TMI spin bike love hate relationship
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mom23nuts
Posts: 636 Member
TMI POST, PLEASE BE NICE WITH YOUR ADVICE...
I love that I feel like I get a great cardio workout on my new spin bike.
Been on it 45 min a day with great music 10 of the 12 days I have had it in my home.
I have a gel seat, but....
I hate how painful my butt feels from the seat so I added more foam under the gel seat.
Sadly calling my doctor because I think I may have developed a yeast infection and he said....it is very common for bike and motorcycle riders to experience this as the increased heat and sweat from intense workouts has brought this on.
Yikes!
How can I prevent this in the future since I love the bike and can't go back to jogging due to a messed up ankle.
I wear cotton, I shower and change quickly, but I can't give up the padded seat.
I love that I feel like I get a great cardio workout on my new spin bike.
Been on it 45 min a day with great music 10 of the 12 days I have had it in my home.
I have a gel seat, but....
I hate how painful my butt feels from the seat so I added more foam under the gel seat.
Sadly calling my doctor because I think I may have developed a yeast infection and he said....it is very common for bike and motorcycle riders to experience this as the increased heat and sweat from intense workouts has brought this on.
Yikes!
How can I prevent this in the future since I love the bike and can't go back to jogging due to a messed up ankle.
I wear cotton, I shower and change quickly, but I can't give up the padded seat.
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Replies
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I would suggest investing in a pair of moisture wicking padded bike shorts.0
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I wear cotton
That right there is your problem and the reason you're getting yeast infections. I don't know if the cotton you're wearing is underwear beneath whatever your workout attire is but, as the saying goes "Cotton is Rotten". Definitely invest in a pair of good, moisture wicking bike shorts and try to go commando. I personally can't wear anything when I workout. It's annoying as all heck.
Also, give it a bit more time. Your butt will acclimate to the seat and it won't be uncomfortable.
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mean_and_lean wrote: »
I wear cotton
That right there is your problem and the reason you're getting yeast infections. I don't know if the cotton you're wearing is underwear beneath whatever your workout attire is but, as the saying goes "Cotton is Rotten". Definitely invest in a pair of good, moisture wicking bike shorts and try to go commando. I personally can't wear anything when I workout. It's annoying as all heck.
Also, give it a bit more time. Your butt will acclimate to the seat and it won't be uncomfortable.
Really? I thought cotton was supposed to be breathable. It can't be all that bad.0 -
get rid of the gel seat....your backside will get used to the seat...just takes time for your tail bone to adjust0
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Buy some padded shorts.0
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Try a women specific seat- we need our cutouts in a different place then men.-1
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Proper cycle shorts, saddle that fits, check your set up is correct, chamois cream - adding more padding to a poorly fitting seat is rarely the right answer.
And maybe stand up more for saddle relief.0 -
blues4miles wrote: »Really? I thought cotton was supposed to be breathable. It can't be all that bad.
Cotton holds moisture, which traps heat and is definitely NOT breathable. It's why specialty runner's socks cost so much and are NOT made of cotton.
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blues4miles wrote: »mean_and_lean wrote: »
I wear cotton
That right there is your problem and the reason you're getting yeast infections. I don't know if the cotton you're wearing is underwear beneath whatever your workout attire is but, as the saying goes "Cotton is Rotten". Definitely invest in a pair of good, moisture wicking bike shorts and try to go commando. I personally can't wear anything when I workout. It's annoying as all heck.
Also, give it a bit more time. Your butt will acclimate to the seat and it won't be uncomfortable.
Really? I thought cotton was supposed to be breathable. It can't be all that bad.
Nooooo....cotton is horrible for activities like this as it traps heat and holds moisture rather than wicking it away...this is why dedicated exercise clothing generally isn't cotton.
OP, get a good pair of padded riding shorts and make sure your saddle fits properly. Riding shorts with a good padded chamois will help a lot...keep in mind that they are intended to be worn commando in order to wick moisture away.
Also, make sure you change and clean up promptly. I'd also recommend an anti bacterial chamois cream or mixing in some anti-bacterial ointment with your chamois cream.0 -
Some thoughts. These aren't male/female specific and I can't speak for the latter, but this should be a good start:
1) NO COTTON. Get a good pair of cycling shorts (Perl Izumi is the common brand). Check out Sierra Trading Post for good deals on last years model, etc. You should be spending ~$50 for a good pair. If you can afford it, get 2-3 pairs due to #2...
2) Go "commando" and don't wear any undies with your cycling shorts. IMMEDIATELY (or as soon as possible) remove your cycling shorts after a ride, and don't "recycle" shorts on multiple days. Staying in your "funky" shorts too long can create all kinds of problems.
3) It's counter intuitive, but a soft cushy gel seat (a saddle in cycling parlance), or heavily padded shorts are not always better in terms of comfort. Different people have different "sit bones" and a bicycle saddle is very individually specific. Your friend who is the exact same height/weight/build may love Saddle X and it may feel like a block of wood wrapped in barbed wire to you. If you can, find a good bike shop that will let you try a saddle and exchange if it doesn't fit. There are male and female-specific saddles with different cutouts to accommodate both sex's "parts." Hit google and there are lots of good female-specific reviews of various saddles.
There are also creams you can apply "downstairs" and/or to your shorts that may help, and just getting in some miles will improve your butt "endurance."
As mentioned, I also try to stand for 5-10 seconds every ~10 minutes on a long session to keep blood flow up.0 -
Egads.
Riding a bike sounds awful.0 -
Padded cycling shorts and lose the gel saddle. Most stationary / spinning bikes have awful saddles, your sit bones may take a little while to get used to a narrowed firmer saddle but in the long run you'll be far more comfortable.
bicycling.com/maintenance/bike-fit/get-know-your-saddles-anatomy0 -
No cotton.
Get rid of the gel seat and get a pair of bike shorts with a proper chamois in them. Also wear the bike shorts commando. They are designed to be worn that way.0 -
Wow! Thanks all! I have really learned a lot here! Shopping for padded shorts ASAP!0
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Yup, proper biking shorts, worn commando. And my bike seat, leather molded over a frame. Best. Seat. Ever. It was my dads and when I inherited it, my husband's first thought was, we had to get rid of that seat and then he tried it. And then he tried to convince me, I wanted to give it to him. Yeah, no. It's mine!
All that rambling to say, you have to get use to the seat.0 -
I also always heard that you should wear cotton! I had no idea!0
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I agree with all above.
Cotton is awful for working out.
Have 2 pairs of bike shorts so you can alternate days in them and let one be cleaned & dry while the other is used.
Go commando.
Shower and dry off completely RIGHT after you exercise. Don't hang out in your bike shorts.
Get rid of the gel seat, STAT! Your bum will get used to it, I promise. Give it a week or so.
Eat more yogurt.
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Backpackers and paddlers call cotton "death cloth" because it retains moisture and can lead to hypothermia. You want wicking everything.0
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I did go out to buy 2 pr wicking leggings and have not yet found padded shorts. Will give up cotton after all the advice here! Who knew it was so unhealthy as fabric choices go. Yikes!! Mom always said clean white skivvies, but then again she was never an exerciser....so what does she know?! Did the commando thing and it is an option over cotton I guess.0
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