I Have a New Bike Seat

I haven't been riding this summer.  Other things have taken up my energy and attentions.  Still, the wonderful bike sits in the garage; a silent reminder of possibilities for the future.

Tom's knee is coming along right on schedule, and once all the rehabilitation work is done, He will be ready to ride again in earnest.  Already, He is riding a stationary bike as part of His physical therapy.  He is driving all His health care professionals nuts about returning to His riding routine.

I want to be His riding partner when the day comes.  And that is a problem...  because, remember that I had huge trouble with bike saddle induced pain in my "lady parts."  Not just a little ouchy either; I'm talking excruciating, debilitating, I cannot ride because I cannot think PAIN.

The nice, eager, young guys who work at the bike store want to be helpful.  They really do.  But they just don't know what to make of me and my "problem."  After all, in their experience, women who ride are almost all 20-something, slim, boyish-figured waifs who mostly have not birthed babies or passed through menopause.  They do not have the same sort of female anatomy issues as I do.  Have not even contemplated the possibility of arriving where I am today...  So, I've been doing research on bicycle seats designed for women, and specifically designed to reduce or eliminate pressure on the perineal nerves and tissue of the perineum itself.  I've read and studied and waded through review after review, until I finally settled on an interestingly designed seat made by a company called ERGO.  I ordered it online and it arrived in yesterday's mail.  Today, I took it to the nice, young, bike guys and they installed it for me.  I brought it home and took it for a short spin, and...  I think I LOVE it.  No pressure at all on the area in question.  Today was just a short ride, but I think I may have this problem licked.

And -- Drum roll, please...

He couldn't resist the temptation, and took a trial ride Himself -- and did just fine.  Not ready to ride more than a few minutes yet, but able to pedal and able to dismount.  A really good start.

swan