Bear cub

I'm currently on tour from my town of Roseburg to Redwoods. this is my first tour and my butt huuurts. Is it just my butt breaking in and getting used to the pain or is it my saddle? Is there any way to relieve the pain and help it heal faster or do I just need to tough it out?

sstorkel

In my experience, the only way to relieve the pain is to take a few days off the bike. Having padded bicycling shorts (or underwear) and the right saddle will help prevent future pain. In my experience, "butt break-in" is pretty much a myth: if your shorts and saddle don't work, there's no amount of riding that will prevent pain.

Machka 

Prior to this tour, how much riding did you do? Did you ride at least the distance you would be riding on this tour? Did you experiment with saddles and bicycle fit to make sure you'd be comfortable out there?

If you were not on tour ... if you were doing practice rides in preparation for the tour ... I'd suggest things like trying other saddles, raising or lowering your saddle, moving your saddle forward or back. But since you're on a tour, it's a bit more difficult to try other saddles. I suppose you could experiment with adjustment, but be careful and only make very slight adjustments. An incorrect adjustment could lead to serious knee and achilles tendon issues.

Are you currently wearing padded shorts? If not, you might want to stop in somewhere and buy a pair.

Another idea might be buying a gel saddle cover ... but note that those gel saddle covers have a thickness to them, and you may need to lower your saddle by that thickness so you don't end up with knee and achilles tendon problems.

raybo

What kind of pain are your experiencing?

Is it from sores? That is, does it hurt because your skin is inflamed? Cream may help if this is the problem. I carry Zinc Oxide (Diaper Rash Cream) to help with sores and use a Chamois cream (Butt Butter) when I ride if I am having these kinds of problems.

Is it from pressure? That is, does it hurt when you sit on something hard even if you aren't on your bike? This is likely a saddle problem. Did you do much training on your current saddle before you started this trip? Was there a problem then?

When I had a non-leather saddle, I had a pressure problem with my seat. The problem I had involved the design of the seat. It was a piece of metal covered with padding and then the saddle's outer piece. There were two problems. First, the saddle was getting old and the padding was probably fully compressed, which meant I was, essentially, sitting on metal. Second, since you can't break in metal, there was nothing to do but get a better saddle at my first chance. In my case, it was when I got back.

Most serious bike tourists use an all leather saddle, like a Brooks B-17, because a) there is no metal and b) the leather eventually forms to your rear-end and gets very comfortable.

Note that until you "break in" the Brooks, you may find that it, too, is very uncomfortable. It took me a couple of weeks to get my Brooks to feel anything close to good.

I hope this helps.

Ray

Cyclebum

Probably a bit of both. Butt soreness is a plague of touring cyclist, and in my case, seemingly incurable. I stand for temporary relief, pedal awhile, stand again. Just tough it out. (You are wearing padded cycling shorts?)

Next bike shop you come across, you could switch saddles. Go for firmer with a narrow horn. Make sure it's adjusted so that your sit bones are centered on the widest part and the tilt is comfortable.

Many swear by the Brooks B-17 or one of it's cousins. Expensive, and takes a thousand or so miles to break in to it's maximum comfort level.

Be aware of the difference in generalized butt soreness, and a saddle sore. The latter is an infected area, often caused by chafing or an ingrown hair, that is usually a trip stopper.

bobframe

Bear Cub,

This is no help to you in your current predicament, but the time to solve this question is in the months before the tour starts. Training is more than strengthening your muscles- it is also paramount to toughen your butt and sort out saddle issues so that spending hours in the saddle is routine.

One suggestion is to try to find a quality bike shop and ask them to help with your seat issues. It may be as simple as not having chosen a saddle that is wide enough (yes, they come in various widths). See if you can find a Specialized dealer...they'll have an "ass-o-meter" that you can measure the distance of your "sit-bones". This was a revelation for me- my saddle was waaaaay too narrow and switching to a wider saddle helped a ton.

I believe in lubing the butt liberally (Chamois Buttr, etc.) before and even during the ride. Wear a padded cycling short for sure...and maybe even two pairs. Get out of your dirty shorts as soon as your ride is finished and keep the butt area as clean as you can.

