Ouch

[axwj29]

So I got my bike in November, after many years of no cycling.

I knew my backside would take a while to get used to it, but..

Ouch!

I wear padded shorts/tights
I had a 'bike fit'
I have been cycling fairly regularly, but so far only at weekends (sometimes both days, sometimes just one day, occasionally not at all).

I have stopped getting sores but the pain while cycling is not improving and after a while the rest of my posture begins to suffer. I stand up for short periods to get the blood moving.

Do I persevere with the saddle that came with the bike (it is a female specific one)?

Or should I be used to it by now? Time to look at other saddles?

Usually I am only out for an hour. Yesterday I was out for two. If I cycle two days in a row it is really sore when I first set out on the second day.

If I'm not getting sores will buying cream help?

Thank you for any advice

 

[helston90]

Are the shorts you have decent ones?
If they are I would look at a new saddle- either through Specialized and their 'bum-o-meter' (I'm sure it's got a proper name but you sit on it and it measures sit bones etc and gives you a clue what to buy) or find an LBS who have test saddles for you to try.

 

[burndust]

you say you had a bike fit, but have you had your sit bones measured?, saddles can be tricky to get right

 

[axwj29]

They didn't measure my seat bones and the saddle is the one that always comes with my model of bike.

I thought the shorts were decent when I bought them (they are Liv/Giant and were about £40. I have since seen the variety available so think these are pretty basic. But I've only been on the bike for two hours max!

 

[axwj29]

I will see if there's anywhere near me that has a bum-o-meter

I know the LBS where I bought the bike doesn't have one.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

I'd question the bike fit I'm afraid. I'd expect them to have done some form of measuring to make sure your saddle was the right one. I could be accused of being a bit of a Specialized fan boy I guess, but I've been very pleased with the service I've had from our local Specialized dealer, which included measuring sit bones to get the saddle right. For all their mass corporate evilness, if you go the Specialized bodyfit route you get a month to be happy with the saddle you're suggested after measuring which can't be a bad thing. (Or just buy a Brooks...)

 

[DCLane]

Saddles are a specific thing; I'm onto a 130mm saddle after several years of trying different ones.

The Specialized 'Sit Bone Measurement' system (a.k.a. bum-o-meter) is great.

 

[mjr]

New saddle time for sure. It should feel comfortable almost immediately if hard or padded, or OK if a hammock and become comfortable within a few hundred miles. Measure yourself first http://www.artscyclery.com/learningcenter/measuresitbonewidth.html (I boycott Specialized since the Roubaix and body paint women incidents so don't recommend their bumometer.)

I think that needing to stand up to get the blood flowing or getting saddle sores (real sores, not just a bit of discomfort) are huge warning signs, but I never completely stopped cycling so never had the getting-used-to-it-again pain that some report - I'm not completely convinced whether that has to happen or not.

Good luck finding a suitable replacement.

 

[vickster]

I'd blame the saddle or potentially its angle. I think Giant WSD ones are a standard 155mm width

Without going into too much detail where are you sore? I'm female too, seem to get on better with saddles with a cut out or dip where the fleshy bits sit, with a dead level saddle

I've had my bones measured by Specialized - happily all 4 of my saddles are 155mm...even though they are all different

I'd give a different saddle ago. The Selle Italia Diva gel gets very good reviews, about £54 from Wiggle, white or black

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/selle-italia-womens-diva-gel-flow-saddle

I find a bit of sudocreme helps after cycling on sore bits, not sure before cycling (I did buy some udderly smooth chamois cream not really used though)

£40 full price is a fairly basic pair of shorts, doesn't mean they aren't right. How thick is the padding? Does it feel connected with the correct parts of anatomy. Oh and just to double check, you aren't wearing undies with them are you?!

 

[Yellow Saddle]

So I got my bike in November, after many years of no cycling.

I knew my backside would take a while to get used to it, but..

Ouch!

I wear padded shorts/tights
I had a 'bike fit'
I have been cycling fairly regularly, but so far only at weekends (sometimes both days, sometimes just one day, occasionally not at all).

I have stopped getting sores but the pain while cycling is not improving and after a while the rest of my posture begins to suffer. I stand up for short periods to get the blood moving.

Do I persevere with the saddle that came with the bike (it is a female specific one)?

Or should I be used to it by now? Time to look at other saddles?

Usually I am only out for an hour. Yesterday I was out for two. If I cycle two days in a row it is really sore when I first set out on the second day.

If I'm not getting sores will buying cream help?

Thank you for any advice

The pain will go, don't worry - provided a couple of basic factors are healthy namely, the saddle should be a reasonable fit, your position on the bike should be within range and the saddle should be harder, rather than softer. All the supporting muscles in your frame will strengthen and you will become more tolerant to sitting int eh same position for a long time. I think November to now is a very, very short time to get comfortable on the saddle. Just to make you feel better, even a pro, if he/she stays off the bike for a few months, has some bruising down there when starting to ride again.

