Sore bum syndrome!

veganrun

So I bought a bike and it's going well but I think I overdid it yesterday and did close to 10 miles and got the dreaded sore bum!

The saddle seems ok but I'm wondering if there is any sort of padding I can get for it to make it a little more comfortable? I'm on the large side so something that supports my weight would be good. I am more of a casual/commuter cyclist so I don't be wearing the fancy cycling gear and padded shorts.

thesimpsons

no. 1 - if you haven't cycled in a long time, your backside needs to get use to the idea of a saddle (its like anything you do which you haven't done regularly).

no. 2 - padded shorts aren't fancy - they are a necessity to avoid sore bum. you can get commuter shorts/trousers which look like regular clothes if you don't want to get traditional padded shorts.

robyntmorton

Get yourself to Lidl. Get their padded shorts. Wear them under something if needed. They're not fancy. They're not expensive. They do the job.

Padding the saddle is not necessarily a good idea. It can lead to bouncing and rubbing and soreness.

CramCycle

Padding will make it worse as it increases friction. Sounds silly but this is how it is. Padded shorts with some chamois cream. You can get MTB shorts with lining if you don't like the look of lycra.

veganrun

Thanks.

I've been back cycling for a few weeks but bought my own bike just at the weekend (had been using city bikes before that) so maybe it just needs getting used to.

Annie get your Run

I only use the bike to commute too (12 miles each way) and I wear 'fancy' cycling gear. You don't have to be a club or serious cyclist to want to be comfortable on the bike Lidl currently have cycling underwear too which you can wear under jeans etc too if you really don't want to go down the lycra road (although it's the best thing to wear on the bike to shield against wind/cold/rain too).

HivemindXX

You can get what is basically cycling underwear. These are shorts that are designed to go under something else. Here's an example:-
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/mens-padded-boxers-cycling-underwear-id_8048808.html

Get shorts. You won't regret it. They help a lot. Not only the padding but the stretchy close fitted cut prevents chaffing. Seriously, the longer you put this off the more you will regret it when you realise how must time you wasted wearing less comfortable gear.

If you are overweight then bib tights (the ones with the built in elastic suspenders) are far more comfortable again. If you are going out for leisure/fitness reasons then I would say you just bite the bullet and get some of these. I wouldn't bother for commuting or going to the shops unless that's more than 10 miles. You can judge for yourself how often you might get the benefit from this. Here's an example:-
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-classic-thermal-bib-tights/

Leaving gear to one side there is another thing that effects how sore your bum gets and that is how much weight gets put on it. There are three weight bearing contacts between you and the bike. Your arse, which you already know about, your feet and your hands. The fitter you get the more effort you put in and the more weight your legs take. Seems paradoxical but an hour long cycle and a very gentle pace will be more likely to give you a sore bum than an hour where you worked very hard. Your hands should be doing some of the work of weight bearing and how much they do is a feature of your bike set up, put the saddle back or raise is a bit will put more weight on your hands. You can easily put too much weight on your hands and give yourself numbness or sore wrists so so you are looking for the correct sweet spot, not just to take as much weight as possible.

As others have said there is a certain element of just getting used to it. When I started commuting 15km per day it took about two weeks for me not to notice any soreness when I got home. Take the advice offered in this thread but also don't worry too much about whether you have a problem or not until you've given it a few weeks.

veganrun

I noticed my hands getting a bit sore after a while yesterday but not too bad. The saddle feels like it's at a decent height but maybe needs bring down an inch or something.

ford2600

Most of the world's cyclists don't use cycling shorts or any other sports gear.

This forum is very sports centric in nature; for 10 mile spin, having bike right size for you, fitted to you (no need for a professional fit or anything) with suitable saddle are the areas to look at.

Adaptation of any form usually involves some discomfort and a little time

Lumen

I've been off the bike for a couple of months and after my first ride back yesterday my arse was in tatters.

doozerie

Lumen wrote: »

I've been off the bike for a couple of months and after my first ride back yesterday my arse was in tatters.

Well, there's an image. "Thanks" for sharing.