# New to MTB - Sore Bum...



## Monkeybutt711 (Dec 30, 2011)

So I am new to Mtn Biking, and I have read a few threads about a sore bum with no real luck. I went to my LBS and had my sit bones measured, and 143mm seems to be right. That said, I have been riding 3 times a week (2 short 6 mile rides, and 1 longer 10+ mile ride) for 2 months and it’s really not any better. I'm on a Stumpy FSR and at about 8 miles the bone really starts to hurt. It’s not a chafing issue, but more of a bruised feeling after about 8 miles. Everything I read says that my bum will get used to it, but it isn’t. How do I tell if I really need a new seat (don’t want to spend $150), or keep riding until it no longer hurts. I have specialized compression shorts with the chamois, and am riding the factory specialized body geometry seat. By mile 15 or so, it is almost too much pain to continue. My legs want to keep going, but my sit-bones hurt too bad to continue

I guess my real question is, after 2 months of riding (about 75 miles this month) should my bum still be hurting after most rides?


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## mimi1885 (Aug 12, 2006)

More saddle time should cure your problem. It seems like you are already have the necessary accessories. I'd add a chamois cream it helps reduce friction. 

Ride more. Plus saddle Is not seat it's a place to rest not sit. When you put most of your weight on the saddle your cg is high up when it should be at the lowest possible place which is on the pedals.


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## beanbag (Nov 20, 2005)

If your saddle tilt is adjusted right, then I think it is time for you to try out more seats. WTB has a free test ride program where you can borrow a saddle for a week to try it out. Call them to see which bike stores near you have it. You can also try out different saddles on bikes in the store.


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## DennisF (Nov 4, 2011)

Not really speaking from experience, but some ideas come to mind:

Try unloading some or all of the weight on your seat by partially standing up when going over bumps. This is pretty much a necessity with hardtail. Your FS may be working against you in this respect, resulting on more saddle contact time than a hardtail rider may experience. Basically what Mimi said.

And maybe you are overdoing it. When it starts getting sore at 8 mi, stop. Let yourself recover. Get so you can ride 8 mi without problems then add a little more. More breaks while riding can't hurt either.


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## pfox90 (Aug 8, 2010)

Took me almost a season of riding to get enough muscle and saddle time for the butt to stop being sore. Also you need to take the proper recovery time out, don't ride if you're still sore. Specialized seats with the body fit geo are pretty nice, but maybe those shorts aren't cutting it still. I have a pair of Pearl Izumi Canyon baggies that I find vent well, look stylish and the gel is just so comfortable. You could always give those a try.


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## asphalt_jesus (Aug 13, 2010)

pfox90 said:


> Took me almost a season of riding to get enough muscle and saddle time for the butt to stop being sore. Also you need to take the proper recovery time out,* don't ride if you're still sore.*


What pfox said. Pay attention to the bolded part. It helps. Alot.


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## Monkeybutt711 (Dec 30, 2011)

Thanks for all the help... Taking a few days off really sucks because I really enjoy riding. I guess it will get better with time. I'll keep pushing and see how it goes.

Thanks for all the advice.


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## zebrahum (Jun 29, 2005)

Monkeybutt711 said:


> Thanks for all the help... Taking a few days off really sucks because I really enjoy riding. I guess it will get better with time. I'll keep pushing and see how it goes.
> 
> Thanks for all the advice.


I think you've missed some important advice: if you're sore you need to take some time to recover. You've put in more than enough time to have gotten at least a different feeling from your saddle so it sounds to me like you have an issue. First issue would be seat angle or height, then I would look at the overall bike fit. There shouldn't be that level of persistant pain, everyone gets sore but this sounds excessive. Have you had your shop perform a proper bike fit or at least have a look at your riding position to see if there is an obvious change they can make?


