If you’re new to riding bikes, you’ve probably noticed something you weren’t expecting: a sore butt when cycling. Don’t worry, this is completely normal. After starting to ride regularly as an adult, I spent my first few rides with a bad butt-pain, which eventually went away.
Butt pain, a.k.a saddle sore, resulting from cycling typically goes away after two weeks of riding regularly. If your butt is still sore after several weeks, it may be a sign that something else needs changing. Ensure that your saddle type matches your bike and riding style, and your handlebar adjustment as well. You can also use padded shorts, saddle padding, and panniers to carry the load to help alleviate the pain.
Let’s see how long you can expect the pain in your bum to subside and what you can do to make your ride as comfortable as possible.
How long will it take for your butt to get used to riding?
If everything else is as it should be with your saddle, then you should get over the initial pain and discomfort within 2 or 3 weeks. If you’ve never cycled before (or you haven’t cycled for a very long time), it will take a little time for your body to get used to spending hours on end in a position you’re not used to.
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There’s nothing particularly natural about doing exercise sitting down for 1-2 hours non-stop, so obviously, it takes a while for your glutes (muscles in your butt) to get used to this new activity. But if your saddle is comfortable and you’re sitting on it correctly, you’ll notice an improvement in a few weeks.
But how do you know if your bike saddle is right for you? What if you’re not sitting correctly? And what if there are adjustments you can make to feel more comfortable? Well, in the next section, we’ll cover seven key ways to make your bike saddle feel more comfortable so you can learn to love riding!
Seven ways to make your bike saddle more comfortable
This section will cover everything from adjustments, complete changes, and improvements to your bike, bike saddle, and yourself to make riding more comfortable. Try these 7 ways if you’re still suffering from a sore butt when cycling after 3 weeks.
Saddle Padding or Gel Cover
A padded saddle or gel cover can help initially as you get used to riding on an upright bicycle. The padding provides some cushioning, which gives you a softer feeling when you’re in the saddle. The downside is that it doesn’t give you a lot of firm support, and you will feel that you’re sitting on jelly.
Heavy people, and older people usually find this solution very helpful, but it’s not a good solution if you have a forward-leaning bicycle, such as a road bike or a gravel bike.
Be aware that you should always look for padding for your bike saddle that is leather or cotton-covered to allow it to breathe a little more. Without it, it’ll become very hot, and your saddle sore will not thank you for it!
Padded Shorts
An excellent alternative to the padded saddle cover is some padded shorts. Most people who are getting into cycling, especially if it’s cycling for transport, will not want to use padded shorts because it’s not a practical solution, but if you’re only interested in cycling as a sport in the evenings or at the weekend, then buying sporty gear such as padded shorts can make riding much more enjoyable.
Professional cyclists use padded shorts to make sitting in the saddle bearable. This solution will definitely alleviate the pain you’re feeling and make you feel more motivated to head outside and ride again, knowing you’ve got padded shorts to soften the blow.
Purchase A Pannier
Whilst on the subject of commuters vs hobbyists, if you’re a commuter, you shouldn’t be left to deal with saddle sore simply because you can’t wear padded shorts to the office! So, if you only cycle to and from work, then there is a way around it: a pannier.
A pannier is a pair of boxes or bags that fit on either side of the rear wheel of your bicycle. A pannier helps so much with saddle soreness because it gives you storage space to store some of the things you might currently carry on your back, and puts extra weight on your butt.
If you don’t want to give up the comfort of a backpack when you’re at your destination, look into a convertible backpack-pannier solution like the Arkel Bug. It’s one of my favorite bags I own for commuting. It’s a backpack when you’re off the bike, and it’s a pannier when you’re riding.
Adjust Your Position
You need to find your optimum position on the bike. Don’t sit too far forward or backward, don’t lean forward too far or sit up too straight. Adjust your position consciously to make sure you’re constantly avoiding putting too much pressure on your butt.
Next time you sit on your saddle to ride, take a moment to think about where all the pressure is because of your position. Is all your weight being taken by your saddle?
In reality, only a portion of your weight should be on your saddle because your weight should rest on the pedals and the handlebars. Slumping all your weight down on the most comfortable seat in the world will still make you saddle sore, so check your position.
