# Numb Bum Syndrome... Ouch!



## NigC (14 May 2010)

Embarrassing question time: How do you lot cope with numb bum syndrome after riding for a long time?

I dug out the exercise bike this-evening and wound it up to what felt like the normal resistance of a flat road.

I've been doing 25 minutes (or a little less) each way to and from work, 3 or so times a week for the past 18 months, so I thought I'd be OK on the nice smooth exercise bike..... WRONG! 

I spent 65 minutes going at a good pace and felt great. My heart rate was less than 110 and my legs felt like I'd just walked down the garden. I could have gone on for a lot longer (although I'd hit my target), but my bum was absolutely killing me 

The saddle is a bit softer than my bike, so maybe that's a factor?

Has anyone else had this trouble and how do you cope? Is it just a case of getting used to it?


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## guitarpete247 (14 May 2010)

I'd say yes the soft saddle has a lot to answer for. My Brooks Competition is shaped to my situpon over many years of riding. Your exercise bike is designed to fit many bottoms. Our exercise bike has the same effect on me.


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## Goldie (14 May 2010)

It's a weird one, my bargain basement Raleigh MTB had the worst saddle in the world - the frame was possible made fom Romanian cheese while the padding seemed to have both sharp glass and barbed wire in it. It was incredibly uncomfortable, but my posterior, god bless it, reacted by telling my legs to lift it off the addle for a good part of the commute. So the bike ended up being not that uncomfortable to ride.

It did still cause numb bum though, and my usual way of deaing with it was to check I was alone in the lift that took me from basement bike rack to office and then shout something like "OW JESUS MY ARSE!" while trying to massage some bloodflow back into it. I would then hobble to my desk like a peg legged John Wayne, collapse onto my chair.

This was not a bad way of dealing with it, so long as I was first into the office.


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## fossyant (14 May 2010)

Saddle.... big problem........ and on an exercise bike.... we have been 'given' a 'very good exercise bike'...i.e. it cost some serious wonga...and it's rubbish... it won't fit anyones ar$e let alone a cyclists as the saddle is massive....and full of problem causing foam.....

MIL said get rid.....we ended up with it - it was supposed to help her sort her dicky ticker out.....hmmmmm....

HR of 110 for over an hour...blimey - I only look at a 'real' bike and mine springs into action at over 100.... that exercise bike must be bad.........

I think the exercise bike will kill you.... get out on that real one........


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## NigC (14 May 2010)

Goldie said:


> It's a weird one, my bargain basement Raleigh MTB had the worst saddle in the world - the frame was possible made fom Romanian cheese while the padding seemed to have both sharp glass and barbed wire in it. It was incredibly uncomfortable, but my posterior, god bless it, reacted by telling my legs to lift it off the addle for a good part of the commute. So the bike ended up being not that uncomfortable to ride.
> 
> It did still cause numb bum though, and my usual way of deaing with it was to check I was alone in the lift that took me from basement bike rack to office and then shout something like "OW JESUS MY ARSE!" while trying to massage some bloodflow back into it. I would then hobble to my desk like a peg legged John Wayne, collapse onto my chair.
> 
> This was not a bad way of dealing with it, so long as I was first into the office.



 Sorry, can't help laughing..... just imagining you checking the lift but missing the person who quietly nipped in behind you


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## NigC (14 May 2010)

Yes, the saddle is BIG. I'm not exaclty small  but it's still more than ample to fit my backside  I wonder if it's possible to change it  First glance dosen't look promising 

I'm planning on expanding my commute for when I can get out of bed early, but want to see if my fitness can cope with the extra distance..... now I'm also worried about my bum coping with the distance too 

I guess there's no subsitute for getting out on the real bike and finding out the hard way


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## fossyant (14 May 2010)

Saddles are very personal, and even using in the same saddle in a different situation is agonising for the...... eh ?

My fixed had a Selle Italia XO as sort of picked by me... didn't work.....
(bearing in mind I had 3 other bikes...)..... swapped the XO to my MTB then got a Charge Knife for the fixed.... best thing I did....the XO is comfy on the MTB, and the the Charge Knife has been the best bit of sliced bread on my butt..er....


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## dondare (14 May 2010)

Numb nethers can be avoided by riding out of the saddle for half a minute every half hour or so.


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## DrSquirrel (14 May 2010)

NigC said:


> Embarrassing question time: How do you lot cope with numb bum syndrome after riding for a long time?
> 
> I dug out the exercise bike this-evening and wound it up to what felt like the normal resistance of a flat road.
> 
> ...



I stand and hit my arse a bit...

...though that's only to make people think WTF.

Soft saddle... everyone (n00b cyclists at most) goes on at me about how hard mine is and I keep telling them that is usually better like that.

As missed the exercise bike... they are all mostly bad, stupidly wide and soft, I think they are meant for 100kg bloaters with most of that in the arse cheeks... saw it off and weld your favourite seat on...


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## NigC (15 May 2010)

drsquirrel said:


> I stand and hit my arse a bit...
> 
> ...though that's only to make people think WTF.
> 
> ...



Erm  Although most of mine goes into the spare tire 

Not sure I want to mess about with the exercise bike too much as I doubt I'll be using it much. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I think I'll just get out there and do some laps around the local roads to test/build up my fitness - if I keep within a mile or two from home, I can still call a halt if I'm struggling.

Maybe keep the exercise bike on hand for some 30-minute intense workouts, rather than anything longer


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## Leggy (15 May 2010)

I'm building up before I tackle the 10km ride to work, but I must admit that this was one of the questions I was wondering about.

Although the 4.5km home from the bike shop was fine, and I didn't need to whack my backside or jump up and down shouting


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## DrSquirrel (15 May 2010)

NigC said:


> Erm  Although most of mine goes into the spare tire
> 
> Not sure I want to mess about with the exercise bike too much as I doubt I'll be using it much. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I think I'll just get out there and do some laps around the local roads to test/build up my fitness - if I keep within a mile or two from home, I can still call a halt if I'm struggling.
> 
> Maybe keep the exercise bike on hand for some 30-minute intense workouts, rather than anything longer



Sell it... buy a turbo trainer.


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## mcshroom (15 May 2010)

Oh to be a 100kg bloater , admittedly most of mine is in the spare tyre department too. :troll:

I've found exercise bikes I've tried to be too soft. There was some gain in getting out of he saddle every now and again but still prefer a proper bike


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## snorri (15 May 2010)

I was totally confused by the postings from the OP, then I realised he had borrowed an avatar from another.:troll:


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## NigC (15 May 2010)

snorri said:


> I was totally confused by the postings from the OP, then I realised he had borrowed an avatar from another.



Yours??? :troll:


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## NigC (15 May 2010)

Hmmm, well I'm not sure now.

I decided to take the real bike for a longer journey today - 45 minutes. In reality, this is the same as my commute round-trip, so shouldn't really have posed any problems. But I did find things started to get a little uncomfortable towards the end of that journey. I'm not sure now if that was the extra time on this trip or the time spent on the exercise bike the night before :troll:

I think all I can do is live with it stand up every once in a while if it gets too much. I'm sure things will improve when I get used to the longer journey  I'm happy enough with my fitness level though 

Now I just need to make sure I know my way or my planned 70 minute ride could turn into a heck of a lot more


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## snorri (15 May 2010)

NigC said:


> Yours???


 No, Vernon.


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