Butt hurt! (Bike question)

I would say two weeks. All the advice about sit bones and narrow seats is spot on. Stay with it - if you wait until it’s not tender before you ride again it takes longer.

thin seats can be very comfortable once you're used to them and I am wide in the hips. When I've stopped biking it usually only takes me about 2-3 multi-mile trips to "toughen up" but they need to be done either every day or every other day. You have to get "back in the saddle again" while it still hurts.

serindipte wrote: »

I skipped last night because of the butt hurt, but planned to ride again today. I just couldn't stand the idea of getting on last night lol

Quite kiterally we have all felt your pain. It will get better. Hang in there.

The reason why the comments against the gel covers - picture the fact of the 2 sit bones, now picture where all that extra gel NOT under the sit bones is going to squeeze in to.

You can also measure your own spacing decently enough.
Piece of paper on flat solid chair.
Sit on it .... naked ..... preferably not at the library hard chairs, placing emphasis on getting weight on just those 2 spots.
Rotate waist until you feel those spots causing more movement.
Get up and hopefully the paper has enough emphasis on just the sit bones to measure them. It'll be a tad vague, but measure from middle of vague to middle of vague.

Unless you find LBS with a woman that will measure you.

And ditto to 3-5 rides, with usually decreasing time between them required to allow pain to recover. And trying to keep the ride time shorter too.
I'll mention the walk/bike paths are like the worst to start with, usually bumping, long periods of coasting just sitting there. At least pedaling the upward force lightens the load somewhat on the rear.

serindipte wrote: »

BusyRaeNOTBusty wrote: »

Honestly I prefer a thinner seat (not super thin, but "correctly thin") where the supports of the seat hit the sit bones, and aren't wider than them (a bike shop can measure and recommend as seat), and good bike shorts instead of a gel cover.

I'd have never thought a thinner seat could be more comfortable? I can't imagine having a bike shop guy measuring my sit bones lol... I did consider the bike shorts, but $$ wise, thought to go for the seat since I don't have to have more than one. On the shorts, I'd either be doing laundry every day or have to buy multiple pair. May have to just suck it up and buy multiple pair.

It's not like you bend over and they stick their hand up there . When I had it done, they had this cool sand thing. You literally just sit on it. Your sit bones (the part of your hips that make contact with the surface) will make an impression on the sand. You want the main support of the seats to be under these bones. Wider seats will be spreading out the pressure to all the other tissue of your rear which will be more uncomfortable in the long run than just supporting those bones.

I think this might explain it better:
https://www.ebicycles.com/article/guide-to-bicycle-saddles.html

And yes, bike shorts ARE expensive and you have to own several pair. I like Pearl Izumi and they are generally some of the more affordable.

Take a look at the seats that professional racers use, uber thin and rock hard. It doesn't take that long to get used to a seat if it fits you well.

I found the gel padding thing to be terrible, unless you are sitting completely upright and riding on the beach. Any time on the saddle more than 10% of what you rode last week will likely hurt. I rode with no padding (street clothes) and a cheap saddle back when I had no money. I had the bike adjusted to fit me as best as it could and I just ramped up verrry slowly. It can be done. If you can afford it, get the best saddle and shorts and gloves you can afford and it will take you farther (literally). I'd start with one pair of shorts, make sure you like them.

heybales wrote: »

The reason why the comments against the gel covers - picture the fact of the 2 sit bones, now picture where all that extra gel NOT under the sit bones is going to squeeze in to.

You can also measure your own spacing decently enough.
Piece of paper on flat solid chair.
Sit on it .... naked ..... preferably not at the library hard chairs, placing emphasis on getting weight on just those 2 spots.
Rotate waist until you feel those spots causing more movement.
Get up and hopefully the paper has enough emphasis on just the sit bones to measure them. It'll be a tad vague, but measure from middle of vague to middle of vague.

Unless you find LBS with a woman that will measure you.

And ditto to 3-5 rides, with usually decreasing time between them required to allow pain to recover. And trying to keep the ride time shorter too.
I'll mention the walk/bike paths are like the worst to start with, usually bumping, long periods of coasting just sitting there. At least pedaling the upward force lightens the load somewhat on the rear.

I've seen vid of a procedure ... fold a towel flatly to cover a step on your stairs as a pad. Place a piece of foil across the towel. Sit down carefully, without a lot of movement. You should leave a decent impression. Measure between the two lowest depressions, should be an approx. of your sit bones. A number of bike shops have better measurement tools for fitting.

I gave up cycling 30+ yrs ago when weight gain (plus lack of time) made sitting on my touring saddle have all the um, comfort, of sitting on a flagpole (LOL).

Getting back into it this year, I opted for a wider, softer, "commuter" saddle. I haven't been entirely happy with it - but as I continue to ride, I find it's getting more comfortable as my butt remodels shape (I've lost 28lbs since Jan 1st, and the muscles are tightening - not getting "tougher" per se). I may yet switch to a narrower, firmer saddle as the year progresses, as the soft one isn't optimal for riding longer distances. BTW, I'm male, over 60 and overweight.

I also joined the "black lycra shorts league." 30 yrs ago, I didn't ride with padded bike shorts even when touring. Now I wouldn't NOT wear them. I think the redundant padding of the shorts and my current saddle might be too soft as noted above. I also bought some chamois cream proactively. I haven't used it. But nice to carry it in my sag bag just in case.