New to bicycling -- sore sit bones

lesliefb
lesliefb Posts: 88 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey all - I hope there are some bicyclists out there who might be able to offer some advice. I'm happy to report I found an exercise that I enjoy -- bicycling. I've been out with the kids on a 2.5-3 mile ride for the last 4 days in a row. I am looking forward to building up to longer rides. It's been a good start, but my sit bones are quite sore. I've read that it's pretty normal for a newbie. I have a least 50-75lb to lose, so I'm guessing my weight on that tiny seat doesn't help. But I do have a good bike and saddle from a proper bike shop. Should I keep going for my daily bike rides and just deal with the soreness til it goes away, or should I rest a day or two? Not worried about "falling off the wagon" because the kids will keep pestering me to go! lol

Thanks for advice!
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Replies

  • susanr613
    susanr613 Posts: 22
    Hate to tell you this, but even after losing 50 pounds and now being at goal, I still get sore....but it takes a lot longer! I don't bike more than a day in a row. I belong to a gym, so I do other cardio like the elliptical machine. Now that it's summer, I walk and run too. Investing in padded bike shorts has helped me too.

    I'm glad you found something that you like - take a break now and then, and enjoy!
  • bikingpanda
    bikingpanda Posts: 68 Member
    Hello,
    I would take a day off. 4 days in a row for a beginner can be a lot on the sit bones. I would also suggest that the day following be a light ride. You will build up in time. You may also want to try the bicycling group for help as well.

    https://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/361-bicycling-road-and-mountain
  • onetoughmudder
    onetoughmudder Posts: 25
    I'd ride it out, and maybe get some padded shorts.

    Welcome to the addiction, btw. I love cycling. For me, so much more fun than jogging, and SO much easier on the body.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
    2 things - Have your bike fitted to you @ a bike shop. Also, get some biking shorts with chamois in them.
  • judykat7
    judykat7 Posts: 576 Member
    For a few years I wrapped my "tiny" seat in a sweatshirt with duct tape. Just recently I bought a different seat that actually has some seat room! All the difference in the world. It was not a fancy seat at all but sure makes it more comfortable. I am thinking that 2 1/2 to 3 miles isn't so much that you would need a break. I am also guessing (maybe incorrectly) that you are not really going as fast and hard as you can with kids in tow. The tilt on the seat makes a huge difference for my soreness as well. I am no professional at it by any means though, just someone that got sore butt from riding. I ride 3-4 times a week 8-13 miles each time. Stay with it though, it is great exercise.
  • ninjakitty419
    ninjakitty419 Posts: 349 Member
    I have that problem as well, and also (stop reading now if you are uncomfy with TMI) my vag falls asleep!! I am assuming it is all the weight probably cutting of ciculation down there, but I dont know anyone else with that problem.
  • larsensue
    larsensue Posts: 461 Member
    you can get larger seats now (my mom has one that is 2X the size of mine) that are very comfortable. also try a padded seat cover(also can buy them at any bike store or even walmart).
  • celtbell3
    celtbell3 Posts: 738 Member
    Cycling is a passion! Enjoy it. You can get bike shorts, with padding. As someone else suggested, you can also just take a day to rest. You will probably remain sore for a while until your sit bones are more accepting! Enjoy it!!!!
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    +1 for bike shorts. They feel like you're wearing a diaper at first but your sit bones will thank you.....
  • mreeves261
    mreeves261 Posts: 728 Member
    I say invest in either some padded shorts or a padded seat cover. I put in a minimum of 20 miles every Saturday and the gel padded seat cover has saved me more than a few tears. As I become more advanced I will worry about better bike, attire, computing, etc.

    I would take a break until I put some padding between my bones and the saddle if I were you. As far as distance goes you're good to do that every day if you want, IMO.

