Bicycle seat pain!

I hope you're wearing bicycle shorts- the padded crotch (chamois)
makes a WORLD of difference. If you're worried about looks, then just
use them like underwear and wear your normal shorts over them.
Otherwise, there are billions of options for seats. Ideally, look for
one with springs or spend a bunch and get an ergonomically designed
one. Safe and happy riding!

Hud said:

About a week ago I started biking. I've got a Trek 7200 Multitrack. I
started with an 8 mile ride the first day and then pedaled 10 miles on three
other days. I love it. But, man-o-man, that stock bike seat really hurts
my hind end! Can anyone recommend a comfortable seat, if such a thing
exists?

You might find this article useful:

http://www.bicyclinglife.com/PracticalCycling/Sore.htm

- Frank Krygowski

Hud said:

About a week ago I started biking. I've got a Trek 7200 Multitrack. I
started with an 8 mile ride the first day and then pedaled 10 miles on three
other days. I love it. But, man-o-man, that stock bike seat really hurts
my hind end! Can anyone recommend a comfortable seat, if such a thing
exists?

Search this group and you'll find tons of thread about this. The
reality is that for real distance cycling you want to be simply
supported, not overly cushioned, which just bruises your muscles or
allows you to sink in and damage your bits. If your sit bones are
supported properly, you'll get used to firm quite quickly. So go for
firmer and less bulky, whatever brand you choose. You may also find
traditional leather saddles to be an option. Like the Brooks B-17 or
B67. I find them comfortable, but my personal choice is even nicer--
for my personal butt shape.

Ears said:

I hope you're wearing bicycle shorts- the padded crotch (chamois)
makes a WORLD of difference.

I don't find that the padding in bike shorts is of any value. The
reason to wear lycra shorts, IMHO is to reduce friction.

Quoted message said:

About a week ago I started biking. I've got a Trek 7200 Multitrack. I
started with an 8 mile ride the first day and then pedaled 10 miles on
three other days. I love it. But, man-o-man, that stock bike seat really
hurts my hind end! Can anyone recommend a comfortable seat, if such a
thing exists?

We might be focusing too much on the saddle/butt interface as the source of
the pain, when it could in fact have more to do with using muscles you're
not used to. Before that first 8 mile day, how much had you ridden recently?
To many on the group here, 8 miles might seem trivial, but the reality is
that, for someone not used to riding, it can be fairly tough on your muscles
and you can feel quite a bit of pain. I just did a quick google on "butt
muscles" and came across this-
http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/kids/science/Biology%20Cells/Muscle/Kids%20Muscles/Butt%20Muscles/Butt%20.htm.
As you can see, many of those muscles are in the areas traditionally
associated with saddle-area pain.

It's still possible the saddle might not be ideal for your shape and how you
ride, but it's also possible that, with a bit of time, getting those butt
muscles in shape might make a big improvement. And the best way to do that
is to ride more. Just don't ride yourself into the ground. Ride distances
that are fun and not painful, gradually increasing speed & distance.

Have fun, and let us know how it turns out-

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

In article <[email hidden]>,

landotter said:

Ears said:

I hope you're wearing bicycle shorts- the padded crotch (chamois)
makes a WORLD of difference.

I don't find that the padding in bike shorts is of any value. The
reason to wear lycra shorts, IMHO is to reduce friction.

This may be your observation, but please reflect on the great majority
of cyclists over a period of most of the sport's existence who have
observed differently.

Besides, if that were the case, you can get "cycling" type shorts for
rollerbladers, which don't have a chamois.

http://theskateshop.home.att.net/skateclothing.html

--
Ryan Cousineau [email hidden] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

Ryan Cousineau said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

landotter said:

Ears said:

I hope you're wearing bicycle shorts- the padded crotch (chamois)
makes a WORLD of difference.

Quoted message said:

I don't find that the padding in bike shorts is of any value. The
reason to wear lycra shorts, IMHO is to reduce friction.

This may be your observation, but please reflect on the great majority
of cyclists over a period of most of the sport's existence who have
observed differently.

