Very new to biking...have very sore fanny..help

Hi there,

I have been browsing for awhile..finally have the courage to speak up. I am very new to this amazing activity. I have lost 85lbs and still have a long way to go(135lb). Riding is helping me in so many ways. Anyway..my fanny is sore all the time. I ride 7 miles daily on streets that vary in grade..some hills that are kicking my but. So..now here is the deal..am I doing something wrong..or does it just take time to condition my botton. I have just orderd the padded biking shorts from this site and hopefully that will help. I am riding a very entry level K2 hybrid bike. My goal is distance riding. Last weekend I did 10 miles...this weekend I am going for 15. Eventually the STP..oh my..is that possible? whew...

Thanks in advance.

Tasha

Tasha -- I bet the shorts will make a world of difference!! My sister is having the same problem & is riding without padded shorts. There's no way I'd want to ride without them! :)

There's several reason why your butt might hurt. Cycling shorts will help, but they're more about chafing. You may need to change your bike seat. They wear out, and often bikes come with cheesy seats anyway. You don't need a hundred dollar seat for the distances you ride, you can get nice ones for $25 or so. It depends what you want.
Do you have a bike shop where they're nice to you? They can help you out. It may be that you need some minor adjustment to the bike.
Come back and ask all the questions you want. We're here to help.

missliz

My guess it's your seat and/or bike set up. Make sure you "fit" your bike. I see a lot of people ride too high or too low (eating their knees)...A bike shop should be able to set you up properly. Basically, only a small bend in your knees when fully extended. If you extend too much you're "rocking" on the seat.

Go for "regular" or "smaller" looking seat. The seats with the gel, or that are really wide are great for 5-10 miles, but after that, they hurt more than they help. (and truthfully sometimes you have to try several seats to find "the one"...)..A good bike shop should be able to let you try out a seat for a few days, or order a seat on line (bike nashbar or performance bikes) and then you can return it if y ou don't like it)

thank you everyone,

I have adjusted my seat and it has made all the differece. I did a 20 mile ride twice last weekend and I did just fine. It was so good not to hurt!!

Thank you all again.

Sounds like you've already accomplished lots, Tasha! Weight loss, getting jazzed about cycling, daily rides, increasing the distance, setting distance riding goals...and, of course you can do the STP! It's totally possible as you've already shown yourself what you can do with determination and planning. There's a terrific and supportive community here to help cheer you on.
Also, locally (all over the Puget Sound area) there are tons of supported rides throughout the year, along spectacularly beautiful routes, so that you can vary your training if you want and build on the mileage/duration of your rides as you prep for the STP. It's always fun to set goals and then amaze yourself, eh?
Glad to hear that you got your saddle adjusted and are happily feeling the difference; sometimes you only have to move it a touch. I'll echo the full-on endorsement for cycling shorts - and remember, no panties under! A bike fit is key in avoiding pain due to incorrect body mechanics/positioning. I'm not familiar with any LBS in Tacoma, but am sure that they're there for you to find; you can learn tons from the helpful folks in a good one.
Happy Trails!
Mary

Is it just me, or do other people out there not know what the "STP" is? Help ;)

Its the Seattle to Portland ride. I think its 166 miles in two days. I would love to do it.

You guys are all the best...thank you so much for your help.

Gotcha-- thanks for the clarification ;) You just keep at it and it'll be no problem. Multiday rides are my favorite-- you meet some great people and have some great experiences along the way. Plus Seattle to Portland sounds beautiful. I rode from Minneapolis, MN to Chicago last year and it wasn't so pretty! You can only look at so many corn fields (or wheat or soybean) before you go crazy. I think that made the ride seem extra long ;) Plus you'll find that 80 miles a day won't seem as hard as you think--you just break it up and look at it in smaller chunks then you tackle one chunk at a time. Ride on English Rose!!

Sorry, I was responding to Tasha with kind of a reflex and didn't think to include info for the rest of you on what STP is!
So here goes:
Yep, the STP is an annual summer bike ride from Seattle to Portland, happening for almost 30 years now. It's considered a double century classic (actually 206 miles) and is put on by Seattle's Cascade Bicycle Club. Riders can choose to complete it in either 1 or 2 days. There is full support along the way, with official rest stops at 50 mile intervals and plenty of mini-stops all the way as well, also with plenty of overnight lodging/meal options at the halfway point for 2-day riders. It starts at the University of Washington early on Saturday AM, so that the finish line festival can be enjoyed in downtown Portland, OR either later on Saturday or all day Sunday. There are usually about 8,000 riders participating and the bike club has plenty of information online and in the form of prep/training workshops beforehand too, so there's no shortage of support and guidance for first-time riders. It's a lot of fun and is well-known in this area. Riders of all ages, shapes, and abilities participate - many have done it multiple times. I've done it for 5 years running and each year, I think I've gotten it out of my system, but have gotten hooked again for 1 reason or another!

English Rose

Hi! I'm glad you've seemed to fix that seat problem! 20 miles is a good distance for a fairly new rider.

Congrats on your weight loss and new cycling habit!!! You should be really proud of yourself. Keep the board up todate on your progress; all are very supportive here and sharing your progress helps the rest of us who deal with weight issues too.

Good with your STP training and the ride!
'calla
iron horse warrior:D