April 23,2008 Legendary Triathlon and Cycling Coach, Joe Friel,
shares his opinion of the ISM Adamo saddle
John Cobb has done it again. He’s always coming up with stuff that
helps me ride faster, but now he’s making me more comfortable, too.
I’m getting back into time trialing this year. I used to do these quite
often. One of the biggest obstacles to racing well, I found, was that my
butt got so sore in the aero position that I had to wear two pair of
cycling shorts for the extra padding. As the hips roll forward into an
aero position body weight shifts toward the soft tissues. The more
aggressive the position, the more discomfort I experienced. For a man to
be even moderately comfortable (which means significantly uncomfortable)
he must adjust his equipment to one side or the other of the nose of the
saddle. There is simply no way to eliminate the discomfort of that
damned saddle nose sticking out between the thighs. That is until I came
a cross the Adamo saddle that John helped to design.
But getting back to my training… I found I wasn’t looking forward to my
once or twice weekly aero-position rides on my Cervelo P3c because of
the discomfort. So I decided to shop around for something that would
feel better. I had recently seen John’s Adamo saddle at the Blackwell
Research booth at the SICI conference in Denver. So I decided to give it
a try.
The Adamo certainly looks different. It doesn’t have the long, sleek
look of my Specialized Toupe. It’s a little goofy looking with a short
length and a pair of stubby rails sticking out in front (see picture).
It is about one to two inches shorter than a traditional saddle. The UCI
rule is that saddles have to be 240mm long. The Adamo is 245mm. My Toupe
saddle is 270mm. What this means to the rider is that there is nothing
sticking out between the legs. You are sitting on the “nose” of the
saddle, if you can call it that. As the hips rotate forward they roll
onto the gel-padded rails and there is no pressure in the perineal area
which is where the discomfort usually is experienced.
It took a while to get it adjusted. You don’t set it up the same as a
traditional road saddle. The first ride I carried allen wrenches with me
and kept stopping to make adjustments. After a half dozen or so I
finally got it pretty close. I’ll be going into to see Chris Pulleyen,
my bike fit specialist, soon to have him dial everything back in. (For
instructions on how to set it up go to http://www.ismseat.com/pdf/adamo_setup.pdf.)
Once I got it adjusted, riding on the Adamo was very comfortable. No
more gauging, numbness or shifting around looking for a spot that wasn’t
already achy. What a difference! I should have done this a long time
ago. I now stay centered on the saddle rather than moving from side to
side as I did before. The name “Adamo” is appropriate; it is Latin for
“pleasure.” Riding the TT bike has, indeed, become a pleasure. I now
look forward to these TT workouts.
Triathletes also might also like the Adamo because of the built in
“tri-hook” at the rear of the saddle for hanging the bike on a rack in
transition. For the roadie, however, this is just additional weight to
carry around.
Speaking of weight, the first thing I noticed about the Adamo saddle,
besides its strange shape, is the heft factor. It is definitely heavier
than what I’m used to. The Racing saddle (pictured) weighs 270g, and the
Road saddle is 320g. On the other hand, my Specialized Toupe saddle
weighs in at 150g. Using the Adamo Racing saddle means about a fourth of
a pound more to carry up a hill. What does that translate to in terms of
power? Assuming I climb at 2 watts per pound, the 120g difference
requires using approximately one extra half watt to climb a hill at the
same speed as with Toupe. The trade off to be comfortable for 40km is
well worth this miniscule cost, in my opinion, especially considering
that time trial courses are seldom hilly. The hillier the course, the
more likely I would be to use a road bike anyway. So that’s how I
justify giving up a bit of speed to have a crotch that isn’t in agony.
The company says that the saddle works as well for women as for men. As
they explain, this is because the as the hips rotate forward into an
aero position the support portions of the sit bones are more closely
spaced with the difference between a man’s and a woman’s in this
position not significantly different. I’d be interested in hearing from
women on this matter.
I must thank you Steve for designing such a wonderful saddle. I will
just take a few moments to tell you the whole story.
I had been riding with the saddles provided by the bike manufactures for some time. I felt that they were causing me some problems because of the pressure on some sensitive areas. I went to my urologist for my yearly check up and when I was there I asked him about it. He told me that there are nerves and veins that go through that area and this pressure was not good.
As much as I love to ride I had decided to stop riding because it just was not worth causing problems with my health. A short time later, my wife at the time told me she had heard about a new saddle design.
From the first ride I knew it was "right." It made perfect sense. I then ordered two more for my other bikes and have used them exclusively ever since.