    Keep cycling and enjoy the sense of childhood that comes back with it!!!
  • 43932452
    43932452 Posts: 7,246 Member
    So far this year all mine has been indoor. I'm waiting until
    later in the season to go on my outdoor rides. Unfortunately
    that is my biggest drawback. A sore rear ..
    They do sell saddles, my bike
    has an awful one and the type I need isn't great .. have you
    thought about taking your bike to a nearby bike shoppe and
    trying out new saddles? Men/wmn have dif pressure points
    so you'll need a female specific one. Hope this helps. :)
  • mreeves261
    mreeves261 Posts: 728 Member
    I have that problem as well, and also (stop reading now if you are uncomfy with TMI) my vag falls asleep!! I am assuming it is all the weight probably cutting of ciculation down there, but I dont know anyone else with that problem.

    Might I suggest you tilt the nose of your saddle down. You are putting all you weight, pretty much all, of your tender bit. If you are loosing feeling then you need to stop until you figure out why or you could cause some serious, in-correctable damage!
  • lesliefb
    lesliefb Posts: 88 Member
    I have that problem as well, and also (stop reading now if you are uncomfy with TMI) my vag falls asleep!! I am assuming it is all the weight probably cutting of ciculation down there, but I dont know anyone else with that problem.

    I actually just saw a great video on that exact problem. http://bicyclelab.com/bicycle-saddle-pain-and-discomfort/ They talk about the anatomy of both men and women and how it relates to a bicycle seat. Sounded like the sit bone problem was just a matter of getting used to it, but the other problems of pain or things falling asleep should probably be corrected with changes to posture or to your bike's seat.
  • judykat7
    judykat7 Posts: 576 Member
    I have that problem as well, and also (stop reading now if you are uncomfy with TMI) my vag falls asleep!! I am assuming it is all the weight probably cutting of ciculation down there, but I dont know anyone else with that problem.

    Me too! And then all tingly when I get off and walk around. The tilt fixed it for the most part and I am careful not to wear any kind of shorts with prominent seams. Can't be hurting our deals!
  • lesliefb
    lesliefb Posts: 88 Member
    Hello,
    I would take a day off. 4 days in a row for a beginner can be a lot on the sit bones. I would also suggest that the day following be a light ride. You will build up in time. You may also want to try the bicycling group for help as well.

    https://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/361-bicycling-road-and-mountain

    Thanks! Love your profile pic. Think it probably looks a bit like me on a bike. LOL!
  • DaveFassett
    DaveFassett Posts: 12 Member
    I have that problem as well, and also (stop reading now if you are uncomfy with TMI) my vag falls asleep!! I am assuming it is all the weight probably cutting of ciculation down there, but I dont know anyone else with that problem.

    Had the same problem (male parts though) with numbness until I bought a new seat with a cutout to relieve pressure... butt still gets sore after about mile 15 or so, but numbness is gone :)
  • wendamabelle
    wendamabelle Posts: 25 Member
    I had this problem when I started riding. I took 4 days off and switched things up with Zumba for a bit and haven't had any problems since.
    A rest will do you no harm as long as you get back up in the saddle :)
  • crzycylr
    crzycylr Posts: 78 Member
    I love to ride!!! And you can actually go places and see things too!! I never ride more than two days in a row. Do you have a gel seat? Make sure that you are stretching out your legs and inner thighs before you ride, that should help some. I always feel that the soreness the next day reminds me that I'm a BAD A#@ rider!! So, keep it up, eventually you will get used to it. Excellent way to burn calories!
  • lesliefb
    lesliefb Posts: 88 Member
    Thanks everyone! Very encouraging advice. I'll see what they say up at the local bike shop, too. Guessing it will be easier to find padding for my bicycle seat than padding for *my* seat. haha. Plus size women's sports gear and clothing is usually something you can only find online. I'll take some motrin and see how I feel tomorrow -- maybe just do a mile or so to keep the daily routine in tact.

