Is a lot of bikeriding bad for women?

Question

Sometimes it just plain HURTS.

i have tried different seats, but i am a huge bikerider.

any suggestions?

and is it bad for us?

Answer 1

Remember that you don't simply swap out a seat and expect things to get better.

After getting a new seat, you still need to make adjustments--  You need to dial in the position of the seat over a few rides to arrive at a comfortable position.

A bike seat is adjustable in three ways:

- Pitch (the seat front can be made to point up or down).

- Horizontal (the seat can be moved forward or backward a bit).

- Height (the most obvious adjustment).

You should buy a multitool and bring it with you when you ride, so you can make on-the-spot adjustments to experiment and see if you can find a comfortable seat position.

Even the smallest adjustment can make a HUGE difference.  Just one degree of change in pitch can dramatically redistribute your weight on the seat from front to back, for instance.

It took me 3 months of experimentation to find a comfortable seat position when I bought my bike.  The contrast is stark--  When I first got it, I couldn't ride the bike for more than 15 minutes before discomfort develops.  Now that it's dialed in, I can do centuries (100-mile rides) on the bike no problems.

Don't give up, keep experimenting with adjusting the seat position, and good luck.

Answer 2

PLEASE don't get discouraged.

Yes, it hurts (and trust me it hurts men at least as much). But if you ride 3-5 days a week for three weeks it WILL stop hurting...as much. I promise.

You should buy a solid leather seat. I know it sounds crazy but after it molds itself to your butt there is nothing better.

Or go recumbent. Recumbent bikes (and trikes) have no break-in. You can ride miles and miles with NO discomfort the first day you have it. They are just heavy, expensive and absolute pigs on hills (uphill...they scream downhill and on flats) but there is nothing more comfortable.

Answer 3

omg as a woman i know exactly how you feel!! honestly the only thing I have found to really work are the cycling shorts for women (they have the padded crotches) if you aren't a cyclist and just do your bike riding to get from A to B they can look kind of goofy (you could always wear them under something)... but they are a godsend for riding long distances!

Answer 4

I will chime in that I too was totally uncomfortable until I finally invested in some decent bike shorts with padding for my long rides. Also, I hear the butt paste stuff helps a good bit too.

Don't give up on cycling, it is good for you and fun and heck, gas is pushing $5/gal

Answer 5

By huge, do you mean fat or big and muscular? Being heavy puts added pressure on your hind end.

edit - OK, the biking part, do all you like. But if you're really hurting you need to either find the right saddle and/or have your bike's fit checked out completely. An ill fitting or set up bike, incorrect saddle, saddle height/tilt, handle bar reach/height etc can all cause pain. You didn't mention were you hurt. But if your perineum is the problem you have a fit problem somewhere. Most all your weight should be on your sit bones and off your perineum area.

Answer 6

Seats are personal. You have to try different ones .. the Terry Liberator may help. Also good bike shorts with a good artificial chamois (worn without underwear to prevent chaffing) work wonders.

Any sport taken to excess can be bad ... and the "bad" may manifest differently in males and females (e.g. male cyclists are more prone to erectile dysfunction than women ... obviously). But generally cycling has many more benefits than disadvantages (assuming it's properly adjusted, the rider is suitable equipped and take obvious precautions re. stretching, positioning, sun protection, hydration, etc).

The only "bad" thing I can think of for women (and it's a possible side effect of many types of aerobic/endurance exercise not just cycling) is Amenorrhea (missed period).

On the other hand I know a woman diabetic who has maintained insulin independence through long distance cycling.

Answer 7

Two hours a day is outstanding and it is definitely not bad for you. Saddles are very personal and it can be frustrating finding the one that works for you. Try saddles with a cutout if pressure is a problem. Be sure you use quality shorts/bibs. I assume you don't wear underwear since that could definitely cause pain. Try chamois cream. Try adjusting your saddle tilt and fore/aft position.

Your local bike shop should help with your fit and make sure your weight is spread evenly between your saddle and handlebars. They may also have some demo saddles you can try before you buy. Also check with your local bike clubs and see if anyone has saddles they will let you try.

Cycling can often be all about suffering, that's why we like it.  :)  But, a two hour ride should not hurt anything other than your legs.

Answer 8

No, it is good for you.  Aerobic, cardio workout strengthens leg muscles and you get around without polluting the environment.  Make sure your seat height is adjusted properly so weight is equally distributed between arms, legs, and rear end.  Sounds like yours might be a little too high.  If anything it should feel better for a woman than a man.