2 days after first ride - can't sit on the saddle!

[philelmer]

So in my quest to become thin and healthy and so on I went out on my bike with freshly pumped-up tyres and the comfier of my selection of seats the day before yesterday and clocked up a staggering 14 miles, in about an hour, which I thought wasn't bad going. Yesterday I had the day off the bike and went to the gym instead, and this morning I got back on the bike and after about 5 minutes the pain in my sitting-down-on-a-bike bones was so extraordinary that I came home and instead am going to go for a walk.

I accept this (what feels like) bruising will subside given time, but is it going to be a few days between rides for ever? Or will my sitting-on-a-bike bones HTFU and stop giving me grief?

Thanks for your wisdom in advance,
Phil

PS I've got proper decent bike shorts (ron hill ones) and the saddle's a selle italia
PPS I considered putting my old selle italia flite on but fear it's a bit minimalist for my still-raw behind to cope with.

 

[vorsprung]

Get some Sudocreme and apply to hurty arse

Try again in a few days

Your backside will eventually toughen up

I am 6'2" and have a proportionally wide back side. I find that most "racing" saddles are too narrow

 

[rogersavery]

how soft is the current saddle?

Soft saddles feel comfortable for a short while, but then bruise and will take a few days to recover

Hard saddles feel uncomfortable to start with (several weeks of cycling), but dont bruise

 

[vikingcyclist]

I can sympathise - I started riding a few months ago and after the first ride had to take a few days off. Sitting down generally was unpleasant enough, sitting down on a saddle wasn't an option.

When I felt that I could manage I got back on the bike again. Still sore, but more tender than agonising. Within a week I didn't notice any pain at all. You'll adjust fairly quickly.

 

[snorri]

and clocked up a staggering 14 miles, in about an hour,

The clue is in the question, you cycled too far at this early stage in your cycling career.
Just take short trips at first, perhaps even more than one short trip in a day, but stop before anything hurts. You have to give yourself time to let your body get used to this new activity.
And stop looking at the clock, performance is not relevant at this stage (if ever), forget about it, just cycle and enjoy, and your cycling strength and stamina will improve without pain.

 

[philelmer]

Many thanks to all - the current saddle's a selle san marcos, made, apparently, in 1996, so it's not soft, well not in a gel saddle of the early 90s way, but it's difficult to judge. In my younger days I used to ride literally every day on my flite titanium, so maybe it is just a re-adjustment thing. I too am 6 foot 2 and although I'd like to kid myself that I'm still 18, my body often disagrees.

And I shall take the advice of doing shorter trips a couple of times a day. Me and the missus are going to ride to the pub for lunch, that's only about 5 miles away.

Thanks again.
Phil

 

[Jezston]

I had the same when I started riding in earnest about a year ago. Second half of the first week left me with a rather sore perineum! Tried a gel seat cover - didn't make a difference. Second half of the second week it was fine again and haven't had any problems since. Keep at it!

 

[palinurus]

Probably just a case of getting used to riding. If it doesn't improve perhaps experiment with a different saddle- I've been fine with most of the saddles I've tried but occasionally I find one that just doesn't work out for me.

 

[PaulSecteur]

I think it was probably a case fo too much too soon.

However, it could also be a baptism of fire. Get all the hurt out in one go.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

It helps you get fitter faster...

When you get to that big hill and you're spinning up it but your backside is complaining more and more, eventually it forces you to stand on the pedals and push up until your legs are screaming as much as your arse...by which time you can sit down again

 

[johnr]

The weather won't have helped. I've been riding for years, but have been geting sore and uncomfortable. I think it's the damp clammy weather. Cream definitely helps

 

[rosscbrown]

It took me a good 150 miles in the saddle before my a*se decided to stop complaining. Little and often.

I cycled like a nutter for the first week and really paid the price - knee main, a*se pain, neck pain and phycological pain. Gave up, took four days off and then when back to it - so much more enjoyable. Moral of this story, don't underestimate the importance of rest. :-)

 

[iAmiAdam]

I had a tad of pain, but just cycled through it, after a few miles back on the saddle it's fine, just got to keep at it.