Okay chaps: my ass hurts

[Sal Atticum]

It's getting to me now that we're doing more time in the saddle at practices.  I think it's because I have a bony ass, rather than a saddle problem.  Anyone have any ideas on how to fix this before we start racing?  That's the last place I want to worry about pain during a race. 

Thicker shorts?  Totally different saddle?  Saddle position?  Eating lots of fatty foods?  What should I be doing?



(general board because I figure this topic may come up again as we get new riders in the spring)

[Plantains]

1. What kind of shorts do you have.
2. What kind of saddle do you have (Though... if this saddle has never bothered you before thats not likely the cause)
3. Positioning would have little to do with it and a change in saddle position is the ABSOLUTE last resort.
4. There's the generic response that your butt just needs time to get used to the abuse.

The question is... what type of pain are you experiencing? Numbness... soreness... sharpness... or just general aching?

If you're using generic shorts or older shorts the chamois may just be worn out now that you're putting in real mileage. For maximum comfort obv our bibs are essentially top notch and for the price you'll be hard pressed to find anything better, but as a general rule of thumb... the more panels the shorts have the better they'll fit.

You can also consider what you're wearing underneath the shorts (if anything).

Since they are designed to be worn against the skin, you may be able to ascertain a certain level of comfort there, but again... I'm guessing this is more of a old shorts or crappy shorts type of thing.

[Sal Atticum]

Soreness while I'm on the bike.  I can feel exactly where my hip bones are, and whatever tissue is between my shorts and my bones is being compressed to the  point where it's painful.

I really want to blame the shorts.  I've never been totally satisfied with a pair, probably because I've never been somewhere where I could actually look at all the options (you know, as opposed to one brand or the internets).

The MarioChad consensus tonight is that I need more ass muscle to pad my hip bones.

[Plantains]

Just to clarify... is this just pain? Or have you noticed any physical markings? If so... more clarification is needed.

As far as bike shorts and quality... this is a difficult topic to get into in GFK (no Im not hating) but simply put, there isn't a huge selection around. What I might suggest is to get out into some of the schools we visit local shops (their sponsors) and check out some of their stuff.

Also, its important to be rotating your shorts. As you wear them the chamois will obviously become compressed and offer little resistance over time.

Another trainer problem is that on the trainer (rollers) it is very difficult to rearrange or stand out of the saddle to reposition.

I agree that it likely has something to do with the shorts. However... there's more to this depending on what ailments your getting.

[Toaster]

I would agree that it could be the shorts. However I think there might also be a couple of other things causing your problem.

The first thing that I will say is that a certain amount of soreness is almost guaranteed when you start putting in longer intervals on the bike. This is not to say that you are not having a genuine problem, but your ass will get tougher over time.

I have to disagree with dave in saying that changing saddle position should be an absolute last resort. I have had many experiences where changing the angle on my saddle even one click on the seatpost makes all the difference in the world. I have had seat posts where adjustments as small as 1 click would always have the saddle pointed too far up or too far down. Also, last year I set up my saddle position on the indoor trainer. This position worked just fine for me, until we got outside. Once we got on the road, the position was EXCRUCIATING! way too high. I had to stand for about half the ride. I will say that I doubt this is your problem, as I assume that you haven't changed the position since you last rode outside.

Saddle shape is also a huge issue. I assume that this is also not your problem if your saddle has always worked for you before. That being said, saddles do wear out over time. The foam padding gets compressed, and the plastic base will become flexible to the point where it doesn't provide proper support. This is a possibility if you have a really old saddle.

Before you invest money in any new gear, try a few things. The first is too give your ass some time to toughen up. Second, you can always borrow a pair of shorts from a teammate to see if they help (note: wash thoroughly before and after use for maximum STD prevention). Third, try a different saddle, making sure to keep the position EXACTLY the same as you have now (this could actually involve moving the seatpost, as different saddles could have shorter or taller rails, paying attention to fore/aft position is equally important). I highly recommend the bontrager inform saddles, and I could more than likely get you a loaner from the shop if you want to try one. Lastly, I don't recommend making any position changes until we get outside. What feels perfect on rollers or on a trainer will almost certainly be different from what feels perfect on the road. Which brings me to my final possible solution, see what happens on your first long ride outdoors. This discomfort you're experiencing could be a product of how your position changes when you are an an indoor trainer.

[Plantains]

I would agree that it could be the shorts. However I think there might also be a couple of other things causing your problem.

The first thing that I will say is that a certain amount of soreness is almost guaranteed when you start putting in longer intervals on the bike. This is not to say that you are not having a genuine problem, but your ass will get tougher over time.

I have to disagree with dave in saying that changing saddle position should be an absolute last resort. I have had many experiences where changing the angle on my saddle even one click on the seatpost makes all the difference in the world. I have had seat posts where adjustments as small as 1 click would always have the saddle pointed too far up or too far down. Also, last year I set up my saddle position on the indoor trainer. This position worked just fine for me, until we got outside. Once we got on the road, the position was EXCRUCIATING! way too high. I had to stand for about half the ride. I will say that I doubt this is your problem, as I assume that you haven't changed the position since you last rode outside.

Saddle shape is also a huge issue. I assume that this is also not your problem if your saddle has always worked for you before. That being said, saddles do wear out over time. The foam padding gets compressed, and the plastic base will become flexible to the point where it doesn't provide proper support. This is a possibility if you have a really old saddle.

Before you invest money in any new gear, try a few things. The first is too give your ass some time to toughen up. Second, you can always borrow a pair of shorts from a teammate to see if they help (note: wash thoroughly before and after use for maximum STD prevention). Third, try a different saddle, making sure to keep the position EXACTLY the same as you have now (this could actually involve moving the seatpost, as different saddles could have shorter or taller rails, paying attention to fore/aft position is equally important). I highly recommend the bontrager inform saddles, and I could more than likely get you a loaner from the shop if you want to try one. Lastly, I don't recommend making any position changes until we get outside. What feels perfect on rollers or on a trainer will almost certainly be different from what feels perfect on the road. Which brings me to my final possible solution, see what happens on your first long ride outdoors. This discomfort you're experiencing could be a product of how your position changes when you are an an indoor trainer.

The reason I listed those last is because he's had his bicycle for awhile and had no previous complaints.

Yost is correct though regarding angle. That would be the biggest thing to change on a saddle for this case but again... I would still keep this as a LAST resort simply because if it never bothered you before, it isn't likely that it just randomly became an issue... yes peoples bodies change... yes peoples seats wear out, but not overnight. Also you could still be very tense on the rollers, and the way that rollers are setup they don't dampen any "bumps" created by your pedaling very well as they sort of compress the whole system (ur bike that is).

Even still... a good pair of shorts could only do some good.