I bought a bike a couple of weeks ago, but the saddle is very uncomfortable. After 1 or 2 hours I cannot sit anymore. It is not good for my private parts, it's a bit narrow. Can you help? Thanks.
127202
Geez, why the hostility?  People are trying to be helpful.\n\nTalk to a knowledgeable person at a bike shop.  Sometimes the most padded ones like the gel seats can actually cause you to sort of rotate forward putting less pressure on your butt but more on your genital area.  Look for a seat that is gender specific.  It might take a few tries to find the one that's just right for you.  The shop I got mine from taped the rails with electrical tape so that if I rode with it a few times and it didn't work out for me, I could take it off and it would be in good enough condition to return.  See if you can find a shop that will let you experiment a little that way.
560889
Get thee to your local bike shop.  Get fitted.  I have a KHS folding bike that I keep in the trunk of my car.  It is great to get around on and a little bit of exercise when necessary, but I wouldn't recommend it for long rides.  Ride safe!
104155
I think this only happens in rare instances, and than only with people riding every day for long periods of time.  I'd obviously wear cycling shorts/pants that have a thick chamois inside of them.  I know that the banana saddles on road bikes put more pressure on the genitals then a thicker mountain bike style saddle.  I'd avoid one of the firm, ultra-thin saddles designed for racing and move more towards a compromise with cushioning and width.  Do you really care about the extra weight if you aren't in a competition?
192892
You do not measure a bike from the pedals to the top of the saddle. There are variations in crankarm length and saddle height that would provide a very inaccurate measurement of the bike with regards to sizing.\n\nSizing conventions vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, and is best measured in centimeters. The only bikes that are measured in inches these days are mountain bikes, and those crappy store bought road and mountain bikes.\n\nIn the old days, a company would stamp the size of the bike on the bottom of the bottom bracket shell, or other inconspicuous location on the bike frame.\n\nNowadays, most manufacturers adhere to a standard of measuring from the center of the bottom bracket (running along the seat tube of the frame) to the center of the top tube.\n\nBut now with the advent of the compact frame and semisloping frame, it can get a bit more confusing. There's virtual length, and actual length.\n\nBest bet is to check your bike manufacturer's site.\n\nFor example:\nhttp://veloeuropa.com/product_nerv_specs.shtml
616313
I'll send you an e-mail a bit later today. If the folks in the local bike shops aren't being helpful, find another shop. Bike shops stay in business by providing service. With the Internet, parts are easy to obtain at good prices. Service sets the better shops apart from the others. Bike shops don't make a ton of money on the bicycles, they have better margins on the parts. A person is compelled to return to a shop that offers good service and helpful advise. Check with your local cycling clubs to see which shops they frequent.
274540
san marino (well konwn, made in italy) has bike seats just for women. it is specially designed to be comfy and take some pressure off of the back. they, however, can be pricey.\n\nif you dont get a good answer on yahoo, go to your local bike shop, test a few out and talk to someone there. people are often very helpful and bikeshops, plus you will be able to feel which seats seem good...rahter than just HEARING about it.\n\n\n\nhope this helps!\ngood luck!\nhappy bike riding!
528682
Your saddle should not be putting you in the wrong position.\nIs the saddle the right size for your body? If it is not to big you should be fine.\nThey are made with a really deep seat and swept back swells to keep you locked into position and to stay centered whne you turn corneres fast.\nBut if you feet are behind you it sounds more like you are sitting up on your crotch an not on your seat bones.\nIf you have a trainer have them look at you or have someone take a vidoe of you riding like in an arena. \nSee if your feet are in line with your hips and shoulders. If not you need to practice the proper position. Have someone set you into the position and get the feel of where you should be. \nPractice practice practice it takes time to get a good seat. \nIf you are not comfortable in the barrel saddle look at other models you may find something that fits you better or puts you into a better position.\nGood luck.
484753
If you are sitting and doing barspins then there is your problem.\n\nMost stunts are done at a relatively low speed while standing on the pedals. The saddle is only used for balance.
159580
You should move your saddle forward a bit. The aero bars will stretch you out and move you a bit forward on the bike. Take care not to put yourself too far forward - the uneven distribution of weight on the bike could create a very unsafe riding situation. Go to a reputable bike shop and have them help you find the right set (sized correctly) for you.\n\nBecause of your low aero position of your torso, your legs may hit your stomach/chest. Moving the saddle forward will help with this. It wiill also put you in a more optimal position to generate power to the pedals.
