overweight cyclist

heresjohnnyboy wrote: »

Unfortunately i couldn't find a pair that fit me but i might get lucky and find a pair in the next few days.

That will be the main thing which gives you more comfort.

heresjohnnyboy wrote: »

I was thinkin they woyld help alot but they can be hard to find in a xxl+ size mate but thanks for the heads up on their importance. Ill defo look harder for a pair.

You could try your luck here: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/mens/cycle/shorts/?ea=4294942864,4294942863,4294885816

Other people have already said it takes a little while to get used to it. I was very sore for about a week when I started commuting and then I just got used to it, although on longer cycles the discomfort came back.

You indicate you are overweight but not fat so perhaps this isn't an issue but for people with a big belly (ie: me) bib shorts are great. I put off buying these for a long time because they seemed so weird but when I finally got some they were so good I was annoyed I had waited so long. These are shorts or tights that basically have built in suspenders in the form of straps that go over your shoulders. These keep the whole thing from slipping down when you are cycling and they are long on the front so you don't have issues with the waist line cutting in to you.
Here's an example of what I mean:-
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-vaeon-roubaix-padded-bib-tight/

Another point to think about is that the ultimate reason your arse is sore is that you are putting weight on in in a way you are not used to. There are three points of contact with the bike and the less weight the other two take the more your arse does. The first way that is relevant is that as your fitness increases you will pedal harder and your feet and legs will take more weight. The fitter you are the less discomfort you will be in, or at least it will be moved around to sore muscles instead of a sore arse. The next thing is that your hands should be taking some of the weight. If your riding position is very upright you may have hardly any weight on your hands. There's a bunch of ways to change this like raising your saddle, lowering your bars or moving your saddle back. If you go to Youtube and search for bike fit you will find a ton of videos.
Here's a relatively random example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVu5Zrktm40&list=PLUdAMlZtaV108lEB-bfr5DVW9rXhtygDL&index=8&feature=iv&src_vid=BhZZnTgxrDM&annotation_id=annotation_2199970137

Would endorse what others have said about bib shorts (not so sure about gel cover for a saddle - I think too much padding may be counterproductive- YMMV)
But I suggest to break your rear end in to cycling gradually. It's easy to get enthusiastic about cycling and with adrenaline / feel good factor do too much / too many days in a row resulting in a saddle sore / boil on the arse which can keep you off the bike for a few weeks or cause you to chuck it altogether.
Get kitted up, but also give your body time to adapt.

A wise man once said that the saddle that suits you best is the one you are prepared to spend most time on.
Basically, you have to get used to a saddle - it takes time. But your weight adds a big factor to the equation. That's a huge weight bouncing on your sit bones when you go over the normal bumps on the road that you hardly notice. Wide tires at low(ish) pressure will help.
A sprung seat post might too, but you'd need to check that it isn't bottoming- out at your weight.

Fair play to you and good luck.

Cycling is a great way to lose weight. At 30 stone the impact involved in walking/jogging would hurt your shins to the point that it would be difficult to continue for very long, but on a bike you will be able to keep going. Just hold off trying to cycle up any mountains until you have gotten a bit of practice in and try to avoid "rewarding" yourself after a cycle with food, you will be hungry and you will need something to keep your blood sugar up but it is easy to overestimate the amount of calories you have burned.

The ass soreness hits everyone, heavy or light, it is just a matter of going through it. Your muscles there will need to strenghten to get used to bearing the weight. Make sure you have a wide saddle and cycling shorts. At 30 stone you will also need to be careful that you have sturdy wheels and a sturdy saddle, most bike components are designed with people who are much lighter in mind (for men 9-15 stone is probably typical for cyclists.)

You will also want to use chamois cream which will help prevent chafing, especially if you are wearing ordinary shorts/underwear.

Apart from the weight loss the activity involved will have other benefits too, both health wise and mood wise.

Taking the first step is the hardest, keep it up! Congratulations!

A good quality chamois cream can help keep the nether regions free from saddle sores. It won't relieve the pain from getting used to sitting on a saddle but avoiding saddle sores is a plus. A nasty sore can keep you off the bike for a week or more.

Keep at it. Your ar$e will acclimatise to it.

Fair play. Irrespective of your weight, keeping fit can only be a good thing.

hi jonny .Im cycling about 5 years now(roadbike)and am still sore after my longer spins.im ok for 30k trips every 2-3 days but when i up the distance or frequency i get saddle sores.im about 17 stone.185cm and have spent a fortune on saddles.if your in the cork area i could let u try a few.one at a time.i have assos miele bibs.they help a lot.have used the chamois cream.it helps a bit but expensive.my next step is a bike fit but i have followed all the help vids on utube and tried just about all the tips out there.hope you have better luck.dont give up as the cycling itself is great and the exercise is beneficial.id suggest getting a once over with the doc though and take is easy.i have been off the bike a month due to travel and will be heading out this morning fod a nice flat easy spin.drop me a pm if u want to try a saddle