saddle sore - advice???

[ilikebikes]

Hi,
I get problems being in the saddle after about 50 miles or 3 hours or
thereabouts. "Aerobically" I feel I can do a ton but can't continue after
this perod of time - my max is 65 miles. My thoughts are that I am just not
that used to going for this period on the bike and it will get better with
time. I hope so. My position on the bike seems ok, my LBS says I look
fine. Maybe it's just the ache in the perenial hip bone area where my
weight (I'm a big 16st rider) is on that small area for a long time. When I
lose wight AND get longer rides under my belt it'll get better? My saddle
seems dead horizontal to the ground. I used to have it leaning forward a
fraction but then I had numb hands after biking.

Getting the position right is a black art !!

Do my thoughts sound reasonalble guys?

Steve

 

[[email protected]]

Try lots of micro adjustments, padded shorts and even alternate with a
radically different saddle design at intervals. Lots of people
(including me) swear by Brookes leather but its not a guaranteed
solution. And the more miles the harder the bum.

cheers

Jacob

 

[LSMike]

ilikebikes wrote:
> Hi,
> I get problems being in the saddle after about 50 miles or 3 hours or
> thereabouts.

Try not riding a Weapon of Ass Destruction? One of these might be
rather more comfortable, and faster to boot:

http://www.challengebikes.com/

 

[Chris Smith]

ilikebikes wrote:
> Hi,
> I get problems being in the saddle after about 50 miles or 3 hours or
> thereabouts. "Aerobically" I feel I can do a ton but can't continue after
> this perod of time - my max is 65 miles. My thoughts are that I am just not
> that used to going for this period on the bike and it will get better with
> time. I hope so. My position on the bike seems ok, my LBS says I look
> fine. Maybe it's just the ache in the perenial hip bone area where my
> weight (I'm a big 16st rider) is on that small area for a long time. When I
> lose wight AND get longer rides under my belt it'll get better? My saddle
> seems dead horizontal to the ground. I used to have it leaning forward a
> fraction but then I had numb hands after biking.
>
> Getting the position right is a black art !!
>
> Do my thoughts sound reasonalble guys?
>
> Steve
>
>

Find a Specialized stockist who is willing to take the time and trouble
to measure your Sit Bones and find a correctly fitting saddle.

 

[vernon]

> I get problems being in the saddle after about 50 miles or 3 hours or
> thereabouts. "Aerobically" I feel I can do a ton but can't continue after
> this perod of time - my max is 65 miles.

Sometimes it's a state of mind. Last year I was very comfortable with rides
of 50 - 60 miles and balked at the idea of 100miles. The turning point was
one glorious month where I did a four consecutive Audaxes at one per weekend
and moved through 2 x 100km to 1 x 150km and then 1 x 200km. The 150km was
just under an impewrial 100 and I added a few miles to top up after checking
in at the end of the ride. Having a ride buddy might be helpful, I
copuldn't have got through the 200km ride without the support of a fellow
Audax rider who was patient enough to wait for meon the hills

> My thoughts are that I am just not
> that used to going for this period on the bike and it will get better with
> time. I hope so.

You'll get better. I have no doubt about that. I've made decent progress
over the past few years.

> My position on the bike seems ok, my LBS says I look
> fine. Maybe it's just the ache in the perenial hip bone area where my
> weight (I'm a big 16st rider) is on that small area for a long time.

I'm a big 21.5 stone rider and have been lucky enough to be uncomfortable
only for the first few weeks of starting cycling again. It could be that
you need to have some short breaks during your rides as it's not to clear
whether you do the rides "in one" or break them up using a few refreshment
breaks. I'm not sure that what you describe is saddlesoreness - saddle
sores are due to chaffing and lead to broken skin, boils and sores. You
might need to experiment with saddles...

> When I
> lose wight AND get longer rides under my belt it'll get better? My saddle
> seems dead horizontal to the ground. I used to have it leaning forward a
> fraction but then I had numb hands after biking.

You haven't mentioned what sort of bike you have. You might want to
experiment with different hand positions on the bars. I rarely use the
drops on my tourer and road bike, using the hoods and the horizontal
sections for variety. Adding bar ends to flat bars might offer some
respite. Being lighter will undoubtedly reduce the pressure that the saddle
exerts on you.
>
> Getting the position right is a black art !!

Getting the right saddle is even more arcane.....
>
> Do my thoughts sound reasonalble guys?
>

 

[Mark Thompson]

> Maybe it's just the ache in the perenial hip
> bone area

Already mentioned, but it's great advice:

Go to a Specialized dealer, sit on their **** measuring device. They'll
get you a saddle that fits. If you've got drops or low handlebars,
consider one with a cutout in the middle.


As for not being able to do more than 65 miles, if it's lack of energy then
eat a bit of food on the ride - you might just be bonking. Nothing too
sugary - then you'll just get a sugar rush and bonk again. Drink plenty of
water too.

The other missing thing might be motivation - if you're on your own then a
certain amount of bloody mindedness is needed for the longer distances.

 

[Peter]

"ilikebikes" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
> I get problems being in the saddle after about 50 miles or 3 hours or
> thereabouts.

I take it you are wearing padded shorts...

Your handlebar height/distance can also make a difference.

But I think it is, in part, just a case of hardening your butt up, so to
speak.

If I've been off the bike for a long while, 50 mile rides are uncomfortable,
but within a reasonably short period of time I'm back to doing 100 miles
with no discomfort.

