Novice Arse Pains

SteamTrean

Good 'ay,

I've recently started cycling to work to get fit and do my bit for the environment. I'm suffering from sore hole syndrom I know this is normal but would like to know when I can expect this to go away. Also any other little tit bits for a novice cyclist would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Franky Boy

What saddle is it?

SteamTrean

Franky Boy wrote:

What saddle is it?

Absolutley No idea, It's not a pro bike or anythig. cost 300 squid. What would be typical length of time for arse pains?

Ghost Rider

First off, great title for a thread. Shame it turned out to be about saddles (rather than seminaries...)

Second, cycling shorts can help if the discomfort is in the area of the perineum. In fact, if there is discomfort there, you should sort it out as it can have serious long term consequences.

Morgan

If you're experiencing pain then there may be something wrong and it mightn't get better over time. Your bike may not be set up properly (saddle, bars etc.) or the sadddle may not suit you.

Here's an article about saddles which may help...

http://sheldonbrown.com/saddles.html

SteamTrean

Ghost Rider wrote:

First off, great title for a thread. Shame it turned out to be about saddles (rather than seminaries...)

Second, cycling shorts can help if the discomfort is in the area of the perineum. In fact, if there is discomfort there, you should sort it out as it can have serious long term consequences.

Slightly in the goochal region now that you mention it, but the real pain is on both buttocks where my weight would be pressed onto the sadle. I was thinking that I should become immune to this after a while, in a similar vein to a guitar player's finger tips hardening. No? Deluded?

t5pwr

SteamTrean wrote:

Slightly in the goochal region now that you mention it, but the real pain is on both buttocks where my weight would be pressed onto the sadle. I was thinking that I should become immune to this after a while, in a similar vein to a guitar player's finger tips hardening. No? Deluded?

Usually it will go away after a few days if the bike is adjusted properly. You will notice that the first day ain't so bad and then the second day as you sit on the saddle it feels like someone just took a sledge hammer to the exact points that your ass sits on the saddle. That's just speaking from my own experience...

If it doesn't go away maybe go into a bike shop and see if it's adjusted properly to you...

Ghost Rider

If your seat post and handlebars are the right height, the saddle is of reasonable quality and the frame of the bike is more or less suited to your own height, I'd say you'll get used to it.

Anyway, as a sometime guitarist, I can safely say that you wouldn't really want your buttocks to develop callouses (although if the skin starts to peel down there, you know you're on the way...)

SteamTrean wrote:

Slightly in the goochal region now that you mention it, but the real pain is on both buttocks where my weight would be pressed onto the sadle. I was thinking that I should become immune to this after a while, in a similar vein to a guitar player's finger tips hardening. No? Deluded?

Civilian_Target

Take it as in incentive to pedal harder!

SteamTrean

Thank you all for your helpful words.

Johnny Jukebox

There is a bit of science around selecting the optimum saddle. As far as I can recall, there is a device that can measure the distance between your "sit bones" but I've never seen one in Dublin cycling shops. Specialized launched a range of saddles last year with different "sit bone" sizes. The angle of the saddle on top of the seat post is also really important - again, you should tweak this to optimise it for yourself.

You could try adjusting the stem to bring your weight forward/back on the saddle as well.

Finally, padded shorts and getting out of the saddle occasionally to let the blood flow :-)

Civilian_Target

Yeah - the best way to have a saddle is not to be over-reliant on it. Don't be afraid to put weight through your legs, that's what they're there for!

boomshackala

I find that giving your arse a couple of days rest does wonders, theres probably a bit of bruising there and continuing to cycle on it is just making it worse...don't worry you'll have an arse like elephant hyde before long with a bit of intermittant resting