I rode my bike to work for the first time today – about a half-hour ride – as part of a campaign to get more exercise. I am now dreading the ride home. It felt great while I was riding (until I fell when the car in front of me stopped short and I fell straight into a mud puddle, thus turning my half-hour trip into an hour and a half because I had to buy new pants) but my behind is so sore from the bumpy ride that all day I’ve been manufacturing tasks that must be done standing. Guess all of my cushion down there didn’t help that much. Anyway, I’m wondering if anyone else here rides their bike to work regularly, if they get sore ass from it, and what can be done about it. Do those gel seat covers help? It honestly feels like someone punched me in the butt over and over and over.
At least tell me that eventually it won’t hurt so much anymore. Please?
You don’t necessarily need a gel saddle but you do need one which fits - we are all a different size and shape so what suits me may very well not suit you. It is also important that it is adjusted correctly so perhaps get some advice from a good bike store.
As your legs get stronger you should find you can use them to act as shock absorbers over the bumpy stuff. If you can persevere until you get a little bit fitter I guarantee you will start looking forward to the ride home - best part of my day!
At least the knowledge that it won’t be sore forever gives me some relief. And I do know that I can take a substantially less bumpy road back – I didn’t this morning, though I’m not quite sure why. Thanks for the help!
I really enjoyed the ride this morning, sore ass notwithstanding. I’m in decent shape now, but this is something I’ve wanted to do for quite some time, as I’m not getting any younger and I hate exercising for exercising’s sake alone. I’m hoping this ends up being a good way for me to get exercise while saving time and money. I just have to stick to it.
I’m always saddle-sore for the first few days after I get back on my bike in the spring. Regular riding will make it go away…I don’t know if you get calluses or what, but it always fades after a few rides.
Oddly enough, I just started doing Pilates a few weeks ago, and the first few times I did it, I had real trouble with my tailbone hurting when I did the moves that required balancing on my butt. Now that I’ve been doing them regularly, that pain has faded as well, just like my saddle-soreness from bike riding. Weird.
I commute by bike occassionally, and over some pretty rough trails. Stand up for the worst bumps - then your legs are shock aborbers. Eventually, you’ll learn to just clear the seat enough. I would also consider a mountain bike with a full suspension.
I have an important aside to add. It is important to get a seat that does not pressure the most important nerver in your body (for male or female). Look for seats with a cut out section in the middle.
Couple of things.
If you butt has muscle soreness, a week or two of riding should start to see it get better. if on the other hand we are talking about saddle sores, they will get better when you grow callouses
Two things I would suggest in either case.
Wear bike shorts, good bike shorts. The inserts do help.
If saddle sores are the problem, then get a tin of Bag Balm and use it. This stuff is a mircle cure for saddle sores.
Couple of things.
If you butt has muscle soreness, a week or two of riding should start to see it get better. if on the other hand we are talking about saddle sores, they will get better when you grow callouses
Two things I would suggest in either case.
Wear bike shorts, good bike shorts. The inserts do help.
If saddle sores are the problem, then get a tin of Bag Balm and use it. This stuff is a mircle cure for saddle sores.
Once again I feel obliged to point out that a recumbent bicycle will solve the butt pain problem once and for all. It also reduces strain on the wrist, neck and back. Recumbent bikes are fast and fun, and are thought to be safer because it’s virtually impossible to do a “header” (get thrown over the handlebar). Some are very low and not recommended for riding in traffic, but most recumbents are tall enough for city use.
If you think recumbent bikes look too weird, you can try one of the newer “semi-recumbent” bikes. The RANS Fusion should be a great choice - it won’t be available for a couple more weeks, but I know a few people who test-rode it and loved it. If you don’t mind something more radical, you could look into “true” recumbents. Check the buyer’s guide on BentRider Online for more information. I personally recommend the Bacchetta - I ride ride the Bacchetta Aero.
Thank you for your advice, all! I didn’t sink a lot of dough into this particular bike – mainly I chose it because it was green and shiny and coo-looking – so after a while on this one I might try investing more money in a bike, especially since I’m just temping now with minimal disposable income. I’ll have to see how it goes.
scr4, recumbent bikes are super-keen, but a bit pricey, aren’t they?