Yeah, they observed that they didn't have any padding in their shorts,
as lycra pampers are a pretty modern twist on the bike short. Duh! I'm
just old enough to have ridden with real animal hide swaddling my
taint, when men were men, and the sheep from whom we harvested the
shorts, were knock-kneed and nervous!

Hud said:

About a week ago I started biking. I've got a Trek 7200 Multitrack. I
started with an 8 mile ride the first day and then pedaled 10 miles on three
other days. I love it. But, man-o-man, that stock bike seat really hurts
my hind end! Can anyone recommend a comfortable seat, if such a thing
exists?

You will probably find that trying to find the right seat is like
trying to find the right person to marry.

My experience has been that if the seat is nice and comfortable when
you first sit on it, it will be uncomfortable when you get down the
road.

Lewis.

*****

landotter said:

Ears said:

I hope you're wearing bicycle shorts- the padded crotch (chamois)
makes a WORLD of difference.

I don't find that the padding in bike shorts is of any value. The
reason to wear lycra shorts, IMHO is to reduce friction.

I like a little bit of padding. Too much and it just gets scrunched
up and puts unwelcome pressure on the genital area. But a little
padding helps with comfort. I agree the main benefit is friction,
normal shorts and underwear are impossible for long rides.

Hud said:

About a week ago I started biking. I've got a Trek 7200 Multitrack. I
started with an 8 mile ride the first day and then pedaled 10 miles on three
other days. I love it. But, man-o-man, that stock bike seat really hurts
my hind end! Can anyone recommend a comfortable seat, if such a thing
exists?

What hurts? For me the stock seat was too narrow. I couldn't get my
sit bones on it comfortably at all. I got a slightly wider seat with
some cut outs and it made a world of difference.

Quoted post said:

Hud said:

About a week ago I started biking. I've got a Trek 7200 Multitrack. I
started with an 8 mile ride the first day and then pedaled 10 miles on three
other days. I love it. But, man-o-man, that stock bike seat really hurts
my hind end! Can anyone recommend a comfortable seat, if such a thing
exists?

You will probably find that trying to find the right seat is like
trying to find the right person to marry.

Ain't that the truth. I had Brooks B17s on both of my road bikes, and
a Champion Flyer (a B17 with springs) on my cruiser. A few months ago,
I built up a stupid-light racer, and went through 3 different 200-gram
ass hatchets before biting the bullet and getting another Brooks (a
Team Professional this time).

"Ears" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I hope you're wearing bicycle shorts- the padded crotch (chamois)
makes a WORLD of difference. If you're worried about looks, then just
use them like underwear and wear your normal shorts over them.
Otherwise, there are billions of options for seats. Ideally, look for
one with springs or spend a bunch and get an ergonomically designed
one. Safe and happy riding!

So that's why they wear those bicycle shorts! Thanks. I'll definitely get
me a pair.

Bell gel seat. Just bought one for my MC and I am happy I did.

"Hud" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

About a week ago I started biking. I've got a Trek 7200 Multitrack. I
started with an 8 mile ride the first day and then pedaled 10 miles on
three other days. I love it. But, man-o-man, that stock bike seat really
hurts my hind end! Can anyone recommend a comfortable seat, if such a
thing exists?

Ears said:

I hope you're wearing bicycle shorts- the padded crotch (chamois)
makes a WORLD of difference.

FWIW, the padded synthetic "chamois" bike shorts are a relatively recent
phenomenon. Before that, shorts with real chamois (leather) crotches had
no padding. The chamois was there to prevent saddle sores, not provide
padding.

--

John ([email hidden])

In article <[email hidden]>,

landotter said:

Ryan Cousineau said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

landotter said:

On Aug 30, 9:24 pm, Ears <[email hidden]> wrote:
> I hope you're wearing bicycle shorts- the padded crotch (chamois)
> makes a WORLD of difference.

Quoted message said:

I don't find that the padding in bike shorts is of any value. The
reason to wear lycra shorts, IMHO is to reduce friction.

This may be your observation, but please reflect on the great majority
of cyclists over a period of most of the sport's existence who have
observed differently.

