Saddles and the ongoing saga of a traumatised bottom

[annie]

One year on from starting to cycle and I find myself still plagued by a traumatised bottom.  After the ride last night I have two very substantial swellings over both sit bones, the left being somewhat larger than the right.  The swellings are around an inch wide.   There isn't any soreness at all, the skin is still intact but the soft tissue damage is far more than I would like and can cope with.  The pain is unbearable at the moment and I know that if I am unable to rectify this issue I will call it a day as far as cycling is concerned.  Childbirth was a walk in the park in comparison to the pain I am currently experiencing.  I will give it another month or two but will then make a decision, there may be a couple of bikes for sale.   When cycling I can feel the left sit bone being 'grinded' if that makes sense?

I don't expect anyone else to have the answer but any advice is as ever gratefully received.

[delthebike]

If the sit bones are being ground then it seems to me to be a position problem.
Saddle too high? Not stretched enough on the flat/hoods?
Don't forget that although you were using your saddle for the FNRttC the stoker position was probably very different to what your solo bikes are like. Is it just from last night or is it a continuation?

[MSeries]

Perhaps you are doing too much too soon. I am a keen advocate of building up the miles and not stepping straight into long rides. This approach gives one body including the bum time to adapt to the rigours. Sure one might feel OK after 70 miles and feel like one can go on for another 70 but  really one doesn't know how one will feel, not just the cardio vascular systems, the shoulders, feet, arms, back, bum.

Anyhoo I am sorry to hear you are in pain, I am sorry to hear you are contemplating jacking it in. You know best of course.

[annie]

If the sit bones are being ground then it seems to me to be a position problem.
Saddle too high? Not stretched enough on the flat/hoods?
Don't forget that although you were using your saddle for the FNRttC the stoker position was probably very different to what your solo bikes are like. Is it just from last night or is it a continuation?

Last night I suffered due to being on a different bike, it is normally the left sit bone that gets off worse and my position on my own bike has been tweaked to within a millimetre of perfection, I believe.  It is an ongoing problem.

Does anyone else suffer with huge swellings?

I cannot actually feel my sit bones at the moment as the swellings are so large.

[annie]

Perhaps you are doing too much too soon. I am a keen advocate of building up the miles and not stepping straight into long rides. This approach gives one body including the bum time to adapt to the rigours. Sure one might feel OK after 70 miles and feel like one can go on for another 70 but  really one doesn't know how one will feel, not just the cardio vascular systems, the shoulders, feet, arms, back, bum.

Anyhoo I am sorry to hear you are in pain, I am sorry to hear you are contemplating jacking it in. You know best of course.

Even after 5 or 6 miles the left sit bone begins to suffer.

[andrewc]

How many different saddles have you tried ?  The people on the forum must have examples of every type going. I'm sure you could borrow some to see if they are more comfortable.

Wearing 2 pairs of shorts may help in the short term, otherwise you've the perfect excuse to start looking at recumbents.

Hope you feel better soon 

[Phil]

What sort of saddle do you use?

I ask because one of the benefits of a Brooks is that they will actually wear into your bottom.  I've seen well-used Brookses that are noticeably wonky because the riders has asymmetric sitbones.  I don't mean to trigger the Brooks/anti-Brooks debate, but it could be worth a go.  They are of course not padded, so you still feel the thump, and take a bit of wearing in, which might be a problem if riding is so painful. 

The other thing that occurs is that you ride a very small frame, and they tend to be rather stiff.  I wonder if you're getting a lot of road shock through your saddle because of lack of frame flex.  If so, perhaps try an elastomer seatpost like the Thudbuster, or a carbon one like the Specialized Pave. 

[annie]

I currently use a Brooks, it has seen about a 1000 miles under my bottom and only has a dimple on the right hand side.  I have an Easton carbon seat post.

How many different saddles have I tried, far too many but probably about 12.

[delthebike]

How often do you ride and distances? Your regular, daily/weekly, rides not the one offs like the FNRttC!

[annie]

How often do you ride and distances? Your regular, daily/weekly, rides not the one offs like the FNRttC!

During the week I rode 3 times, ranging from 10-45 miles.  On the weekend it was 90ish miles.  Also lots of little rides up to the shop etc of a few miles at a time.  Of course audaxes, of which there have been a couple of 100k's, the reliability ride, a couple of 200kms

I managed to find a thread discussed on another forum, a woman complaining of identical symptoms - 'ischial bursitis'

[delthebike]

NHS Direct has some info.

When I've done long miles on one of my bikes it can get painful but when I go out on another bike the position has enough difference that the previous area is not in the current firing line of pressure. Similar saddles on all bikes, ie Brooks, except the brompton which has a Fizik Vitesse, which feels like a padded version of a Brooks B17 narrow.

Does the pain continue on all bikes you own or are the riding positions, slightly, different enough to move the pressure away from the painful bits?

