Tailbone Pain

[Globalti]

Jeeze.... I can't think of a more gentle way of putting this to you but that bike looks like two completely different bikes welded together. The rear half is a sort of girl's shopper and the front a very upright (twitchy steering?) hybrid with massively heavy, useless forks. My wife had something like that and the riding position was so upright that the wind resistance made it a nightmare to ride, especially with any headwind, while the sheer weight of the bike and the wheels and the fat tyres made it ponderous and sluggish. Who advised you to buy it?

In the photo of you seated, your bottom is waaaay too far back on the saddle, which I think I can see sticking out in front. This must be causing you agony because if the position was right, your sit bones would be comfortably placed on the two pads of the rear of the saddle and taking your weight through your skeleton. However if you shuffle forward to do this you will be cramped up against the bars and the pedal position wil be even worse. Why did you buy a bike with suspension? Are you planning to do some gnarly off-road trails? A lightweight alloy bike with a rigid fork will ride smoothly enough on tarmac and trails and weigh several pounds less.

The bike is so wrong that my advice would be to sell it or take it back to the shop and explain that you are dissatisfied with the advice they gave you and ask them to take it back. I really wonder if they infringed the Sale of Goods act by allowing you to take that away, since the goods must be fit for the purpose for which they are sold. If they won't do that, sell it privately and put the money towards a decent bike from somebody like Islabikes, whose Beinn 29 would be a much better ride, probably in the small size - check the size guide on their website:

https://www.islabikes.co.uk/products/bikes/item/beinn-29

 

[Meg888]

The bike is definitely not too big, it's either 14 or 15" frame, any smaller and I'd be riding a barbie bike! It's a hybrid bike and its light as, has an aluminium frame and weighs just under 13kilo, which is lighter than what I rode last year. I got suspension as we do do some off road trails, though nothing too severe. The wheels do look massive here and they are in diameter but they are not as wide/chunky as a mountain bike. I've only been on it twice - and only one of those times for a proper lengthy ride so I'm going to do the adjustments as advised and give it a chance. Thanks all you have been really helpful

 

[Globalti]

One more question: are you wearing padded shorts under your trakkie bottoms? You can get cotton shorts, which are designed to prevent the pad from wrinkling or creasing and causing discomfort. Women's cycling specialsts like Corinne Dennis offer them: http://www.corinnedennis.co.uk/padded-underwear

 

[Meg888]

Yes Globalti, I do, I wear loads of padding downstairs as last year I suffered with saddle soreness!! I wear padded cycling pants, cycling shorts and denim leggings.. I've not experienced saddle sore on this new bike - hoping it stays that way - I'll check out your link though, and many thanks for your helpful responses - this is a great site!

 

[vickster]

Saddle height is likely the culprit then

Do you ever get coccyx pain after sitting etc? I actually get less on the bike than sitting on trains etc! Can be sore when I get off the bike but rarely while on it

I have a dodgy shoulder so I expect that affects my posture on the bike as well as a core of jelly!

 

[Meg888]

Hi Vickster, no rarely get it on sittting - unless of course i've sustained it from the bike, which is the case at the moment. When I last got off the bike, it was so severe I had to sit on a very comfy padded cushion all night/following day, it was very bad that time. Before this, I've never had it any worse than slightly uncomfortable in the past before. I can imagine a dodgy shoulder would cause problems? I get tension pains anyway in my shoulder blades due to my long office hours on the PC, and I find it very hard to relax them, so it doesnt help when i'm on the bike.

 

[vickster]

You might find a sports massage every month or more often helpful especially if the pains continue once you have bike set up right

 

[ayceejay]

You will notice that in the catalogue picture of the bike vickster links to the saddle is at the same level as the handlebars so there is plenty of seat post to bring up and maybe this is where the saddle is meant to be to get you the proper position so could be the frame is too big after all.

 

[Globalti]

It's a common misconception that you need to be able to reach the ground while seated on the saddle. This will almost always put your saddle far too low. I can only just touch the ground with the very tip of one toe if I stay in the saddle while stopped so usually I dismount.

One point on padding: too much of it can be counter-productive because:

1 - It makes you sweat in the saddle area, which makes your skin more prone to chafing and soreness and possibly infections.

2 - It allows the sit bones to sink into the padding, meaning that weight is transferred to soft tissues in the peineal area, never a good thing. This includes squidgy gel saddles, which are the Devil's own invention.

Once you've got the position sorted and the saddle is properly comfortable my advice would be to find a cycling short that suits you and stick with just the one layer. My most comfortable shorts are the ones that actually have quite a thin but dense pad, the original idea of the pad being that it prevents the shorts from wrinkling up and folding but in recent years manufacturers have succeeded in persuading the cycling public that thick padding is the way to go. I have five different pairs of shorts and the ones with thick gel pads always seem comfortable for the first few miles but on long rides my anal area gets hot and damp, frets and gets sore.

 

[ayceejay]

I wouldn't be surprised il long office hours on the PC featured indoor problem somewhere.

 

[Meg888]

I do go for a wander every 30 mins, I don't sit for any longer than that if I can help it, as I do get terrible shoulder blade pain, but it's never caused me coccyx pain before.

 

[Heisenberg71]

I can touch th kerb, but not the floor.
I have to slide off the saddle to get my foot on the floor.

 

[Heisenberg71]

Get the seat raised right up so that your heel can touch the pedal with your leg just less than straight, as others have said. Push your saddle back to give your bum more support, so you don't hang off the back of it, as others have said. You need your sit bones planted firmly on the fat part of the saddle, as others have said.

Then ride it and see how you feel. However it is ridiculously disproportioned for any length of riding.
I am not convinced it's the right / right size bike for you. However that's your decision, only you will know.

Here's what the saddle height should look like, roughly

Here's how straight your leg should be when at the bottom of the pedal stroke, roughly

 

[jefmcg]

The advice here is all good and that seat is definitely far too low, but just like to say, I've had major coccyx pain twice in my life. Once was from landing on my arse in a rock not quite buried in the snow and the other was from repeatedly banging against backstops in a very unprofessional rowing style. I suspect the source of the extreme pain is from hitting bumps while in that low position. Get the seat to the right height, and then try lifting some of your weight off the saddle was you go over bumps. You need to push up on the pedals a bit as you go over rough terrain.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Get the seat to the right height, and then try lifting some of your weight off the saddle was you go over bumps. You need to push up on the pedals a bit as you go over rough terrain.

And do not wear underwear under your padded shorts
Also, don't wear anything with a seam that goes through your nether regions: jogging pants have this, try leggings/jeggings instead