Saddle fit

[Hemal Kara]

17 minutes ago, RobynE 🚵‍♀️ said:

Do you ever get bumps/abscesses? That wear must surely indicate a lot of movement. 

PS I think he meant kilos as in distance vs weight but I stand corrected. 

It looks to me like your arms are a bit too straight. I can’t see clearly from the pics but are you rotating your hands forward and down to shift/brake? If so it could be a combination of saddle too far back and controls too low (meaning that you’re moving in the seat each time you use the controls). 

Thankfully I don't get any saddle sores/abscesses or bumps. Distance on the bibs is maybe +-2000km, not really rotating, controls are angled downwards in line with my arms, I might look a bit too upright because my bike was leaning against the wall

[RossTopher]

When the bibs are on, where is the wear? I think thats key. By the looks of things, its between the thighs, so you may be sitting too far back, looking for more platform, and its rubbing on the wings. The saddle has a long narrow nose, with no pressure relief, so you could be gravitating to the rear to find comfort.

So again the argument of a too narrow saddle. Most people go too wide, but the type of bike makes a difference, you can run that on an aggressive road bike, but on the more upright mtb, a bit wider would be key.

Look at a spez phenom, bontrager verse or aeolus, selle italia slr or flite boost superflow. Something with a big channel, and around 138-145 is a safe range

Edited August 19, 2025 by RossTopher

[Hemal Kara]

1 minute ago, RossTopher said:

When the bibs are on, where is the wear? I think thats key. By the looks of things, its between the thighs, so you may be sitting too far back, looking for more platform, and its rubbing on the wings. The saddle has a long narrow nose, with no pressure relief, so you could be gravitating to the rear to find comfort.

So again the argument of a too narrow saddle. Most people go too wide, but the type of bike makes a difference, you can run that on an aggressive road bike, but on the more upright mtb, a bit wider would be key.

Look at a spez phenom, bontrager verse or aeolus, selle italia slr or flite boost superflow. Something with a big channel, and around 138-145 is a safe range

This is how the wear looks when they are on. I think you may be right, i need to do a sit bone measurement and look into another saddle!

[RossTopher]

Definitely not where you should be interacting with the saddle. I cant stress enough how important a pressure relief channel is. So look at those options. Shorter saddles are also nicer on mtb as they aren't so in the way when standing.

Some shops may have test saddles, otherwise chat to the shop and they will confirm if you can buy and return, wrap the rails in electrical tape so they dont mark and they will take it back. 

[Spinnekop]

To me........that looks like the saddle clamp chowing your bibs.

Post a side pick and a pick from above of the saddle.  Would like to see how close your thighs are getting to the clamp area and how that clamp area looks like

 

[DieselnDust]

On 8/18/2025 at 8:59 AM, Hemal Kara said:

Hi all, so what I've done so far is move my saddle backwards a few mm. Also I've realized that I have been setting my saddle height with the suspension locked out so it may possibly be too high! I will rectify this and report back! I've attached some images with measurements and side views (this is pre-adjustment)

Your fit on the bike looks fine. Nothing glaringly obvious other than the fact you’re leaning against a wall and you’re static. It’s best to get a fit baseline while pedalling the bike for at least 5-10min to let you settle into your normal riding position.

post pics of the saddle too please. 
 

PS: I’ve worn out a few popular brand SA brand bibs recently and these were quite new( not impressed) so it might also be a case of poor quality Lycra and the shorts simply wearing through due movement against the saddle which cannot be avoided unless you’re a downhiller 

[DieselnDust]

On 8/18/2025 at 10:54 AM, Hemal Kara said:

Will do that! I think the measurement is 265mm x 132mm it's not displayed underneath but it is the Prologo Nago X12 RS STN Nylon INJ Microfiber P3. Online shows those measurements

Basis your build is say that saddle is too narrow for you anyways. At 172cm and wearing a 28-30 inch jean pant (non skinny) I are riding a 137mm to 145mm saddle. 
Aee my post above, I think it’s poor quality lycra 

[W@nted]

15 hours ago, Hemal Kara said:

This is how the wear looks when they are on. I think you may be right, i need to do a sit bone measurement and look into another saddle!

IMO that looks like either the saddle clamp chowing your assos or you are pinching/rubbing the side of the saddle with your inner thigh due to a too narrow saddle.

[Thomo]

5 hours ago, Spinnekop said:

To me........that looks like the saddle clamp chowing your bibs.

Lost a few bibs where a jagged saddle clamp protruded beyond the narrowest parts of a saddle. 

[DieselnDust]

2 hours ago, W@nted said:

IMO that looks like either the saddle clamp chowing your assos or you are pinching/rubbing the side of the saddle with your inner thigh due to a too narrow saddle.

I would expect the saddle clamp to chow the inner thigh area band not the back end of the chamois behind the sitbone area.

Edited August 20, 2025 by DieselnDust

[Hemal Kara]

did a sitbone measurement at home, roughly 110mm I would say? Definitely not the seat clamp eating the bibs have checked on that aswell. Current saddle is 265 mm x 132 mm. Have been suggested the try the Selle san marco shortfit narrow 20 sport

[Irvin85]

By the looks of it I think you need to buy a new bike, it is the only way to fix this issue. 

[W@nted]

Any chance of a saddlebag or light clamp mounted on the seatpost might be damaging the pants? 
 

i am genuinely intrigued, have never seen a bib short chowed like this. 

[W@nted]

15 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

I would expect the saddle clamp to chow the inner thigh area band not the back end of the chamois behind the sitbone area.

That patch looks closer to inner thigh than sit bones to me 🤣

[DieselnDust]

16 hours ago, W@nted said:

That patch looks closer to inner thigh than sit bones to me 🤣

i have similar wear in a similar bib, that area isnt anywhere near the saddle clamp

[DieselnDust]

On 8/19/2025 at 8:57 PM, RossTopher said:

When the bibs are on, where is the wear? I think thats key. By the looks of things, its between the thighs, so you may be sitting too far back, looking for more platform, and its rubbing on the wings. The saddle has a long narrow nose, with no pressure relief, so you could be gravitating to the rear to find comfort.

So again the argument of a too narrow saddle. Most people go too wide, but the type of bike makes a difference, you can run that on an aggressive road bike, but on the more upright mtb, a bit wider would be key.

Look at a spez phenom, bontrager verse or aeolus, selle italia slr or flite boost superflow. Something with a big channel, and around 138-145 is a safe range

i'd concur with this.

still the lycra should not wear through within 2000km yet it does happen and I have a few similar wear. Quite disappointing that even cycling kit is now considered rapid wear items. I miss the days of kit lasting 5yrs+