Bike riding and sore behind

[Oz investor]

as a former competitive road ( racing ) cyclist i absolutely have the front of the seat pointed down ( but not insanely so )

those keen on researching the medical implications of males having it the other way , might want to be seated first , however i had back injuries so supporting my upper body mass with arms/handlebars while unusual worked for me ( less tired near the end on the event )

please note it had a hard ( nylon ) seat and no special padding on the pants but i did prefer to avoid big bumps by avoiding or 'hopping ' over them ( hitting them hard tends to destroy tyres and even wheels ) ( again supporting the upper body with hands/arms was a nice advantage on uneven surfaces , especially corners )

all my cycles ( racing and mundane transport ) have been bought second hand and basically changed/improved in an economical manner ( it might be worth big bucks now but it didn't cost that in the assembling and refinement , sometimes even starting with a painted frame and adding from there ).

however i do not currently ride ( the bike at home is a real heart attack , and will share that with anybody tall everyone to ride it , however i would just call it NERVOUS although 'spontaneous ' might be more accurate .. and the current medication impair response times )

 

[donheff]

The perfect bike saddle is the Holy Grail of cycling. No such thing exists. That said, there is some good advice in this thread. A good fitting, good shorts, and trial and error will eventually get you to a seat that works -- but if you only occasionally ride you may not live long enough to get there.

 

[Nemo2]

Probably inapplicable, but at age 62 I was cycling 50 miles per day...no probs.

Moved up to Ottawa in 2004 to be with (now) DW......purchased a stationary bike in the winter and rode that for an hour or so each day....until....one session I dismounted maybe 20 times to adjust the saddle, (to no avail), because it was becoming increasingly uncomfortable.

Diagnosis from a specialist.....'contact dermatitis'. Purchased creams, 'natural' bike shorts with lambskin padding.....again to no avail.

When we relocated here went out for a few short rides.......bike now sits in the basement...I'll have to try and sell it one day.

Not a 'high end' bike, just a Bianchi.

 

[spncity]

Here's another choice. For the rider who is looking for comfort and safety, there's a nice feature of being able to put your feet on the ground when you stop. Good sight-seeing bike.

https://day6bikes.com/

 

[savory]

I think for the hard core cycling fan who buys a $2000 bike, and rides 1000s of miles, a hard, form fitting seat is the proper (and only acceptable) choice, but for the casual rider who rides 10 miles a day several times a month around the neighborhood, or campground, padded comfort is paramount !

Some of us actually are not committed to one style of riding. I have the expensive bike for my fun rides. A touring bike (similar to how people own a camper) for my vacations, and a $100 1980 Schwinn Traveler for commuting.
I put about 1,000 miles on that in a year going to the YMCA, grocery shopping etc. The approach I use for comfort in terms of saddle, reach, etc is very much the same for all three bikes and have been pointed out by me and others on this thread.

Cost of a bike, nor where you ride a road bike (except mountain biking for example) changes the approach to peddle reach, arm reach, etc to prevent aches and pains. Since it takes time to feel the pain or create the injury, the shorter you ride, the less likely there will be a problem if your bike set-up is not adjusted as best you can. But most people would agree that distance or type of ride does not change bike fit.

Thanks OZ Investor for clarifying the approach for pointing the seat downward "as a former competitive road ( racing ) cyclist i absolutely have the front of the seat pointed down ( but not insanely so )"

For those curious, I also own a car. I just make it my second choice for transportation.

 

[COcheesehead]

The perfect bike saddle is the Holy Grail of cycling. No such thing exists. That said, there is some good advice in this thread. A good fitting, good shorts, and trial and error will eventually get you to a seat that works -- but if you only occasionally ride you may not live long enough to get there.

I have Selle Italia Pro Gel saddles on all 3 of my bikes and a 4th on my spin trainer. They are perfect for my butt. I occasionally get a saddle sore, but that comes more from my own ingrown hair issues which I spare the forum of the details.

 

[COcheesehead]

For all the saddle down riders here, I would contend that your reach is too far or your bars are too low, but I‘ve seen riders with the nose down. I would think that would put undo pressure on your hands.

 

[ransil]

I tried a bunch of seats, now have a Brooks saddle it does not look comfortable but it is.
It cost more than my used bike.

 

[mhk7]

It’s wonderful to get so much great advice and help! I ordered the cream and am going to be fitted for a different seat. Thank you all!

 

[madsquopper]

That's partly why I got a recumbent (trike, a foldable Gekko Fx). Plus it's way easier on my back. Not very hilly where we are; recumbents aren't as good gong uphill as regular bikes are.

 

[Scrapr]

When we relocated here went out for a few short rides.......bike now sits in the basement...I'll have to try and sell it one day.

Not a 'high end' bike, just a Bianchi.

Bianchi? Need pictures! I loved my steel Bianchi bitd. I never should have sold it. Celeste correct?

 

[Nemo2]

Bianchi? Need pictures! I loved my steel Bianchi bitd. I never should have sold it. Celeste correct?

Camaleonte (Chameleon)........DW & I both have one....she talks about ('someday') riding again, but I doubt I ever will.

 

[GenXguy]

bodyfloat or thudbuster suspension seat post could help smooth the ride and save your butt - $150 to $250

 

[mabuhay]

I'm an ex-runner and I ride 300 miles a month. Moving to Arizona from the Pacific Northwest allows me to ride year round, although I spend winters in SE Asia. But I keep a bike there too. Without cycling my knees start to act up and the weight climbs.

We have amazing riding here in Tucson - great weather, hundreds of miles of smooth bike paths and mountains to climb when you're in the mood. Oh, saddle should be pretty close to level - a downward tilt will put more strain on hands, arms, shoulders. A proper saddle with cutout will protect the boys.

 

[pdxgal]

+1 re: getting fitted at a bike shop or with a dedicated bike fitter (here in Portland there are several, but we're a big biking city). Gender-specific saddles can also make a huge difference. Certainly did for me, as a female. My saddle has a depression at the point where my pubic bone hits, and it greatly alleviated the soreness I would feel there. And although it seems counter intuitive, squishy gel-type saddles are actually less comfortable. That's what cycling pros told me at least, and it was true for me. Something about being less supportive so more fatiguing, I think.