Bike fit is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. But there is something that pre-empts bike fit in terms of importance to a bike rider, and that is saddle selection. That's because you can have a bad fit on a good saddle, but you can't have a good fit on a bad saddle. If your saddle is wrong, bad things will happen. The number of injuries that started from improper saddle selection is legion. And the number of athletes that have made "miraculous" recoveries once they got on the correct saddle is also remarkable. There are very few problems, it seems, that saddles can neither cause nor correct.

However, saddles present some complications. With bike fit, folks generally fall within a relatively narrow range of body angles. You can - and people do - follow totally impersonal fit systems based off nothing but a bunch of measurements. While these methods of bike fitting are not ideal, they often do a serviceable job. But you can't do the same thing with saddles. Even as you measure someone's sitbone width, which thankfully helps offer some guidance with saddle selection, there's no way to predict if someone will like a firm saddle or a softer saddle or if a certain saddle with just rub someone the wrong way. Saddles are, unfortunately, unique. What this means is that if you don't like your saddle, try another one. Just because your buddy recommended it because he loves it, that doesn't mean it'll work for you. Many stores offer saddle rentals and/or generous return policies. And there are plenty of folks who sell lightly used saddles that just didn't work for them. So get in touch with your inner bargain hunter, whip out your tape measure and allen keys (make sure to keep your fit the same - saddle setback: nose to stem clamp & saddle height must remain the same!), and start testing!

There are two other topics that attend any discussion of saddles. The first is chamois creme. If you are not comfortable on your saddle, and you don't use chamois creme, that is the first change I'd make. There are now seemingly as many different versions of chamois creme as there are saddles. Some come "Euro-style" with the party-in-your-pants sensation that some folks really like. Others do not. I like both, depending on my mood for the day. I'm a big believer in experimentation, so whenever I use up one tube, I like to try a new brand. But if you are less of a walking version of Consumer Reports than I, feel free to stick with one if you find it works for you.

The other topic is bike shorts. Good bike shorts are one of the best investments you can make in your training. And good tri shorts (if you're a triathlete) are probably the single biggest speed gain you can make - way more than a disc wheel or new frame - because staying in your aerobars is the fastest way to get to the finish line. When I first started riding a bike, I did not have bike shorts. My first ride over an hour, I immediately bought a pair, that is once I was able to walk normally. And then I got a "nice" pair. And now I'm a bike short snob. If you haven't treated yourself to a pair of premium shorts, to quote Feris Bueller, "they're very choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking a pair up."

Saddles, shorts, and chamois creme. If you are going to invest your money in riding your bike, this is where you should start. A good fitter can help guide you, but don't be afraid - for once - to trust the judgment of what's between your legs.