    I work from home, and I'm thinking a lunch time bike ride may become part of my new schedule.
  • romyhorse
    romyhorse Posts: 694 Member
    Definitely get your seat checked to make sure it's adjusted properly, you should be sitting on your seat bones. Also, a lot of the pain is caused by lack of circulation so you should stand up on your pedals every 10 minutes to let the blood flow. And definitely invest in a pair of padded shorts (or capris, which I wear as they are much more flattering) if you intend to cycle regularly.
  • shezzzzz
    shezzzzz Posts: 119 Member
    My daughter rides a lot (she's doing a tri this weekend).

    Make sure you are using a seat made for women, shorts with padding, and other than that, you should get used ti it.

    As my daughter says, if your cooch is falling asleep, you've got the wrong seat.
  • SusanUW83
    SusanUW83 Posts: 152 Member
    I ride a lot but my "sit bones" are the last thing to bother me; hands and feet fall asleep long before anything else hurts. One thing that helps the problem is to change up how you are sitting every 5 or so minutes. Lean forward on your handlebars, sit upright, sit less upright -- change where the pressure is. That works for hands too -- especially if you have handlebars where there is more than one position. Good bike shorts help too. Pros and cons on bike seat padding -- they also make seats specifically for women where there is a cutout in the center to relieve pressure in the crotch, and are wider to match up with women's pelvic bones. I've been through a dozen seats before finding one pretty comfortable.
  • samcat2000
    samcat2000 Posts: 106 Member
    2 things - Have your bike fitted to you @ a bike shop. Also, get some biking shorts with chamois in them.

    This! Sore sit bones have been the story of my life. I'm not exactly a beginner but peeps around here are hard core so I consider myself a newb. I'm finally getting a 3-D bike fit. It's not cheap but everyone tells me this is the way to go. If you have any medical conditions you may qualify for a medical bike fit which is covered by some insurance plans. When I first got my bike I had a run-of-the-mill bike fit but it wasn't enough for my issues. I do think I need a new seat at the very least. I do wear pretty good quality chamois shorts. I'm trying to work up to 40 miles/ride and am at 15-20 right now but have trouble riding every day because of the sore sit bones. Can't wait to see what happens at the bike fit and am looking for some relief because I love riding! Good luck to you and keep on riding :)!
  • samcat2000
    samcat2000 Posts: 106 Member
    Forgot to add that my bike fit is going to be done at a sports medicine clinic not the specialized bike shop where I bought the bike.
  • corgicake
    corgicake Posts: 846 Member
    Yep, sit bone soreness goes away in time. BUT if you're going numb anywhere, the seat and/or frame is a bad match. Hopefully they didn't weld in the handlebars if this is a result of leaning in too far all the time because raising them can help.
  • barb1241
    barb1241 Posts: 324 Member
    I LOVE riding my bicycle!!!! Went 37.2 miles yesterday-honest! I haven't ridden in a while and my sit bones were dyin' after about 5 miles. I did change the seat from a solid one to one with an open middle, so I don't get the lady bits chafed any more. If you are too sore, maybe ride every other day??? Some folks seem to feel better eventually-less sore, get used to it-and some never seem to. Hubs just keeps changing his position on the bike but never really gets over a bit of soreness. He used to ride 100+ miles a week
  • shirleygirl910
    shirleygirl910 Posts: 503 Member
    Pointing the seat down works for me with the numbness. One of my books mentioned if your sit bones are sore try sitting back on the wide part of the seat more. Your seat may not be set front to back correctly.
  • siqiniq
    siqiniq Posts: 237 Member
    I have that problem as well, and also (stop reading now if you are uncomfy with TMI) my vag falls asleep!! I am assuming it is all the weight probably cutting of ciculation down there, but I dont know anyone else with that problem.

    I have the same problem with my girly parts! And I'm sure 'm developing calluses where I don't want them! I'm in the market for a whole new bike, as I bike to work 3-4 days per week, 7 km each way, and do more on weekends.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    cycling shorts help so much. and they have the kind that look like regular shorts.
  • lesliefb
    lesliefb Posts: 88 Member
    Thanks again, everyone. Took a couple days off and am going for another ride today. We'll see how it goes!

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