Yeah, they observed that they didn't have any padding in their shorts,
as lycra pampers are a pretty modern twist on the bike short. Duh! I'm
just old enough to have ridden with real animal hide swaddling my
taint, when men were men, and the sheep from whom we harvested the
shorts, were knock-kneed and nervous!

Well personally, I wouldn't dissociate a sheepskin chamois from the more
padded synthetic type.

More a matter of degree than distinction,

--
Ryan Cousineau [email hidden] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

Hud said:

"Ears" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I hope you're wearing bicycle shorts- the padded crotch (chamois)
makes a WORLD of difference. If you're worried about looks, then just
use them like underwear and wear your normal shorts over them.
Otherwise, there are billions of options for seats. Ideally, look for
one with springs or spend a bunch and get an ergonomically designed
one. Safe and happy riding!

So that's why they wear those bicycle shorts! Thanks. I'll definitely get
me a pair.

They also make you look sexy. And if you bike commute in them, you
become the subject of office gossip.

The Historian said:

Hud said:

"Ears" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I hope you're wearing bicycle shorts- the padded crotch (chamois)
makes a WORLD of difference. If you're worried about looks, then just
use them like underwear and wear your normal shorts over them.
Otherwise, there are billions of options for seats. Ideally, look for
one with springs or spend a bunch and get an ergonomically designed
one. Safe and happy riding!

Quoted message said:

So that's why they wear those bicycle shorts! Thanks. I'll definitely get
me a pair.

They also make you look sexy. And if you bike commute in them, you
become the subject of office gossip.

What are people saying?

DougC said:

If you can consistently ride a lot on an upright bicycle while wearing
unpadded shorts, you are definitely a rare breed.

It depends on your saddle. If it's soft, you wouldn't miss padding in your
shorts, but on a racing saddle it's essential unless you have an
[censored] of steel.

I happily ride my commuter around in trackies, without padding, but
the saddle is much softer than on my racer.

Luke said:

Quoted message said:

If you can consistently ride a lot on an upright bicycle while wearing
unpadded shorts, you are definitely a rare breed.

How so? Have the 100s of millions of 'consistent' workaday cyclists in
Asia and Europe been polled to determine whether they wear padded
shorts. I suspect it's a minority of cyclists worldwide, that is, the
affluent, recreational cyclists of the west, who predominantly use
padding.

The Western recreational cyclists tend to ride much farther.

This page:
http://ruudvisser.wordpress.com/2006/12/04/planes-trains-automobiles-sort-of/
notes that the average Dutch person rides about 550 miles/year or 1.5
miles/day. Only about one-third of all people there commute by bicycle,
so that bumps the average per-rider up about 3X, or about 4.5 miles per
day. Assuming that's a 5-day/week commute, that bumps it up to 6.3
miles/day for 5 days/week, or around 1500 miles total (average)
per-rider, per year.

.....Most [non-competitive] recreational cyclists I know would think that
a routine of 6.5 miles/day with weekends off is rather mild. And that
6.5 mile average is even an out-and-back run, so it's really two
separate 3.25 mile rides.
-----
As for "hundreds of millions of workaday cyclists", most of them are
poor people without much choice. You notice you also don't see a lot of
people in North Korea, rural China or backwoods Africa riding the latest
Lance-wannabe road bikes, either.

See this page (-a different subject, but about halfway down is a green
two-column table, of significant interest-)

Quoted message said:

http://www.bicyclinglife.com/EffectiveAdvocacy/TheRoadsWeHave.htm

"... According to a study by the Tinbergen Institute, the Average
number of one way trips per person per day broken out by distance in
Holland looks like this:
Trip Distance.... Note that the vast majority of trips are less than
2.5km (1.5Miles) and there are hardly any over 7.5km (4.6Miles)... "

So how do Denmark cyclists ride so much, without padded shorts, and
sitting upright? The answer is, they don't usually ride very far.
Perhaps we could compare photos of "daily commuters" with people from
that same country out recreational-riding long distances, like say,,,
160+ km rides? I'd be willing to bet that most show up wearing padded
shorts, and they leave the city bike at home that day.
~