HELP my bike seat hurt my bum?

Question

i stayed on my bike for 4 hours and my bum hurts real bad cos my bike seat aint exactly comfy why does it do this?

Answer 1

you need the english saddle, brooks.

Answer 2

Seats that come on bikes are never comfortable.  They have very little cushioning.   The same happens to me if I ride for a long time.   Either you have to get a new seat, or just deal with it.   The seats are very small and narrow, and since they don't have little cushioning, it causes discomfort.    

They have really comfy seats with springs, and they are really wide so you can sit comfortably.   I'd check this out at the bike shop.  

Answer 3

you should thought about this when you were going to buy bike!!!!! it depends on how comfort you feel on the seat!!!! i am going to buy a bike today!!!

Answer 4

Well, a 4 hours ride is quite long anyway. I'll recommend you to get a gel saddle, it helps a bit. If that doesn't work then try a different seat set up, probably it is too high or too low..  

Answer 5

1. all these answers telling you to get a bigger, padded seat are way off! bigger, padded seats will cause chafing on longer rides. seats with lower profiles are designed to reduce chafing, and are comfortable when properly fitted.

2. make sure your seat is properly fitted for you: height, knees should be slightly bent when extending to the lowest point in your pedal-stroke. lateral, front-to-back, it should support your sit bones. you can also finetune the angle.

3. get some cycling specific shorts. combined with a properly fitted seat, you will be comfortable on your next 4 hour excursion..

Answer 6

Is it just your muscles that are hurting? You may not have the right saddle, BUT it is much more likely that you are "saddle sore", something which happens when your muscles are not used to a bike saddle. Whatever saddle you are using, your muscles will ache after the first few rides, until they get used to (a) the new form of exercise - contracting while in a more extended state than in walking, and (b) doing so while being compressed against ANY saddle. So don't rush out and buy a plush gel saddle just yet, it will be more comfy but it won't stop you needing to push through the saddle soreness stage if you plan on doing long rides.

If you have any reason to suspect that the pain is something to worry about, i.e. tailbone or pelvic floor, then go ahead and get medical advice, but if you feel it is just a case of saddle soreness, the best thing you can do is get right back onto your bike within a few days, and your muscles will soon toughen up. If you leave it a few weeks, you will just get the same problem when you next go for a long ride.

Also, make sure your saddle is in the best position. Preferably get the bike adjusted for you at your local bike shop, or do it yourself if you are happy to. You will need a 6mm allen (hex) key or 13mm spanner.

The saddle should be approximately level, not with the nose pointing up in the air, this puts too much pressure on the pelvic floor during standard cycling. You can tilt the nose of the saddle down a fraction if you prefer, but not so much that you slip forward on it.

The saddle should be raised so that your knees nearly straighten while pedalling. but not so much that your knees lock, this can be bad for the knee joints, and makes the pelvis rock side to side on the saddle.

Finally, you should not have all your weight on the saddle, unless you have fragile wrists or chronic lower back pain, it is more comfortable and efficient to put some weight through your hands, but make sure you keep your wrists straight so any jolting from bumps are sent into the arms, not absorbed by the wrists. And whether you are pedalling or coasting along, put some of your weight on the pedals; when your weight is evenly distributed, it makes your bike much more stable and manoeverable.

Answer 7

it happens to nearly everyone who goes on long bike rides. its because you are squeezing your bum on a tiny seat and doing exercise. you can buy special seats though that has special padding so this doesn't occur, they really help my mam got one for when she goes riding. no pain :D

hope this helps xx

Answer 8

I got a new one this week from tescos superstore bike section,it was only a tenner and its like sitting on your sofa

Answer 9

Bike seats are not designed for comfort, It wont cost a lot to change it for one that is!

Answer 10

You need a better saddle or make adjustments to the one you have.  You can try to move the seat forward or back a little and try changing the angle, sometimes it makes a big difference. Just make small adjustments and only one at a time.

I have a WTB saddle on one of my bikes that is really comfy and it came with the bike.  You can get a pair of cycling shorts ( they have padding in the right places) that make a huge difference.

http://www.wtb.com/products/saddles/

Answer 11

Because bascially it isnt comfy.

Your bum isnt used to it.

Answer 12

I had the same problem when I was getting into biking. I used to do 30 mile rides, but now I have worked my way up to 100 mile rides. When I did 30 mile rides, I never had any discomfort. When I did longer ones, I hurt a lot in the same spot that you did. When I bought padded bike shorts, it helped a lot. Don't buy a seat that is really big or cushy, it will cause chaffing and it will hurt more

Answer 13

They make shorts specifically for cyclist. It has a padding in the crotch area and no inseam there to agitate your genitals. traditional shorts have an inseam that can irritate that sensitive area. you can also purchase a seat that is specifically for men or women. there are also seats that have a center cut out that take pressure of the perineum vein for men and pressure of the pelvic bone for women, that can also create discomfort. Proper padding on the seat can help if you don't mind the extra weight. Also proper seat height can help alleviate some of the discomfort. If you seat is too high you end up rocking on the seat. When you sit on the seat you should only be able to touch the ground with your tippy toes, and you knees should have a slight bend to them and not a complete straight leg.

Answer 14

if your riding for 4 hours im guessing you have a road bike.

you can have a completly solid seat or a seat that is softer than your couch and if you havent got the bike set up properly then no matter what the seat is like is going to hurt!

I have had a solid carbon seat (no padding) and only because I had the positioning of everything (handlebars, seat height, etc) right it didnt hurt my butt.

go get set up on your bike properly by someone who knows what they are doing and spend some money to get a decent seat.

i would suggest selle italia saddles. absolute brillience. comfortable no matter what!

Answer 15

You have an awful saddle ----better replace it !  Try the SDG Grand Prix ($26.95) at Cambriabike.com, the WTB Rocket V Race ($37.00) AT Bike Bling.com

Answer 16

I would try a different seat or there are covers you can buy to place over the seat. I would also ride out of the seat for a bit to give your bum a rest!

Answer 17

Like other body parts, doing something it isn't used to will be uncomfortable until it gets used to it.

I've got a firm seat that bothers me when I haven't been riding for a while, but I ride 3-4 hours every weekend without any problem.  

I wear riding shorts for anything longer than 20 miles.