Riding comfort for petite woman

[u/BroadLocksmith4932]

My 16yo daughter rides 1-2 hours per week in 3-4 sessions on this 24in Torker. To describe her current skill level: She can confidently ride about a quarter mile (roughly half kilometer) on smooth pavement before falling, and she can free-mount once in about 5 tries.

She is finding herself most limited by the discomfort of riding, saying that she has all of her weight on her crotch. Padded bicycle shorts (sometimes worn backwards) seem to help, but it is still uncomfortable.

What else can she try to allow her to ride longer comfortably? Are there other shape seats that might help? Is her body position off? Does the body build up a tolerance for the discomfort?

[u/Mr_Dirt22]

That seat\saddle is particularly uncomfortable for me. Unless you happen to know other people with unicycles, seats\saddles are something you'll have to buy then try. My ride buddy is female and seems to get on well with the stock "Sun Bicycles" brand unicycle saddle.

https://sun.bike/collections/unicycles/products/classic-20-9878

Frankly, you might be able to find a whole other unicycle, on the used market, for the price of replacing the saddle.

My particular favorite saddle is the Kris Holm - Street saddle. YMMV

https://www.unicycle.com/kris-holm-street-saddle/

[u/BroadLocksmith4932 → u/Mr_Dirt22]

We tried swapping out with my bike seat, but the stem is a different size. Is this common?

[u/lucyjuggles → u/BroadLocksmith4932]

A bike seat is going to be pretty uncomfortable and will make riding a lot more difficult… the ergonomics are a lot different. I also find the KH Seats to be the most comfortable.

Riding posture also makes a difference and the more she can tuck her pelvis (the “zip up your zipper” posture) and ride with her chest lifted the more it will help keep weight on the sitz bones and be more comfortable.

Also, a more modern seat with even a small handle will give her a way to grip & adjust more easily.

Those are also pretty long cranks, and the longer the crank the more leg movement is required which will cause more shifting and discomfort.

I’d follow the advice above and look for something used on marketplace or Craigslist with a nicer seat and shorter cranks. If you don’t find that you can look at unicycle.com and compare swapping out parts vs picking up something new.

The club line is pretty good. Nimbus is excellent and worth the money if she’s really interested.

[u/Groot_Calrissian → u/lucyjuggles]

I agree with all the above, but it would add that your daughter's hips may be more narrow currently than the standard seat is intended for, possibly adding to her discomfort. I would look for saddles on the slender side, with good quality padding but not overly thick. Then there's posture and acclimation, which just takes some time - it sounds like she is still pretty new to riding, both get better with time and practice.

[u/Jasefi → u/BroadLocksmith4932]

Using a bike saddle, while technically possible, is very challenging on a unicycle, I’ve only seen it done by people riding 36ers in an aero position, and handlebars are definitely needed. It’s probably more advisable to change to another unicycle saddle or experiment with different tilts. The "correct" siting position will vary, but generally you will want the weight on your butt/sittbones rather than your crotch. A flatter saddle will generally help with this. Some people prefer a harder saddle like a kh fusion one. And some a softer one, this is something you need to experiment with.

As a side note, I generally find it easier to get a comfortable position riding with slightly shorter cranks something like 110-125mm as you’re able you sit more still and not move som much from your preferred position as you are cycling

[u/Mr_Dirt22 → u/BroadLocksmith4932]

Seat posts come in all different diameters. There's no standard amongst Bicycles 22.2mm - 34.9mm and everything between. That Torker CX should have a 22.2mm which is relatively small. But has a 4 bolt mounting system as opposed to the clamping style\rail system bicycles use.

Unicycle seats\saddles are more like a hammock that cradles the rider. It's kind of why fitment can be so fussy. In higher end saddles you can get different levels of curvature with different models.

[u/nahdojo]

Agree with new saddle. I have a KH Fusion saddle and ride long distance.

Also think about getting some handle bars if the goal is long-distance.This allows you to shift position and reduce pressure by putting weight onto your hands and off your crotch.

Bike saddle is not a good idea.

Also it sounds like she is still in the early stages of her journey. These things also have a way of working themselves out over time imo. Bodies and pain responses adapt. A new saddle will 100% help but might not be the quick fix wanted (though it might be). Might be a case of practice practice practice