LeeG

If you have incurred damage that requires healing then you've got a recovery period ahead of you. Can't say whether toughing it out will make things better or worse. Assuming you already are riding on bike shorts I'd suggest cleaning/drying the sore area every morning and night and apply a little topical antibiotic. If you have a skin injury the best thing is reduction of the activity causing it for recovery to occur. That may mean less total miles, more rests in the day or simply getting off the saddle every few minutes instead of mindless grinding in one position on the saddle. Little fore/aft movements while riding can help keep circulation going. It's not clear if your a guy or gal but seat angle can make a BIG difference for some folks. It would be a shame to discover a few months down the line that you never tried a different angle and that was a contributing part of discomfort.

I have ridden a lot more in the past than I do now, but the basic pattern is that if you do more than you're used to there WILL be a recovery period, if I was used to riding for two hours non-stop then the first time I rode 3hrs I got a sore butt. If I was used to riding 4hours non-stop then the first time I rode 6hours I got a sore butt. If I was used to riding slow and steady then the first time I rode hard and fast I got sore and needed recovery.

Sounds like you're into a recovery period and you have to figure out how to do that while riding. Keep things clean, stand up off the saddle more often, experiment with seat angle, make sure your seat height is correct, experiment with posture and loading of weight on your arms.

Basically it's a game of getting incremental improvements across a variety of factors so that recovery and reduction of pain is a guiding principle and not injury providing limits to overuse.

sstorkel

I've never used chamois creme and honestly can't imagine when it would be necessary... I have a saddle that fits my butt and decent riding shorts and that's all I need for rides of up to 100 miles/day.

sstorkel

1000mi? That's crazy! If I feel even the slightest bit of discomfort after taking a saddle on my standard 30mi training ride, it gets returned ASAP!

Machka 

IMO, that's crazy!! I did return a saddle after a lot of discomfort on several shorter rides (i.e. 30 miles) and then a metric century, but never after the slightest bit of discomfort on a short ride.

My Brooks took 800 km to break in, but since it has broken in I've put about 45,000 very comfortable kilometers on it. That's how Brooks saddles work ... they customize themselves to your anatomy.

siesta171

Had the same problem and by follwing some advice had it resolved making all my riding a lot more enjoyable.

Get your soft tissue off the saddle and your weight on your bones. A narrow saddle, although counterintuitive, will be more comfortable and have you better tuned to the bike. Take time to adjust it properly as even minor changes can make big differences in comfort.

bobframe

Perrhaps you misinterpreted my remark. I did not suggest that YOU use it. I said I believe in it. And while in a group of 70 riders doing a 3500 mile transAm (averaging 85 miles/day) many, if not most, of the riders used some form of "butt lube".

I came across the recommendation while preparing for the ride and interviewed several people who'd done the tour in the past. The issue of saddle sores came up and what I learned was that saddle sores are infections that are the product of bacteria found in dirty riding shorts (unavoidable) and a slight tear in the skin caused by (drum roll please) friction. The lube prevents the friction, which prevents the skin tear which keeps the bacteria out of the body which prevents the infection. So Lube=No Saddle Sores.

Cyclebum

You didn't mention if this was a pain free ride or if you just toughed it out.

It is a mystery to me that many touring cyclist apparently are not too bothered with butt and saddle issues, while many more are. I do know that nobody can sit in one place on anything for long without moving, especially when most of their weight is supported on a very small, hard surface. Capillary blood flow is cut off and this causes pain. Moving back and forth from upright to a more prone riding position helps. Standing helps.

Butt lube prevents chafing issues and saddle sores. It does nothing for generalized pain.

sstorkel

If slathering handfuls of expensive cream all over your butt works then it works. I use a decent saddle (not a Brooks), wear a pair of high-quality lycra shorts with a good chamois, and can't remember the last time I had a problem with chafing...

sstorkel

Pain free, though I'll admit that I move around on the saddle, stand occasionally, and usually stop at least once an hour to get off the bike so I can take a picture, eat a snack, or just take a break.

sstorkel

My experience suggests that if there's any discomfort at the end of a 30mi ride, then there will be a lot of discomfort at the end of a metric century and anything beyond that will be excruciatingly painful. Keep in mind that I'm talking about "regular" saddles here, not a Brooks. These types of saddles are not going to mold themselves to your anatomy, nor is your anatomy going to adjust to the saddle. Brooks saddles may be great and last forever, but I'm simply not willing to deal with the extended break-in period; I want a saddle that works well right out of the box...

