Stationary bike seat killing my butt

Roboguy
Roboguy Posts: 25 Member
edited November 12 in Fitness and Exercise
I need help. The seat on my stationary bike is extremely uncomfortable to my wife and I. We can't find a gel seat large enough to cover this model and I have even tried pillows. Of course, it can't be replaced with a normal bike seat.

Anybody have any ideas on how I can engineer a solution? My *kitten* would appreciate it.
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Replies

  • Julbella78
    Julbella78 Posts: 161 Member
    Try padded bike shorts. They were recommended to me for my spinning class. I of course did not take the advice to purchase them and my butt hurts like heck!
  • Gossamer5
    Gossamer5 Posts: 12 Member
    If you come up with a solution, let me know. I feel for ya. I can barely move when I get off of mine!! LOL!!
  • Nina74
    Nina74 Posts: 470 Member
    The more you ride, the less it will hurt. I second padded bike shorts.
  • MzBug
    MzBug Posts: 2,173 Member
    They used to sell sheepskin bike seat covers.... dunno if they do anymore. Maybe ask a shop that sells exercise equipment if they know of a "fix it" shop that might have a replacement seat? Maybe the manufacturers web site? One sized seat does not fit all.
  • Hoosiermomma
    Hoosiermomma Posts: 877 Member
    I would suggest that your wife and you take turns, the seat is not made for both of you! :laugh: :laugh:

    JK (Hope you find a solution!)
  • Roboguy
    Roboguy Posts: 25 Member
    I would suggest that your wife and you take turns, the seat is not made for both of you! :laugh: :laugh:

    Bu doom Ba! LOL
  • gebona
    gebona Posts: 11
    The only thing I can think of that hasn't already been mentioned is changing the seat height, to change the angle of the pressure a little bit. I know when the seat is to high for me I end up sore faster.
  • Karmel1840
    Karmel1840 Posts: 26
    I have that problem too, I can only go like 15-20minutes on the ones at the gym cause it gets a uncomfortable...lol...so I split cardio btwn the bike, eliptical and treadmill so my bum wont hurt as much!
  • stringcheeze
    stringcheeze Posts: 286
    What about upholstery foam? You might be able to MacGyver a new seat by building up a few layers of foam over the existing seat so the wedge shape would be wider and not so rough on your backside (ie, your weight would be distributed over more surface area instead of just riding on the ischium of your pelvis).
  • Roboguy
    Roboguy Posts: 25 Member
    Thank you all. I tried adjusting the height today but still no relief. I took the seat structure apart to see if I could engineer ("MacGyver" too cool) a seat from a real bike onto it.

    nope

    Next I either buy padded shorts or stick a pillow down the back of my boxers.
  • AEROBICVIC
    AEROBICVIC Posts: 159 Member
    as a cycling instructor i can tell you it does get better. do you have a home bike or a "spinning" bike? if you have a sturdy bike that you can pedal out of the seat like a spinning bike then i can help you out some. how it works for new spinning/cycling people is your first 3-4 times are the worst. after that you become more comfortable with doing a lot of the "out of saddle" rides leaving less time in the seat. plus as a newby, you tend to rest all your upper body weight sitting on the seat, as your endurance builds up and you use your legs the proper way, your legs actually lift some of the pressure off your seat so not ALL your upper body wt is resting on the seat as you pedal.

    Proper leg function: as you are seated and pedalling, think of your pedal as a clock. when your foot is in the 1:00-5:00 position you are pushing down with quads, 5:00-7:00 calf muscles kick in, 7:00-11:00 hamstrings kick in as you "pull up" on the pedal and 11:00-1:00 glutes kick in. so if you use your total leg function you will hit quads, calf, hams then glutes. it is full leg movement. you want to make sure you push down and pull up on the pedals and have your foot straps tight.

    I've had pros and cons from students about padded seats. i never used one so i can't speak from experience. some say it helped cushion the seat, others say it just gets in the way and the pressure is still there, just in diff areas of the butt.

    most important is form. the height will effect your knees more than the comfort of your butt. please adjust the height of your seat to the height of your body. you should have a slight bend in your knee when your foot is in the 6:00 position and enough space between your seat & handle bars of with the length of your arm (place elbow at front of seat and fingers should touch the handle bars.

