New rider with very very VERY sore rear!

[southtxrider]

I just got my bike (Trek Pilot 1.0 WSD) and went on my first long ride - 18 miles (had only done 1-3 mile jaunts before)! The last 9 were pure agony in the rear end area. Other parts of my body ached after, but recovered within 24-36 hours. But today, 11 days later, I am still sitting on a pillow (although I AM walking normal again!). No "sores", just feels like I bruised my sit bones badly. (riding on stock bontrager saddle)

My veteran friend rider tells me this is very normal for a newbie. But honestly, i was in so much pain I am scared to get on again. Against her advice ("you'll get used to it" she says) I went and bought a new saddle - the terry butterfly. Do you think that was premature - to buy a new saddle after one ride? but really, it hurt SOOOOOOO bad I was seconds away from crying at the end!

[spokewench]

Did you have a pair of decent bike shorts with padding on?

[Dianyla]

(riding on stock bontrager saddle)

That's your problem right there. I think I've heard more kvetching about the "Bonty of Death" than any other stock saddle out there.

Some amount of tenderness on the sitbones area is normal when you're toughening up, especially if you have a sudden increase the amount of saddle time. However, a bad saddle is just a bad saddle and there's no reason to continue suffering just to prove it to yourself.

You might get lucky with the Terry right away, but be prepared to try a few more saddles out before you find The One True Saddle. Most reputable LBSs have a 30-day return policy so you can buy & return & rinse & repeat as necessary.

[Geonz]

Bontrager stock saddles are awful. I have one of the most tolerant butts in the world and it was wrong for me. I haven't met anybody yet who liked one.

[PAP103]

I also have a Trek Pilot and the first thing I did was swap out the seat. I put on a Serfas RX and love it. Also, get a good pair of shorts with a comfy pad in them.

Don't let this deter you from enjoying your bike - try again with a new seat!

Patty

[southtxrider]

thanks all! good to know I got rid of a bad seat! LOL Yes, I was wearing a pair of Pearl Izumi knickers - the sugar knickers....

I will keep trying! I didn't want to give up, just scared to get back on for at least those first 5 days or so! LOL I STILL am sore when seated on a hard surface! LOL

will the butt'r help? Or is that just for sores?

[spokewench]

Like others here, sometimes it takes a while to find THE saddle for you. Chamois cream does not really help for sitbone bruising it is more for chafing.

spoke

[KSH]

Well, you may need to change out your seat... and you did that... so you might find some relief there.

I know for me, if I don't ride 2-4 days a week... when I get back on my bike, my butt is sore for days.

It's like no matter how thick the padding in the shorts are... my boney sit bones just jab into the saddle. MISERABLE.

I need a nice racing saddle, with EXTRA PADDING where my sit bones hit. I'm thinking about creating something myself. I saw where someone used some mouse pads and duck tape... and it seemed to work!

[Dianyla]

I need a nice racing saddle, with EXTRA PADDING where my sit bones hit. I'm thinking about creating something myself. I saw where someone used some mouse pads and duck tape... and it seemed to work!

I always thought that racing saddles were quite minimally padded. Less squish = less power lost. Same goes for thinner racing chamois. I would imagine a saddle made for touring would be cushier. Though, sometimes too much padding is as bad as not enough, all of the squishing movement can cause worse friction and bruising.

-Dianyla, who does not lack for padding down there

[bcipam]

I've always found that if you have the right saddle, it doesn't take much breaking in. I've been riding on Terry Butterflies for the last few years and first time on, feel OK. Once the saddle gets worn in, feel great.

There are such things as men and women saddles. The Pilot, unless a WSD bike, no doubt came with a generic, man's saddle. Also don't get one too wide. don't know why people think wider is better. It might be if you go 5 miles, along a trail, real slow but not if you plan on doing any long distance riding.

I'm not saying the Terry will work for you, it does work for me. This is a very personal thing. If you have access to other bikes (like through a club) ask the owners if you can try out their saddles. Like a good pair of shoes, you will know when you found the right one!

[paigette]

My veteran friend rider tells me this is very normal for a newbie. But honestly, i was in so much pain I am scared to get on again. Against her advice ("you'll get used to it" she says) I went and bought a new saddle - the terry butterfly. Do you think that was premature - to buy a new saddle after one ride?

LOL, your friend would think terribly of me then, cause I didn't even walk out of the LBS with the stock saddle on my OCR 3, I switched out for a Serfas RX. Seriously, I've never had an extremely sore bottom.

[Dogmama]

All good suggestions. I can only add to try sitting on a bag of frozen peas when you get home after your next ride. Or maybe two bags - one for each cheek. That would leave other parts frost-free (if you get my drift.)

[ima_bleeder]

I'm with KSH. I haven't ridden for a week now, and I guarantee the next ride is going to be pretty painful. A good seat (for you), good chamois, and practice, practice, practice ...

[MaineMaid]

I'm taking notes furiously,everyone!!!...since I'm just about to buy a Pilot WSD !!! I read all your posts about seats and saddles on that thread, so I guess I'll be tossing out the seat that comes with the Trek Pilot and trying something else. The woman who is going to fit me to the bike on Friday pretty much told me that I'd be changing out the saddle, she had a kind of knowing sympathetic smirk on her face.

Jan

[withm]

It's very true, the saddle on the Pilot is not very good. BUT, be sure you negotiate something with your bike shop about swapping it out for something you can sit on. I tried 5 before I got a Terry Butterfly (and a lot of people don't like those either), but I went from doing 40 mile rides on my old bike with a Terry saddle, to dying after 10-15 miles with the standard issue saddle when I got my Pilot. I don't even remember which saddles I tried - but I just kept taking them back to the shop till I got one that worked. They never charged me a penny even though it did take a couple months of experiments and miserable rides till we got it right.

Good luck, and enjoy your new bike!