# How long until your sit bones quit being sore?



## *A-Train*

Hi Ladies (& gents) - I'm new here (obviously). 

New to cycling - I mean serious cycling, not cruising along on a beach cruiser on the bike path kind of cycling. 

Anyhoo, I'm currently riding an older Trek 1400 (circa 1996) that's a hand-me-down from the bro-in-law, and I put a Terry Butterfly Tri saddle on it since the old seat was toast, and the saddle seemed to get good reviews online.

Overall I don't get really uncomfortable when I ride, but later on/the next day... ouchie. Like a bruised feeling almost. 

I'm not a small girl by any means (5'10" and 'big boned' & solid but not overly fat - about 190 lbs right now) and I'm wondering if my weight has anything to do with it. Obviously I'm cycling to lose weight and develop a healthier lifestyle, and because it sure hurts a lot less than running lol.. but I'm just concerned about the sit bone tenderness. 

Perhaps I should try another saddle? Any recommendations? 

Thanks in advance 
Kristina


----------



## il sogno

Hi Kristina, welcome to RBR. 

Is it specifically your sit bones that are hurting? Or is it the glute muscles? How long have your rides been? How many rides have you done? 

In my experience saddle soreness usually goes away after maybe 2-3 rides.


----------



## *A-Train*

No, it's defintely the sit bones. Glutes are fine (they don't really even get tight on rides).

My two rides last week were an easy 14 mile and an easy 18 mile ride.


----------



## DerBoeseKoenig

Even though I am a guy, I think I have the solution. And that would be padded cycling shorts. When I got my first road bike, I tried riding it with regular shorts. Wow, big mistake! When I got cycling shorts, it was a world of difference.


----------



## JCavilia

*You didn't say how long it's been*

Did you just start riding a couple of weeks ago? Did you do some long rides when you were just getting started? It can take several weeks, and some recovery days in between, for things to toughen up. It can take longer if you overdo it at first and really get some bruises. If you're still pretty new at it, you might give it a few more weeks. If you've been cycling off and on for several months and still get that kind of soreness, I'd consider a different saddle.

If it hasn't been long, the fact that the soreness is concentrated on the sit bones may actually be a good sign, suggesting that the saddle is hitting you in the right places, and not the wrong ones.

One other suggestion: stand up. You say you did "easy" 14 and 18 milers last week. That's over an hour at a time, I'm guessing. If you sat on the saddle all that time, that's rough on the tissues. Standing up for 30 seconds every 4 or 5 minutes does wonders, allowing restoration of circulation that helps avoid injury. Helps the other muscles, too.


----------



## Slim Chance

I wouldn’t worry yet. As you ride more and get stronger, you will be lighter in the saddle. Right not you are probably putting your full weight on your sit bones. With time some of you weight will shift to your legs and core and you won’t sit so heavy in the saddle. Keep at it. It get’s better.


----------



## California L33

You don't say whether you lift for bumps. You've got a pretty aggressive race style saddle there, so you need to get your weight off it when you hit even moderate sized bumps. You don't have to literally 'lift' your butt off the saddle, but absorb the shock with your legs. Terry makes a 'Fly Gel' saddle that I swear by and will be more heavily cushioned than what you're using, but as others have said, I think you need to give it some time.


----------



## *A-Train*

I do try to sit up every 5 minutes or so, and 'rearrange' things. That seems to help a bit. I do lift over bumps, too, out of habit from my dirt bike riding days. Of course a road bike has no suspension, but same theory I guess. Let the legs do the work. 

I actually went by the LBS at lunch (husband had to get new tires, had blow out last night) and checked out the Selle Italia Lady Gel flow - it's much more 'squishy' than the Terry, so I might order one (I want a white one  ). I'll throw the Terry on my battler hybrid since we ditched the 5lb giant gel padded butt muffin it used to have on it lol

Thanks for all of your input, though. I know I need more time on the bike, I'm going to try and get out every other day. We went out for about 10 miles yesterday after work, and even with a two day 'absence' I felt like a total spaz again. But it sure does feel good to ride!


----------



## chatterbox

My first foray into riding I was commuting 1.25 miles 5 days a week. It took a week and a half for my sit bones to stop hurting. That was without bike shorts on a particularly hard saddle, though. My new bike took less time. 

Although it seems counterintuitive, I'd suggest riding a few days in a row. If you can swing it, do a quick loop every night for a week. Think 30 minutes. That might help your sit bones acclimate. Then the long rides won't be as bad. And definitely go for the bike shorts if you haven't already....


----------



## *A-Train*

So we went for a ride after work, about 18 miles. I'm getting a LOT more comfortable on the bike. On Saturday we rode about 18 miles as well, and I just felt so creaky and spastic for almost the whole first half of the ride. Could be that I was getting over a cold too, who knows. I was okay once we got back, but man, did I SLEEP after that, lol 3 hour nap and 10 hours that night! 

Today it all just felt more natural, like I wasn't fighting it all. As soon as I got on the bike it was better, and then after a mile or so I was just jamming. Before I felt like I was 'cycling' through what was bugging me: arms, hands, butt, legs, back, repeat. Today I was so comfortable for most of the ride that I really felt like I could concentrate more on bike control and pedaling, etc. Sure I'm still kind of a spaz, but I also can't walk in any shoes w/ over a 1" heel so go figure  

I feel like my seat's getting a bit more broken in as well, which is also helping a ton! I bought some Performance 'century' shorts on sale, but I think I'm going to kick down for a Voler bib and see how that works, cushioning-wise. 

So, things are getting better. Now I'm starting to obsess over 'my next bike' and all that. I just have to shut my brain up and just RIDE lol.


----------



## il sogno

*A-Train* said:


> So, things are getting better. Now I'm starting to obsess over 'my next bike' and all that.


I don't think that EVER stops. LOL...


----------



## *A-Train*

Yeah... I've been in the automotive industry most of my adult life, so the customizing/next *****in' thing bug is hard to shake. It lends itself to cycling very well (unfortunately)


----------

