My first post! Bicycle shorts question
 

Hey guys (and gals), this is my first post so please don't hate me if this is a stupid question. I just recently bought a road bike to use for commuting and exercise. It's a 2011 Specialized Allez Steel with downtube shifters. It's pretty sweet! The problem is, I just rode it for the first time a couple days ago and I was on my bike for about 30 minutes in the morning and then another 30 minutes in the afternoon. I was wearing street clothes and a helmet. It was pretty fun riding it; however, my butt bones (proper term?) are killing me. I'm wondering if I need to swap the seat for a bigger one, or if I should just buy some cycling shorts with pads to wear under my pants. Anyone have any experience wearing cycling shorts under their street clothes? Is this a good idea, or should I just buy a different seat? I only plan on using the bike for about an hour a day so I'm not doing anything too long distance. Also, while I'm posting, I should say that it feels like quite a reach/stretch to grab the brakes on my bike. Maybe I need a shorter stem? Sorry guys! I know these are probably stupid questions but please help! :o

There are many things that can contribute to that. You could get the bibs with padding, or change your saddle. Personally I have and old and beat up Specialized BG saddle and I have gotten used to it and have a done two century rides with it. Oh and there is never such a thing as a stupid question =) Haterz are gonna h8

Oh yeha BTW walcome to the Forumz :thumb:

If you have just started riding you may want to give it a couple of weeks. It may be that you toughen up a bit. That's assuming it doesn't hurt for a long time after you get off the bike.

Thank you! Your saddle looks a little wider and softer than mine. Mine is the Specialized Riva Road Saddle. I need to get to a point where my bike is comfortable to ride because at this point I don't even want to ride it! Haha

Did they check your saddle fit when you bought it? I thought the Specialized dealers had this gizmo for you to sit on so they could determine how far apart your sitz bones are and fit you with an appropriate saddle.

No sir, they did not. I wasn't aware such a device existed! I think I'll stop in the bike shop this week and ask them about getting a different seat installed. Also, maybe a shorter stem while I'm at it?

That happened top me for a week or two and then I just toughened up a bit on my butt.

yeah when i first started riding it would take a week or so, but now i ride everyday i only use pads for longer rides. I would say give it three weeks and see how it feels then look into your options if it is still painful.

I would agree that you should give it time, esp. if you plan to commute and/or ride a lot. Soft saddles seem great at first, but proper support is more important over the long run. Obviously, if the saddle is improperly adjusted, or just wrong for you, then by all means change/adjust. but I know that when I go back to riding after a long layoff, it takes some time for my rear to adjust, and the same is true when you're starting out.

buy the shorts regardless they will make for a much more comfy time on your bike. As for a perfect saddle...good luck and welcome aboard.

Racing saddles and padded shorts are an awesome combination because the pad is always in the right place. If you want to ride in street clothes and not look like you're wearing a diaper, pick another saddle with more padding. You may even like a Brooks that will have some give once it's broken in.

There is an adjustment period to all saddles. Remember they are saddles, not seats.

Sheldon Brown has a nice article on his website:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/saddles.html

First things first: No dumb questions, just uninformed ones, and you're asking to be informed, so no worries.

Second:

• The "padding" in shorts isn't to pad your posterior, it's to absorb sweat to avoid chafing and other unpleasantries.
• Pain in your "sit bones" (provided it is your sit bones, and not the soft tissue in between) usually just means that you're not accustomed to riding as much as you are.
• A "bigger" seat may make the problem worse, not better. Get fitted properly.
• A shorter stem might resolve your "reach" issue and your "sit-bones" issue. Having someone experienced fit your bike would be worth the time invested. (For as little as you're riding now, I wouldn't go for a full-blown fitting se$$ion.)

Congratulations on the new bike.

Soreness in the sit bones when you're just starting out is normal. They will toughen up with regular riding. You may want to shorten your rides a little until they do. The padding of cycling shorts doesn't really help this. It's mainly there to reduce chaffing.

The time to worry is when you have pain in the soft tissue in between. That means that your saddle doesn't fit you or that you're sitting on it wrong. Sometimes you can reposition to get the pressure on your sit bones where it belongs. If you can't, then you need a different saddle that fits you better.

Avoid the temptation to get a gel saddle or gel shorts. They tend to do more harm than good.

Don't feel bad for asking these questions. Beginners don't have much way know this stuff other than to ask questions.

Sheldon Brown wrote/collected a number of good articles for beginners. You may want to look them over:

Articles for New Cyclists

You may be particularly interested in Bicycling and Pain as well as Saddles

Sheldon's site is valuable to know about for any cyclist. Fortunately, John Allen and Harriet Fell have kept it going even though he's no longer with us:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/

The "reaching" feel may just be a matter of getting used to bike riding. I think most people imagine they should be sitting on the saddle and holding the handlebars the way you might hold silverware at the dinner table. That's incorrect. Your weight should be supported by your hands, feet and sit bones, and to accomplish this you'll need to be leaning on the bars to some extent. If you try to avoid putting any weight on your hands, that will cause a sore butt (among other problems). Of course, if you put too much weight on your hands, that's bad too.

Sheldon Brown really is your second-best friend as a new cyclist.

Your best friend is the friendly worker at your LBS. They probably put their logo on your bike somewhere, which you should treat as an invitation to go back and ask for help whenever you need it. They may try to sell you things, but they'll also try to help.

1) Your sit bones need to toughen up. Many of us don't even use cycling-specific shorts after our sit bones get used to it. Not that there's anything wrong with using padded shorts.

2) If you want to experiment, get a shorter stem since its a easily reversible decision. While there are standard rules in fitting, you need to defer to your personal sense of comfort on reach. Reach is subject to your personal flexibility, preferred aerodynamic riding position and so forth.

Great links. Thanks for posting them.

Thank you all for your kind words and help! I'm going to ride over to the bike shop tomorrow and make sure I'm fitted properly! I'll read up on the links as well. Thanks again!