CarbonPothole

So, I have a big goal that I'm currently working on, which is training for an Ironman triathlon in 2017 in Tempe, AZ. My question is, I've been working on my general flexibility, and specifically lower back, and hip flexors. That said, I have pretty much brand new bike. It's a 2015 Specialized Roubaix SL4. It came stock with a Toupe Gel seat, but it was too small, so I swapped it out 3-4 months ago for a Specialized Power saddle in 155mm size (sized on one of those butt-meters at my LBS).

That's the background... Here's the rest... I ride about 4-5x every 2 weeks, which is usually consistently in consecutive days. Why so little? Because I'm gone (pilot) for 9 days in a row. Nowhere near my home usually. So, on the road I run on the treadmill, swim and elliptical where I can (I try 5-6x per trip to run/swim). My question is, though... When I jump back on the bike (which has been professionally fitted and refitted when I put the new saddle on) my sit bones hurt after after about 1hr on the bike, and it only increases in pain every day thereafter. I don't know if this is caused by not riding enough and getting that "iron butt", or wrong saddle choice? Thoughts/opinions?

edit: yes, I wear padded cycling shorts, before someone asks.

Xherion

If you're absolutely sure that it's your sit bones that hurt, then it's probably just a matter of toughening up by riding more. Also make sure you stand and pedal once in a while to get blood flowing.

CarbonPothole

Yeah, it's definitely the sit bones. Standing while riding, yeah I don't because the TrainerRoad app with my Kickr makes me forget to do so.

jischr

Try finding a used Selle SMP Glider. It helped me with some sit issues.

Maelochs

Another issue to consider is how much weight you are putting on your saddle. I found that while riding indoors on a stationary bike it was easier to put a lot of pressure on my legs and not sit so much (or rather, not put so much weight on the saddle, even while sitting,) but while road-riding I tend to relax more and put more of my weight on the seat for longer, which leads to pain or numbness I don't feel on a spinning bike.

As I got stronger, I found it more natural to push a little more with the legs, and my $11 saddle is now exceedingly comfortable.

Also, I am learning to pay attention to my posture on the bike---are my hips rolled forward or more upright, am I changing my posture because my lower back hurts, etc. Time in the saddle coupled with attention to detail helped a lot.

Also, no matter what some fitting genius at a bike shop decided for you, your body decides what is really going on. You might consider buying a cheap saddle which is a little narrower and seeing if it helps (though most probably, the bike shop guy measured you properly--upon thinking, I might not try this until nothing else worked.) You might want to raise your bars a bit. it is possible that at the fitting you got into an "ideal" riding position which isn't really the one you ride in, which means when you are actually on the bike, you aren't actually fitted properly.

The biggest issue, as you mentioned, is that you don't have enough time to ride, I think. I know most riders adjust their whole cockpits several times in the first year or two of riding (or getting back after a long break) because their bodies change constantly and what is perfectly correct this month is painful next and vice versa.

Pain in the butt is either a badly-sized saddle (I am pretty sure Not the case in this case) or bad form on the bike---too much weight on the butt. What I did was bit the bullet, raised my bars, and rode around looking old, fat, and weak, until I was just old and fat and could lower the bars a bit without compromising my posture and power output.

You don't have the 'fat" issue, but the same principle applies---make the bike fit you as your bodies changes to fit riding a bike.

CarbonPothole

Preemptive sorry for quoting the whole thing, but there's plenty of good points in here. I do have occasional lower back pain, which I know indicates to me not being as flexible as I should be. Also, form is something I'm always trying to work on, and am focusing on more and more. It's nice having a SmartTrainer at home with some of the awesome apps. TrainerRoad knows when I'm rocking too much, and yells at me to do form over function, and to smooth out the pedal stroke, relax my shoulders, etc... It's awesome. I guess I don't have enough experience yet to know what my hips are doing, which makes it harder to figure out that attention to details. Clues that make me believe I need to strengthen my core and lower back are lower back pain, numbness in hands when riding in the road (which also may be the seat angled down to far causing more load on the hands than distributing the load elsewhere), and neck pain in the drops for more than 10 minutes (I ride 90% on the hoods, and go in the drops for a couple minutes here and there.)

slimyfrog

Big +1 on this one. Recently I learned to roll my hips when I'm on the bike and it made a great deal of difference in comfort. If you can straighten your back, roll your hips and sit on the 'front' of your sit bones, rather than the bottom, it will really change the way the saddle feels and distribute your weight on the saddle differently.

Still... The current saddle might still have the wrong shape for you, but in my experience no saddle I tried felt right until I adjusted my posture.

