Saddle discomfort is no joke, especially when you are already feeling the burn from cycling. Bike seat pain can ruin your mood and make you reluctant to get on a bike again. Sometimes, the soreness will leave you wondering if the pain will ever disappear. So, does bike seat pain go away?
Bike seat pain is temporary and fades the more you cycle. A mix of distance or, more accurately, time spent in the saddle, weight, riding style, and saddle design play a role in bike seat pain. The body often gets used to being on a small surface, and thus saddle pain disappears.
Bike seats can either be too big, making it uncomfortable when you pedal, or they can be too small, meaning that you might end up sitting on your soft tissue, and no one wants that. Although bike seat pain often goes away, there are various causes of bike seat pain that you can deal with and different ways to avoid it.
Does Spin Bike Saddle Pain Go Away?
Most people who cycle have experienced bike seat pain at some point. The good news is that the pain is temporary and eventually goes away. Although bike seat pain differs between people, in most cases, the pain is simply an inconvenience during the early stages of cycling.
The body usually adjusts, and the pain will fade quickly once you have a couple of consistent rides. Because the saddle surface is small, the pressure that your body weight puts on your backside is high, and the body needs time to get used to it. It’s natural to feel uncomfortable at first if you’re a newbie.
If it doesn’t go away, you’ll have to make some changes. A comfy saddle is something that is highly personal. It is unlikely that people would continue cycling if the pain never disappeared. Long rides generally mean more pain, but that pain is also temporary. Keep in mind that the pain will come back if you start using a bike after not using it for some time.
What Causes Bike Seat Pain?
Many people who experience bike seat pain assume that they need a new saddle. However, that is not always the case. Various causes need to be tackled before considering investing in a new bike seat.
The Handlebars Are Not In The Correct Position.
The number one problem has to do with the position of the handlebars on the bike. If the handlebars of your bike are not in the correct position, you will be drawn off of the wider potion of saddle in the back. Handlebars being in the incorrect position usually happens when the bike seat is lowered too low or is raised too high.
If the handlebars are too low, your hips are drawn forward on the saddle to make up the distance so your hands can reach the handlebars. Therefore, an angle where your pelvis is the most unstable on the bike will cause bike seat pain. Ensure that both the handlebars and the seat are at the proper height to alleviate any bike seat discomfort.
Not Having Good Balance Will Cause Saddle Pain.
Not having the right amount of weight on your feet while you’re on a bike can cause saddle soreness. If you do not have a good balance between your hands, hips, and feet on the bike, you risk experiencing saddle pain.
The feet are particularly important, if they are not taking the correct amount of weight, more weight will be placed on the bike seat. Therefore, the hip to feet position is important.
A Saddle That Is Not Level Causes Saddle Pain.
A bike seat in almost all circumstances should be mostly level. If it is not level, you cannot have a well-balanced pelvis on the saddle. Commonly, many people tilt their bike seats down.
When the saddle is tilted down, it causes you to roll forward to the middle of the saddle, where there will be more pressure on your backside. This will not only lead to a sore backside, but it will also place more weight on your hands, throwing off the weight ratio needed to be comfortable.
Too Much Or Not Enough Saddle Cushion Can Cause Pain.
Too much cushioning can be just as bad as too little cushioning. Sometimes you may think that more cushioning will alleviate the pain but more cushioning is not always better. Moderate cushioning works best.
How Can You Avoid Bike Seat Pain?
Once you have tackled all the other possible causes of bike seat pain, your saddle is the next most obvious reason you’re experiencing bike seat pain. You may have noticed that the saddle is pretty small and is the one that takes most of your weight when you are on your bike.
Therefore, getting a saddle that fits is paramount. When you are cycling, you sit on sit bones. Knowing the measurement between those two sit bones is the difference between a pain-filled and pain-free bike ride.
Visit your nearest bike shop and sit on a gel pad to get a measurement. The measurement between the two bones will help you get the perfect saddle. As you can change your bike seat, you can swap the one you have for the one that perfectly matches your measurements.
A pair of cycling shorts will also help keep you comfortable. Finding the right pair that fits you is imperative. The shorts are especially created to reduce any rubbing and have the correct cushion to help ease any pain from sitting on the saddle.
Our favorite pair of Men’s padded cycling shorts are these!
For women, we love these padded cycling shorts.
Another way to avoid bike seat pain is by getting a seat cover. People often wear padded biking shorts, but with a seat cover, there would be no need for this as it is well-padded to help ease the high pressure put on the saddle by your body weight.
This is the bike seat cover that we recommend to help alleviate discomfort.
Conclusion
For the first few times riding, a certain amount of discomfort and post-ride ache is expected. The body eventually gets used to being situated on a small seat and adjusts well. Keep cycling, and you’ll notice the pain disappear. There are also several causes that you can tackle to avoid bike seat pain.