    i hope this helps you out some!
  • Ruiz2k5
    Ruiz2k5 Posts: 1
    I also have this problem. I will look for the bike shorts. Has this worked for anyone?
  • kmr72
    kmr72 Posts: 24 Member
    IF your stationary bike is a upright bike...turn it into a stationary bike. You take a chair from your dinette set and sit it behind the bike and ride. Of course adjust the bike seat so you won't bump your knees into the seat. This is what I do. Hope this helps.
  • BunnyLamonby
    BunnyLamonby Posts: 1 Member
    This is a very good link to info about changing exercise bike seats. Mine hurts too much to use at all and i bought a gel seat pad thats no better. Im going to try replacing it. Good luck anyone
    http://bicycles.stackexchange.com/questions/6493/getting-a-cycling-saddle-that-fits
  • mtee53
    mtee53 Posts: 4 Member
    I have the same problem. About half way through I put a cushion on the seat and that does help but I think I am going to try one of those gel seat covers that just ties on the the existing seat. I lost 100 pounds or so since 9/12. The more I lost, the more my butt disappeared. That caused endless problems. Tail Bone issues, etc.,. Finally, after months of sitting on a coccyx cushion the pain went away. I'm very conscious of sitting on that bike seat now so if you have a similar situation, exercise caution as a bruised and sensitive coccyx/tailbone problem just nags on and on.
  • random_user75
    random_user75 Posts: 157 Member
    When I use the stationary bike at the gym, I place a folded up towel on the seat. That usually provides enough extra cushion.
  • mtee53
    mtee53 Posts: 4 Member
    I haven't tried a towel but that does make good sense. I did buy a padded gel seat at Academy. It was a little small but I modified the cloth part that ties on a little bit and it is usable. Much better on my butt but still by the time I get done with my 40 minutes, I'm sore. before I lost the 100 pounds, I didn't have the problem but after weight loss, the padding is gone, ha. So far, what I've done on Myfitnesspall is maintain my weight. What I see as a con to the program is the way it tracks exercise. If you exercise and record it, it tells you that you can have MORE to eat. For me, personally, that is not a good thing. I am thinking of stopping my recording of exercise. I do it routinely now. It might be easier for me to stick to my calorie goal each day that way. Be cool !
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
    I need help. The seat on my stationary bike is extremely uncomfortable to my wife and I. We can't find a gel seat large enough to cover this model and I have even tried pillows. Of course, it can't be replaced with a normal bike seat.

    Anybody have any ideas on how I can engineer a solution? My *kitten* would appreciate it.

    Contrary to what you might think, the more cushion the saddle provides = more numbness and discomfort. You want the sit bones to contact a smaller, less padded saddle with proper seat height so that the balance of feet, aXX, and hands are evenly balanced. My adivce, a much smaller, less padded saddle that is narrower and you use cycling shorts with a quality chamois along with clipless pedals so you get the fit dialed and you are dynamically balanced.

    I spend over 400 hours a year on a iddy biddy saddle and have ZERO issues thanks to proper fit, cycling shorts with a chamois, clipless pedals and an AXX that has been properly trained to take it. The internet has tons and tons of articles on this subject. In other words, the wheel has already been invented. Do your research and man up.

    I take the saddles off of any exercise bike I purchase and replace it with a road bike, racing type saddle.
  • mommaknox5
    mommaknox5 Posts: 11 Member
    I had that problem. It won't always hurt.
  • TrekkerCynthia
    TrekkerCynthia Posts: 155 Member
    This: http://www.slowtwitch.com/Products/Saddles/Saddle_Theory_Part_III_2512.html I love my "seat with a hole for girls". Much more comfortable.

    Also, the pain will go away if you keep using the bike. It hella hurts the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th time though.
  • lmmcisaac
    lmmcisaac Posts: 1
    THE ANSWER TO YOUR BUTT PAIN:

    OPTION1: CHANGE YOUR EXERCISE BIKE SEAT
    Yes you can CHANGE your HARD, PAINFUL seat to a WIDE, COMFORTABLE bicycle gel seat.
    Go to http://www.exercisebikeseats.com/help-choosing.htm The most popular is the 11" wide gel seat.

    You can get an adaptor to allow you to choose ANY bike seat for your exercise bike. Here is information about the adaptor and how it works and where you can buy it.
    http://www.exercisebikeseats.com/adaptor-installation.htm

    OPTION2: ADD A NICE THICK GEL PAD
    This site sells an absolutely wonderful gel seat pad that is VERY comfortable. It sells, small, medium and large pads - even a custom sizable pad too.

    This should help your bum feel better, it did mine!
  • loubidy
    loubidy Posts: 440 Member
    I went to spinning once. Could barely walk the next day my butt hurt so bad.

    Did see some very comfy looking bike shorts in a sports shop and would definitely consider them if I ever go back!
  • gymbunny1962
    gymbunny1962 Posts: 36 Member
    I do spin, cycle and, occasionally, use an exercise bike. The most uncomfortable out of the lot are exercise bikes! Ten minutes in the oversized saddles and I'm done. Listen to the advice of AEROBICVIC - make sure your bike is properly adjusted and watch technique.
  • DerriairBicycleSeats
    DerriairBicycleSeats Posts: 1
    Here is the answer: www.exercisebikeseats.com there is an adapter that lets you put any bicycle seat on your exercise bike.
  • HonestHuck
    HonestHuck Posts: 2 Member
    Roboguy wrote: »
    I need help. The seat on my stationary bike is extremely uncomfortable to my wife and I. We can't find a gel seat large enough to cover this model and I have even tried pillows. Of course, it can't be replaced with a normal bike seat.

