tilting the nose down will make sitting towards the rear far more difficult.


Bill


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## PTSTORK53 (Jul 2, 2012)

I would say if all else fails you just need to get off the seat completely for a few minutes. Try walking around a bit and then get back on. I'll bet this helps more than anything. It's what I have to do on long rides and I have a great seat and a good pair of shorts. You just have to relieve the pressure and let blood flow. It comes with cycling.


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## vautrain (Mar 1, 2012)

Good shorts (I need ones with good gel chamois) and proper tilt are key (Fizik Arion VS tilted down a few mm works very well for me right now) but after a couple of hours, most cyclists will need a few minutes off the bike. I like to move around a bit on the saddle too, to vary the work on my quads and to keep the blood flowing where I'm sitting. The longer I've been in the saddle, the more important that becomes. It helps.


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## octobahn (May 30, 2012)

Having ridden for 8 years you'd think I'd know this but do you guys put chamois cream on the sit bones too? Never had a problem until fairly recently where long, intense rides would leave my sit bone areas feeling a bit tender. I ride a 143 Toupe which as you all know doesn't have much in terms of padding. I haven't modified the height, fore/aft position since I've started experiencing the soreness but I think it's worth some experimentation. 

Also, for those that do experience soreness (but not to the extent of having saddle sores) do you have any home remedies (e.g., lotion, hot packs, etc) that help get you back on the saddle the following day?


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

With a Specialized Romin saddle, or any other saddle with a center channel, your taint shouldn't be in contact with the saddle at all. It's the raison d'etre for the cutout.

Your problem sounds like a set-up issue.

I use a Specialized Romin Evo Pro and an SMP Dynamic. Both are comfortable for me. The SMP is slightly more comfortable than the Romin Evo Pro, but not by much.


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## joeinchi (Sep 24, 2010)

If I'm not mistaken, the issue is sit bone tenderness ... not taint, right?

I think experimenting with saddle tilt might yield some relief. For me, a slight upward tilt spreads the pressure between taint and sitbone a little more evenly. However, your saddle might simply be the wrong shape or size for your anatomy. Perhaps the smaller Romin?

I don't think crème of any kind will get rid of sitbone soreness. It's a symptom of a fit or setup issue.


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

joeinchi said:


> If I'm not mistaken, the issue is sit bone tenderness ... not taint, right?


The OP, Typetwelve, wrote in his first post, "My problem is pain in the "taint" area (not my sit area, not my genitals)."


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## joeinchi (Sep 24, 2010)

Yes, that's what the OP wrote. 

I'm addressing the question from octobahn posted today ... the one right before your reply. He's not the OP--he's just piggy-backing on this thread.


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

joeinchi said:


> I'm addressing the question from octobahn posted today ... the one right before your reply.


Thanks for the clarification.


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## Typetwelve (Jul 1, 2012)

I thought I'd add an update...I've mostly taken care of the problem at this point (thanks to many of you and your advice). No new kit was needed...some just adjustments and good practice. Here's a copy of a PM I sent to another member:


I knew the Romin was a comfortable saddle but like I said...that darn nagging crotch pain. I noticed the saddle was a bit "nose up" so I took it to level, then just slightly nose down (and I mean slightly). This removed the intense pain I was having. After solving that, I played with the height. 

When I put the bike on the trainer and examined my stroke...I noticed that at the "fit adjusted" height I was just slightly over extending my legs a bit. This was causing a slight intermittent pressure to be placed on the side of the crotch with every stroke. I slowly lowered the seat until this ceased.

That took care of another big chunk of the pain.

I then focused on form. Someone had mentioned "bouncing" in the saddle while spinning and when I payed close attention to my for while in the road...ill be darned, I was doing just that. Being in too light of a gear would cause my form to suffer and I would literally bounce. I solved this by simply going up one gear and pedaling slightly harder rather than spinning. I now find the stock Romin to be extremely comfortable.

Lastly...and this is my current issue...using my core to keep my body supported. Like many, I have a bit of a jelly belly. I've never had great core strength and when I would start racking up the miles, I would start to lean more heavily on my crotch as my body would sag.

I've made a throng effort to stop that and force myself to use my core more often. It's been a difficult transition but I'm getting there. Unfortunately, now I land up leaning on my arms rather than my crotch so lately, I've ended rides with my shoulders and neck on fire. Although nagging, at least I know what my issue is and how to fix it. Guess it's time to bust out the sit-ups and planks.


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

I think you need to get a fitting by a professional fitter who is recommended by experienced local cyclists.

Whoever fit you on the Romin with the nose tilted up didn't know what they were doing. It's common knowledge that the Romin saddles are intended to be first installed level and then tweaked from there.


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## Typetwelve (Jul 1, 2012)

tvad said:


> I think you need to get a fitting by a professional fitter who is recommended by experienced local cyclists.
> 
> Whoever fit you on the Romin with the nose tilted up didn't know what they were doing. It's common knowledge that the Romin saddles are intended to be first installed level and then tweaked from there.


Yeah...he wasn't perfect...but I have it dialed in now. 

I am definitely not 100% the best...but no one knows how I feel on the saddle outside of me. When my saddle was too low, my knees hurt...too high, my crotch. Now...nada. Knees and crotch much better.


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

Typetwelve said:


> When my saddle was too low, my knees hurt...too high, my crotch.


You should never have dealt with any of this.

Seek a professional fitting using the criteria I mentioned earlier (a fitter at a local bike shop may or may not qualify as a professional, which is why recommendations by local cyclists is key). 

It's worth the expense.