360247
Road bikes are measured from the center of the bottom bracket (BB) to the top tube (TT) under the saddle.  This section of the bike frame is called the seat tube.  Trek will have a list of dimensions on their website that you can look at.  They build bike frame proportional to the average riders size.  So as the frame size goes up, the seat tube length and the top tube length will increase in length.  A quality bike shop will be able to fit you properly.  I suggest test driving a few different bikes at a couple different shops to get a good idea of what you like.  Every bike rides and feels different because they use different components or the way the frame is built and they type of material used.
517227
It depends on the brand of saddle.\nSome start about $250 or so but they are not a high quality saddle and really only suitable for someone who does not use it much and not everyday. \nThe better ones go around $1000 or more. Those are very nice well built saddle that will hold up to hard use and will last years if taken care of.
522048
For the perfect "bike fit" do this:\n1. Raise your seat so you can comfortably extend your legs to the pedals. \n2. With your heal on the middle of the pedal, and the pedal in the lowest position (6 o'clock), your leg should be fully extended with your knees locked. \n3. Now put the ball of your foot on the center of the pedal as it is still in the lowest most position.  Your knee should have a slight bend.\n4. To check your "fore & aft" position, have a friend hold your bicycle and put your pedals in the 3 and 9 o'clock positions or parallel to the ground.  Have your friend hang a string with a washer tied to the end of it (plum bob) from the front of your knee cap.  The washer should be touching the end of the crank arm.  If it is furhter away or behind it, adjust the position of your seat accordingly. \n5. If you still have knee pain, go to your local bike shop and have them fit you professionally.\n\nhope this helps!
554600
If the seatpost itself has broken, I suggest that you purchase a regular STEEL seatpost that fits correctly, then split the bottom of it with a hacksaw about 1 1/2" (40mm). Braze a washer on the top of the post, install a sufficiently long bolt through the washer and add a correctly sized binder nut that came from a quill stem. If necessary, before you split the seatpost you could cut it down to match the bolt. You will probably need to cannibalize a stem that has a 1 1/8" diameter. Peugeot, Kabuki, Bridgestone, Itoh all had these types of seatpin.\n\nTightening the bolt will pull the nut through the seatpin and expand it to secure in the frame.\n\nYou will need to also get a saddle clamp that will attach your saddle to the post... bike shops have all these parts.
604804
Seems difficult to figure out. It would be better if you show it to someone else. Your riding colleagues may see the problem well. For now, it's not clear to figure out.
190509
For light exercise I personally would not recommend a fully suspended moutain bike.    \n\nI purchased a Specialized Crossroads for my partner and she loves it.  It has a light duty front shock that's not heavy and a suspended seat post with a nice cushy seat.  If you are looking to pedal around the park with your family or run errands around town, I would recommend a bike like this.  I'm sure other brands have something comparable.  I believe this model is also in your price range.\n\nAs someone else said, go to your local bike shop.  Most of the time they are very helpful.  If you are as specific with them as you were here, they will show exactly what you need and explain the pros and cons of different brands and let you make up your mind.\n\nGood luck!
441817
Yes, there are MANY women-specific saddles on the market.  Don't make the mistake of "fatter is better" just because your keister hurts.\n\nSaddles should be purchased according to the width of your pelvic bones.  Men naturally have narrow pelvises, so we ride narrower seats.  Getting a seat that is too wide will only try to "wedge" your pelvis apart, making your butt and lower back ache.\n\nA lot of shops have a special "butt measurement" pad made by Specialized that you can use to determine your pelvic width, and then buy an appropriate saddle.  For example, my skinny rear fits fine on a 120mm saddle, whereas my wife feels better on a 145mm one.  Notice that the width difference is only about an inch between us, so a fatty spring & gel seat isn't necessary!\n\nI'm fond of any seat made by Terry, and WTB and Specialized also make great women-specific saddles.  They're not cheap, but you'll appreciate buying the right saddle after a few good rides on it.
171608
I don't know what is exactly your problem at the two point, so I assume it must be your balance. The most important thing is to sink your weight deep down into your heels and keep your back straight, shoulders back and relaxed, and avoid crouching over as you'll immediately will be thrown off balance. Practice trotting in this position ( yes, it hurts!, only for a while, until you get strong enough) and then on a canter. As you do so, look for your natural point of equilibrium. I recomend the video Balanced Riding by Sally Swift