"Hey
Frank, I have a question. Tom and I did our longest ride ever! We went
35 miles on that bike trail we told you about ..."
"Wow!
That's great! Congratulations!"
"...
but our butts hurt! When we got done, we were really sore! What can we
do so our butts don't hurt?"
That
was the start of an actual conversation. And the problem it describes
isn't unusual. Saddle soreness makes many people think they can't
bicycle. Most often, I hear it as an excuse: "I don't see how you
can sit on that tiny seat. I could never do that. I sat on one once
and it hurt!"
OK,
I admit, when I was a beginner at cycling, I had a saddle problem too.
But I solved the problem, and millions of other cyclists have solved
it. What do they know that you don't know? What can you do to prevent
saddle soreness?
Luckily,
there's a lot you can do. Here are some tips, with the cheapest,
easiest tricks listed first, and the expensive, more difficult ones
last. This way, you can just work (or spend) your way down the list
until you're comfortable!
1.
Stand up!
For
most people, 35 miles on a flat bike trail (like the ride mentioned
above) means at least
three hours of sitting. That's three hours of pressure, reduced blood
flow, reduced ventilation, and perhaps sweat on your nether parts.
Your butt would be sore if you were sitting on a lawn chair! So do
your butt a favor. Stand on the pedals now and then to take the
pressure off. You can stand while coasting down any little hill. You
can stand while climbing a hill. You can stand and pedal even if there
is no hill. And, of course, you can stop the bike and stand up to
rest. But do stand up to let some blood and air circulate! It really
helps, it's easy, and it's free! (Can't stand up? At least slide
forward or backward on your saddle, to change the pressure points.)
2. Tilt
up
Or
maybe, tilt down. That is, adjust the tilt of your saddle.
Changing saddle tilt is an easy, one or two wrench job. Adjust so the
widest part of your saddle supports your weight mostly on your two
"sit bones" or ischial tuberosities, the ones that
hold you up if you sit on the corner of a desk. If your saddle is
tilted too far back, it can put pressure on soft tissue at the front.
But be careful - if you tilt it too far forward, you can find yourself
sliding off the saddle, and resisting that with excess pressure on
your hands. For most people, the top of the saddle should be roughly
level, but experiment to see what works for you. A small change can
make a big difference!
3.
Grease up.
Or
maybe, powder up. Some saddle soreness comes not from pressure on the
wrong bits, but from chafing. Some riders apply skin creams, or
petroleum jelly, or medicated ointments, or baby powder to reduce
friction. Some even like cornstarch - it's slippery and it's
organic! But if chafing is part of your problem, lubrication means
less friction and less hurting.
4.
Change your underwear.
But
not the way Mom meant it. Instead, try a different style underwear.
If you're wearing cotton skivvies with thick seams, you'll end with
four layers of folded cotton right at the highest pressure points.
Those lumps hurt! If nothing else, at least consider some thin styles
with minimal seams. But see #6, below.
5.
Adjust your bike.
Are
you sure your bike is fitting you right? If your saddle is too high,
it may make your hips rock side to side to reach the pedals. That can
cause chafing. If your handlebars are too high or too close, you can
be sitting too far upright, and putting extra weight on the saddle.
Remember, you want your weight balanced between your pedals, your
hands and your butt. If necessary, stop in at your bike shop to have
them check and adjust your bike fit.
6. Suit
up!
No,
not the wool pinstripe power suit. Bite the bullet and get a pair of
real bike shorts, the
tight lycra variety. This is often the most cost effective move,
because these things work. The tightness keeps the fabric flat
and prevents layers of wrinkles. The padding does the same - it's not
so much a cushion, as a way further resist wrinkles in the most
critical area. (Baggier mountain bike shorts are better than ordinary
pants, but in my experience, nothing beats lycra for comfort.)
Oh,
and it's true: Bike shorts are intended to be worn next to your skin.
No skivvies. That removes yet another cause of chafing.
7. Lose
weight.
OK,
this isn't easy, but at least it can be inexpensive! In general, wispy
thin folks have fewer saddle problems than chunkier folks. If you've
been wanting to lighten your bike/body combination, work on the
heavier part. That's you! Every pound you drop is that much less
pressure on your saddle.
How
do you lose weight? My favorite methods are: Eat less, and
ride more.
Besides
reducing saddle pressure, there are other side benefits. Riding more
makes your butt tougher, which also helps prevent saddle soreness.
Losing weight makes getting up hills easier, and may even reduce your
flat tires. And of course, it makes you look better in that lycra!
8.
Change your saddle.