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

one thing I see a lot with new riders is that they sit too much when riding. we're all guilty of it at times, but it's worth being aware of. when you ride, you should be up and down frequently, and definitely up out of the saddle just about any time you are not pedaling. when I was new, my legs got fatigued quickly, which is the biggest reason I didn't stand more. but as I got more saddle time and my legs got stronger, I could stand longer.

this has been a challenging technique for my wife, too.

next time you ride, at least think about the amount of time you spend in the saddle vs. out of it.

and definitely give your butt some recovery time. you've probably bruised yourself, judging by the way you describe it. that will take a little time to recover from. give it a week or so.

you can throw money at the problem buying saddles if you want, but you're still new and if you can't describe why your current saddle is painful, it's not going to help you find a new one.

and FWIW, you don't have to spend $150 on a new saddle. I usually don't even spend half that. I spent less than half that to put a Brooks B17 on my commuter and they're not cheap saddles. My last mtb saddle was around $60, too. Saddles wear out, so spending for top price saddles has a very low cost/benefit ratio.


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## Tim2103 (Mar 8, 2012)

I agree with the fact that you possibly are sitting to much while riding. The only time I'm sitting is for a brief few seconds while on a flat part of a trail (just to rest) or if I'm climbing.


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## kevin29r (Nov 4, 2009)

Much of what everyone else said. You need proper recovery time and maybe some anti-inflammatory pills such as Aleve if you can stomach them. You might also try ice after a ride, and warm baths instead of showers on off days to help the healing. You are probably re-injuring the area before it has a chance to heal. The healing process is what makes the muscles stronger. Also consider shorter rides until you recover fully. If it isn't getting better then by all means, see your doctor.


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## Dgage (Aug 20, 2006)

I'd have to say No!, Thats not normal after two months of riding you should not be getting a sore bum. If your riding riding 3 times a week then you have enough recovery time for a sore bum unless you really bruised it by a fall or something similar. By now you should be doing rides of about 15 miles with no problem. There is no way you should be experiencing the amount of pain your getting. I'm guessing your riding position is wrong. Have you tried adjusting your seat position? Forwards, backwards, up, down or/and your handlebar position.
Your riding a FSR so your supposed to be seated for most of the ride and your seat is of good quality.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Dgage said:


> Your riding a FSR so your supposed to be seated for most of the ride and your seat is of good quality.


No. technique doesn't change much between hardtail and full suspension. not regarding sitting vs standing, at least. seated climbing for spinning, standing climbing for powering up. sit on the flats to rest or spin, stand to accelerate. always stand over technical obstacles, stand on downhills unless resting on an easy section.


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## mimi1885 (Aug 12, 2006)

NateHawk said:


> No. technique doesn't change much between hardtail and full suspension. not regarding sitting vs standing, at least. seated climbing for spinning, standing climbing for powering up. sit on the flats to rest or spin, stand to accelerate. always stand over technical obstacles, stand on downhills unless resting on an easy section.


I agree. If op sit thru the bumps the impact would have bruised it pretty bad. If you are gonna sit most of the ride up and down at least lift your butt when riding over bumps or get a recumbent seat..

Plus it's not a good practice to sit like I mentioned earlier it would only introduce a world of hurt to continue that route not only the butt, it would lead to more crashing down the road.


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## Monkeybutt711 (Dec 30, 2011)

Thanks all for the input. I may just breakdown and have the LBS do a fitting (I think they said it was $75 for a half hour), which should address many of the positioning variables. if they doesn't help, I will purchase a new saddle. I believe I'm sitting more than I should, but I haven't been on the saddle and hit anything rough that would have bruised anything from an impact. I believe it may be a positioning problem, or the saddle just doesn't fit my body well. Thanks again for the help, and I'll chime back in next week after the fitting and a few rides to see if it helped.