[Mrs Pingu]

I don't fit the symptoms I've seen of bursitis but I do get some great swellings on my bot, more usually on the RHS than anywhere else. I have the most comfortable saddles I have been able to find but in my experiments so far I have found the different models of shorts make as much difference as anything.
I'm currently using Pearl Izumi Sugar shorts (as recommended by Charlotte), but even with these I just seem to get sore where the chamois ends and meets up with the seam running up the back of the leg.

I think I know what you mean by the grinding feeling. I don't normally suffer with it on day rides but after a couple of weeks of constant cycling thru NZ, some days it felt like my sit bone was trying to drill through the flesh - especially on hilly days where there was a lot of just grinding it out in the saddle.

Today I winced all through my shower and then had the magic idea of applying some TCP to the affected area. We almost needed a new ceiling. 
However mine seem fine after a day of two off the bike where upon the swelling disappears and I'm left with a sort of rough, almost scabby feeling. (Sorry if this is too much info!).

I did notice a big difference when the temperature rose and I went from wearing shorts with longs (without a chamois) on top to just wearing shorts, I think my bum is missing the extra layer.

I don't know what the answer is, but you are not alone. 

[Hot Flatus]

I winced when I saw you ride a brooks. Sounds like you need some firm padding where your sit bones are.  I wonder if a WTB would suit?

http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s81p3655&tbv=WTB_Rocket_V_Race_-_Black/Pink_Accessories_Saddles_-_XC

They do a range of prices but most seem to have those two firm padded ridges

[nicknack]

Recumbent.

[delthebike]

Recumbent.

If the seating position of the bikes ridden, I think Annie has at least two, then a slight change would move the pressure and give a sore area time off. I'm thinking along the lines of a Sunday, bike not day, Ti ride and then next ride a mountain bike. Shift that position around a bit.
A bent will be extreme but will work!

[Wowbagger]

Remember, Annie, that you were in an unusual riding position being on a bike which was really designed for someone quite a bit taller than you, and with stoker bars.

[annie]

I have a bent   It is currently with Kevin at DTek, haven't gotten round to picking it up again after some minor tweaks were needed.  I find it difficult to ride around here, often can't see at junctions as HGV's, vans etc parked nearby and blocking my view.

I think the Brooks will be going to saddle heaven.

[MSeries]

Remember, Annie, that you were in an unusual riding position being on a bike which was really designed for someone quite a bit taller than you, and with stoker bars.

Is it possible that Annie was rocking side to side if the saddle was too high? The friction caused by this over such a distance could be the cause. I wasn't there abd so couldn't see Annie in motion.

That was my thought after I read about the condition on t'interweb. Weavers bottom.

[Polar Bear]

I spent years on the quest for the perfect saddle and studiously avoided the seemingly 'hard' Brooks on my way.  I relented two years ago and bought one.  When worn in the problem and solution were apparent together. The saddle is no longer symmetrical, in fact it looks very odd.  However, my riding discomfort has gone too.   

Without trying to look like a pervert I have taken to examining the wear patterns of Brooks saddles when I see them.  I am not alone though I haven't yet seen one quite as exaggerated as mine.

[Wowbagger]

Remember, Annie, that you were in an unusual riding position being on a bike which was really designed for someone quite a bit taller than you, and with stoker bars.

Is it possible that Annie was rocking side to side if the saddle was too high? The friction caused by this over such a distance could be the cause. I wasn't there and so couldn't see Annie in motion.

I'm sure the saddle height was OK - although I suppose that shorter cranks might be an advantage. We put the post down a lot. The difficulty I had was getting the saddle angle correct - bloody USE seatposts are a nightmare. In the end (no pun intended) I think Annie's saddle nose was perhaps pointing down a bit more than she's used to.

[annie]

I spent years on the quest for the perfect saddle and studiously avoided the seemingly 'hard' Brooks on my way.  I relented two years ago and bought one.  When worn in the problem and solution were apparent together. The saddle is no longer symmetrical, in fact it looks very odd.  However, my riding discomfort has gone too.   

Without trying to look like a pervert I have taken to examining the wear patterns of Brooks saddles when I see them.  I am not alone though I haven't yet seen one quite as exaggerated as mine.

You aren't the only one examining other people's Brooks saddles, I seem to have a bit of a fetish for well worn leather saddles.

[Sergeant Pluck]

Just to clarify this, do you still have this problem on your main bike? I thought you were happy with the current set up and your Brooks on the Sunday ti bike?

Or is this pain / swelling just after being on an unfamiliar bike last night?

[annie]

Just to clarify this, do you still have this problem on your main bike?

Or was it due to being on a bike not set up for you last night?

Also on my own, after my ride to Walberswick a couple of weeks ago I was in the same position as I am now.

[Sergeant Pluck]

Have you ever considering going to someone (not a person just dicking about in the LBS, unless it is Paul Smith  ) to have your position looked at?

The Bike Whisperer had good words said about him in the other place.

It's a very unusual and persistent problem. Your position on the bike needs a radical rethink - I believe it's the way your bum moves around on the saddle. Not that I'd eve have noticed such a thing 

Hope it all settles ASAP.

[MSeries]

Good points Pluck. Bike shops are generally this: rubbish.