So
what if all the above doesn't fix your problem? Well, you may need a
different saddle. Here's where we get into some expense, and some
complication.
Choosing
a Saddle
The
choice of a new saddle isn't easy. Different riding styles may call
for different saddle types. In general, wider and softer saddles go
with shorter, slower rides. Narrower, firmer saddles work best for
faster, longer rides.
Think
about it! It makes sense! To go fast, you'll push harder on the
pedals. And the harder you push down on the pedals, the less of your
weight remains on the saddle. Also, faster cyclists bend low over the
handlebars to escape the wind. Both of these reduce the weight on your
butt - which further helps, because now your butt muscles can do more
work, making you even faster, meaning it takes less saddle time to do
a long ride. Of course, you've got to be in good shape to do all that,
so you've got to ride lots - which also toughens your butt,
remember?
Bottom
line: When you see a fast guy on a narrow saddle, don't pity him. His
butt's probably more comfortable than yours!
On
the other hand, a person who takes a leisurely ten mile cruise about
once a week, doesn't push as hard, doesn't care about aerodynamics,
and doesn't need his glutes working hard. He won't have a tough butt.
He'll sit up straighter to enjoy the view more, and he'll put more
weight on his saddle. He'll probably want a wider, cushier saddle. And
he won't care if it's not comfortable on a 75 mile ride, because he's
not going to do one!
So,
narrow and firm for speed and distance; wider and softer for slow,
short comfort. To buy a saddle, you need to know where you are on
the cushy-to-rock-hard scale. But that's not all!
Your
personal saddle measurement
There's
a critical measurement you'll need to know when you shop for a saddle,
and it's not
easy to get. You'll need to know the distance between your sit
bones - that is, your "ischial tuberosities". Again,
these are the two bony knobs that you can feel supporting your weight
if you sit on a desk corner, facing out.
So
how do you measure your sit bone width? It is pretty personal, after
all!
If
you've ridden for a while, you may be able to tell by looking at your
saddle. It may have noticeable wear at the spots the sit bones have
been pressing. Or you may be able feel that distance by hand and judge
it pretty well. Once, I even saw a special foam measurement pad in a
bike shop; you'd sit on it, your sit bones would leave pockets that
you could measure.
But
one way or another, learn your sit bone width. Then buy a saddle
wide enough to support your sit bones. A narrower saddle can have
your sit bones hanging off the sides. All your weight will be on the
soft tissues in between, and trust me, that will hurt! But don't
get a saddle too much wider. A too-wide saddle can cause nasty
chafing, and interfere with pedaling.
By
the way, as a general rule, women's sit bones are significantly
further apart than those of men. Therefore, most women need a saddle
that's a bit wider, and perhaps a bit shorter front to back. Still,
I've known women who did great on men's saddles, and I've known guys
who were more comfortable on a saddle supposedly designed for women.
What
about the fact that bike saddles cause men to become impotent? The
short answer is: Hogwash! One infamous urologist has built a career
out of that claim, but the facts (and most other urologists) are
against him. Indeed, cycling seems to be good for that problem, just
as it is for so many other medical problems. Some men do experience
penile numbness under certain conditions, like long rides in flat
terrain. Don't ignore this, but don't give up cycling! Instead, use
the tips in this article.
What
about the "hole in the middle" saddles designed with that
problem - or women's comfort - in mind? And what about "gel"
saddles? Well, for both types, all that can be said is: some folks
like them, and some folks don't. You've got to see for yourself. Which
leads to a major principle of saddle choice: We're All Different
Down There!
Just
as with shoes, a saddle that feels great to Sam may feel terrible for
George, and vice versa. People's butts are as individual as their
feet. You've got to try on different saddles to find one that's
comfortable.
What
about saddles with big springs? And what about special saddles that
have no nose at all? Or oddball saddles consisting of two separate
pads, one for each sit bone?
Well,
they may work for you. We're all different down there. But I'd
advise against those. Spring saddles work for some slow cruiser types,
but few are made with good quality, the springs tend to squeak, and
the bouncing wastes energy. Noseless saddles, or separate pad saddles,
remove some of the bike control you get by body English, and often
cause problems by digging into the back of one's thighs. There are
good reasons these have failed badly in the market place.
Finally,
what about leather saddles, like the famous Brooks? I'll admit, a
true, certified
Retro-Grouch will ride nothing else. And there are countless
super-long-distance riders and tourists who would give away their
first-born sooner than they'd give away their Brooks. Good leather
saddles break in to fit your butt, they breathe, they have just the
right amount of give, and they may be wonderful for you ...