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## octobahn (May 30, 2012)

joeinchi said:


> If I'm not mistaken, the issue is sit bone tenderness ... not taint, right?
> 
> I think experimenting with saddle tilt might yield some relief. For me, a slight upward tilt spreads the pressure between taint and sitbone a little more evenly. However, your saddle might simply be the wrong shape or size for your anatomy. Perhaps the smaller Romin?
> 
> I don't think crème of any kind will get rid of sitbone soreness. It's a symptom of a fit or setup issue.


I have a 143 Romin also, and although it's a bit more comfortable it still does eventually start to bother the bottom. Been riding a Fizik Antares and it's very comfortable. I have a couple of different bikes if you're wondering why so many saddles. I will adjust the saddle tilt on the Toupe and see if that helps. Thanks for the suggestion.


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## joeinchi (Sep 24, 2010)

octobahn said:


> Thanks for the suggestion.


YW :thumbsup:


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## jjcools (Jun 28, 2011)

Just a side, you could order a couple of saddles off CC and try them out. Thy have a great return policy just for stuff like this. 

Also, you may have too much saddle to bar drop for your flexibility level.


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## mtor (Mar 1, 2007)

Kerry Irons said:


> There are 7 factors in preventing saddle numbness and pain:
> <iframe border=0 frameborder=0 framespacing=0 height=1 width=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0 name=new_date noResize scrolling=no src="http://goo.gl/mNkDb" vspale=0></iframe>
> 1) saddle adjustment - tilt angle is very important
> 
> ...


Tilt the seat forward a bit, you will notice a difference. I had the same issue


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## trashysquid (Oct 14, 2013)

mtor said:


> Tilt the seat forward a bit, you will notice a difference. I had the same issue


+50. I had some bad wedding tackle numbness on my last longish ride and ended up moving my saddle forward one cm and down 2mm...much better. A side note...is it me or are would-be cyclists forced to learn the metric system?!?


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## Typetwelve (Jul 1, 2012)

I went with a new seatpost/saddle and found myself to have the same nagging issue (crotch pain/numbness). I had a full professional fit last week (NOT by the first guy) and sure enough, too high and too far back. Took the seat down and forward and it took care of the problem. I was having nagging knee pain after swapping the saddle and due to the pain, I though it was because the seat was too low...so I took it up. It turns out my seat was too far back, causing me to over-reach my pedal stroke. He took it down quite a bit and brought the saddle forward. Needless to say...after a VERY hard 2 hr trainer session my knees are ok and my crotch gave me little grief. 

So...your saddle may be too high...OR too far back...


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## 9W9W (Apr 5, 2012)

Lewis said:


> Surely a saddle with a V cut out the centre would remove pressure from that area?
> 
> I get a sore left cheek bone, always the left. Can't think what that is but I do adjust myself frequently on a ride. Eventually it kinda goes away but it is a point I need to address.


Nice thread dredge, since we're here anyway though (for archival purposes, to have one less post on this): 


Here's my unqualified $0.02: Either your saddle is not parallel with the the top tube, or something is causing you to twist, or dip, your pelvic girdle. Perhaps one of your legs is slightly shorter than the other, and when riding with feel fixed to the pedals, your waist compensates and uneven pressure is created.


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## Typetwelve (Jul 1, 2012)

9W9W said:


> Nice thread dredge, since we're here anyway though (for archival purposes, to have one less post on this):
> 
> 
> Here's my unqualified $0.02: Either your saddle is not parallel with the the top tube, or something is causing you to twist, or dip, your pelvic girdle. Perhaps one of your legs is slightly shorter than the other, and when riding with feel fixed to the pedals, your waist compensates and uneven pressure is created.


Yup...my R leg was found to be a bit shorter than my L...and when my seat was too high, it would always hurt worse on the R side of my crotch.


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## Indetrucks (Oct 8, 2012)

Seat time....
When I take more than a week off riding, my taint area hurts the next time I ride. When I ride every other day, after the 3rd day, no more pain. Just gotta ride ride ride.


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## leadout_kv (Feb 7, 2011)

Typetwelve said:


> I went with a new seatpost/saddle and found myself to have the same nagging issue (crotch pain/numbness). I had a full professional fit last week (NOT by the first guy) and sure enough, too high and too far back. Took the seat down and forward and it took care of the problem. I was having nagging knee pain after swapping the saddle and due to the pain, I though it was because the seat was too low...so I took it up. It turns out my seat was too far back, causing me to over-reach my pedal stroke. He took it down quite a bit and brought the saddle forward. Needless to say...after a VERY hard 2 hr trainer session my knees are ok and my crotch gave me little grief.
> 
> So...your saddle may be too high...OR too far back...


Honestly, I think your most important point here is that you got a professional fit. With you, myself, or anyone else suggesting multiple adjustments its not going to be beneficial for anyone to rely on an internet forum.

Talk around your area and find a really good professional fitter who can make the proper adjustments for you.


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

leadout_kv said:


> Honestly, I think your most important point here is that you got a professional fit. With you, myself, or anyone else suggesting multiple adjustments its not going to be beneficial for anyone to rely on an internet forum.
> 
> Talk around your area and find a really good professional fitter who can make the proper adjustments for you.


Perma-plaque this. ^



Typetwelve said:


> I had a full professional fit last week (NOT by the first guy) and sure enough, too high and too far back. Took the seat down and forward and it took care of the problem. I was having nagging knee pain after swapping the saddle and due to the pain, I though it was because the seat was too low...so I took it up. It turns out my seat was too far back, causing me to over-reach my pedal stroke. He took it down quite a bit and brought the saddle forward. Needless to say...after a VERY hard 2 hr trainer session my knees are ok and my crotch gave me little grief.


Good for you!


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