GerryinHouston

While the preceding posters discussed the 'rolling of the hips', I would strongly urge you to read the following thread:

https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycli...discovery.html

There are two instructive videos, but the comments make the testimony complete.

CliffordK

A week or so off the bike at a time shouldn't set you back that much.

Have you thought about something like a Bike Friday folding bike for when you travel?

CarbonPothole

I fly a private jet. Space is crucial, and won't fit on our plane. Plus, I don't want to have to check a bag every time I leave. That would get old quick. I'm gone 18 days a month.

Wanderer

sOOOOOOO ---- take the tires off, and strap it to the outside..................

Consider asking the boss for dedicated bike space in the hold, so you can stay physically fit while gone....... a bike case, properly loaded and stowed, isn't big on space..... Performance in Nap has them

coffeesnob

i just started riding. I am a 57 year old male. Man my butt bones sure hurt when I am on that saddle, to the point I can hardly stand it. My wife's spinning coach said you just have to get used to it. I know I am soft in the tush but I never dreamed it would be that uncomfortable. So how long should i wait until I get used to it. Also do the padded pants help? How about lycra shorts I read they can help a little too although my issue isn't chaffing it is sore bones...Any encouragement or advice is warmly appreciated..

Machka 

Can you post a photo of the bicycle ... and even better a photo of you on the bicycle? That might give us an idea of the setup you've got.


Meanwhile, a couple questions ...

1) how high are your handlebars in relation to the height of the saddle?

2) is your saddle wide enough for you? Are both sitbones comfortably planted on the saddle when you ride?

Miele Man

A few years ago my niece was doing spin sessions everyday at the university gym. Her personal trainer said she was doing fantastically well. One weekend my niece and I went for a 20 kilometers long bicycle ride along a local crushed limestone rail-trail. On the way back she had to get off and walk a bit a couple of times becuse her butt was sore. She wasn't used to the time on the saddle, the effort it took to balance a bicycle in motion or the changes in effort over surfaces of slightly different steepness.

Ideally you'd ride one day, rest a day and then ride no later than the third day. Otherwise you lose the conditioning you might have gained the first day. The ONLY way to toughen up muscles, gain strength or gain endurance is to ride in a consistent manner. If at all possible ride every third day. Can you make use of a exercise bike somewhere?

Cheers

LuckySailor

Wrong saddle. Are you wearing "good" padded cycle shorts? None of my riding shorts are under $150, but the newest Assos, ($200) are not as comfortable as the lesser expensive Assos or the Pearl Izumi's. I rented a bike in Florida a couple years ago. Wife looked at the saddle, and asked me if I was going to have them change out the saddle. I told her no, I'm not buying it only renting it for a few days. Bad move. Even with good padded shorts, my keister was killing me after 40 miles! I have ridden Brooks saddles for the last decade. NEVER any pain, even in that 500 mile break in period. Get the Titanium railed one which is probably the lightest one, and ride on! The leather conforms to your sit bones. Even though my touring bike saddle is very well broken in with 10,000 kms on it, when I ride my mountain bike or tandem neither bike with more than 2,000 kms I don't feel any pain in the butt-ever. Or any discomfort. It just molds to you. Good luck in the race!

darmog

If you're not against it or it doesn't violate any bicycle related rules for triathlons, have you considered a leather saddle? I have a Roubaix as well that I got last year and never could get used to the stock Toupe seat. Hurt like heck. I use a Brooks saddle on my Brompton folder which is very comfortable so decided to try a leather saddle on my Roubaix. I went with the Selle Anatomica X series of saddle this time around because some reviews say the cut out in the saddle relieves pressure off the sit bones so break in isnt really necessary. It is very comfortable for me. I ride it as a commuter as well so no padded shorts isnt a problem on this seat.

dim

move the seat back 1 inch .... I had the same problem and that sorted it

ltxi

Best road saddle I've ever owned and, in the interest of if it ain't broke don't fix it, most likely my permanent solution. Beats my B17, for me, by a goodly amount. I don't like/ever use padding.

If a saddle doesn't seem to be working well after a "reasonable" amount of time at least try something else would be my suggestion/opinion to the OP.

Also, good looking bike.

BlazingPedals

Ah yes, the old "you're not supposed to actually SIT on it, Ralphie" excuse. I never understood why anyone would actually accept that reasoning. OF COURSE the less you use it the less it will hurt you. But isn't the idea of having it there, to use it?

Maelochs

It is how and how much you use it. By the same token, if a person were having pain in his hands, i could say, "Maybe you lean too much weight on your hands, and need to be back over the saddle and pushing the pedals more" ... and you could say, "That's what the handlebars are there for" ... and he would go on riding inefficiently and hurting himself.