...
but they don't work for me. Oh, I tried, for thousands of miles. But I
was never comfortable on a Brooks. Remember: We're All Different
Down There!
You
may benefit from this difference, though, if you have biking friends.
Many cyclists have a "bad" saddle in their junk box - but
their worst saddle may be your best. See if you can swing a trade, or
a bargain-price sale.
No
luck there? Then get to a bike shop where you can try several saddles
on a test ride, perhaps on a trainer. See if you can swing a trial
period, or perhaps an exchange if you buy one and it doesn't work out.
But keep trying until you find one that fits your anatomy.
Personally,
I do best with a "modern" saddle with fairly firm padding
and a leather cover. Two of mine have holes in the middle, the rest
don't. One is gel with lycra covering. None are super-narrow. I've
found the width and firmness that works well for me, and I've now got
it in several brands of saddle.
If
you do some trial and error, you can do the same.
So,
let's review the saddle buying tips:
-
Know
the distance between your sit bones
-
Buy
a saddle wide enough to support your sit bones.
-
Buy
a saddle that fits your riding style - wide for leisure, narrower
for speed.
-
Keep
trying until you find one that fits your personal anatomy.
-
Remember:
We're All Different Down There!
9.
Change your bike.
If
none of the above experiments makes you comfortable, there's still
hope. You can change your bike. If necessary, practice saying
"Honey, I love cycling, but that bike is never going to be
comfortable." With a pitiable-enough tone, you may be able to
get a new bike - a brand new, perfectly fitting bike with a brand
new, perfectly fitting saddle.
And
finally, if you really want to try something different:
10. Get
a Recumbent.
There
are folks who believe you should change not only the bike, but
completely change the style of bike. They think sitting on a
conventional bike just makes no sense. They'll pull you in the
doorway of the Church of the Recumbent.
Recumbent
bikes have you sitting as if you're in a lawn chair, and in fact,
many of their seats resemble lawn chairs. Recumbent lovers praise
the seat comfort, the lack of hand pressure, and the more relaxed
view. But before you switch, remember there are disadvantages to
recumbents. It's generally agreed that they're quite a bit slower
going uphill, they're harder to transport by car, they use
non-standard parts (possibly complicating repairs), and they are
more expensive.
And
one more thing: They sometimes give you a very sore butt! It's a
malady sometimes called "Recumb-butt," and it comes from
sitting for a long time, unable to stand, so the blood supply is cut
off from your nether parts. Sound familiar?
But
many recumbent lovers have no such problem. So if you're a
nonconformist type who likes unconventional designs, and you have a
sore butt - go for it!
11.
What if your butt really, really hurts?
I
don't want to scare anyone, but: there's a difference between a sore
butt and a real saddle
sore. Saddle sores are a medical condition, usually caused by
extended pressure and friction. They are usually a form of skin
infection in a form similar to a boil or pimple, but severe ones can
be open sores. Real saddle sores can be painful in the extreme, and
require attention.
The
good news is, you normally need to ride many, many hundreds of miles
to get true saddle sores. Eddy Merckx, the greatest bike racer of
the 1970s (and perhaps all time) was plagued by saddle sores. But
again, he rode more miles in a year than many cyclists do in a
lifetime.
To
prevent saddle sores, all of the above tips will help. In addition,
cleanliness and dryness are important. Be sure you and your bike
shorts are washed and completely dried after every ride. And be
careful to increase mileage gradually. Saddle sores can pop up when
your weekly mileage suddenly jumps from 50 to 500.
If
you develop true saddle sores, take time off the bike, try
antibiotic creams and/or hot baths, and if necessary, see your
doctor.
Let's
review!
So
there's a lot you can do to be comfortable on a bike seat. Again, to
summarize:
1.
Stand on the pedals once in a while (or at least shift your position
on the seat).
2.
Adjust the tilt of your saddle
3
Grease Up
4.
Try a different style underwear
5.
Adjust your bike.
6.
Get a pair of real bike shorts (and ditch the underwear altogether)
7.
Lose weight... Eat less, ride more
8.
Change your saddle
-
Know
the distance between your sit bones
-
Buy
a saddle wide enough to support your sit bones.
-
Buy
a saddle that fits your riding style - wide for leisure,
narrower for speed.
-
Keep
trying until you find one that fits your personal anatomy.
-
Remember:
We're All Different Down There!
9.
Get a new bike
10.
Get a recumbent
11.
Treat true, infected saddle sores as a medical problem.
Try
working your way down that list. Don't give up! Like millions of other
cyclists, you too can be comfortable on your bike.
-
Frank Krygowski
|
Ouch!
My butt hurts!
