What kind of bike seat do I need to get in order to keep it from hurting my butt!!!???!!!?

Question

I get off my bike seat and it's like a bad visit to the proctologist. Any thoughts?

Answer 1

All the answers above are good. A certain amount of saddle-soreness is normal for noobies and goes away as you get more saddle time. Different saddles and padded shorts help. So does standing occasionally during your rides.

Over and above that, there is one type of seat that does not make you saddle sore because is isn't a saddle; it's a seat. Recumbent bikes are more expensive than regular bikes, but they have real seats, with padding and seat backs. You don't perch on a recumbent, you sit in it.

Answer 2

How often do you ride? It could be a case of that your **** hasn't clocked up the hours in the saddle yet.

Make sure that the saddle is as flat as your can make it - parallel to the top tube - unless it's a sloping to tube...a spirit level can help. Make sure it's at the right height as well, otherwise you'll be stretching and constantly moving about on the saddle while pedalling. You want your leg to be slightly bent at the knee when the pedal is at the bottom of it's cycle.

Answer 3

I assume you are talking a narrow road bike seat (although mtb seats are similar).

First ... seats are personal. Everyone's anatomy is different. You sit on the "sit bones" and the padded area of the seat has to fit your bones ... no-one else can recommend a seat since it is unlikely to fit you (unless you know someone with very similar hip/pelvis measurements). Seat shapes vary and some brands/shapes will suit you better than others.  You can get cushy gel seats but they are heavy and aren't good for pedaling efficiency and use on longer rides ... although they can be useful if you plan to only ride 10-15 mile rides or less.

Many seats come with a return warranty so you can try for a few days and check.  Most seats won't change appreciably with use, but a leather Brooks seat (with the trademark copper rivets) will break in and conform to your anatomy over time.

Second ... no seat will be perfectly comfortable for long rides without (a) breaking in your butt (and that has to happen each year) and (b) wearing bike shorts.

The quickest help is bike shorts with an artificial chamois pad. Yeh, they look weird at first but they are arguably the cyclists best friend because they both provide cushioning and reduce chaffing. One hint, don't wear with underwear.

But in the long run you need to "harden" the butt by riding and find a seat that still feels good to you after 15 miles or so from day one.

Answer 4

It may not be the seat but more a matter of what you are wearing on your butt.  Are you wearing a good pair of cycling shorts?  If not, this is an area that you don't want to skimp.  I only wear Assos shorts and while they are incredibly expensive they have made my riding so comfortable that they have proven well worth the expense.  Good luck.

Answer 5

Besides just getting used to riding and getting bike shorts, believe or not, harder saddles are better.  Soft ones let you sink in and actually cause more pain and numbness than they prevent.  Make sure you are sitting on the back of the saddle and are putting most pressure on your two sit bones, which are the bony protuberances at the bottom of your pelvis, near the a**s (not to be gross or anything).  Better saddles even have cut-outs in the center to relieve pressure on those sensitive parts.