When will my arse stop hurting?

[mmace]

I got my bike last Tuesday night, cycled to work last Wednesday and Friday (drove on Thursday), this week I've cycled both days and will be again tomorrow (then got Fri-Mon off), but my arse is killing me on the saddle, it hurts a bit just sitting on my office chair or even my sofa at home, but it's awful on the bike!
I bought padded shorts with the bike and have been using them each time and the saddle is pretty padded

is this a usual pain for beginners?
how long til it stops hurting?

 

[dodgy]

Quite normal, it'll be gone by next week.

Dave.

 

[fossyant]

Gel saddles aren't good - you ideally need a firm one with a high density foam, as gel gives too much. You will get used to it though - and yess you can get some pain....although I can't really remember as I've been cycling for so long.

Expect a few other aches and pains as your body get's used to the position on the bike - e.g. back, hands, arms ! So long as it doesn't continue for a long period.

What sort of saddle is it - is it a squishy gel one ?

 

[goo_mason]

Completely normal.

Even experienced cyclists can still feel the same pain when breaking in a brand new saddle (if it has little initial give)

 

[Tynan]

week of agony, week of sore than then it's fine and you wonder what the fuss was about, what others have said about the saddle, too much padding/gel/stuff is alost as bad as none

 

[gambatte]

and don't forget, its not purely the saddle you're breaking in!

This can return if you have a couple of weeks off the bike....

 

[sjb]

Agree with others about it usually wearing off eventually, but if it doesn't you need to get another saddle - I had a MTB saddle that was comfortable for about an hour then agony. Different padding patterns in shorts can make a difference - I've found that really cheap is not good!

 

[Lisa1979]

Glad its not just me with a sore bum!

 

[BentMikey]

There is usually some breaking in period of the saddle, together with a toughening up of the rear end as well, but bear in mind after that, only a new saddle that actually fits your rear end will be the right answer. Different people have differently shaped sit bones, so all saddles won't work with all backsides.

That or ride a recumbent.

 

[Danny]

You should see this as the modern equivalent of a tribal initiation ceremony - at the end of the day it will make a (wo)man out of you*

Seriously though, if your arse hurts for too long, consider changing your saddle. As others have said you may actually want a firmer saddle. My personal favourite is a Brooks B17 (about £35) but there are plenty of other choices. Go to Edinburgh Cycle Co-op, or another good LBS, and they should be able to advise you on what to get.


* Apologies - can't tell what gender you are!

 

[zimzum42]

your arse will hurt, but also consider getting a saddle which seems to have little padding, but which has rails which will flex, far more give. titanium rails are the best, like the flite range of saddles

too much padding/gel can make it worse

 

[nilling]

Sudocrem

antiseptic soothing cream

 

[Bollo]

Don't give up mmace! Like everyone else has said, the saddles that boast the most 'comfort' features can turn out to be the most uncomfortable.

Also, saddles are the most personal part of a bike. Hopefully, your @rse and saddle should reach a negotiated settlement soon, but if not, don't be shy about changing it. Look at any of the 'reader review' sites like bikemagic on the interbob and almost every reviewed saddle will have a selection of "ouch" comments.

I've just swapped out a fizik arione saddle (fairly chunky for a 'road' saddle) on my road bike as I've never really got on with it. I replaced it with a Spec toupe and can't believe the improvement, despite the toupe looking something like the coddling-grinder from Blackadder.

 

[cupoftea]

I read somewhere that some of this pain is down to the muscles on the inside of legs up by your *&^^ getting over used, controling the sideways movement of your legs.

Has anyone else heard this or is it complete *()*()*)(*)?

 

[marinyork]

It'll hurt for a short while I'd have thought like everyone else says. I've got a friend who is only a summer cyclist and doesn't go on the bike for months at a time and then it cains in the summer for the first few rides.