Please save my ass! (I'm in pieces after two rides)

sparklehedgehog

Bought me a boardman hybrid team a couple of days ago and have completed 39 miles in two rides (total noob, never road ridden before) and my backside is absolute agony. The boney parts.

I even tried padded shorts today and it's still horrendous, is it the seat or my lack of practice/backside hardening that's causing it?!

Urgently need a solution as I won't be able to carry on like this and I'm totally in love with this cycling lark after two rides.

Thanks in advance.

iPete

You could be sitting too upright and not placing any weight forward..

y9y9

Padded shorts have really made a massive difference for me. Are you sitting too far up the saddle (I.e. on the really narrow bit)?

Burt25

Don't give up- the ass pain lessens the more mile you put in, but get yourself a really good pair of bib shorts (best purchase I have made) I got a pair of Castelli ones and they make a huge difference to comfort. As you increas the miles you should also get yourself some chamois cream to reduce chaffing. Get a few more rides under your belt and you will find though that your sit bones will start to man-up!

The Real Radioactiveman

stick at it the pain will stop, its almost as if your sit bones have to man up or the nerves switch off

sparklehedgehog

Thanks for the replies.

I have plenty of weight forward I believe as my wrists are aching whilst on the bike so again assume that's just an adjustment my body has to adapt to. Will check whether my bones are sitting on the wings or thin part of my seat tomorrow but sounds like a good place to start. Have used some padded shorts today but I'm still worse today with them on. Must be the knock on effect of the first day too without any recovery.

Feel like I'm about 90 years old tonight! Muscles are fine and not tired or anything just absolutely in agony on those bones.

On the plus side I did an average of 16.8mph for 19 miles tonight so quite pleased as I'm quite overweight and done sod all exercise for years till yesterday

Alitogata

The saddle must have the right size for your sit bones width. Have you counted this width? Has the saddle the right size for your anatomy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7j9LUVJrjA

Then the saddle must be fitted in such way that your knees are vertically to the axle of your pedals. If the saddle is not fitted properly then perhaps you move forward out of the sit while you're riding in order to give more power to your pedal strokes and so you don't sit on the wings of the saddle.

If this is the case padded sorts can't do much..

I totally disagree with what was suggested above.. to keep on riding while you are in pain in order to get used to it. Pain means that something is not fitted properly so you have to stop riding your bicycle, get well and then try to fit it right with the right saddle, on the right hight and the right forward or backward placement.

There is a possibility to need another saddle and then a totally different bike fitting.

JayKosta

Wait a while until the soreness has lessened. Then, ride for a shorter duration and try to determine if the seat is too narrow. Also consider the tilt of the saddle - typically it should be level or tilted 'up' slightly at the front. The seat should not be so high that your hips rock up-down as you pedal.

It DOES take a while to become accustomed to the seat, but doing painful long rides won't help. Work slowly to longer rides.

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

Bozman

Your backside will get used to your saddle so just give it time and buy some padded shorts.
I've ridden bikes for years with different saddles and some are uncomfortable to start with but you soon get used to them...... Apart from a Specialized Toupe, worst saddle in the world whatever width you get.

RDW

I agree with Jay. Whether or not your position needs adjusting, take a rest first then start with some shorter rides (wearing the shorts).

wishitwasallflat

sparklehedgehog wrote:

Bought me a boardman hybrid team a couple of days ago and have completed 39 miles in two rides (total noob, never road ridden before) and my backside is absolute agony. The boney parts.

I even tried padded shorts today and it's still horrendous, is it the seat or my lack of practice/backside hardening that's causing it?!

Urgently need a solution as I won't be able to carry on like this and I'm totally in love with this cycling lark after two rides.

Thanks in advance.

Too much too soon no recovery period - cycling is like most other things physically specific in its demands. You may be fit but your body is not adapted to cycling. Take a rest till the pain settles and build up slowly - get your ass measured for width (or measure it yourself) to check your saddle is the right size for you. If it is its either build up slowly and let you sit bones adjust and join the great majority of us on the ongoing quest to find the perfect saddle. I have settled myself for a few years on a Specialized Avatar Gel - it works for me. Also bear in mind that as you adjust your position on the bike may change and so a different saddle may be needed - the Avatar works for me cause I have a very upright style due to being old and fat but as I lose weight I hope to get lower and know I will need to change saddles then.

For me MTFU applies to riding through complaining muscles/sweating/breathlessness i.e. signs that your body is working and wants you to stop. It wants you to stop because its job is to conserve energy rather than expend it. Overload is required to build fitness but the body works on the basis of maximising your chances of survival in adversity and scarcity of food not the abundance we live in in the developed west. So take MTFU with a pinch of salt and use some common sense.

racingcondor

It may well be the saddle (I'd put money on it) but it's certainly not helping that you've done a lot with not much rest.

Good on you for getting stuck in but it will take a little time to adapt so ease off a bit and give it a couple of weeks of slightly more restrained riding, you'll probably find that your wrists ache less, you start to feel more natrual on the bike and everything gets easier. If at the end of that your backside still hurts I'd have a look at the saddle. Find the right one and it should be fairly hard but comfy from the moment you sit on it with it essentially flat on the bike. You've got the right one if it's still comfy 4 hours later (I didn't say it was easy!).

paulorg

Yup, too far too soon, 39 miles is a phenomenal amount of cycling for someone who hasn't done it before, short rides would be better for you initially. Even a few laps of the park can leave you feeling pained if you have no bike fitness. I'm ass(sorry Ha ha)uming that you've done some MTB before as you say new to the road but if you haven't done that kind of distance before it will be uncomfortable, especially with no rest in between. I would suggest doing some short (5 miles) circuits, maybe 3 times a week and build it from there. Make sure you've got some decent padding and give it few few days between rides. You will get used to it.

wiganwarriors

A newbie posting speeds of 16.9 mph. Chapeau!!!

