Newbie to Trainer Riding w/Sore Sit Bones

Training
21

I’ll have to see if my bike shop is open.

22

As was recommended with your saddle, too much padding can often be the problem.
I’ve had medium padded gloves and only wore them once.

  • Get some good quality padded shorts.
  • Swap the padded saddle for a good quality road saddle.
  • Make sure your new saddle is level.
  • Rise up regularly

If you can’t afford a fit, there’s lot of online info available to get you close to a good fit.

2 Likes
23

I don’t agree with rocourteau at all on this. IMO the saddle should take most of the weight. To much weight on the hands will lead to numbness in your hands and maybe also tension in the shoulder and neck area.

My advice on your issues are:

  1. Get yourself a couple of good bibs, if needed double up. Do not use underwear and wash after every ride. Use Chamois cream if there is some abrasion.

  2. Extend your rides gradually.

  3. Get a rocker plate.

Just my 2 cents.

24

I have the exact same pain even with new bibs and a fit. My $200 rockr plate shows up today. I will update on how much it helps.

2 Likes
25

Thanks, everyone, for the input. I really appreciate the thoughtful replies. Since the bike setup was fine for me when I was road riding, I am going to assume the setup is at least OK…for now. I have learned that trainer riding is different from road riding - and that was news to me. I am going to approach the problem the following way —

  1. Take a couple of days to let my kiester heal a bit before riding again.
  2. Get some bibs.
  3. RIde as much as I can on my scheduled rides - that is, when I’m done for the day, get off the bike. (I’m going to use the new “comfort” saddle for a while, especially since I’ll be taking shorter rides until I get used to the trainer. I can reinstall the stock saddle later.)
  4. Buy or build a rocker plate.
2 Likes
26

My backside has never hurt so much during a workout since reading this post🤣

I think there’s a certain degree of blocking out the pain.

1 Like
27

I’m sure there is, but with the sit bones pain, I think I was shifting inappropriately in the saddle, leading to back pain, too. I have my rocker plate plans, and I think the time it will take to build will give my bones a chance to rest.

1 Like
28

You’ve got some good advice here–bike shorts, chamois cream, and patience.

In one of the podcasts sometime last year Chad was getting back on the bike after some time off and one of his big complaints was that he had major saddle discomfort after the time off bike. So you’re in good company. :smiley:

On chamois cream, try to go light indoors, but find what works to let you ride without major discomfort (a little discomfort is normal). As your seat adjusts you may need less. My n=1 experience is that for about an hour I don’t need any, now that my sit bones have readapted after several months off. Up to about 2 hours, a little. For long (2.5+ hour) rides indoors or outdoors I use what I consider “normal”. And for day long events (100km maybe, century definitely), I take a couple of single-serve packs to refresh during the event. Your mileage may vary.

29

Bib short fit is important for me. I have some expensive ones that have ‘kept for best’ but have, ahem, gotten a little a snugger whilst in the drawer - they must have shrunk :person_facepalming:, and now I find them really uncomfortable, so they’ve been relegated to short trainer rides only. My ass can’t tell the difference between a £50 and £100 pair of shorts reliably, but shorts that are too tight around the butt lead to a bad day on the bike.

1 Like
30

Some good advice in here, when i first started riding regularly i struggled to ride every other day due to the same soreness you describe. Time in the saddle is the only way, i dont know if your butt toughens up, or you kill the nerves, but it took me months to get past it.

Also as others have said, padding in the shorts not the saddle. I tried a more padded saddle, but instead of putting the weight through the sit bones it spreads the weight into the surrounding soft tissue and really gave me even more problems, plus chafing.

Chamois cream, bibs get sweaty and wet on the trainer, that does not help

Cheap bibs can be a waste of money, its about the chamois. My fancy bibs are some expensive pearl izumi with more padding than my others. They are a must on long trainer rides, where as outdoors it really doesnt matter which ones i wear.

1 Like
31

Take three months off the bike, then try to do a 60 minute 0.70 IF workout. It ain’t the nerves. :sob:

1 Like