Saddle, Sore: Ride Comfortable, Ride Happy

If you were on a ride and sprained your ankle, would you say something to the group you were riding with? Obviously, you wouldn’t just suffer in silence. But what about when you’re out on a ride and you realize that you’ve gone completely numb ‘down there,’ or you’re chafing so badly you’re afraid you’re bleeding? Most people don’t speak up in that case. Most will suffer in silence, come home and have no idea why they have massive saddle sores—if they realize what a saddle sore even looks like—or how to treat it.Your level of experience doesn’t matter. I know riders from beginners to pros who have questions about their bodies that they aren’t comfortable asking bike shop employees, coaches or even their doctors. We’ve been conditioned not to talk in public about our nether-regions, and that lack of communication is hurting our riding—making it a lot less fun.Riding shouldn’t be uncomfortable. You shouldn’t be getting saddle sores every ride. Cramping shouldn’t make you cry on the bike. And you shouldn’t be wearing your underwear with your bike shorts. Enter ‘Saddle, Sore’: the first guide to answer all of these embarrassing, awkward or just plain weird questions that you have about the bike and those sensitive areas. In this second edition, gynecologist, doctors, naturopaths, saddle makers, chamois designers, pelvic floor specialists, midwives, team soigneurs, and more, come together to provide their best tips. You’ll learn how to diagnose and treat saddle sores, how to choose a saddle and chamois, whether a pad is better than a tampon, what causes numbness on the bike, how to get back to riding after pregnancy, and so much more. You’ll also find new chapters—including a section for male riders—and many questions that have been asked and answered since the first edition came out in 2014.