    Anybody have any ideas on how I can engineer a solution? My *kitten* would appreciate it.

    *kitten* is hurting now...but took AerobicVics advice and increased the resistance and sat up off the seat for periods and frickin worked and better workout ...as all muscle groups are now being hit. Cool.
  • HonestHuck
    HonestHuck Posts: 2 Member
    AEROBICVIC wrote: »
    as a cycling instructor i can tell you it does get better. do you have a home bike or a "spinning" bike? if you have a sturdy bike that you can pedal out of the seat like a spinning bike then i can help you out some. how it works for new spinning/cycling people is your first 3-4 times are the worst. after that you become more comfortable with doing a lot of the "out of saddle" rides leaving less time in the seat. plus as a newby, you tend to rest all your upper body weight sitting on the seat, as your endurance builds up and you use your legs the proper way, your legs actually lift some of the pressure off your seat so not ALL your upper body wt is resting on the seat as you pedal.

    Proper leg function: as you are seated and pedalling, think of your pedal as a clock. when your foot is in the 1:00-5:00 position you are pushing down with quads, 5:00-7:00 calf muscles kick in, 7:00-11:00 hamstrings kick in as you "pull up" on the pedal and 11:00-1:00 glutes kick in. so if you use your total leg function you will hit quads, calf, hams then glutes. it is full leg movement. you want to make sure you push down and pull up on the pedals and have your foot straps tight.

    I've had pros and cons from students about padded seats. i never used one so i can't speak from experience. some say it helped cushion the seat, others say it just gets in the way and the pressure is still there, just in diff areas of the butt.

    most important is form. the height will effect your knees more than the comfort of your butt. please adjust the height of your seat to the height of your body. you should have a slight bend in your knee when your foot is in the 6:00 position and enough space between your seat & handle bars of with the length of your arm (place elbow at front of seat and fingers should touch the handle bars.

    i hope this helps you out some!

    Cool thanks I just read first paragraph and the lightbulb went ding!!! Butt starting to hurt again time to raise up off seat and increase resistance. You rock !!!
  • ObsidianMist
    ObsidianMist Posts: 519 Member
    I've been doing spin for a few months now and I couldn't stand the way the seat hurt my butt at first. I was told it would take about ten times of doing it before it wouldn't hurt anymore. now, a few months in, it doesn't really bother me anymore. it's just a matter of getting used to it.
  • nvarras7
    nvarras7 Posts: 1 Member
    AEROBICVIC wrote: »
    as a cycling instructor i can tell you it does get better. do you have a home bike or a "spinning" bike? if you have a sturdy bike that you can pedal out of the seat like a spinning bike then i can help you out some. how it works for new spinning/cycling people is your first 3-4 times are the worst. after that you become more comfortable with doing a lot of the "out of saddle" rides leaving less time in the seat. plus as a newby, you tend to rest all your upper body weight sitting on the seat, as your endurance builds up and you use your legs the proper way, your legs actually lift some of the pressure off your seat so not ALL your upper body wt is resting on the seat as you pedal.

    Proper leg function: as you are seated and pedalling, think of your pedal as a clock. when your foot is in the 1:00-5:00 position you are pushing down with quads, 5:00-7:00 calf muscles kick in, 7:00-11:00 hamstrings kick in as you "pull up" on the pedal and 11:00-1:00 glutes kick in. so if you use your total leg function you will hit quads, calf, hams then glutes. it is full leg movement. you want to make sure you push down and pull up on the pedals and have your foot straps tight.

    I've had pros and cons from students about padded seats. i never used one so i can't speak from experience. some say it helped cushion the seat, others say it just gets in the way and the pressure is still there, just in diff areas of the butt.

    most important is form. the height will effect your knees more than the comfort of your butt. please adjust the height of your seat to the height of your body. you should have a slight bend in your knee when your foot is in the 6:00 position and enough space between your seat & handle bars of with the length of your arm (place elbow at front of seat and fingers should touch the handle bars.

    i hope this helps you out some!

    Thanks! You advice to the OP helped me out a lot!
  • jordanhm1
    jordanhm1 Posts: 1 Member
    I've tried everything and gel bike seat covers do NOT work! They are too soft and do not push back on your weight. Padded cycling shorts are a good option, but they are expensive and you need a few pair since you have to wash them after each use. I did find a new product that uses the same high density cushion used in padded cycling shorts. The product is called Komfy and I swear by it. www.sokomfy.com
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
    Roboguy wrote: »
    I need help. The seat on my stationary bike is extremely uncomfortable to my wife and I. We can't find a gel seat large enough to cover this model and I have even tried pillows. Of course, it can't be replaced with a normal bike seat.

    Anybody have any ideas on how I can engineer a solution? My *kitten* would appreciate it.

    All kinds of adapters are available so you can mount a nice, normal cycling saddle on an exercise bike.

    Here's an example...

    http://www.derriair.com/exercise-bike-seat-adaptors.htm
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