WiganLardster

I'd bet heavily that it's the saddle that's at fault. I have a Boardman hybrid comp, and while I love the bike overall, the saddle is definitely the worst thing about it. I only go out for 'short' rides of 20-25 miles, but I've been doing them for a while now and my arse still hasn't made friends with the Boardman saddle. A Charge Spoon may be in order.

foggybike

Your backside will be fine in 3-4 days, and it will lessen each time you go out.

What you have done is the same thing I did

It's like playing football when you have not played for a while, can't walk for a few days afterwards.

sparklehedgehog

Ok so call me stupid but I decided to battle through it today and went on a 12 mile ride. Amazingly I feel better now! Almost completely gone and even upped my average pace to 17.7mph average. Feel brilliant. Properly addicted to this biking lark!!

Changed the seat position a bit. I did move it forward an inch before I went out and nudged the nose up a tad. Must've helped. Plus rearranged the brake and gear lever angles too.

I am 17.5 stone so putting a fair amount of stress through the seat to be fair

sparklehedgehog

Don't be silly, we're all different and I suspect my legs are relatively strong from carrying my lard around all day. Must help.

Just do it for yourself, we all want to be faster, it's human nature, but just improve without comparing to others. My aim is a 20mph average over 20 miles by Xmas but that's for me, nothing to do with wanting to be like somebody else.

Plus you're probably older than me, I'm only 34

Alitogata

sparklehedgehog wrote:

Ok so call me stupid but I decided to battle through it today and went on a 12 mile ride. Amazingly I feel better now! Almost completely gone and even upped my average pace to 17.7mph average. Feel brilliant. Properly addicted to this biking lark!!

Changed the seat position a bit. I did move it forward an inch before I went out and nudged the nose up a tad. Must've helped. Plus rearranged the brake and gear lever angles too.

I am 17.5 stone so putting a fair amount of stress through the seat to be fair

Changing the sit position an inch seems to me way to far forward.
I would advice you not to experiment any more like this and find someone to fit the bike properly for you ( immediately if it is possible).

frisbee

Alitogata wrote:

Changing the sit position an inch seems to me way to far forward.
I would advice you not to experiment any more like this and find someone to fit the bike properly for you ( immediately if it is possible).

You can't really say that, not without knowing where it was before.

A beginner isn't going to be sensitive to large changes in position. His saddle will probably go up by a few inches over the next month or so, as he gets some miles in.

Alitogata

frisbee wrote:

Alitogata wrote:

Changing the sit position an inch seems to me way to far forward.
I would advice you not to experiment any more like this and find someone to fit the bike properly for you ( immediately if it is possible).

You can't really say that, not without knowing where it was before.

A beginner isn't going to be sensitive to large changes in position. His saddle will probably go up by a few inches over the next month or so, as he gets some miles in.

The saddle was obviously in such position that he could move it one inch ( whole 2.5 cm )forward. That means that his saddle was way to backward and then we come to what I mentioned before. That his sit bones hurt because he was sitting far too backward and he had to move his body forward during his rides, in order to pedal properly. That made him sit on the narrow part of the saddle.

Anyway.. From what sparklehedgehog said I assume that he doesn't know how to properly fit his bike so I will insist that he has to find someone to fit the bike for him immediately and before having any knee or other injury due to bad positioning of his body on the bike.

Of course he can increase the high of his saddle himself, but instead of experimenting and changing alongside the position of handlebar and shifters it would be better to go for a proper fitting once and for good.

sparklehedgehog

ok been every day since i changed my seat and not been sore once since even on 20+ mile rides and yet i only have £10 sports direct specials shorts. totally solved by the seat adjustment. feel great all the time now. this is soooo addictive!!!!!

cookeeemonster

So the moral of this story is...if you've been riding all of 10 seconds and ask this forum for advice...ignore 99.9% of it and save yourself £500 on top of the range bibshorts/saddle/bike fit and so on.

Just ride it more than 2 times and see how you go

sparklehedgehog

I've ridden it 6 days on the trot now, covered over 100 miles in that time and averaged over 17.5mph over that 100 miles as a 17.5 stone lard arse.

I was after advice when I was sore which was after the first 2 days and since adjusting my seat I've been fine so problem solved. I haven't once claimed I know more than anybody else, I haven't ignored any advice and have bought dhb aeron pro bib shorts too and am looking at a Specialized Ronin saddle so why the grief?!

houndlegs

If you're in no pain now,I wouldn't change the saddle,just keep riding and see how it goes.

cookeeemonster

sparklehedgehog wrote:

I've ridden it 6 days on the trot now, covered over 100 miles in that time and averaged over 17.5mph over that 100 miles as a 17.5 stone lard ars*.

I was after advice when I was sore which was after the first 2 days and since adjusting my seat I've been fine so problem solved. I haven't once claimed I know more than anybody else, I haven't ignored any advice and have bought dhb aeron pro bib shorts too and am looking at a Specialized Ronin saddle so why the grief?!

Was not having a go at you - was having a go at the people replying to you! Well not having a go at all, most of it was sound advice, but not for someone who's literally just started cycling

upperoilcan

It's the Op's first couple of outings in which he has over done it by doing 39 miles !!!!

His sore ass is purely down to him being saddle sore.

More time in the saddle is required,nothing more.