First bike bum woes

Juan More Time

If you are still suffering from saddle related pain then perhaps your saddle is just too narrow to support you properly. Cycleways in Dublin have the Specialized memory foam pad yoke you sit on to determine your correct saddle width. They also stock specialized women's specific saddles in multiple widths.

Some people tend to find a flat saddle more comfortable, while others prefer curved one. The flatter profile specialized women's saddle is the RUBY, while the more curved one is the OURA.

In general females tend to require wider bicycles saddles than males, so even a well padded saddle that's too narrow is gonna cause you a world of pain.

The sit bone pain you describe, sounds a lot like the ischiogluteal bursitis I used to suffer from. it usually makes driving long distances quite literally a pain the ass, while zero discomfort is experienced standing and walking.

Hope this helps.

Fiona

Juan More Time wrote: »

If you are still suffering from saddle related pain then perhaps your saddle is just too narrow to support you properly. Cycleways in Dublin have the Specialized memory foam pad yoke you sit on to determine your correct saddle width. .

Going to visit them next week!!

nak

Fiona wrote: »

Going to visit them next week!!

Most women I know are using Specialized saddles after trying loads. I have the Oura. If you try one of their saddles and don't like it, you can try another one and so on until you find you one you like. Some women like the men's Romin, I have one on my cyclocross bike and find it similar to the Oura.

Good luck, the right shorts help a lot too.

magicbastarder

nak wrote: »

Good luck, the right shorts help a lot too.

speaking of this, my wife got the lidl leggings last week; they're worse than useless, they seem to be designed by someone who has a hazy memory of what women look like.

NBar

Fiona welcome to the other side, don't think a bike rack will look cool on the e30 😄. Just go out on short spins as much as you can and also check the position of the saddle as well. Very soon you will have buns of steel.😄

Ps. Much better scene the cycling scene than the car scene and alot nicer bunch.

rp

Fiona wrote: »

Was driving from Maynooth to Carrickmines this morning and I noticed a cyclist cycling over the M50 bridge towards town :eek::eek:

Is that not highly illegal?

Its the N4, so no, it is not illegal. Could have been me: I've been doing that route daily for years.
Most days that stretch is a car park, anyway.

Bloggsie

i have to smile, all these replies about your buns! if it was any other kind of discussion any of the males taking part would be considered sexist pigs!

that being said, I sufferd on my first couple of spins, being a sexist pig & not as evolved as a woman my buns only suffered till i got some decent shorts.

I was told by those I was cycling to stick at it & it will be the best fun you can have with your clothes on!

Fiona

NBar wrote: »

Fiona welcome to the other side, don't think a bike rack will look cool on the e30 😄. Just go out on short spins as much as you can and also check the position of the saddle as well. Very soon you will have buns of steel.😄

Ps. Much better scene the cycling scene than the car scene and alot nicer bunch.

Yeah the bike rack will give it the rat look haha!
And wouldn't be hard to find nicer people in the cycling scene bmw drivers are ********* lol!

rp wrote: »

Its the N4, so no, it is not illegal. Could have been me: I've been doing that route daily for years.
Most days that stretch is a car park, anyway.

ill give you a wave tomorrow morning lol ill be doing that route again.

Bloggsie wrote: »

I was told by those I was cycling to stick at it & it will be the best fun you can have with your clothes on!

I really want to believe you when you say that but being a petrol head we will have to agree to disagree!!!

TheBlaaMan

Fiona,
Worth a read...

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2014/aug/14/how-female-cyclists-can-combat-saddle-soreness

eeeee

Fiona I feel your pain! I still get sore every time I get off my track bike, as soon as I can afford a new/second hand saddle for it I'm buying it! The one thing I would say is check the bike fits you properly. I borrow beautiful road bikes on a Sunday and the difference in getting a bike the right size is huge. One was a 55, which fitted fine but the reach was a bit far and it killed the saddle region on me :eek: one was a 54 with a shorter stem and I never felt the saddle.
Cut away/out saddles are the comfiest for me, and shorter, butter (i.e. short fat nose as opposed to a long thin male specific nose) fit better but it's really personal, everyone's got different preferences. I dream about the ISM adamo saddles…some day!
Good shorts and time help also, it can take a month even if you're used to cycling. Welcome and happy cycling!

dragratchet

like everyone is saying, saddles are very much personal things, but ive known 3 female cyclists who changed to a specialized riva saddle for the same reason as yourself and they havent looked back. big difference for them.

Oryx

I have an ISM saddle on my tt bike. It came with the bike and I hate it. They are not always the answer.

Fiona

So I got a new saddle and it has made a world of difference managed 25k on Sunday without wincing in pain.

It does create a bit more pressure 'up front' but in the grand scheme of things that's easier to deal with then pain at the other end

Those cycling grounds in Corcagh Park are dead handy for getting the practice in, boring but functional!

ZiabR

Good to hear, what saddle did you go for in the end?

Fiona

logik wrote: »

Good to hear, what saddle did you go for in the end?

I couldn't tell you I had the bike in with Dad to get him to fit my lights and it appeared with a new saddle and I can't even remember the name of it

His friend works in a bike wholesalers so he picked it up for me along with a car carrier thingy