Recumbent - Still have a sore hiney

I can go much further on the recumbent without getting a sore butt. But I've been traveling further and will continue to do so this fall, and I'm getting a little sore in the last mile or two.

Any suggestions on padding? Are there ways to give more cushion to the seat? Will biker shorts help?

I'm sitting on a pillow in my office chair as I write this. :(

what kind of bike are you riding and what seat does it have? You can get thicker replacment foam, but you might need to make a new seat cover.

Also, you might try reclining your seat further, especially if it's a hardshell. This will spread your weight over more of your back and less of your, ahem, "bum". A more reclined seat may feel awkward at first, but you'll most likely get used to it. Like anything else, just change it a little at a time.

Scott P

I can go much further on the recumbent without getting a sore butt. But I've been traveling further and will continue to do so this fall, and I'm getting a little sore in the last mile or two.

Any suggestions on padding? Are there ways to give more cushion to the seat? Will biker shorts help?

I'm sitting on a pillow in my office chair as I write this. :(

As Dchief said, it would be helpful to know the bike, saddle type and the distances you're riding. A better quality seat rather than more padding may be more helpful. As bobbycorno suggested, it may be more of a factor with how your weight is distributed and whether the seat is "sprung" versus a hardshell. Biker shorts won't help. Padding is minimal and they function best to keep your 'nads out of the way of the saddle in the case of a DF and the chamois helps prevent chafing.

I had the same problem on my Corsa with the Euromesh Seat. I installed a ventiseat pad and the problem still ocurred. I tinkered around with the seat recline and I still had a sore butt and my middle back hurt starting around 4 to 6miles out. I tinkered around with the bike for the last year to no avail. It hurt so much and was so uncomfortable that I went back to my DF bikes. My wife wants me to keep the Corsa but I am looking at selling the bike. I found that I am much happier on my DF bikes and how much I missed riding them.

Carbon seats, and I suspect seats like the Euromesh too, must fit properly. Some people just can't get comfortable on them. OTOH, the combination seats like the RANS standard seat seem to make almost everyone's back happy - they might not be as fast, though.

I'm not sure what kind of seat it is. It's like a lounge/ car chair, with a cushion on the seat part.

I'm just not used to sitting for long periods of time. If I end up in some situation where I'm expected to sit for a while, I have to constantly change postions. I can't really do that while pedaling.

I'm not sure what kind of seat it is. It's like a lounge/ car chair, with a cushion on the seat part.

It would help to know what kind of recumbent you are riding, which will probably tell what kind of seat you are having trouble with. Standard advice to fix recumbutt is to recline the seat more, if that's possible. If you need softer foam, you might have to hit an upholstery store and make your own.

What make and model of a bike do you have? There are a lot of different seats out there that would be described like that!

I'm riding a Sun X-2 ax.

I reclined it about an inch before my ride tonight. I'm thinking I'll need to bring the handlebars down with me, at some point. Still had some soreness, but not enough to merit the pillow.

I still want ideas for softening up the seat. Would a carseat cushion work?

May do, depending on the foam quality and whether lack of cushioning is the major issue. If you can get one inexpensively it may be a handy way to check if the added cushioning will help.

Aftermarket seat pads can be pricey e.g. http://www.hostelshoppe.com/cgi-bin/readitem.pl?Accessory=1082759829

You could likely make your own if you're handy and have an upholstery supply shop nearby.

I'm riding a Sun X-2 ax.

I reclined it about an inch before my ride tonight. I'm thinking I'll need to bring the handlebars down with me, at some point. Still had some soreness, but not enough to merit the pillow.

I still want ideas for softening up the seat. Would a carseat cushion work?

I think you are starting down the right track in moving to a more reclined position. You might want to continue moving into a more reclined position, increasing the weight carried by the expanse of your lower and middle back.

As suggested, with recumbents, as with DF bikes, it's not so much the softness of the seat as the fit and postion. I've only been on a Sun EZ once but was amazed at the upright riding position. It felt as though I was perched on the seat with most weight squarely on my butt.

Still working on gradually easing the seat back. Will use boyfriend's tools tomorrow to lean back another inch. I'm thinking that I should bring the handlebars down with me, right?

Bring the handlebars back to maintain a comfortable hand and arm position.

Bring the handlebars back to maintain a comfortable hand and arm position.

I was struggling with that, a little. Put the seat back an inch and then tried to lower the handlebars. I got them to one point where I was banging my knees when doing the cycling motion. Had to lift them up a little. Right now, it seems that the handlebars and the seat are parallel, and there is no knee banging. I'm just worried about when I take it another inch or so lower. Will it all work out?

Are you close to the shop where you bought it? From what you wrote, it sounds like your knees are hitting the handlebars. The riser, that long thing between the fork and the handlebars, should be able to be lengthened. Check with your shop about this. That way, the handlebars would be higher as you bring the bars back. You have to be careful not to bring the riser out too far. Maybe you can contact Easyracers or Sun and ask them if there are marks on the riser for maximum extension, like a seatpost on a bicycle.

Remember, as you lean the seat back, you may have to move the seat forward to maintain the correct seat-to-pedal length because moving the seatback back will move your hips back.

Okay, looking at your bikes design, are you tilting the back of the seat only or are you also adjusting the seat pad as well. It appears the seat is hinged. Tilting the seat component may help as well.

http://cavit8.clawz.com/images/ax.jpg

I agree with Dchiefransom, it sounding more like a fitting with the bike shop is in order although it seems you're on the right track

http://cavit8.clawz.com/images/ax.jpg



Ugh! Did they actually design the chain line on purpose to look like that? At the very least, the return idler is unnecessary.