Hello Jesper,
Just curious what this Nishiki Linear is. Is that to give you a "aero" kind of sitting posture?
@Dusan, my riding buddy in Colombia and Ecuador rodé with a backpack. After parting ways in Ecuador, he continúed on to Patagonia. I too ride with one all the time. I do not have Brooks or a high quality saddle or even a gel-cushoned saddle cover.
But, what I personally observed is following: During, the first few days or weeks of bikepacking I need to start with padded shorts and then switch to regular shorts once the body had gotten used to sitting on the saddle. By the end of 2-3 months of riding, I was thinking of giving away my padded shorts because I hadn't used them in a long time.
Then, I took a break from riding for a few months.
Then in India, I started my bikepacking with simple shorts. BIG mistake. I had sores from day one and couldn't sit or stand.
Difference: Same bike and saddle. But,the first time I had conditioned my saddlle while the second time, I rushed in..:-(
In a months time, I will be taking the same fatbike to the Himalayas. This time, I am not only taking regular daypack but also my 50lt backpack. It will NOT be fully loaded but i plan to bring it with me so that I can backpack when I am in the Himalayas..
I will keep you posted..
(06-14-2024, 11:07 AM)Jesper Wrote: (06-14-2024, 06:21 AM)Dusan Wrote: Did you have issues with saddle sores when riding with a backpack? I was always wary of riding with one because I thought the additional weight on my sit bones could cause troubles, but I see some people doing it.
When I did my long tour I did not experience any problems (saddle sores, pain in butt or back). It may have been that by that time I had already been commuting to school over 40Km a day with a backpack filled with books, etc. I was also a multisport athlete so thank probably helped round out my fitness and muscle conditioning. I think I had about 9 to 10Kg of weight in the pack when touring. I did not even have any specialized cycling gear at that time, just sweatpants and running shoes. Now I ride with about 2 to 3Kg in my pack with unpadded cycling shorts. My back is the problem in old age even without a pack; cold weather kills me, but I prevail without medication.
I think one other factor regarding my butt condition is my lower body weight (presently approx. 62.5Kg; 40 years ago approx. 60Kg) which would not cause as much pressure applied to the saddle. I have trouble with new Brooks saddles because I cannot break them in, so I try to find a slightly used one already softened up a bit. My San Marco Rolls saddles that I have regularly used for 35 to 40 years show no signs of padding deterioration even with regular usage so my weight and riding position must not have as much of an impact on my body and equipment as it might for heavier riders.
Also, riding in an aero postion takes some of the load off the butt, compared to riding in a more upright position, with more load applied to the wrists, arms, and shoulders. I noticed this while doing an informal criterium race where I used (for fun) my 1970 Raleigh Sports roadster with a fairly new Brooks Flyer saddle (they have coil springs). I rode over 20 miles that day in a much more upright position than my norm. My back was fine, but my butt was sore; unsure if it was saddle and/or riding position related discomfort since my normal rides on the same bike were only 8 to 10 miles (including some off-road miles) and I did not experience any pain or discomfort from those rides.
Looking at your bike set-up I think I would be pretty comfortable except in a stretch position using the aerobars which is something I do not use on any of my bikes for a couple reasons in that I prefer more control and my back would not be happy. I do use bullhorns without issue except when on my "lo-pro" TT bike, but that is a different story altogether.
Big difference when riding these bikes, especially for 60yr old with multiple past injuries.
'70 Raleigh Sports
'87 Nishiki Linear