kdos

Well, I got my bike yesterday, rode it around the neighborhood a bit, and it felt nice.

Today, though, I went on my first long ride (2 hours of riding) and began experiencing pain just behind my testicles and in front of the anus (THE AREA IN BETWEEN) about halfway through. I felt as if I almost couldn't make it home. I had to keep adjusting my seating position. I pretty much tried sitting on one cheek at a time to relieve the pain temporarliy until the discomfort of sitting on one cheek alone set in.

I think it might be because the saddle/seatpost is too high for me, but am not ruling out the possibility of it being the saddle itself (the furry one in my other post - reads "Velo" on bottom).

If the seatpost was in fact too high, could this be my problem? Does anyone know firsthand if this is a cause of the pain?

Or is this just a newbie pain that I will have to get used to?

Any information/suggestions welcome. Preferably from those who have experienced this firsthand, and found a solution to it.

NoReg

I had a problem like that, and it turned out to be the saddle was crooked.

Wrong height could cause the problem. I never try out a new saddle (which is usually a new height if you didn't shift the seat post) without carrying the appropriate wrenches. I will often feel a pain somewhere, often in my knees.

Dougmt

If the seat is too high you will often feel pain behind your knees as your leg kinda snaps on the bottom of the stroke.
It takes me 5 days to feel comfortable in the saddle is I don't ride for a month or so.. the first 2 days are OK, the 3rd hurts like a MOFO, the 4th day I take off, and the fifth day I'm good to go for MILES...
Have you set the seat in the correct position fore and aft???
And second to last, I like to start with a basically level seat, maybe a tiny bit raised at the nose... (brooks B-17)
And lastly, how many miles do you have in on the bike???
D

NoReg

According to the Rivendale site, Brooks should start with nose slightly down. That is where I have it now. This is counterintuative since it does feel a bit like a luge run. I have Just microscopic pressure in the anterior nuts area, when working the drops. The Riv guys seem pro B-17, so maybe they know something I don't.

Bottom of this page:

https://www.rivbike.com/html/rr_brooks.html

supcom

As a new rider, you are going to have some soreness while you get used to saddle pressure. However, here are a few tips:

Bike shorts. If you don't have any, get a pair of padded bike shorts. Regular shorts usually have a seam down the middle of the crotch that will cause no end of grief.

Saddle angle. Make sure the saddle is angle correctly for you. This might take a bit of experimentation, but try angling the saddle up or down a notch.

Handle bar height. Bars that are too low cause you to lean over too far and shift pressure from your sit bones to your crotch. Consider raising your bars to within an inch of the saddle height - at least until you get used to riding.

Saddle replacement. They say that there's a butt made for every saddle. It may be that your saddle was made for someone else's. If all else fails, you can do like everyone else and start buying replacement saddles until you find one that works for you. Many people swear by a Brooks leather saddle (I certainly do). However, give things a while before you start spending money on new parts to eliminate the other possible factors.

toddw

I would also suggest you move the saddle forward on its rails. There are two sharp looking bones in your butt, they are supposed to rest on the wings of the saddle, not the the area you describe. Your saddle might not be wide enough to accomodate this. If it isn't look for a wider saddle -- I like Brooks B-17 and the Brooks Conquest, which is a sprung saddle with the same general width as the B-17.

I would also caution about going to wild on the padding in either shorts or saddle covers etc., as all that padding does is wad up and put more pressure on the bundle of nerves and soft tissue that runs between those two butt bones and your plumbing. I do use shorts for longer rides, but the padding is pretty modest.

Get the right sized metric allen wrench and ride with it. A certain amount of discomfort comes with those first rides, but I found stopping and making an adjustment while you are out riding is the best way to find the proper tilt, height, position, etc., opposed to making a change, taking a five minute spin and thinking you got it right only to find out on the next longer ride you got it wrong.

Keep riding

markw

I just picked up one of these, and all the saddle sores, aches and pains are gone.

https://www.wolfenet.org/gallery/Bikes/IMG_2123

Debating on which arkels to get, and will probably put beefier wheels on it, if I use it for touring. Who knows, the LHT may be on the market.

will dehne

Well, with all the expert advise above, let me add my two cents.
Repeat: Keep riding.
Your weight on the saddle will not be your main concern once you get serious.
Properly balanced, your weight should center on your legs balanced by your hands on the bars (Elbows on Aero Bars) and on your saddle. You should be able to lift a little off your saddle from time to time to get the circulation going. That I find is very important on long rides. Cannot cut off circulation. It will hurt.
Of course the type of saddle is important. I have a Brooks Champion Flyer, a Specialized cut out and a big fat Gel for a Tandem. All are OK provided I do what I say above. I cannot sit solid on any saddle for a full day without proper balance of my weight. (190 lb.)

adirondack

more then likely you just need to get used to the pressure from the saddle, this happened when I started riding again after a long hiatus, after the 3rd or 4th ride (not very long ones, at that.) I was good to go.