Saddle Sore / Numbness

[Stroke Survivor]

I bought my 2nd hand bike a few days ago. I have 2012 Carrera Subway Limited Edition. It is in immaculate condition and came with every service stamp, last stamped 1 week earlier. Anyway, I digress. I weigh 18st 7lbs, I put my cycling shorts and other comfy gear on. Set off on my 1st 6 mile ride in over 16 years........... and yes you guessed it, I managed just under 3 miles. My bum just kept heating up. I got home and my ass felt like it had the leading role in Broke Back Mountain. Before anyone suggests it, yes all measurements, seat and clothing were fine. After looking on Google my mind was even more confused... get shorts with gel insert, keep away from shorts with gel insert, use e45, nappy cream, or vaseline, don't use e45, nappy cream, or vaseline. Put up with the pain, it gets easier, don't put up with the pain, it will put you off. Please just reply with your experience, not 'thoughts' on the subject. I am riding 'road only' to lose weight and as physiotherapy due to Surviving Strokes in 2001.

 

[raleighnut]

I bought my 2nd hand bike a few days ago. I have 2012 Carrera Subway Limited Edition. It is in immaculate condition and came with every service stamp, last stamped 1 week earlier. Anyway, I digress. I weigh 18st 7lbs, I put my cycling shorts and other comfy gear on. Set off on my 1st 6 mile ride in over 16 years........... and yes you guessed it, I managed just under 3 miles. My bum just kept heating up. I got home and my ass felt like it had the leading role in Broke Back Mountain. Before anyone suggests it, yes all measurements, seat and clothing were fine. After looking on Google my mind was even more confused... get shorts with gel insert, keep away from shorts with gel insert, use e45, nappy cream, or vaseline, don't use e45, nappy cream, or vaseline. Put up with the pain, it gets easier, don't put up with the pain, it will put you off. Please just reply with your experience, not 'thoughts' on the subject. I am riding 'road only' to lose weight and as physiotherapy due to Surviving Strokes in 2001.

in a word Brooks.

 

[Mrs M]

Yep, Brooks saddle and Sudocrem until things settle.

 

[sleuthey]

Put up with the pain, it gets easier

This happened in my experience

 

[screenman]

in a word Brooks.

Horrible things, never found them comfortable.

 

[welsh dragon]

There may be other reasons for your problem. How long has it been since you were last on a bike. Yep 16 years is a long time. Stay away from anything gel, saddles and shorts alike. Harder is better as they say.

Have you had a proper saddle measure? Have you had a proper bike fit. Maybe the saddle is too high, to low, to far forward, to far back. Tilted up to much at the front. Tilted down too much at the front.

What kind of saddle is it. It might be worth going to a bike shop and have them do a proper fit. As you can see, there is no simple answer. Saddles are a very personal thing. What suits one person will be hell and agony for another.

Goood luck. Im sure others may be able to help you more. Good luck

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Just ride. Your sit bones will naturally be sore after such a long layoff and that first few miles...

Imagine never having used your feet to bear any weight at all in the last ten years, and then asking them to walk a mile today. Your feet bones would be really sore. Same with your sit bones, let them get used to it. Ride a few miles more each ride for the first 2 or 3, you soon get used to being in the saddle. It gets more comfortable very quickly, but don't expect comfort from the off.

Do not, on any account, start to obsess about creams etc for now. They can help on a hundred mile ride, but it's debatable even at that level and certainly not needed sub 50km.

PS: I see in your welcome post you said 20 stone, and here it's 18 something... doesn't matter which you are, but either way that's a lot to put on bones that haven't ever borne weight, so even more important that you just let them get used to it. Please, forget about "what shorts" and "cream or no cream " at this stage, you just need to ride.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Take all the advice you receive on here with a pinch of salt (do use this, avoid that)

Certainly any advice about what saddle, what shorts and what cream should be taken with some salt, or even completely disregarded at this stage.

The advice to just ride the goddamn bike is sound and valid whatever. You get a sore bum after 3 miles of cycling, having never done it in over a decade. Fact.

 

[adamhearn]

Make sure you've got a bike that fits properly and the saddle is supportive (i.e. not all squishy). For minimal mileage rides you don't need creams and arguably padded short also (though they should always assist in comfort). Getting a decent saddle [the stock item is pretty bad] would be my input

I started riding in 2011 after a couple of decades off. I weighed in just under your current weight and also had considerable discomfort. However, I kept up with frequent rides [of less than 10 miles] and it got better. I did buy a decent bike to push the mileage over time. I only use chamois creams for rides > 40 miles and really only because I have it (bought it for my first century ride). A good saddle and bib shorts made all the difference.

Edit - As Yellow Saddle has critiqued, chamois cream isn't helpful when the problem is pressure. It's used to soothe areas where friction occurs (could be seams, edges of pads, etc.) and these can be exacerbated over longer distances.

 

[Katherine]

Hey, you did 3 miles. Well done. I mean it. You have to build up the miles. Leave it a day or so and try again. After a few rides of 3 miles, build up to 5, then a few more and so on. Make sure you are not wearing underwear inside the cycling shorts. As you get stronger, especially your core muscles, you will find that you won't need to put as much pressure on your seat area.

 

[Alan O]

Take all the advice you receive on here with a pinch of salt (do use this, avoid that) as people will be saying what works for them. It's useful and worth bearing in mind but you'll need to find your own solution, and that may be contrary to other people's.

Absolutely that!

Do not rush out and buy a Brooks saddle (I have them, I love them, but they most definitely do not suit everyone and it could be an expensive mistake).

Do you need a new saddle? You might do, you might not, but after only 3 miles you can not possibly know either way. And if you do eventually decide you need a new one, the range of options these days is mind-boggling.

I got back to cycling last year after a big gap, and I did manage around 5 miles on my first returning ride. But it hurt, and it was with a saddle that I'd previously ridden thousands of miles on!

Bottoms do need to get beaten back into shape, and do feel better once their hide has had a few miles of physical tanning. So I'd say give it a bit of a rest until the tenderness is gone, then go and do another ride - 2, 3, 4 miles or whatever you can manage without getting into too much pain, and then rest again.

Once you've repeated that a few times, your newly-toughened bum will almost certainly be feeling a lot better and you'll be going further with less discomfort.

Ultimately, you might indeed decide you need a new saddle, or that padded shorts are for you - but I don't think you're anywhere near being able to decide that just yet.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

How on earth will cream help with soreness from pressure?

 

[Alan O]

How on earth will cream help with soreness from pressure?

Cream cakes might take your mind off it?

 

[Fonze]

My toucas hurt for a while, I was wearing a fake bib off eBay, and treated myself in the sale to a pair of castelli shorts .. big difference I found, if I chafe I use sudo cream ..

 

[mjr]

Measure the distance between your sit bones (there are videos involving sitting on cardboard, or you might be able to grope yourself with a tape measure if skilled) and check your saddle width is about right.

Other than that, 3 miles is a good start. Do it a few times, then 5 miles is your next target, then 10km, 10 miles, 20km, 15miles, and so on. Remember to include some stops that interest you along the way, landmarks and stuff (national trust places tend to welcome bikes... http://cycle.travel city pages may give you ideas)