Uncomfortable seat

dezzie30

Hi i've recently started commuting to work after about 2 years of inactivity (hell) but find the seat really uncomfortable! I bought a rockrider 5.0 as a starter bike and travel 6 miles each way, which seat would be comfortable for my (big) bum? I've had a look on ebay on some gel seats but there are so many to choose from would be a extra wide gel seat be any good? I am also considering padded shorts for extra comfort.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks

Long_Time_Lurker

Padded shorts is all you need at the moment.
Give the seat a couple of weeks - they are always uncomfortable to start. It takes a few rides for your bum to get used to it.
If after a few weeks it is still no better, it might be worth looking at something in the Specialized Body Geometry range of saddles. They are a little more padded and have served me well in the past.

godders1

I agree with LTL, give it a bit of time (and some padded shorts) before thinking about different saddles.

And I would avoid those big spongey gel saddles or saddle covers, they’re not effective over distance.

Some good reading here

corshamjim

For a six mile ride some of the problems with larger, comfier saddles aren't likely to be a factor. On my commuter I use a saddle very much like this one:

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/sportourer-y ... prod25561/

In fact I have a similar one on my road bike too, but confess I probably would benefit from something a little narrower on very long rides as I do tend to get a bit of 'pins & needles' in my toes after 30 miles or so which I'm sure is down to the extra padding cutting off the blood circulation to my feet.

p.s. welcome to the forum!

u33db

Long Time Lurker wrote:

Padded shorts is all you need at the moment.
Give the seat a couple of weeks - they are always uncomfortable to start. It takes a few rides for your bum to get used to it.
If after a few weeks it is still no better, it might be worth looking at something in the Specialized Body Geometry range of saddles. They are a little more padded and have served me well in the past.

I can recommend these.

I got the Specialised Riva model last week - they do a road and mtb version but i went for the road one to replace the seat on my Apollo "BSO".

Done 40 miles so far and although its a lot harder than the seat it replaced i find it better...i think seats can be too padded as i was getting a numbness sensation up until using this.

They're only £25 from Evans cycles so won't break the bank.

Padded shorts would cure the issue but unless you're on a road bike i don't think they don't look 'right'. And wearing them under your mtb shorts makes you look like you have a nappy on IMO so i'd lean towards the new saddle!

godders1

I wear padded shorts under baggies for the commute (I just can't bring myself to walk through the office clad in lycra, sad I know).

If your baggies are baggy enough you don't really get the nappy effect.

Gizmo_

Godders1 wrote:

I wear padded shorts under baggies for the commute (I just can't bring myself to walk through the office clad in lycra, sad I know).

If your baggies are baggy enough you don't really get the nappy effect.

Likewise.

There's a guy who strolls in wearing his bibs, people talk behind his back... "Naked" lycra is for weekends.

colonelkurtz

just to add that arse size doesn't always correlate to wider seat - some bike shops (I know evans do) have a gizmo you sit on and it shows them where your sit bones are and they work out seat sizing from that. May be worth testing it with them to see if you're on the right size seat.

Initialised

Godders1 wrote:

I wear padded shorts under baggies for the commute (I just can't bring myself to walk through the office clad in lycra, sad I know).

If your baggies are baggy enough you don't really get the nappy effect.

Yeah but you still feel it and wonder if others can see it, I just can't do it. But for longer rides I need to or I get sores.

dezzie30

Many thanks for your replies! I ended up getting padded shorts problem solved

Shem

I've found padded Lycra shorts not to help me very much. My seat has been killing my backside for months. The only thing I can do is make it so I've got the least surface area on the set possible.