Funkywheels63

Hello all, just joined this forum after being away from bicycling for over 20 yrs. my wife recently got a bike from a friend, and since she's still healing from an ankle injury, figured I'd give it a go. after being on the bike a few times, my butt bone is a little sore. don't know if it's the seat, or that I've just lost some padding back there. the bike is just a 21 speed girly street bike. the seat is kinda hard. so if anyone has any suggestions, I'd appreciate it. Thanks

Iride01 

If the pain feels like it's deep in your bones, then probably just your butt needs to get use to riding again. It might get even more painful. Give it a few weeks. For times I've been off the bike for a while and I get a little of that pain, I find that I can still ride and after a few miles it goes away. But it might be two to three weeks before it goes away entirely.

You might need to get a different saddle, but playing the saddle swap game while you have the pain will get you the wrong saddle choice and it'll only be a temporary fix.

If the pain is more a muscle or tendon pain, then that will be something else entirely that you should figure out the cause.

SurferRosa

Get some padded shorts from OCG.

Flip Flop Rider

if you are able to hit the right saddle and set up you won't need padding

epnnf

Could be the bike needs adjustment. Or, different saddle, but you may spend months/years finding the right one.

Funkywheels63

Thanks for all the responses. will let it go for a couple of weeks and see if there is any improvement before I start experimenting.

Wildwood

A lot goes into finding 'the perfect' saddle. Find out where the pain and/or pressure are coming from. Often it depends muchly on your riding position - as in narrower for a racing type position, or wider for a more upright position. There are split rail designs and noseless designs and all sorts of possibilities.

and if your style of riding changes over time, so can your saddle needs.

Funkywheels63

I just remember. this is my wife's bike. have to get my own, before I start customizing it!

Vintage Schwinn

You can get one of these inexpensive GEL pad seatcovers. They work well if you do like a cushy seat.
You can find them also at Target & Walmart and on AMAZON and from new bicycle parts sellers on Ebay.
This is just one Dallas Texas, USA based ebay store that sells this one in the link below for around seven bucks.
The one below is a single color, all black, but other vendors on Amazon and Ebay have some with colored trim to match your bike or your biking outfits' colors.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/19420288255...wAAOSwkRxgyIcE

You likely can find this same inexpensive GEL pad seatcover at a significantly lower price of around ~ four to five bucks from multipleChina based, ShenZhen and Shanghai sellers on Ebay.

I am not endorsing any particular supplier. I only linked that link above as representative of the simple all black color decent gel seat pad that hundreds of new bicycle parts vendors on the bay and amazon carry.
They work excellent and they are simple to attach and to remove if you find that it is too cushy for your tush-eee.

These things will certainly be cushy for your tushy.
This would be my recommendation as your FIRST Step in solving your current pain in da butt. It will certainly allow you to use your current seat.
You could also use it on a temporary until you located the seat that you really want, but if it works great with your current seat and your butt feels like It Can Ride For Miles and Miles... .(.now, imagine roger daltry singing that and peter townshend strummin' away and keith moon banging the drums and john entwhistle with the bass line) 194202882555 and 233784702144 are just two random examples of the same New item on the bay

Lazyass

The skin covering your sit bones has to toughen up, takes a few rides. If it gets to where it's almost starting to bleed then give it a rest for a couple of days. The reason people most don't use saddles with a lot of cushion is because your, ahem, soft parts get pressed down into it which is a killer on long rides. A good saddle supports your sitbones.

Iride01 

Of course if the pain is constantly severe or anytime you move, then you might consider if you need to go to a doctor.

Usually though, it's likely something a lot of us our age have felt, and even my younger son's in their 30's feel this when they don't ride for a while.

Funkywheels63

will keep at it a little longer, and see what happens. In the mean time will check out the options you've mention. Thanks

FlMTNdude

If you continue to have issues, see a doctor. I started having issues late spring. I ignored them, while wondering why my bike fit seemed off despite not making any changes. I have suffered from back issues for years, but that did not seem to be the culprit. Turns out, my back alignment was far enough off, coupled with some unknown hip issues and such. Been working on physical therapy and some changes. While I have been back on the bike, it is slow going getting any hint of real mileage going, and it is frustrating knowing I just need to keep doing what I am doing and eventually I will get, somewhat at least, back to 'normal'.

Cougrrcj 

I go through this every spring after the long Great White North if I don't ride my bike on the rollers enough in the off-season. My butt and saddle will usually come to some sort of a mutual agreement after a few weeks/300 miles. It has been that way for 45 years of riding my old '75 Fuji's Fujita Belt (Brooks B-17-clone) hard leather saddle. After our yearly 'break-in' I hardly feel it at all...

peterws

I got a gel padded cover, (Chinese) cost around £7; it's heavy, but really comfortable. Hard seats an do all srts of damage particularly when you're older.

timtak

I added more padding to my saddle but then I found that hollow worked better than padding for me.

I rode a rather expensive but good Selle SMP Evolution at first but there are now lots of them, and they don't have to be expensive imho.

Selle SMP Saddle by Timothy Takemoto, on Flickr

Hollow saddles were quite a revelation. I found it was not the lack of padding on my saddle but that I was attempting to support my weight in part with my perineum -- the soft tissue in the middle of my crotch and padding actually increased this tendency.

For quite a while I rode saddles without any padding (hard carbon or polycarbonate saddles). This is the same saddle as above but stripped of its padding after the leather got worn out.

Leatherless Selle SMP Evolution Saddle by Timothy Takemoto, on Flickr

I stopped riding unpadded saddles when it was suggested that they may lead to knee paid (due to a tendency to want to be off the saddle).

Now that I believe my knee pain was due to weak core muscles (I really believe this is the answer, so I am pushing it) I may go back to my hard but hollow carbon saddles which I got at about 20 USD a saddle from China.

If you are not used to hollow saddles, I would recommend starting with a hollow saddle with some padding.
Such as
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005...39158680%22%7D
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005...31815190%22%7D

Other hollow saddles (all no affiliation)
https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale...ow+saddle+bike

Funkywheels63

just got a used bike with a decent looking seat which is padded. not as fancy as the Selle saddle that is depicted. will ride it for a bit, and see how it works.