A few years ago I "dislocated" my tailbone skateboarding. It still bothers me from time to time, but nothing serious. However, I feel like the more I ride my bike, the more it hurts. What are some suggestions to relieve stress on my tailbone while riding?

A new saddle maybe? Will the angle of my saddle make a difference?

Also, would raising my bars a little higher help since I will not be slumped over as much while riding?

hmmm, this might not apply to you, but i had a sore tailbone and i found it much worse with a bike with high bars. i have found a nice classic road style position to be best, where the weight is distributed evenly between arms and legs, and you are not falling back on your tailbone lower back. someone will be able to articulate that better than me...fyiw i ride a brooks and ahve no issues with that on the tailbone...best o luck...

I'd think sitting upright would put more pressure on your tailbone than if you were spread out. Maybe try moving your saddle back a bit or a longer stem.

Try getting fitted by a reputable bike fitter in your area. If you aren't willing to go that route, try using a level to get your saddle level. Then make small adjustments until you find the right angle, fore/aft, reach, bar height for you. Just make adjustments 1 at a time so you know exactly what works for you and what doesn't.

+1 on "more upright == more lower-back issues". I was getting lower back pain with a more upright bike (if it's not one damn thing it's another--I was trying to relieve my RSI-challenged wrists). I switched to a Brooks Champion Flyer, and that seems to have taken care of it. It's now my favoritest saddle evar.

Thanks for the advice guys. I had the complete opposite logic, but the more upright = more stress on lower back makes perfect sense. I'm going to try raising my seat a little bit and taking a spacer off of my handlebars. I think I will try out another seat I have laying around in the meantime, but a new saddle is something I will look into.

an update, I think you jinxed me!...today i had tailbone pain again. it came from wearing my old, large and heavy backpack (which i had not done for a long time) crammed with stuff that pulled me backwards a bit, changing the position of my sit bones on the saddle and the angle of my lower back...i have no pain with a mess bag or light backpack that sits high on the back...so, the moral of that is avoid heavy backpacks too! but as everyone is saying position and balance shuold sort you out...the backpack pulled me out, and the difference was very noticeable...

I suggest a saddle with a tailbone cutout; something like this:



or

I've heard a lot of people say this, but really it depends on the nature of your lower back problems. I've got three formerly herniated now bulging lumbar discs and have fought pain for years. My sports medicine/orthopedic surgeon recenlty recommended going for a much more upright position (switching from drops to risers and a taller stem) in order to reduce the angle on the lower back and keep it as arched (backwards) as possible. This has helped me quite a bit. I would agree that tailbone problems are another issue and would probably be better served by a more forward position with more weight on the bars. However, weight distribution for lower back issues may not be as important as reducing the angle between the legs and back. For example, standing is generally much easier on lumbar herniated discs than sitting in a chair, due to the leg position.

As for this thread, I'd really suggest seeking out an orthopedic surgeon or sports medicine doctor who is also a cycling enthusiast to talk through the problem if you continue to experience pain while riding.