Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - New guy seat pain and stuff!!!

I got a lap-band back in late may and I'm finally down to a weight where I feel comfortable that I can ride a bike. It's I just picked up a 1996 (I think) Bianchi something-or-another. It's a road bike and I absolutely love it.

How long did it take you to break in your butt??? haha.

I'm dying here! Any suggestions for a new rider?

By the way, I started at 291 and now I'm down to 247. :)

Thanks ahead of time!!!

John

I think that almost no matter the seat you are going to need to give it some time if you are starting from zero.

Just start doing a 3 mile ride a few times, then 5 a few time or for a week, then 7, then 9, then 12, then 15. and do this over several weeks or may. This will help you rear end get used to it, your back muscles will get stronger, legs will get stronger and you may loose a few pounds too.

Saddle can have a impact. I just changed mine but it the saddle on my used bike I recently got was far from a good seat for a clyde in my opinion and it was making my privates numb.

I got a lap-band back in late may and I'm finally down to a weight where I feel comfortable that I can ride a bike. It's I just picked up a 1996 (I think) Bianchi something-or-another. It's a road bike and I absolutely love it.

How long did it take you to break in your butt??? haha.

I'm dying here! Any suggestions for a new rider?

By the way, I started at 291 and now I'm down to 247. :)

Thanks ahead of time!!!

John

First, congratulations on the weight loss.

Secondly, your butt never breaks in. A saddle is not a seat, and it's not designed to be comfortable. Eventually you find one that you can tolerate.

Padded shorts will also help a lot.

A little info on your current saddle would help, by the way.

Last, if the saddle is too narrow OR too wide, you'll have pain issues. Get thee to a Specialized Dealer and have your sit bones measured with the Ass-o-meter (and no, I'm not kidding on the name! :eek: ) and see what saddle width you'll need.

Padded shorts will also help a lot.

A little info on your current saddle would help, by the way.

Last, if the saddle is too narrow OR too wide, you'll have pain issues. Get thee to a Specialized Dealer and have your sit bones measured with the Ass-o-meter (and no, I'm not kidding on the name! :eek: ) and see what saddle width you'll need.

Not to be contrary, Tom - we all know I never play devil's advocate - but I don't see the need for the Specialized treatment. Even if you get the sizing, the saddles still come in the same widths as other manufacturers. It seems as much a marketing gimmick as anything.

Welcome, Neveragain. What seat do you have? Where is the pain located? What is the angle of your seat tilt?

Not to be contrary, Tom - we all know I never play devil's advocate - but I don't see the need for the Specialized treatment. Even if you get the sizing, the saddles still come in the same widths as other manufacturers. It seems as much a marketing gimmick as anything.

Well, I thought the same. I ended up going and realized what I thought was the right size was too wide and I needed to go down to a narrower saddle. While it might indicate your existing saddle is the right width, it never hurts to check. I was riding anywhere from a 149mm to 155mm and discovered I was much more comfortable on a 143mm.

Asides from a pair of padded biker shorts or a set of bibs, only riding will ease the butt pain. If your modest you can get a pair of mountain bike shorts which have a cargo short style shell over the regular bike shorts. Also, check and make sure the nose of your saddle is not pointing down, it should be level. Has the bicycle been fitted to you? Is the seat height correct? Little adjustments can make a big difference once the miles start racking up.

Welcome to the forums, may the wind always be at your back.

Bau

Could you post a pic of your ride and seat? Otherwise start off slowly and work your way up.

My laptop just died, so I'm using the computer over at my parents' house, but I'll post pics later on tonight.

Thanks guys!

Not to be contrary, Tom - we all know I never play devil's advocate - but I don't see the need for the Specialized treatment. Even if you get the sizing, the saddles still come in the same widths as other manufacturers. It seems as much a marketing gimmick as anything.

Nope, not true, Neil, I use a 135 MM width saddle since I have a narrow set of sit bones, and too wide of a saddle causes me pain in the in betweens. Too narrow and your sit bones don't engage the saddle and then you are supporting your weight with the perineum. This causes pain and/or numbness in the dangly bits ;) The dealer will let you measure your bones for free, so why not take advantage of it and get the right width saddle?

Remember, I spend a LOT of hours in the saddle and have a little bit of an idea what I'm talking about ;) You can get saddles in varying widths and/or geometries, with or without a pressure release trough, depending on what you need. The measurement just helps you save a little money in your quest for the right saddle. :D

For those that either can't or won't shop specialized.... Bontrager is rolling out a similair saddle line-up shortly(Inform) complete with an ass-o-meter. FWIW

Not in stores yet but should be very soon.

My local specialized dealer sucks, but my wife loves her toupe.

For the record, I'm not specifically advocating Specialized brand saddles.....

I'm advocating using their tool to measure the width of the sit bones. ;)

It will all come down to getting the bike fit to you. But, pictures will help. If the seat is soft, it hurts. If the height is off, it hurts. If it is the wrong angle, it hurts or your junk goes numb.
Like Tom suggested, you will be happier if you start by getting a fit test. At least then you know the bike is set right and you can make minor adjustments then.
I'm byoung and thats my $.02 worth

Welcome to the forum. As clydes, we may not always agree on everything but we will do all we can to help each other out.

Get one that fits, and make sure you're sitting on it right. This might include getting fitted at the LBS, or simply asking an employee where you should be situated. I find that if I get a little lazy, I start to slide forward on the saddle, and then it gets a lot more uncomfortable. Just a thought.

It will all come down to getting the bike fit to you. But, pictures will help. If the seat is soft, it hurts. If the height is off, it hurts. If it is the wrong angle, it hurts or your junk goes numb.
Like Tom suggested, you will be happier if you start by getting a fit test. At least then you know the bike is set right and you can make minor adjustments then.
I'm byoung and thats my $.02 worth

Welcome to the forum. As clydes, we may not always agree on everything but we will do all we can to help each other out.

It also seems to me that when I get tired it hurts. If I'm tired and feeling bad during a ride, chances are I'll have seat pain.

I've also been on rides where I've gone twice my normal time and have felt great with absolutely no discomfort whatsoever. Go figure.

The key I think is to start with a good fit, take advantage of the knowledge of the bike shop guy (That ass-o-meter thing sounds good. I think I'll try that myself) and be prepared to make adjustments. Even if it means a new saddle.