Asking for a friend.....

[Scotty55]

I took up cycling a couple of months ago and am now regularly hitting 50 km on my rides.
My wife has (reluctantly) got her bike out after 10 years or so, and can manage about 6 km. She has had a leg injury and has a weakness in one leg, which makes it likely that her distance ability will take time to develop.

Her real problem, not to put too fine a point on it, is that her bum is quite sore after a cycle. Would padded shorts help? I don’t want to spend a lot of money as she might give up, but keen to support her if she wants to keep going.

 

[whitesix]

Even as a complete novice Scotty; the answer is a definite yes and ensure that the saddle is set up correctly and remember; the saddle breaks you in not the other way round. Obviously if the situations does not improve after a few months of getting used to the saddle another saddle could be considered; however if the bike was previously used by your wife without much discomfort; it is in all likely to be just the initial pains of getting back on the bike so to speak!
I hope things improve and that your wife gets back to enjoying cycling; but there again, what do I know; I'm not enjoying it at the moment, after returning to the saddle after a 48 year break!

 

[DCLane]

Padded shorts plus the right type of saddle; we're all different shapes so it might not fit her.

 

[Scotty55]

Padded shorts plus the right type of saddle; we're all different shapes so it might not fit her.

I’ve offered to take a proper look for her, but she has declined. Need to try topping her up with gin or Prosecco.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

@vickster @mudsticks @Saluki @Julia9054 @Reynard

 

[mudsticks]

Padded shorts definitely worth a try.

And the right saddle will be key.
It might take a few goes, to get the right one.

Don't give up mrs Scotty!!

Measure those sit bones too

If your wife has one leg much stronger than the other then her riding gait is of course going to be uneven, causing her pelvis to tilt to one side more than the other.

Potentially adding to pressure on one side of her undercarriage more than t'other.

Even those of us women who are reasonably even legged have more of a tendency to swing our hips from side to side because of the generally broader shape of our pelvis, and how the femur head inserts into the pelvis.

Which can cause trouble.

It takes a bit of concentration, and building up of the deep supporting, internal musculature to overcome, or at least dampen down that oscillation.

But it can be done.

And will probs help with strength and recovery from this issue in other aspects of life.

Some kind of consultation with a sports physio would surely be a really worthwhile investment, if it means Mrs Scotty gets to enjoy, and benefit from cycling again.

 

[alicat]

What's the saddle like? Ironically something soft and squishy can be more painful that something more minimal.

 

[vickster]

Yep padded shorts for sure, plenty of options out there on offer for £30 odd. Assume she has a ladies saddle and isn’t riding one that came with a unisex bike (ie one designed for blokes )

+1 for physio to look at leg (how was it /what specifically was injured as legs have a few different bits and joints )

 

[rjacobs]

I've done 2k on a wrong saddle this year - caused quite a bit of discomfort. Went to Evans, got a basic measurement, paid 40 quid for a new saddle and much better.
Add some padded shorts (dhb are decent mid range) and will help a lot. Maybe some chamois cream too.

 

[DCLane]

@Scotty55 - try this video with her given it's a female presenter:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1uvo68RJYg


She's also done one about ladies' saddles.

 

[vickster]

I've done 2k on a wrong saddle this year - caused quite a bit of discomfort. Went to Evans, got a basic measurement, paid 40 quid for a new saddle and much better.
Add some padded shorts (dhb are decent mid range) and will help a lot. Maybe some chamois cream too.

Chamois cream won’t do anything for a sore bum, assuming the OP means sit bones rather than skin chafing

 

[welsh dragon]

If she doesn't get padded shorts, she may well give up sooner than you think

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Chamois cream won’t do anything for a sore bum, assuming the OP means sit bones rather than skin chafing

That's basically cyclechat now. Every single problem is cured with a cream

 

[mudsticks]

Chamois cream won’t do anything for a sore bum, assuming the OP means sit bones rather than skin chafing

Yes sit bones, are usually the least of our worries, they do 'toughen up' fairly simply after x no. of miles of regular riding, on a suitable width, and density saddle.


It's 'other' complications, which can be more bothersome to address, and need to be sorted if we are to be comfortable long term.

Sure there's a workable solution, but it may take some time, and effort to resolve.

 

[mudsticks]

That's basically cyclechat now. Every single problem is cured with a cream

I've never used any sort of ungent, I'm not too keen on using stuff like that, in that area, so to speak ...