Sore Seat Syndrome

Do you get a sore bum when you cycle ? I used to and like everyone else just blamed the saddle and bought new ones. Some were better than others , but ultimately none of them cured my raw rear. It only really happened on longer rides, but on multiple day rides the pain was cumulative. 

But surely, a wide saddle with 2 inches of soft padding will fix it! ? Any saddle with a hard plastic base will never be that comfy on a very long ride, unless your arse has serious padding  of its own of course. This is why I prefer leather saddles without a base to bottom out on. But this isn't the way to fix Sore Seat Syndrome, oh no! 

Sore Seat Syndrome or as it is more coloquially known; Arse Ache, can be permenamtly fixed by checking bike size and saddle height. Yes it can. 

The reason my arse isn't sore anymore is  not because I have a nice leather saddle, or because I wear padded lycra shorts- heaven forbid. My arse is happy because my saddle is the correct height. My bikes are also the right size for me and I have good riding technique.

Most people I've met with SSS have good bikes that fit. But they also have saddles that are too low or too high. If the saddle is too low then too much of your body weight is on it when you peddle. If it's too high, then your sit bones are getting too much action while your arse moves from side to side as you stretch for your peddles. Either way, you'll get SSS sooner or later. 

If you've ever been for a professional bike fit , then you'll already know how important getting saddle height is. Even a centimeter too high or low and you'll feel it. 

Once your saddle is the right height , your weight distribution across the bike will be much more balanced and your peddle strokes more efficient too. You won't be sitting on the saddle so much as perching on it. 

So what else can you do to give your arse a break? No, not padded lycra. You can however learn a couple of cycling techniques that reduce the load on your saddle. 

Assuming your saddle is the correct height, then you should be able to lock out or straighten one of your legs as you coast - this will cause your bum to lift slightly while still being in contact with the saddle, thus mostly reducing the load. You can also stand up on both peddles as you coast or freewheel along and peddle while out of the saddle like the pros do. 

Once you can do these 3 things, you will find , as I have that you can peddle along all day without arse ache and , dare I say it, without padded lycra. 

Skin tight clothing on any man who isn't in a race , just doesn't sit well for me. Sorry chaps. 

I have nothing against lycra on women. Nothing at all.