I now live in Chengdu (West Central China). I just finished a one month bike trip with 7 Chinese friends from Chengdu, across the mountain ranges of Western China, into Tibet. Then across Tibet to Lhasa (the capital city and center of Tibetan Buddhism). We spent 8-10 hours a day in the saddle and I couldn't be more satisfied with a saddle. That ride from Chengdu to Lhasa was wonderful but grueling. The ride from Lhasa through the Himalayas to the base camp of Mt. Everest and Kathmandu, Nepal was to be even more so. To give you an idea, we had to rent a van to carry food supplies for 8 riders for 5 days, two boxes of medical supplies, oxygen etc. in case we were cut off by rock slides or avalanche etc. I remember thinking so many times how comfortable my saddle was even after many hours of uphill riding through mountain passes.
I don't usually take as much time as I have writing you this email Steve but I feel that I owe you that much for designing such a wonderful saddle that allowed me to continue my passion for long distance bike riding in comfort and knowing that it is not damaging my health.
Oh...by the way...I am 63 years old.
Take care and good luck Steve.
Best wishes...Harry
I had saddle sore issues 3 weeks before going to the Age Group
National Triathlon Championship in Oregon and I was not sure what to do.
I was actually thinking about withdrawing from the competition. I had
not been able to ride for 10 days. My bike shop recommended your saddle
for me to try. I did and I loved it. I now brag on it all the time.
Thanks so much,
Nina Griffin
Hello,
I’m writing to let you know how your Adamo ISM racing saddle has helped
me tremendously. I have experienced back pain on EVERY saddle I’ve
tried. In fact, last year, my back bothered me so much on the longer
races (half IM) that I decided not to do any long races this year
(2007). In the off-season, I tried your ISM racing saddle and I
experienced a phenomenal difference. When I rode on this saddle, not
only was my back not aggravated (like usual), but it seems riding on
this saddle is actually therapeutic. If my back is a little tight,
riding on it loosens and improves my back. I think it is because this
saddle holds my pelvis more stable with two anchor points (instead of
one) and/or allows the pelvis to rotate more forward and thus reducing
the strain on the lower back. As a test, after several months when my
back was completely improved, I went back and tried the traditional
saddle, and the back pain resumed. I switched back to the Adamo and the
back pain was again gone. The JOY of riding is back. Everything is
better, I can get more power into the pedals, climb better, time-trial
better, life is better. I’m signed up to do a half Ironman this year and
I am actually considering a full Ironman next year – the thing that held
me back is no longer a problem. I need to get one more for my third
bike.
Chris Sterger
San Diego, CA
Dear Steve and the ISM crew,
I just wanted to write a short note to you to let you know how impressed
I am with your Adamo line of saddles. I am a triathlete, road racer, and
a certified bike fitter for a shop in Normal, IL, so I have worked with
and seen a lot of saddles. Once I saw the release of the Adamo, I knew
that I had to try one. And once I got my hands on one, I would never go
back to anything else.
From a physiological standpoint, the concepts that went into the Adamo
are brilliant. The wide cutout relieves all of the pressure on the
tender soft tissue and nerves. That tissue is very important and is
unfortunately too often overlooked by cyclists. Also, by creating the
top of the saddle flat, riders can adjust their position fore and aft
according to their comfort, unlike the hundreds of ill-conceived, curved
saddles on the market today, which force you into one position only. For
a proper bike-fit, this is a very important issue. And perhaps my
favorite feature of the Adamo saddles, the widest portion of the saddle
is centrally located, not in the rear of the saddle. This seems like a
small detail, but from my experience it is not. Placing the widest
section of the saddle centrally allows a person’s sit-bones to be
supported, while still in the proper position to receive the benefits of
the cutout and the vibration-dampening effects of the suspended portion
of the saddle. As opposed to saddles with wide sections at the rear that
force the rider to ride on the back of saddle, which negates the
suspension benefits and soft tissue protection of the saddle.
In short, I have been recommending the Adamo saddles to nearly all of my
bike fit clients, and have received nothing but compliments from those
that ride them now. From prostate cancer survivors to bike racers and
even urologists, everyone here loves the Adamo. So, congratulations on a
product well-done! And thank you for creating saddles that protect their
riders and that are really comfortable to ride and race on!
Sincerely,
Andy Sweet
Hey -
Just wanted to say a huge thank you for bringing the ISM seat to market.