Peter

 

[Near Wild Heaven]

Thanks for the replies guys. I reckon its a combination of lack of higher
mileage rides - hopefully I'll toughen up - and a saddle that might not suit
me.
To answer the questions, I ride a racing bike, I am 16st and 6 feet 2 with
muscular build. I do wear padded shorts, Assos Uno's.
I have never heard of these "**** measuring" devices. Which dealers have
them in the East Midlands area? ?

Thanks and regards, Steve

P.S. sorry for the top posting

"ilikebikes" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
> I get problems being in the saddle after about 50 miles or 3 hours or
> thereabouts. "Aerobically" I feel I can do a ton but can't continue after
> this perod of time - my max is 65 miles. My thoughts are that I am just
not
> that used to going for this period on the bike and it will get better with
> time. I hope so. My position on the bike seems ok, my LBS says I look
> fine. Maybe it's just the ache in the perenial hip bone area where my
> weight (I'm a big 16st rider) is on that small area for a long time. When
I
> lose wight AND get longer rides under my belt it'll get better? My saddle
> seems dead horizontal to the ground. I used to have it leaning forward a
> fraction but then I had numb hands after biking.
>
> Getting the position right is a black art !!
>
> Do my thoughts sound reasonalble guys?
>
> Steve
>
>

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>,
ilikebikes ('[email protected]') wrote:

> Hi,
> I get problems being in the saddle after about 50 miles or 3 hours or
> thereabouts. "Aerobically" I feel I can do a ton but can't continue
> after
> this perod of time - my max is 65 miles. My thoughts are that I am
> just not that used to going for this period on the bike and it will get
> better with
> time. I hope so. My position on the bike seems ok, my LBS says I look
> fine. Maybe it's just the ache in the perenial hip bone area where my
> weight (I'm a big 16st rider) is on that small area for a long time.
> When I
> lose wight AND get longer rides under my belt it'll get better? My
> saddle
> seems dead horizontal to the ground. I used to have it leaning forward
> a fraction but then I had numb hands after biking.
>
> Getting the position right is a black art !!

What saddle are you riding on? How hard is it? Have you measured the
distance between your ischeal tuberosities?

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

:: Wisdom is better than weapons of war ::
:: Ecclesiastes 9:18 ::

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, Near Wild
Heaven ('[email protected]') wrote:

> Thanks for the replies guys. I reckon its a combination of lack of
> higher mileage rides - hopefully I'll toughen up - and a saddle that
> might not suit me.
> To answer the questions, I ride a racing bike, I am 16st and 6 feet 2
> with
> muscular build. I do wear padded shorts, Assos Uno's.
> I have never heard of these "**** measuring" devices. Which dealers
> have
> them in the East Midlands area? ?
>
> Thanks and regards, Steve

Any dealer in Specialized (the brand) components should have one.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

X-no-archive: No, I'm not *that* naive.

 

[BigRab]

You can't go far wrong with Assos shorts in my experience. Go buy some
cheap plasticene (pound shop?) and roll out a slab that covers your
saddle where you sit. Make it maybe 1/4 of an inch thick. Slap it on
yer saddle and go for a short ride (put a slice of poly bag over the
plasticene if you're worried about your shorts). Measure the width of
the indentations.

Time at longer distances is probably what you need though if your
saddle is a decent one.

BigRab

 

[Arthur Clune]

ilikebikes wrote:

> fine. Maybe it's just the ache in the perenial hip bone area where my
> weight (I'm a big 16st rider) is on that small area for a long time. When I
> lose wight AND get longer rides under my belt it'll get better? My saddle

No. You won't get used to this - if the pain is on your sit bones then
yes, you'd just toughen up but if it's in the perenial area you don't
want to get used to it.

Some suggestions

1) higher handlebars, at least until you lose weight
2) a wider saddle. Don't go for a very soft padded one though

Your weight should be on your sit bones. There should be no
pressure on the perenial area.

I often say this, and I'll say it again: cycling should NOT be
uncomfortable. All of us who do long rides are not suffering
in agnoy! If it hurts, change it.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune

 

[davek]

Arthur Clune wrote:
> All of us who do long rides are not suffering
> in agony!

Well, we are - but not because of saddle discomfort.

d.

 

[squeaker]

LSMike wrote:
> ilikebikes wrote:
> > Hi,
> > I get problems being in the saddle after about 50 miles or 3 hours or
> > thereabouts.
>
> Try not riding a Weapon of Ass Destruction? One of these might be
> rather more comfortable, and faster to boot:
>
> http://www.challengebikes.com/

Not 'rather', definitely 'a whole lot more comfortable'

 

[mb]

LSMike wrote:

> ilikebikes wrote:
> > Hi,
> > I get problems being in the saddle after about 50 miles or 3 hours
> > or thereabouts.
>
> Try not riding a Weapon of Ass Destruction? One of these might be
> rather more comfortable, and faster to boot:
>
> http://www.challengebikes.com/


Wow, that guy in the photo has some serious thigh muscles.

--
Mike

 

[[email protected]]

mb wrote:
> LSMike wrote:
>
> > ilikebikes wrote:
> > > Hi,
> > > I get problems being in the saddle after about 50 miles or 3 hours
> > > or thereabouts.
> >
> > Try not riding a Weapon of Ass Destruction? One of these might be
> > rather more comfortable, and faster to boot:
> >
> > http://www.challengebikes.com/
>
>
> Wow, that guy in the photo has some serious thigh muscles.
>
> --
> Mike
Fat **** more like!