ddez

My Brooks B-17 and my Flyer were both comfortable right from the beginning with no break in required. And they got better as they broke in. If a Brooks is uncomfortable at the start, its likely not setup right or wrong model was purchased for type of riding.
But i suppose there are those who even then the Brooks doesnt work.

kayakdiver

Saddles for the most part either fit or don't... Sounds like this one doesn't. Not all backsides and saddles are compatible. I think Brooks suck... Not because they don't have a proven track record... It's because I haven't found one I was happy with. YMMV.

Niles H.

There is something that has worked for me. To get the pressure off the sore spots, you can used some closed-cell foam under your butt, *behind* the sore spots. Just behind them. So there is basically no pressure on them.

The type of closed-cell foam that worked for me was the soft, pipe insulation type (it looked like the pipe insulation type, but it was softer; and it was made for another purpose). Mine came with some exercise equipment. I ran some parachute cord through the middle, and then tied it to the rails of the saddle, so I wouldn't lose it. I could reach back and put it in place any time I was riding and needed it.

It can help tremendously.

***
To prevent it in the future, a good gel saddle would probably help. Gel shorts (you might want to cut some of the gel out of the middle section, where it isn't necessary) PLUS a gel saddle, and you're in gravy.

***
As far as healing faster, there are various lotions that might help. A lot of people like Bag Balm, and other ointments that are used on cow and goat nipples/udders. (Not that you are a cow or a goat, or have udders or nipples . . . but these products seem to work for a lot of people.)

Machka 

In 2003, when I started cycling long distances, I tried a lot of the various butt cream suggestions and made a discovery. They made matters worse. And the more of the various creams I used, the worse the situation got. Basically, they clogged my pores which caused me to break out, and they became a sticky mess which caused my shorts to stick to me in a very uncomfortable way causing chafing.

Now I only use a teeny-tiny dab of a cream to add a very thin layer of protection to the skin on long rides if it is a very hot day and I know I'm going to sweat a lot, or if I know I'm going to be riding in the rain. If the ride is going to be shorter than 100 km, and a cool or moderate temperature, I don't use any butt creams at all.

I've ridden 125,971 km with only one saddle sore ... and I know exactly what caused that one: rain, gel saddle, loose shorts = friction.

As for general comfort ... since I got the Brooks back in 2004 I have had next to no butt pain when I ride ... and I sit a lot when I ride. I'm not inclined to stand. In fact, the last time I stood on a ride was probably in 2007 because I changed my pedals in 2007 making it very difficult to stand. I do shift slightly on the saddle now and then, but that's about it.

Niles H.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bag_Balm

One thing that is available is Udder Cream. It was originally used for milk cows because in the winter their udders chap, crack and bleed. There are human use formulas, and they work WONDERFULLY.

https://www.ultrabalm.net/Welcome/

Niles H.

When you have a layer of gel sewn into your shorts, and more gel on the saddle, friction tends to be minimal.

There is an excellent article, written by an MD experienced in this area, on the theoretical, experimental, and medical reasons for and benefits of using gels.

bobframe

Here's a link to an article on the causes, treatment and prevention of saddle sores. Written by an MD from the Mayo Clinic.

https://www.liquicell.com/assets/pdf/...rtebein%29.pdf

Machka 

Note that the OP did not say anything about saddle sores. He said his, "butt huuurts" which says to me that his sitbones are in pain from using the wrong saddle.

acantor

So many factors can lead to a huuurting bum. It is not easy for strangers to diagnose the problem without having seen your bicycle, and you riding it. For all we know, the problem is caused by a seat that is too wide, too narrow, tilted up, or tilted down. Your clothing might contribute to the problem, or it could be related to your personal hygiene, the dimensions of your frame, the height of your handlebars, or your riding style.

My suggestion: Go to a good bicycle store, and find somebody who understands bicycle fit. The person should observe you, your bicycle, and your riding style.

One of my riding companions had a case of a huuurt bum, and discovered, from consulting with a good bike mechanic, that the source of the problem was the size of the frame. It was way too small, and no change of saddle or adjustments to same was going to make a significant difference.