I was able to get a demo version thru a friend and it is amazing! I
can't begin to tell you what a relief it is to not have numb "bits &
pieces" after the first 1/2 hour of riding. I actually enjoy riding my
trainer now because every thing is kosher down there. It is only going
to be a matter of time until these are everywhere. Your seat will be on
my bike at Elite Duathlon Short Course Championships in May, perhaps the
1st time for this product at the elite World Championships? Very, very
cool idea. I have been shouting from the rooftops that this is FINALLY a
saddle for those of us with a history of issues with saddle comfort. I
really think my body will be better off as a result of this product.
Keep up the good work.
Mike Sharkey
Riptide Multisports Elite Team
http://riptidemultisports.com/
I'm the outdoor editor for the Pantagraph, a 50,000 circ newspaper in
Bloomington, IL. I'm also well known as a fishing writer for several
major angling magazines that cover walleye and muskies.
I am an avid cyclist who did 7,015 miles in 2006 at age 55 despite being
diagnosed with prostate cancer in April of that year. I underwent
prostate surgery in June, and I wasn't healing right so I had to have
another surgery in September. All is well now.
While off the road bike for a time, I had help researching what seat to
use to reduce pressure in the area impacted by my surgery. I'd heard of
too many people giving up biking as a result of prostate problems. I did
not want to be one of them. A triathlete/professional bike fitter named
Andy Sweet at Vitesse Cycles in Normal, Il., suggested the Adamo. I
ordered the tri model (the road model was just becoming available) and
had his professional bike fit to make certain everything was set exactly
right. I have been riding pain-free since then.
I've put it to the test. I rode seven centuries from the end of October
to the end of the year, including five in December. Two were back to
back. Two others were in three days with a 50 mile ride in between. The
longest century of those two was 124 miles. I have never once had a
problem with the Adamo. None. I have since purchased a second road bike
and equipped it with fenders, a rack and bag for commuting and light
touring and an Adamo tri saddle. I won't use anything else.
Before the Adamo, I tried a couple of others suggested on the bike
forums. But, with some minor modifications and cutouts, they are all
pretty much the conventional design with a nose right where you don't
want one. I was in agony after 25 miles. The makers always suggest
pointing the nose down to relieve pressure. That never worked added more
pain to the wrists and arms.
Whether you've had prostate problems or prostate surgery, try the Adamo.
I strongly endorse your product. It is terrific.
Scott Richardson
"At age 69 and post coronary artery bypass surgery, bicycling has
been my life-saving form of exercise. Unfortunately, even after numerous
trials of different bike seats, my limiting factor for duration of time
"in the saddle" has been numbness in the perineal area, to the degree
that I would not exercise to the limits of my ability. After using the
new ISM™ Touring seat, I now have essentially doubled my time I can
bicycle with the limiting factors being the usual physical constraints
of age and ability."
Frank D. Tagliarini, M.D.
Internal Medicine
Tampa, FL. 33612
At the inception of this Tri season I wrote to you about my
challenges on the bike. To bring you up to speed, I was getting numb
toes about twenty minutes into a ride. Over the years I've invested in
three different saddles, two pairs of shoes, new bike (fitting done by a
certified fitter), etc. Well, I could go on but I don't think it's
necessary to prove to you that I was miserable. Lastly, a two year break
after an Ironman didn't help either.
As I mentioned, I wrote to you pleading for help in the form of one of
your ISM saddles. I can now, at the end of a complete Tri season, say
that your saddle changed my triathlon career. I've successfully raced
several races this summer and PR'd each race (two first place, two
second place and a third place finish with two races to go). Hours of
training have been comfortable. I help lead and train a small tri group
(picture attached) in the Lansing Michigan area and believe everyone has
heard of the Blackwell Research ISM saddle. It's so wonderful to be able
to just ride. Not constantly evaluating my numbness, not stressing about
having to click out and shake the blood back into my feet - just riding.
I've been able to increase my average speed by over two miles per hour
for an Olympic distance tri.
I think I've merely tapped the seal of my triathlon potential. I am
happy to endorse this product with my most enthusiastic thumbs up!
Thanks, Blackwell.
Seth Botwick
Having tried the Sport and the Touring I choose the Sport. Not after
selling my race bike (to much pressure on my thighs and arms in whatever
position) and purchasing back a cross bike which makes me sit
straighter.
The Sport type saddle allows my sit bones to communicate the best -so to
speak- with the top of the saddle.
It is a pity having to let go my race bike, but greater is the shear fun
of being able to bike again and without any pressure on my prostate!
So, many thanks for your product and advice!
Kind regards,
Olav