If you look at a pelvis and identify the Iliac crest, you'll see that you only sit on two small spots. That's where the pressure is concentrated. Should you bruise elsewhere, the saddle is not right for you.

The good news is that you're no longer getting sores and your question whether crème will help, is valid. No, it won't. once there is no chafing (which crème can help with) and no more ischemic sores, ointment can't do anything for you. It is tissue bruising and I'm afraid you will just have to harden up. Actually, just ride, the hardening will happen by itself. Ride regularly, ride progressively longer until you are comfortable in the distance you want to achieve.

Saddle measurement and bike set-ups help, but don't solve the problems. Soft saddles are a no-no. By soft I mean those gel-padded things that look like couches. At most you need 3 to 5mm of padding. Harder is better, even though it is counter-intuitive. That way the softer tissue stays out of harm's way.

 

[axwj29]

Thank you for the responses so far... thinking about this, it's not my actual seat bones that are bruised (well they are just a wee bit, but not agony). It's a good few inches further forward, either side of the most sensitive area, but no so far down that I'd class it as inner thigh. This is the bit that is still sensitive for days afterwards.

During the bike fit, I was told to 'fold from the hips' when leaning forward. I also got the impression that my core muscles should be as supportive as possible, so that I don't have loads of weight through my hands. I do focus on folding from the hips, but maybe this means I'm sitting not on my sit bones, but with weight further forward?

If I get tired/too sore and sit more upright, with my hands on the tops, I do get some relief but don't enjoy sitting in that position at all, it feels inefficient and less stable.

It is worse with my hands on the drops, so going downhill I start be raising my bum off the saddle until the pain subsides a little, then I rest my bum on the saddle,with no weight actually on the saddle (I don't know if this is normal anyway?).

When on the hoods, I feel that I'm maybe stretching a little too much, hence my weight is further forward? Though I would find this comfortable if it weren't for the soreness down below.

I trusted the bike fit implicitly as the shop has an excellent reputation, and the guy doing the bike fit seemed very, very knowledgeable and really took his time, explaining things as he went. So I was assuming that it was with me or the saddle causing the issue.

No, I don't wear knickers under the shorts. I did a few times until I learned I wasn't supposed to!

 

[mjr]

Soft saddles are a no-no. By soft I mean those gel-padded things that look like couches. At most you need 3 to 5mm of padding. Harder is better, even though it is counter-intuitive. That way the softer tissue stays out of harm's way.

That's orthodoxy but I would note that I like firm gel saddles and the couches have their place - I have one on the folding bike, but that's a very upright riding position and ridden in street clothes.

Even a hard saddle needs to be hard in the right place, else it will still hurt - but at least it will hurt quicker and more obviously, so might help find a fix quicker, strangely enough. I'm not convinced harder is better always - anyone like to ride a unicanitor unpadded?

During the bike fit, I was told to 'fold from the hips' when leaning forward. I also got the impression that my core muscles should be as supportive as possible, so that I don't have loads of weight through my hands. I do focus on folding from the hips, but maybe this means I'm sitting not on my sit bones, but with weight further forward?

It should mean that you're still sitting on your sit bones, but more on the front of them than if you sat upright on a seat. Width doesn't vary like that.

It is worse with my hands on the drops, so going downhill I start be raising my bum off the saddle until the pain subsides a little, then I rest my bum on the saddle,with no weight actually on the saddle (I don't know if this is normal anyway?).

I think most people have less weight on the saddle when riding on the drops.

When on the hoods, I feel that I'm maybe stretching a little too much, hence my weight is further forward? Though I would find this comfortable if it weren't for the soreness down below.

This makes me wonder if the bike fits... I don't think it should feel stretched exactly... but probably best solve the saddle first, then adjust the rest of the bike fit, or change bike and take the saddle with you...

No, I don't wear knickers under the shorts. I did a few times until I learned I wasn't supposed to!

Actually, I think it's irrelevant for short rides unless they've got badly-placed seams.

 

[vickster]

It sounds like it might be worth going back to the shop and having another chat with the fitter who sounds like a good egg

Some shops offer trials on saddles, or perhaps someone on here could lend you something to try. I'm all out of spare WSD saddles at the mo having bought a 4th bike...or I would

A lot of women's undies do have quite badly placed seams unless you buy seam free

 

[Justinslow]

I find for me tipping the front of the saddle down at the front a tiny bit helps, I get what you are saying though, as it's not really my bottom that gets achey, more my man bits. Everybody is different, and what works for some doesn't always work for others. I find if I ride regular I'm ok, if I have a period of time off I have to go through a certain amount "breaking in" to get used to it again! Don't be frightened to stand up, move from side to side, change your grip, anything to give your body a break, it helps (well it helps me anyway).

 

[vickster]

I don't think the OP has man bits