# Uncomfortable seat



## lincoln (May 28, 2006)

I purchased a Trek 6500 Disc yesterday, it's my first mountain bike. It's been many years since I've owned a bike and I've owned many. Most were BMX bikes and few that would be considered road bikes. With all of my old bikes I never needed padded shorts to ride comfortably but with this Trek even padded shorts don't make it remotely comfortable to ride. My butt hurts and I've only been on the bike for about 1 hour so far  

So I'd like some recs on new seats or covers to supplement the padded shorts I'm already wearing. Other then that I really like the bike, so far.


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## JimC. (Dec 30, 2003)

*I'd take it*

back to the LBS. Part of the sale is fitting you; they should swap the saddle out, to your satisfaction, at little or no charge (assuming that you are not upgrading from say, low-end OEM Trek saddle to a higher end one).

Everone's butt is different...you have to experiment.:ciappa:

Good luck, Jim


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## smear3 (Apr 19, 2006)

*Give it time*

I bought my bike about a month ago to get back into riding. I'd say about 2 weeks ago I posted a post that was titled "Stock seats suck" http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=192580 To make a long story short I bought a gel pad, then a cushy seat, and someone in my thread posted a link to an article about how a seat should fit you and what makes a good seat. That in addition to several people saying you need to give it some time to build up some tolerance down there again has convinced me to put on the stock seat again. To tell you the truth it's not really bothering me as much now. The key thing that I read was your seat has to line up with your hip bones or as a bunch of people call it, "sit bones."


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## dogonfr (Jan 6, 2005)

Im a big fan of WTB saddles. 

http://www.wtb.com/index_flash.html


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## justaguy (Jun 9, 2005)

*WTB for me as well*

I have a couple of bikes and have WTB seats on both. One is a Rocket ProGel and the other is a Laser (not the ti rails one). When I started riding around a year ago, my butt always hurt. I had to work a TON this spring so bascially didn't ride at all for about 4 months. Been riding since the work eased off and never had any problem.

Getting used to it is part of it (a very VERY small part). The important thing is getting a good seat that fits you. I tried bigger, I tried more padding, I tried several things, but fit is what helped me most. Good luck.


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## Ice25gt (Mar 28, 2006)

I bought a new trek 6700 this year and the first upgrade was the saddle. I have owned 2 trek's now and I can tell you first hand that those bontrager saddles are crap in my opinion. Now for you, since you just started riding again, your butt is gonna hurt on the first few rides either way until you get used to being on a bike again. If I were you I'd throw on a WTB saddle. I don't think you will be disappointed. I bought the WTB rocket v stealth in black. It is the most comfortable saddle i personally have ever used and one of the nicest lookin that I have seen. Everyones body is different though so it may not be the best one for you but shop around and see what looks good to you. good luck


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## Blue_Dooey (Apr 26, 2006)

I have to agree, re: the bontrager saddles.

My wife and I have '03's, mine a fisher HKEK and hers the trek 6700, essentially the same bike, component wise. My saddle is a Titek, which if you believe the reviews on this site is the worst ever. Well, I started riding seriously, and very quickly got used to it. I still ride it and have no problem. My wife, OTOH, complained about her Bontrager all the first season. I kindly told her she was a wimp and just wasn't riding enough to get her sit bones used to it. Finally, I got on her bike and started riding. OH MY GOODNESS, that saddle sucked! If you look at the profile of it, you see a hump toward the front that just jams into your crotch! I felt so bad that the next day I was researching women's specific saddles and bought her a very expensive Selle Italia. That thing is great, female specific or not... feels great and looks like a work of art. But, I'm still fine with my stock Titek and wouldn't want to beat up an expensive saddle with my trail crashes and commutes.


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## Vulcan (May 22, 2004)

Yeah I really like WTB saddles. Jenson usualy has great deals on them.


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## Totally Lost (May 15, 2006)

I am like you-just bought a 6500 Disc a couple weeks ago. I upgraded the saddle after my painful first ride. I got a Specialized Rival and feel much better. I haven't got a chance to try out a WTB that many people here recommended. You should get one of those with a long deep and wide channel. That's very important for your health.


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

If you have not been on a bike for years, PAIN IS TO BE EXPECTED.

When I have been away from bikes just for months, the first week or two of riding have been painful (never used padded shorts). Give it a little time. If it does not get easier, or you find what the problem is, then start looking for a replacement.

You really need to sit, and preferably ride, on a saddle to know if it is right for YOU.


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## whataboutben (Oct 6, 2005)

perttime said:


> If you have not been on a bike for years, PAIN IS TO BE EXPECTED.
> 
> When I have been away from bikes just for months, the first week or two of riding have been painful (never used padded shorts). Give it a little time. If it does not get easier, or you find what the problem is, then start looking for a replacement.
> 
> You really need to sit, and preferably ride, on a saddle to know if it is right for YOU.


Totally agree, the first hours are always the hardest... it will go away but make sure the saddle is in the right posistion and angle for you.


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## m0ruda (May 19, 2006)

Lincoln,

Bontrager makes, lets say sub-par seats. Even the one that came on my Fuel 95 was horribe. I highly recomend a Specialized Body Goemetry saddle there are a few models but, I'm partial to the Avatar. Specialized BG equipment is designed alongside doctors and athletes. http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqSection.jsp?sid=EquipSaddlesMTB


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## Bikinfoolferlife (Feb 3, 2004)

Saddles are really a personal thing but be sure you are savvy about adjusting it properly; a couple mm up or down on the seatpost, the nose tilted up or down a few mm, even a few mm back and forth on the rails all can mean a lot as to making you comfortable on the saddle....


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## Scubapiper (Aug 15, 2005)

lincoln said:


> IWith all of my old bikes I never needed padded shorts to ride comfortably but with this Trek even padded shorts don't make it remotely comfortable to ride. My butt hurts and I've only been on the bike for about 1 hour so far
> 
> So I'd like some recs on new seats or covers to supplement the padded shorts I'm already wearing. Other then that I really like the bike, so far.


1. Give it time, you need to toughen up those "sit spots"

2. I have a Terry Fly that I love, however, I agree with everyone else when they say this is a very personal issue.


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## WhoUtink (Apr 16, 2006)

perttime said:


> If you have not been on a bike for years, PAIN IS TO BE EXPECTED.
> 
> When I have been away from bikes just for months, the first week or two of riding have been painful (never used padded shorts). Give it a little time. If it does not get easier, or you find what the problem is, then start looking for a replacement.
> 
> You really need to sit, and preferably ride, on a saddle to know if it is right for YOU.


^^Absolutely right^^
I bought a giant yukon about 2 months ago. I t had been about 6 years since I rode my raleigh. The first time I rode the yukon for more than a mile my but hurt bad. I didnt ride it again for 3 days (My butt hurt). I been riding it now almost every day and I dont feel anything anymore. You just have to get used to it.


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