This is a small thing that you can do right now that won’t require any upgrades or anything like that, but it can make a world of difference.
Make Some Saddle And Handlebar Adjustments
You can change the saddle, seat post, and handlebars for a more comfortable ride. If you have to stretch further with every pedal stroke than it feels natural, then the pain in your butt is probably your glute muscles becoming overexerted, which will make you feel more uncomfortable.
You can adjust handlebars to correct your posture on the bike; you can change your saddle position by making sure you feel comfortable with one pedal all the way to the floor so you know you aren’t overexerting yourself, and finally, you can adjust the seat post left and right until you feel you’re in the best position for you. All these slight changes can feel amazing with just a few small tweaks.
If you want your position to be dialed into perfection, you can visit a professional bike fitter who will help you do it.
Check the Quality Of Your Saddle
Cheap seats are usually bad seats. Rarely will cheap seats have the same quality and comfort as more expensive ones. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule, but that’s mostly the case.
Look for saddles in the more premium price category, and you might notice an enormous difference. For example, the Brooks B17 is one of the most comfortable saddles money can buy, even if you spend hours in the saddle. I use one, and it’s one of the best investments I’ve made in my bike comfort.
Make Sure You Have The Right Saddle For The Right Bike
Different bikes need different saddles, so you’re more comfortable with them.
A mountain biker will feel more comfortable with a seat with padding that follows the shape of the bike for better leg movement, like the Ergon SM Pro, which offers pressure-free comfort and excellent ventilation.
A road racer needs something that’s longer and tapered to make the pedaling motion as frictionless when leaning forward to grab the handlebar, like the Brooks C15 saddle, which provides extra comfort with the carved top.
A commuter would do well with something in between – a tapered, longer seat, with some support, like the Brooks B17.
If you ride a city bike, aka Dutch style bike, you will benefit from a wide and well-padded saddle since most of your weight will rest on your butt, like the Ergon ST Gel Saddle.
The point is the seat must be suitable for the bike and how it’s intended to be used. Otherwise, you’ll be left feeling saddle-sore, so consult with a local bike shop to ensure you have the best saddle!
Here are some of my best tips to make your bicycle more comfortable explained in a video.
Common myths about beating saddle sore
To finish, we’ll look at some common myths about beating saddle sores that simply aren’t true. You’ll have probably been told these before, but often by someone who doesn’t know a lot about cycling, so let’s set the record straight!
The wider the saddle, the better
Some people say this as though it is gospel. They’re not always wrong, but they are for the most part. If you were to sit completely still, in the upright position on a bicycle saddle, then yes, a wider seat would be better. Women’s seats are often slightly wider than men’s to accommodate their naturally wider hip structure.
But a wider saddle is not always better.
A narrower seat promotes better posture, especially on longer rides. Having too much room can lead to lazy riding and can even become more uncomfortable. It comes back to our earlier point about having the right saddle for the right bike – that’s what really matters.
The more padded the saddle, the better
Some people think the best saddle on a bike is like sitting on your sofa, but this is also false. The added padding can cause the seat to become hotter. Not only that, but thick padding loses its shape far quicker than thin padding does, and once this happens, you’re no longer sat on the same saddle.
Instead, you’re sitting on an even more uncomfortable seat, forcing you to sit incorrectly. This poor posture, extra heat, and incorrectly shaped saddle will work together to give you the worst sore butt when cycling you’ve ever experienced! Stick to thinner padding at first and see if it helps. Find a slightly thicker one if necessary, but be wary of the really thick ones. Your butt won’t thank you for it!
I have written to a greater extent on how to reduce butt pain when cycling:
How to Make Saddle More Comfortable to Reduce Butt Pain?
Can I Reduce Butt Pain with the Right Type of Bike Saddle?
Will a Different Shape and Size Saddle Reduce Butt Pain?
Important points to remember
Some soreness is to be expected as a new cyclist; this is completely normal. If things don’t improve after around 3 weeks, then you’ll need to try some of the 7 suggestions above to help improve your situation. Finding the right saddle set up for you might take a while, but once you do, you’ll be able to wave goodbye to saddle sore for good!
So figure out what works for you and stick to it!
And after that, happy riding!
