Saddle sore

[smelly]

Hello,

Well after almost 7 years walking and driving to work i've got a bike. Partially to reduce that beer gut of mine and to keep fit. Well girlfriend is using the car for the next 4 months so i had to buy a bike!

Well i cycled home last night and this morning my bottm was still sore! coming into work was not much better i spent more time off the saddle than on it! I seriously don't remember cycling to be this painful.

Looking round i saw a couple of alternaltive saddle designs:
http://www.spiderflex.com/
http://www.cycleincomfort.com/benefits.htm

has anyone used any of these before?? I remember when i was in Amsterdam that most of the saddles didn't have a "nose" like the traditional saddle. Does anyone know what these are called?? Or if they're avaliable in the UK?

Before you ask my current saddle is supposed to be a comfort model but at this moment i think i'll never sire children! well actually the pressure is on the boney bits of my bottom - it hurts so much atm

any recomemdations greatly appreciated

[alexkoon]

Like you I started this week - my commute is actually quite short but on the second day, you can say the back end is slightly sore. I have been told by colleagues that you get use to this after a while, its just the body needs a bit of time adapting to the new demands.

Have you looked at cycling shorts, the baggy shorts for cycling come with inner shorts with pads. This can ease some of the discomfort.

[Dorza]

Alexkoon is right, it takes your body time to adjust to the new position it is in and where your weight rests. If it doesn't get better after a week or too then it probably is your saddle.

[TamDigital]

Arnica cream, slap on plenty of it, it works wonders.

[Rave]

You don't say what your current saddle is. A lot of bikes are sold with a big squishy foam thing that's comfortable to sit on in the shop but which quickly starts to hurt during actual riding. The most comfortable saddle I ever had was a Flite Titanium, which is narrow and hard.

You could also check that your saddle is properly adjusted- if the angle is wrong or you're sitting too far back or forward that'll not help the comfort. Finally some padded shorts as previously recommended might help.

[Tumble]

just got to grin and bear it.. ride often enough & you'll get used to it. It's especially sore if like me you never used to be off the thing, and then go back after a break - it seems it's harder to remind yourself how sore it is than to learn it afresh

[smelly]

thanks for all the comments guys. It's not the prennium that's sore it's my sit buttock bones - i can feel the pain while sat in an office chair. Guess i'll just have to bear it for the time being. I've lowered the seat slightly and mve it forward so i ahve a slightly more upright riding position - i'll see what happens. I used to cycle 50 -70 miles a day while touring and i have never had pain like this

[Gerschwin]

I bought some padded undershorts - DH brand I think they were - tenner from Wiggle - have helped no end

[Rave]

Originally Posted by smelly

thanks for all the comments guys. It's not the prennium that's sore it's my sit buttock bones - i can feel the pain while sat in an office chair. Guess i'll just have to bear it for the time being. I've lowered the seat slightly and mve it forward so i ahve a slightly more upright riding position - i'll see what happens. I used to cycle 50 -70 miles a day while touring and i have never had pain like this

Perineum. That's good then, as I remember reading scare stories from years ago that contant pressure on the perineum can cause erectile dysfunction.

TBH, the only time I've ever had serious saddle soreness was when I decided on a whim to cycle home from university for the holidays rather than get the coach- Southampton to SE London, probably north of 90 miles in one day because of the various unintentional detours I took. Couldn't sit on a bike for three days after that. Apart from that though I've done 50+ miles in a day with no comeback.

If you used to do 70 mile days it's probably just that you need to adjust to it again. If it persists though, try a different style of saddle is my advice. Everyone's arse bones are different.