Boy does my butt hurt. Q about bike seats.

Hello fellow peer trainer folks!
How many of you spend time on the stationary bike? It's funny, at my gym they are always open (everyone is on the elpitical) and I often grab one.
Well here's the rub (hee hee). I feel like I've bruised my rear end! I'm trying to figure out if a horribly sore lower butt is caused by bad form on the bike, a bad bike seat shape or if everyone goes through a few sessions on a bike where their butt has to get used to it.
Sometimes I can barely sit on the bike seat and I give up and head off to Mr. Treadmill.
I'm female if this makes a difference?
Anyone else had this experience?

Thanks so much and have a good day being healthy!

Thu. Apr 3, 10:28am

I hate the bike for that exact reason! Unless you buy a really nice cushy seat for an actual bike, your butt bones are always going to be sore! Maybe it takes some getting used to, but I've never given it that much of a chance. Who wants to get used to a sore ass bone!!

Thursday, April 3, 2008, 10:30 AM

The answer is, everyone goes through this and then you get used to it. Half of the problem is usually sore glutes. Stationary bikes have pretty cushy seats compared to real bikes! If you buy a saddle for a real bike you have to break it in, and the high-performance ones still aren't all that comfortable.

Thursday, April 3, 2008, 10:42 AM

I just started mountain biking and my bike had a men's seat. Let me tell you 1st day ever mountain biking for 22 miles on a man's seat I couldn't hardly sit for 2 days. I bought a female seat (wider so both my hip-bones fit on it, and also has a slit) - but the thing is still faaar from being as cushy as the stationary bike seats at my gym. Are you using a spinning bike? If it is just the normal stationary bike your butt should get used to it after 2 or 3 times.

Thursday, April 3, 2008, 10:54 AM

Have you tried padded bike shorts? They make a huge difference for me. You can get padded "undershorts" too. Try an outdoor store with a biking department like EMS or REI.

Sunday, April 6, 2008, 10:45 PM

I don't work out in a gym, but I do bike. My seat is a women's performance seat, narrow, ergonomic (with a slit). In the spring when I pull it out, it takes about four days of good rides. Day one I'm a bit sore, day two I'm a lot sore, day three I'm more than a bit sore. By day four I'm back to a bit sore and after that, as long as I ride frequently (every day but weekends), I'm not sore. It's important to sit back on my butt-bones, although that is more uncomfortable initially and I always want to shift around, because if I tilt too far forward I get rashy raw spots.

A couple I know biked to her high school reunion. This was her 50th reunion. Yep. 50th. It was in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and she wanted to bike there. From Yakima. WASHINGTON. The report they wrote talked about the mess she was in--blistered, raw, weeping sores--but she kept on going.

Man oh man. Ann, baby, you are my hero. They made it to Ft. Wayne. This was all before I met them. I met them a decade later when they kicked butt on my husband and me. We started in the same place--they on a Bike Twosday by Bike Friday, and us on a Haro (his) and a rented USX recumbent trike (me, because I'd blown out my knee and couldn't yet ride something that might tip over and require me to catch myself). They went one way, we went the other. We returned within seconds of each other...but we'd done 15 miles and they'd done over 20. They were in their eighties; we were just hitting our 40s.

Monday, April 7, 2008, 12:37 AM

I have an exercise bike at home in my little workout room I created and typically it's the last thing I use for exactly that same reason. Here's what you can do, you can either go out and purchase a gel seat OR take a towel, fold it over 3 times and use an elastic band to keep it in place over the top of the seat. I didn't have the time or energy to go out and buy the gel seat so I did that with the towel and it actually worked! Just a tip to try anyway... good luck!

Monday, April 7, 2008, 9:25 AM

12:37
Love your story about the biker friends in their 80's. I see people in their 70's and 80's on the bike path I frequent. They are "through riders" who do the full 25 miles (usually several times a week). They truly inspire me and give me great hope. I am in my 50's. It CAN get better.

Monday, April 7, 2008, 10:38 AM

Related Content: How To Lose Weight- The Basics Weight Watchers Points System The Fat Smash Diet The Eat To Live Diet The Beck Diet Solution How To Get The Motivation To Lose Weight		How To Be Successful Using PEERtrainer How To Burn Fat Online Weight Loss Support- How It Works Does Green Tea Help You Lose Weight? Tips On Using PEERtrainer Visit The PEERtrainer Community Diet and Fitness Resources
Fitness Weight Watchers Meetings Learning To Inspire Others: You Already Are Writing Down Your Daily Workouts Spending Money On A Personal Trainer? How I Became A Marathon Runner		Preventive Health How To Prevent Injuries During Your Workout Flu Season: Should You Take The Flu Shot? Are You Really Ready To Start PEERtrainer? Super Foods That Can Boost Your Energy Reversing Disease Through Nutrition
New Diet and Fitness Articles: Weight Watchers Points Plus How To Adjust Your Body To Exercise New: Weight Watchers Momentum Program New: PEERtrainer Blog Archive Review Of The New Weight Watchers Momentum Program		Weight Loss Motivation by Joshua Wayne: Why Simple Goal Setting Is Not Enough How To Delay Short Term Gratification How To Stay Motivated How To Exercise With A Busy Schedule
Real World Nutrition and Fitness Questions Can Weight Lifting Help You Lose Weight? Are Protein Drinks Safe? Nutrition As Medicine?		Everyday Weight Loss Tips How To Eat Healthy At A Party How To Eat Out And Still Lose Weight The Three Bite Rule Tips On How To Stop A Binge