I’m a month into biking on a Trek Marlin 6 size XS (I’m 5’1) mountain bike.[My bike](https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bikes/mountain-bikes/cross-country-mountain-bikes/marlin/marlin-6-gen-2/p/35066/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI07XIhY6NgQMVHQ2tBh3n7wu_EAQYAiABEgJEFPD_BwE)
I use it for fitness but plan to get into rougher terrain at some point but right now I’m just riding in on bike paths getting the gist of things, fine tuning the bike etc. Couple problems I’m running into and would like some feedback if possible:
1) I’m getting numbness in my left hand at about the 10 ish mile mark. I’ve adjusted the saddle, I’ve shortened the handlebars a little, brought up the stem. I tried ergonomic handlebars but it made it worse so I switched back to the stock handlebars which seem better? I’ve also brought up my saddle a bit because my legs weren’t extending enough but after I did that adjustment, it made it worse I think.
2) I can’t get my saddle right. I’ve been measured (sit bones 155) and can’t find a saddle I like without something hurting. I need a saddle that is hollow down the whole middle for my “soft tissues” (I’m a female). My biggest grievance is (TMI but I’m desperate for help) my *ahem* butthole hurts after riding. Like really bad. This happens no matter the saddle so far. I know that there is a growing period with a saddle before it feels better. The butthole issue happens no matter the saddle. I have also been told I might just need to accept my fate and wear the padded shorts but my concern is this won’t matter regarding this issue and could possibly exacerbate it by having more stuff close to it? My current saddle is hurting me the most. Some say I shouldn’t get one with gel as that will make it worse? I also feel like I need a little shock absorption in the saddle but have also been told it’s not necessary?
[saddle attempt #1](https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/equipment/cycling-components/bike-saddles/fitness-bike-saddles/bontrager-commuter-fluid-bike-saddle/p/23403/?colorCode=black)
[saddle attempt #2](https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/equipment/cycling-components/bike-saddles/performance-bike-saddles/bontrager-verse-comp-bike-saddle/p/32222/?colorCode=black)
[current saddle](https://www.amazon.com/Selle-Royal-Respiro-Moderate-Xsenium/dp/B00BDOMFO6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=79BVDITVTTG6&keywords=Selle+Royal+Respiro+Women%27s+Moderate+Cool+Xsenium+Bicycle+Saddle%2C+Black+%2C+Medium+https%3A%2F%2Fa.co%2Fd%2FcqqDXto&qid=1693698752&sprefix=selle+royal+respiro+women%27s+moderate+cool+xsenium+bicycle+saddle%2C+black+%2C+medium+https+%2F%2Fa.co%2Fd%2Fcqqdxto%2Caps%2C267&sr=8-1)
I have had never ending support from the trek store where I got my bike. I am just curious what all you guys might think about some of these issues and I’m sure they are common newbie things but I need more advice to try! Thank you for reading all this!
by Upstairs_Iron_7160
8 Comments
I would also like to add that with the saddle, I can’t find the right tilt for the saddle and at this point I have it tilted in such a way so that I am not sliding forward which hurts in its own ways but I’m also dealing with the issue of sliding forward if it’s not tilted enough to keep me from sliding forward. Hopefully that makes sense.
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>**Name**: Selle Royal Womens Respiro Moderate MTB/Road Bicycle Saddle
>**Company**: Selle Royal
>**Amazon Product Rating**: 4.4
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>I’m getting numbness in my left hand
have you tried padded gloves? they wont totally fix the problem but will delay it in time.
numbness is because the pressure on the nerves in your palm, so the most reliable method is more upright position and less pressure on your palm. like riser bars for example. of course that would mean more pressure on your butt.
>I can’t get my saddle right. I’ve been measured (sit bones 155)…
the bike shops tend to offer too wide saddles because of reasons too complicated to explain here. i know it sounds counterintuitive, but give a try to a narrower saddle if you have the opportunity.
as for tilt, most bike fitters i have seen agree that saddle should be as horizontal as possible.
>my ahem butthole hurts after riding. Like really bad.
you mean like the cheeks around it or the hole itself? if its the cheeks thats kinda to be expected. if its the hole, well idk thats new to me.
note that you are month into biking, and it takes some time for the body to adjust to the position, for your butt to harden and butt pain to subside.
edit – one more thing – you sure your saddle height is right?
I have a Marlin 6 gen 2. It’s not a good pavement bike, however it does roll better on pavement vs. my Marlin 5 Gen. 2.
The 1x is nice but the 30T makes it slow. You probably should just buy a Verve 3 & call it a day.
Saddles are a personal thing. You’ve got to find the one that works for you and hope the company never goes bankrupt ever again.
As for hand numbness, building core muscles can help, also try ergonomic grips like Ergon GP1. As mentioned, gloves. You can also try handlebars with more sweep. Or try riding on different hand positions, and not death gripping your bars. Resting the heel of your palm sometimes on the end of your bars and sometimes on the top of your bars instead of the grip.
The best thing for numb hands is to strengthen your core. You should be holding your upper body up with your abs, not your hands.
As for seats and shorts, the point of padded shorts and a minimalistic seat is that the padding moves with your body, rather than being static and causing friction in all sorts of places as you move. Gel seats are awful. I (also F) have a very minimal saddle like this (but an older version): [https://www.backcountry.com/b/selle-italia-slr-lady-superflow-boost-saddle](https://www.backcountry.com/b/selle-italia-slr-lady-superflow-boost-saddle) I wear padded shorts for everything over 10 miles. That particular saddle might not work for you, but I’d suggest going for something with a female-appropriate cutout and keeping the padding on your shorts, not the saddle itself. The LBS where I bought my saddle offered returns if it didn’t work out, that’s a good thing to look for because it can take a decent ride to figure out if it really works for you.
Also make sure that your bike fit is correct once you get a new saddle, and that you are not strummin’ the plumbin’ as my favorite bike shop guy used to say.
Go. Talk. To. Your. Local. Bike. Shop.
Ask the people who do this professionally, not a bunch of randos on fucking reddit.
Source; i work at a FLBS (Friendly Local Bicycle Shop)
I have never met a mountain bike that is comfortable to ride 10 miles on pavement with. I have ridden more than 10 on trails in a day, but it is just very different than paths/pavement.
I own 3 bikes these days. 1 mountain bike for trail riding, 1 electric cargo/wagon for hauling things and 1 other bike for everything else. The last one is a road bike frame set up with gravel components. I only tell you about my bikes because there is a reason I have three. Mountain bikes not on a trail is you really solidly sitting on a seat. It might sound weird but they aren’t really meant for that. On a trail you are on and off that seat and “sitting” doesn’t happen for solid time. The road bike is meant more for sitting, but in a different position and even then you are shifting weight to your 3 contact points a lot. The cargo bike has a crazy huge cruiser seat that would suck on a normal bike without electric assist, so I can really sit on it for a long time.
It’s very possible you can change your saddle etc. to make it comfortable, but I bet that involves a cruiser seat and hanger bars. Which makes it not set up for trails any longer.