Suggestions for breaking in new Adamo Racing Seat
I just had my first pro bike fit last week. I upgraded my seat to an Adamo Racing seat. I have done 2 trainer workouts since and it has been painful after about 30 minutes - 40 minutes. Tuesday, I did my last 20 minutes outside and I was fine (except for the fact that I have forgotten how to ride outside since I have been on the trainer for the last 6 months - but that's another post). The pressure points are totally different. Going into my new aerobars helps but that also significantly lowers my power. Any suggestions on what to do? I feel like I am wasting time on the bike doing sub-par workouts these last 2 times around. Plus, I don't want to hijack the great progress I have been making following the EN protocol.
Here are my thoughts - LMK what you think:
1. I could do my bike workouts outside, but I do not have a place close by that will work for the FTP and VO2 intervals we are now doing.
2. Switch back to my old seat until the end of the out-season - do extra rides outside in the new seat as time permits.
3. Take a break in between intervals on the bike workouts until body adjusts.
LMK your feedback or other suggestions you may have. Thanks!
Here are my thoughts - LMK what you think:
1. I could do my bike workouts outside, but I do not have a place close by that will work for the FTP and VO2 intervals we are now doing.
2. Switch back to my old seat until the end of the out-season - do extra rides outside in the new seat as time permits.
3. Take a break in between intervals on the bike workouts until body adjusts.
LMK your feedback or other suggestions you may have. Thanks!
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Comments
Hey Thomas,
What model of Adamo did you get? Only some of them are really desined for aero riding.
It took me a couple of weeks, with many minor adjustments, to get my Adamo Time Trial to fit right. For most, the seat will slightly tilt down in the front. And you should be sitting on the front half of it. After I found my perfect fit, I fell in love. I think it's the single greatest invention since Chamois Butt'r.
At the end of the day, saddles are unique to the rider. For some, the Adamo is too wide or narrow and just doesn't match their sit bones. If you can't make it work, ditch it. But, for me, it was well worth the time and effort to search for (and find) the right fit.
Also, riding in aero on the trainer really sucks! I can go 3 hours outside in aero just fine, but just 20 minutes on the trainer is really punishing.
Trying to find the right saddle is frustrating - I went through 3 saddles before I found the Adamo.
Good luck.
And, if all else fails, ride outside whenever possible!
I will do my end of OS FTP ride on the trainer in a few weeks. I will also have my PT G3 by then so I can get some real power numbers.
Thanks everyone for the feedback.
Thomas
So in my quest to find the perfect seat, I've gone out and acquired an extra seat post to trial new saddles on while maintaining the Fizik as my primary saddle. With my first HM coming up in May I don't feel like i have to much time to waste.
What are your thoughts, is this a waste of time or a good way to figure it out?
This is about the best way there is. Saddles are personal. If I could ride my tri bike on a specialized toupe, I would. I can't. I tried an adamo and that sucked. Then suddenly it stopped hurting and I forgot about my seat and started focusing on the other reasons that I was slow...
I also have a hard time staying aero on the trainer, but I haven't had any issues riding up off the aero bars on my Adamo.
Keep in mind that one should have a steeper angle (closer to vertical) from the bottom bracket to the sit bones when riding in TT position, compared to a road bike. That angle provides both more power and a lower front end. The saddle placement should be determined by that need. If you're feeling the need to move forward on the saddle for more perineal comfort, first make sure you've got the correct TT position, then figure out where to put the saddle (fore/aft, up/down angle) to achieve the most perineal comfort. Move your saddle, not your riding position.
I've been riding on saddles with cut outs since 1997, when Georgena Terry introduced her Liberator saddle for men, based on the design she patented in 1991 for women. This was just after urological studies, as well as fertility studies had started showing both numbness and infertility issues in male cyclists. I biked cross country that year on that thing, with zero perineal issues. All "cutout" saddles since then are a direct result of that original design, and have had to work around it to avoid patent infringement. In general other saddle manufacturers have ended up making the cut out area smaller, narrower and/or shorter, resulting in imperfect results and ensuing frustration.
I bought an Adamo Attack a few months ago, and found the saddle to be better than the current incarnation of Terry's racing saddle (the FLX), which has too narrow of a cut out area for my needs. The "cut-out" in the Attack- actually, a split-nose - is probably not doing very much except rubbing on the inside of our thighs. The real action is further back with the deepest, longest, and widest indentation I have seen in a TT-focused racing saddle. My reason for switching had not been numbness issues, but rather development of cysts (folliculitis?) in my skin from a bit too much pressure there. The real test will come in a couple of months, when I start going 10-14 hours a week in the TT position during May and June, getting ready for my first IM of the year.