Certainly Gundy, you’re doing the right thing my friend - without doubt.
For starters, ever seen a fat Tour de France rider?
Secondly, long distance cycling for a human, is rather similar to long distance for a migrating bird. Similar ratios of energy expenditure etc. And sore bum aside, it’s amazingly low impact. Running is plagued with all sorts of stresses and tendon problems, but cycling is purely all about “burning off the calories”. It’s all heart and lungs - once your legs build up the required muscle strength.
it has to be said however, that personal hygiene can be an issue. Now me personally? I’m a former raod racing cyclist and I was pretty good in my day - I represented Australia at an international level on a number of occasions. Like many Aussie road racers, I used to base myself in Belgium and France and Switzerland during the European seasons - and often, after a race, if you won you’d have to be up on the dias and giving interviews etc.
So we used to use a trick which was worth a million dollars and I highly recommend it for all commuter cyclists… we used a “Belgian Shower” - which was quite simple really… as soon as the race finished, we went straight over to the team cars and ripped off our cycling outfits, and wiped ourselves down with a wet handwasher which had been drenched in a 75/25 mixture of water and eau de cologne. The theory was this… the wet handwasher wiped off all your grime and dust and sweat deposits, and the alcohol in the eau de cologne killed the majority of bactieria on your skin - which effectively neautralises odors and such forth.
Certainly, a “Belgian Shower” will keep you smelling lovely and cleen for the length of your working day. In the abscence of a permenent locker and showering facilites, it works very well.
Oh, I forgot. Rick, I don’t think it’s muscle soreness, I think it’s soreness from a bumpy ride. So I’ll try out the bag balm, as uninviting as it sounds! Thanks!
Gundy, I found out about this stuff on a 7 day road ride. It was 4 days in and I was so saddle sore that I could barely walk. One of the other riders suggested this stuff. I started using it morning and night. By the end of day 5 I was about 75% better (despite about 6 hours of saddle time, and by day 6 I was totally not sore.
Well, it’s true that nobody makes $200 recumbents, but $200 upright bikes are very low-quality anyway. Recumbents are not much more expensive than comparable quality upright bikes. For example the RANS Fusion I mentioned earlier costs $775 and has a chro-moly frame and a mix of SRAM 5.0, SRAM 9.0 and Shimano Sora components.@That’s comparable to a $600 upright bike. IMHO the difference in price is well worth the extra comfort and fun. The least expensive recumbent I can recommend is the EZ1 for $550, but if that’s still too much, you could look for used bikes.
I used to ride upright mountain bikes all the time and I thought they were comfortable enough. I had no trouble riding for an hour. But recumbents are far more fun and pleasent. It’s like the difference between sitting on a wooden bench and lying on a couch. I urge you to at least test ride one at a shop.
There are two downsides to recumbent bikes. For one thing, cars have more trouble seeing you. Are you riding in a city or in the country? The other issue is agility. I ride through a pretty rugged park that no recumbent bike would traverse. (In fact, the mere thought of the rocks that close to my butt is a painful thought.) It doesn’t sound like that is an issue, but you might think about how often you will have to swerve over a curb or around a pothole. It is far safer to jump a curb in a mountain bike than in either a a road bike or a recumbent bike.
Anyway you go, knock yourself out. And remember, the savings in gas and car insurance can help pay for that bike.
Well, gas and car insurance aren’t really expenses for me. I live in Chicago, which has a pretty good public transportation system, and I’ve always used that to get to work. Where I’m working now, however, is in a weird spot that requires two buses and a train to get to. It’s not too far from my home, though, so the bike seemed an attractive option.
I didn’t consider the visibility problem with a recumbent bike. After riding yesterday, it’s painfully obvious to me that drivers have little to no consideration for bike riders, even when there’s a designated bike lane and signs clearly posted to that effect.
Do you have lights on your bike Gundy? It’s still pretty dark out there at commuting time…
I’m gonna recommend you get a padded saddle, and padded shorts. You can even buy padded underwear if you prefer. They’re definitely worth the money for the casual commuter.
But I also think you should be biking in the rain-- you sweat less!
