Biking Hurts my Bum!

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Sweet13_Princess
Sweet13_Princess Posts: 1,207 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I know... silly header, but it's the truth. It's still pretty cold for biking in Pennsylvania right now, but I thought I would post things anyway. I really would love to do more biking in the spring, but my butt gets so bruised and it's so painful, I can only go a few blocks and back. I've tried: 1) having my seat adjusted 2) getting a gel seat 3) wearing bicycle shorts, but to no avail. If I bike for a small distance, I end up having black and blue marks on some very senstive areas a day later. Anyone else have this issue? Where you able to overcome it and can give me some advice?

Shannon

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  • harleyquinn1504
    harleyquinn1504 Posts: 45 Member
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    I took a cycling class once at the gym. It bruised my taint. That was enough for me.
  • Charlie001
    Charlie001 Posts: 354
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    Try padded shorts. Or, go to a pro cycling shop.
  • MassiveDelta
    MassiveDelta Posts: 3,311 Member
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    I took a cycling class once at the gym. It bruised my taint. That was enough for me.

    Well that taint cool!
  • shanolap
    shanolap Posts: 1,204 Member
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    The only thing I can think of is to ride 'out of the saddle'. So maybe try a minute sitting and a minute standing. You'll get more of a burn and less of a bruised bum!
  • ginnyroxx
    ginnyroxx Posts: 763
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    I took a cycling class once at the gym. It bruised my taint. That was enough for me.

    Well that taint cool!
    no it taint.
    :laugh:
  • Nikiki
    Nikiki Posts: 993
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    buy a big butt seat!!! my husband and I bike a lot in the warmer months (I'm in Ohio so its not biking weather yet here either) and we both upgraded to big wide seats. Check out walmart & target or your local bike shop, mine is about 10-11 inches wide and his is 12 inches, you'll still be a little "saddle sore" after the first few long rides of the season but its a HUGE improvement over the factory seat with a gel pad cover that I had before :)
  • jwalker675
    jwalker675 Posts: 1
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    Say it taint so..

    I bike a lot in the summer and this is part of the conditioning process that i often forget about. Two years ago i rode in a mtn bike race with very little actual ride time in advance and i could barely walk for a week.

    Just do what you can and before you know it you won't notice, takes me about 8 hours or more of saddle time.
  • msarro
    msarro Posts: 2,748 Member
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    Make sure you're using the right type of seat for what you're riding. If you're on a sprint bike (usually fixed gear) the seat is more of an afterthought, and isn't meant to provide much comfort. It's super small, because sprinters are usually not sitting. If you have a cruiser or a comfort bike, the seat tends to be wider, softer, and have better cushioning. If it doesn't match what you're doing on the bike, you may want to hit up a bike shop and see about getting a replacement saddle.

    Padded shorts are another possibility, but even padded shorts won't solve everything if you're using the wrong type of seat.
  • MassiveDelta
    MassiveDelta Posts: 3,311 Member
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    On a serious note. 2 things go to a bike shop and tell them ask them for a professional fitting (make sure you tell them whats going on)

    2nd thing. Ride more. The more you ride the better it will get. Bruising shouldn't occur but it is going to hurt the first few times you ride. Ive been sore a few times too and much of it is due to tender parts not being used to that type of movement and pressure.
  • HollyMac20
    HollyMac20 Posts: 259 Member
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    I enjoy a good bike ride during the summer and always do a three day 180 mile total ride. A couple tips are the paddled shorts. Make sure they are women's style. No underwear with the shorts, the edges are just another thing to rub and irritate. Change positions frequently as well. Stand up, lean forward, rest on your drops (if you have a road bike) or even stop and put your feet down to get a drink and rest. Like many people said above, go to the bike shop and try out different seats. It seems like a crazy concept, but those little skinny narrow seats are actually comfortable. They just kind of wedge in there. People who ride for hours and hours use them. And definately ride more and work up to it.

    Good luck!
  • Sweet13_Princess
    Sweet13_Princess Posts: 1,207 Member
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    Thanks for the ideas. I did buy a pair of padded, spandex biker shorts that are supposedly made for women, but it didn't do much to improve the situation. The bike I have is actually an off road bike and I still have the standard seat that came with it. I added TWO gel seat covers in the hopes it would help, but to no avail. I also took it to a bike shop for adjustment, but it still didn't make much of a difference. I guess I could purchase a big butt seat or one of those new ones specifically designed for women....

    Do you really think it comes down to conditioning?

    Shannon
  • Nikiki
    Nikiki Posts: 993
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    i think conditioning is a big part of it, also when you first start riding you're spending most of your time sitting down, as you build up the muscles you're going to be changing position more, standing on the pedals more, leaning forward, sitting back so you're not putting continuous pressure on one part of your tender nether regions lol. I know that the first week I rode I was in pain and I only went twice about 15 minutes each time, the second week was worse and again I only rode twice, but by the third week (which is also when I bought the fat butt seat) it started getting better (rode 3 times), and by the time it started snowing I could ride 30-45 minutes 4-5 mornings a week and not be hurting at all.

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