Saddle Sore / Numbness

[Profpointy]

To the OP - if you are getting pain / serious discomfort after 3 miles something is very wrong with the set up. Special shorts, arse-cream and lord knows what is not the answer.

1. Need to sort out the height, fore-aft position , and pariticularly agle of saddle - flat or a touch nose down.

2. Your saddle might simply be crap or just not suit you. Most, but not all, the folks on here consider padded saddles and to a lesser extent gell saddles to be rubbish.

4. Special shorts and what not are pretty irrelevant for short journeys. Whilst I do wear mine for an 8 mile commute, it's convenience not necessity. If saddle and positioning is OK, then 30 miles should be no issue at all in ordinary trousers. I didn't have special shorts for my first 30 odd years cycling. I have never used arse cream, but I dare say it's needed if you're doing 100 milers

5. Whilst I am a great believer in Brooks saddles, and mine needed no breaking in at all, they don't suit everyone. Basicially they are great if you have a Brooksian arse as I evidently have, but are seemingly torture if you don't. Regarding their care I did neglect one by leaving the bike outside for a year and it went mouldy and failed completely only 10 years later.

So in conclusion, have a go with the position, and maybe change saddle if it's a crappo padded one, but shorts etc are not the answer. MTFU isn't the answer either since if it's that bad after 3 miles summat is wrong

 

[yogiblair]

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.

Hi,
I am two months in to regular cycling as rehab following back surgery. I started off similar to yourself with short journeys and did experience a bit of the dreaded chaffing! Applying some sudocream, before and after has helped, as has cycling shorts with padded insert. Good luck, it does ease off!

 

[Alan O]

1. Need to sort out the height, fore-aft position , and pariticularly agle of saddle - flat or a touch nose down.

4. Special shorts and what not are pretty irrelevant for short journeys. Whilst I do wear mine for an 8 mile commute, it's convenience not necessity. If saddle and positioning is OK, then 30 miles should be no issue at all in ordinary trousers. I didn't have special shorts for my first 30 odd years cycling. I have never used arse cream, but I dare say it's needed if you're doing 100 milers

Just picked out a couple of those points to reply to...

4. I've never worn padded shorts, not in my early years when I was very active, and not now that I've taken up cycling again as I approach bus-pass age. As for cream, I do often carry Germolene with me, but I've hardly ever used it (only for the occasional sweaty abrasion you can get in various, sort of, creased and cracky areas - smaller font there to try to preserve some vestige of dignity). Since I resumed the activity in 2016, I have done a 100-mile ride. It damn near killed me, because I really wasn't fit enough for it, but it was a sponsored thing and giving up just wasn't an option. At the end, my muscles were seriously painful and my legs were struggling to keep me upright, my arms were pretty sore, and my hands were hurting quite a bit (I hadn't discovered the excellent Giro gloves that I now use). But my bum felt like it had been caressed by angels, and I put that down to...

1. Get the right saddle for you (for me it's a Brooks Cambium C17), and get the positioning and fit right, and I reckon you've conquered at least 90% of what you need (100% for me). Actually, I'd say getting the positioning and fit right should be the first priority - ahead of switching saddles, and certainly way ahead of fancy shorts and creams and stuff.

 

[simongt]

I'll stick to my Brooks' thank you.

Likewise - !

 

[Lozi]

Personally I just apply sudocreme before I go out and also sometimes when I'm not riding which has worked wonders for me but to be honest I need the sudocreme even without cycling

 

[kingrollo]

I bought a Brooks Imperial. After 2 years I still could not get on with it. There are lots of examples where people cannot get on with them. It is a very expensive mistake to make and it always baffles me when the first thing people advise is a Brooks saddle, just because it suits them.

Why not suggest a Charge Spoon or a Charge Pan. It may not suit but it is a fraction of the cost and they have many satisfied customers.

I do have a B17 that is very good. But i would never suggest a Brooks as a first option.

Brooks imperial is around £70 isn't it ? - Pretty sure you would get £50 back on Ebay.

I love my brooks imperial - that and Chamois cream keep me comfy when everything else failed. But that's me it might not work for everyone.

I did once read a theory that ass pain can be caused by the hairs on your backside, these tear and get ripped out causing some pain - over time the ass smooths out so the pain goes away.

In the early days of getting back on the bike I found an athletic support (jockstrap in old money !!!!) helped keep my tackle in the right place - they are under £10 from Amazon or ebay.