Pain on wheels is a never ending topic that soon loses focus.

To me pain is a great thing until it gets to the Devouring Monster stage. When mine got there it was a choice between barrels of narcotics and suicide. I chose drugs. Then I decided to have surgery, even though extremely risky. Surgery went well and I became essentially pain free and nearly full functioning.

Note that I said I decided. Legally, and actually, the individual is responsible for all decisions as long as they are mentally competent. The first step in pain(and health) management is to care enough for your own body to spend the effort necessary to understand your body, and to be able to interpret what the professionals tell you. A person's health and fitness is the sole responsibility of that person. The fix me doc but I don't want to know anything doesn't fly any more. The doc will do something, appropriate or not, but have you sign away liability.

Just like no one expects a weight lifter to do gymnastics, your body type drives your comfort level on a bike. You are welcome to play. But it is going to hurt.

Look at the machine you are riding. Mostly, with no or limited suspension every little shock is transmitted to and absorbed by the body. Over time that wears on a person. Some people can train out of that, some can't. It is like trauma. Some people can know the trauma is coming and just absorb it, some can't.

Some people will say changing machines, say from upright to recumbent, is "the answer". Nonsense. It is the answer for some people, but not all. So the religious fervor should be put back in the box.

Bottom line is we ride machines that are not designed for comfort, let alone pain free operation. Some can overcome that and ride for varying lengths of time. Some can't.