Cycling is a PITA

[nrosko]

My first week in, first bike since i was a kid & a bought a turbo trainer so i have no excuses to miss riding.
One thing i'm really struggling with & is really hindering progress is my backside.
Spent some time setting up riding position & making sure saddle is setup correctly.
I have shorts that are padded FWE LTR Bib Shorts & the saddle is Cannondale Stage CX, i'm a bit overweight.
Is there a better saddle & chamois? Its difficult to ascertain which shorts/tights will help

 

[vickster]

Give it more time. Make sure the saddle is level. Try to ride out of the saddle too and give your bum a rest

Yes there might be a better saddle for you or better shorts but no one can tell you what as all cyclists are different. Plenty don't even use padding!

 

[Alan O]

If you've never ridden a bike before, or not since you were a kid, your bum really can hurt a lot when you're just starting - especially when you get on your bike soon after a previous sore ride. Before you spend money buying all sorts of things that might not help, I'd suggest just doing short rides with plenty of bum rest in between and see how it goes.

 

[Elybazza61]

A week is not really enough time to get used to a saddle especially if you have not done much riding for a long while.

Bike fit could be an issue and as Vickster says make shure the saddle is level(although some like a saddle up or down) but just give it time and see if it gets better.

 

[mjr]

Are you sure the bike is set up right? Which guide did you use? People often have their saddles slightly too high, causing a sore bum because their legs aren't taking any of their weight. Also, if your legs get too tired, it can result in sitting too heavily.

 

[helston90]

Time, time and more time. Your skin and bones are not used to the dynamics you're suddenly asking them to undergo.
If I have any time off the bike my soft skin starts to make a come back and takes a few rides to sort itself out.
Give it a chance before doing anything drastic.

 

[buzzy-beans]

I can well recall the PITA feeling and worse still the numb goolies and tingling winkie that had next to no feeling for an hour or more after a ride, so @nrosko welcome to the club of pain!! But it will get better, it will get a lot better and eventually you will wonder what all the fuss was all about.

Personally I think the saddle can be the culprit as well as getting the exact bum/leg/pedal measurement for your own body........... everyone is different and even a couple of mm can make a world of a difference.

I tried all sorts of saddles but eventually I returned to a much loved vintage BROOKS B17, they take some time to ride them into your shape, but after that they are honestly like having a magic carpet ride compared with all of these totally over the top modern designs.

 

[Thorn Sherpa]

What's the best saddle for someone could be the worst for another no one saddle is the perfect one for everybody. There's a lot of factors such as the distance someone rides, weight, the terrain and how often they ride. Like people have mentioned before I'd get use to riding and have a sufficient break between rides to get your backside use to cycling. Otherwise you could waste money going from saddle to saddle with the same result

 

[Ming the Merciless]

It is simply that your bum muscles are weak after years of little use. Give it time.

 

[slowmotion]

^^^ This. It just takes time for your bum to get a bit tougher, that's all. Take it slowly to begin with until it does. No point in suffering unnecessarily.

 

[Fonze]

I work a rotation plan , so I'm home some weeks others away , whenever I get back first few days my tookas hurts.
Might pay going to a cycle store and do fit test on a saddle exams sit bones etc.
Just perils of cycling too I suppose

 

[400bhp]

Are you riding just on a static trainer? It is less comfortable than riding outdoors.

 

[boydj]

Build up your time in the saddle fairly slowly. If you're on the trainer mostly, that is harder on you than riding outdoors where you naturally move around on the saddle a lot more as terrain changes. Give it time and use the 'heel on the pedal' method to check your saddle height is correct.

 

[nrosko]

Are you sure the bike is set up right? Which guide did you use? People often have their saddles slightly too high, causing a sore bum because their legs aren't taking any of their weight. Also, if your legs get too tired, it can result in sitting too heavily.

With my heel & peddle down I have a slight bend in the knee, knee level with peddle axis when peddle at 90, saddle is level & i raised the handle bars 8mm. It might need some slight tuning though i suspect.

 

[nrosko]

Thanks for all the comments.
Pretty much turbo trainer only atm. Going by most of the comments i should maybe mix it up, maybe i could throw some running in & just wait till it gets used to it & accept it take time.

I guess it's just frustrating as i feel like i have the motivation to get on it daily. I will probably get some new tights or shorts as i don't really have enough anyway. Would people recommend going for tights rather than shorts if your maybe not in such good shape? The bands on the base of shorts aren't the most flattering.