I’ve had a bike for a few months now but I have a little problem… My butt hurts when I ride it! What do you do to stop that? I know it gets better the more I ride but I still get very sore because I don’t ride regularly enough to get used to it. I’m thinking about taping some thick padding onto the seat or something - anyone got any better ideas?
Cycling is great for my blood sugars! Drops me down every time (So I ride around with lollies in my mouth, which kinda defeats the purpose - weight loss - lol) So I’m hoping to make it a more comfortable experience.
I am a pretty hardcore biker and bike almost every day. I wear good padded bike shorts. If you are relativity new to biking it will hurt your sits bones (for 2-3 weeks), but because you are a female there may be some other discomfort due to the pressure being put on the middle area. I would suggest padded shorts, also if you are riding on a narrow seat you may want a seat where the back is wider because female sits bones are wider then mens and if your seat is narrow you will not be getting any support. If you are leaning forward alot that can cause more discomfort you may want to adjust your bike so that you are sitting upright more. Hope this helps,
It will go away after a couple of weeks of consistent riding. But, you could also invest in a more padded seat; they are sold at nearly all sporting goods stores.
No I’m serious - it’s the way the Tour de France boys used to do it in the days before steroids!
I admit, however, that I am a very keen cyclist and wear padded shorts. I don’t like padded seats: the gels wear out. If you want to fix it with a seat, buy a top-notch leather seat (listed for touring bikes: they are by a long way the best) and cycle frequently. Over a period of time, the leather saddle, unlike a gelled one, will mould to your shape forever and a day. I have a Dawes Galaxy Tour, five years old, moulded perfectly to my shape. Just don’t ask what that shape is…
BANANA!? I’m picturing this mushy smelly squished banana by the time I arrive at the local shops… everyone wondering what that smell is, and me with dribbles down my leg. I DON’T THINK SO lol!!
I’d been wondering about the gel seat covers. Maybe that’s an ok place for me to start. I’ll never be a regular cyclist, my lifestyle just doesn’t allow for it, so I certainly need to do something in the seat region rather than wait for my butt and seat to mold into each other!
For now maybe I"ll try wrapping something around the seat - like a big sheepskin rug or something lol.
Any other cheap & easy hints? I don’t want to spend a lot of money on the bike (and will never be buying bike shorts) as I’m just a cruiser not a serious cyclist. It’s a means of getting around town mixed in with the bonus of good exercise. So far not a passion or anything serious
I bought a comfortable soft seat for my bike. I don’t think it was terribly expensive- maybe around 30 or 40$$- and it made the world of difference. I love riding my bike now and I just couldn’t enjoy it with one of those tiny hard seats. They make both women’s and men’s versions of the seats.
Hi M,
I am a little late in replying to this, but I’ve definitely been there with the sore butt problems!
Padded shorts are really key, but it’s important that you find some that fit you well. I’ve found that more padding isn’t necessarily better, I had a pair with WAY too much material on the sides and ended up with some pretty nasty abrasions (I’ll spare you the gory details).
As far as the seat goes, I have found that squishy seats can actually make the problem much worse b/c your sit bones aren’t supported. After trying a few I got a Terry “Butterfly” seat, they run about $80 but the guy in my local bike shop told me he’d never had a complaint about them. Best purchase I ever made! Most places will let you return saddles if they don’t work for you.
P.S. Ross, a ripe banana? Really?! I’d always heard they stuck a raw steak wrapped in butcher paper down their shorts, then cooked and ate it later on after that day’s race. Not sure which would be more disgusting at the end of the day!
Guess I’m really late to this conversation, but oh well…
In my experience, the most important factors are: (1) seat, (2) padded shorts, and (3) proper bike fit.
I am guessing the right seat would go most/all the way towards fixing your problem. If you have a good seat that fits you, but a bike frame that is too big or too small, it could force you to sit in a position that won’t be comfortable. I’d find a good local bike shop and let them help you figure it all out.
As for me, I have a mountain bike that has a comfy seat and a bike frame that fits me well. My road bike is a bit too big (frame size) and has a seat that doesn’t quite match the contours of my backside. So I can ride the mtb forever, while I can only last on the roadie for about 2 hours. One of these days, I’m gonna get that thing fixed…
You have to do two things: first you must buy a pair of pants expecially made for cycling.
Second one (more expensive…): buy a good FULL SUSPENDED byke. Like the one I’m riding in my avatar.
The world will be different after that, and your butt will thank you!
agree w/ previous posters a good bike fit, a good bike seat, and padded bike shorts (and go commando wear nuthing but maybe some chamois butt’r between you and your bike shorts) have a great ride!
Great question M! I just started a new group: http://tudiabetes.com/group/cyclingdiabetics feel free to join and pose your questions there as well! Truthfully, like the rests of the posts my butt hurts every time I’ve been off the bike for any extended length of time. The more you ride the better it will feel! However, there is something to be said for proper fit and cycling shorts. If you aren’t in to the skin tight look there are plenty of options to wear under a good pair of athletic shorts. Hope this helps, happy riding!!!
One other thing I should mention besides having a good saddle a properly fitted bike is a must. If you have never gone in and had a proper fitting I would highly recommend that you do it. When I purchased my bike the seat was adjusted to the correct height. I road it for several weeks and then went back in and got a complete fitting. This includes making sure the saddle is level, that it is not pushed too forward or back and that you have the right riser height on your handle bars. They will spend a lot of time measuring and watching you pedal. I will say that when they finished it felt better and I can ride 100 miles without being in total pain during or after the ride.
David is right, things as small as SPD cleats vs. Speedplay or Crack Bros. cleats can effect your height and riding position. It’s worth it to have at least a fellow avid cycling friend look over your position if you would rather not have it done at a shop. Not to mention all the differnt lengths and angles of stems for your handlebars.
