I once made the rookie mistake of putting a soft and broad mountain bike saddle on my road bike, leading to an embarrassing visit to the hospital emergency department. On my last bike tour I was using a secondhand road bike saddle, but I’d get pins-and-needles and numbness after long hours riding. It turns out I need a firm, narrow saddle with wide enough flanges in the right place to support my “sit bones”. The bike shop has got me trialling this demo saddle in preparation for the upcoming trip.