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## SavagePudDin (May 21, 2012)

Monkeybutt711 said:


> So I am new to Mtn Biking, and I have read a few threads about a sore bum with no real luck. I went to my LBS and had my sit bones measured, and 143mm seems to be right. That said, I have been riding 3 times a week (2 short 6 mile rides, and 1 longer 10+ mile ride) for 2 months and it's really not any better. I'm on a Stumpy FSR and at about 8 miles the bone really starts to hurt. It's not a chafing issue, but more of a bruised feeling after about 8 miles. Everything I read says that my bum will get used to it, but it isn't. How do I tell if I really need a new seat (don't want to spend $150), or keep riding until it no longer hurts. I have specialized compression shorts with the chamois, and am riding the factory specialized body geometry seat. By mile 15 or so, it is almost too much pain to continue. My legs want to keep going, but my sit-bones hurt too bad to continue
> 
> I guess my real question is, after 2 months of riding (about 75 miles this month) should my bum still be hurting after most rides?


Mine hurt too when I started riding about a month ago.. and I immediately knew I needed a new saddle.. so at my LBS I had a guy recommend a saddle for my bum build.. and it so much better now.. and has a lot of cushion.. I took a 22 mile ride this past Sunday and 75% of the time was sitting down.. my legs hurt more then my bum did, check out the link

Avenir Parts and Accessories - Avenir Hybr 100 Men-black/blk


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## podoco (Nov 21, 2011)

Savage, how much time did you give yourself to adjust to the original saddle before switching saddles?


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## SavagePudDin (May 21, 2012)

podoco said:


> Savage, how much time did you give yourself to adjust to the original saddle before switching saddles?


At least a week and a half of riding.. I'm sure that's not long enough.. but it is way more comfortable


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## Slozomby (Mar 22, 2012)

how long do you really have to wait to figure out that a piece of hard plastic being jammed up your rear is uncomfortable ( at least for me, ymmv). the only person that might be hurt by me adding a 1/4 inch of foam under my butt is me. and it sure hurts less than the torture device that came stock on my bike. so it takes a little longer to build up my sit parts. i can live with that. 

this is not to say you should get a super squishy saddle. but getting one that your reasonably comfy on is only going to make your rides more enjoyable.


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## SavagePudDin (May 21, 2012)

Slozomby said:


> how long do you really have to wait to figure out that a piece of hard plastic being jammed up your rear is uncomfortable ( at least for me, ymmv). the only person that might be hurt by me adding a 1/4 inch of foam under my butt is me. and it sure hurts less than the torture device that came stock on my bike. so it takes a little longer to build up my sit parts. i can live with that.
> 
> this is not to say you should get a super squishy saddle. but getting one that your reasonably comfy on is only going to make your rides more enjoyable.


Agreed!!!


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## mimi1885 (Aug 12, 2006)

Slozomby said:


> this is not to say you should get a super squishy saddle. but getting one that your reasonably comfy on is only going to make your rides more enjoyable.


Yeah I agree, the more you ride the narrower and firmer saddle you'd want because it'd feel more comfortable and not get in the way like the gel type.

If I'm off the bike for a few months the first ride back I'm usually put my WTB on with the wider tail it's more comfortable or at least hurt less, then once "I'm back" I'd go back to my SLR aka house of pain


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## pfox90 (Aug 8, 2010)

The cheap gel/foam seats or seat covers break down quickly over time and don't support you like a more expensive firmer saddle would.


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## Dgage (Aug 20, 2006)

Monkeybutt711 said:


> Thanks all for the input. I may just breakdown and have the LBS do a fitting (I think they said it was $75 for a half hour), which should address many of the positioning variables. if they doesn't help, I will purchase a new saddle. I believe I'm sitting more than I should, but I haven't been on the saddle and hit anything rough that would have bruised anything from an impact. I believe it may be a positioning problem, or the saddle just doesn't fit my body well. Thanks again for the help, and I'll chime back in next week after the fitting and a few rides to see if it helped.


Good idea Monkeybutt but before getting a fitting done, check online on how to fit a bike. It won't be perfect but will be close then you can fine tune it from there. But it just may come down to the seat itself. I purchased a new bike with SDG belair I beam. I rode that sucker for a year before I gave up on it. Bought a cheap WTB and my butt was immediately grateful. Wrode that one for a year then upgrade to a WTB silveraldo. It was narrow and hard and I thought I would hate it but it was even better then the first WTB!


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## Hard Licks (Apr 19, 2012)

Slozomby said:


> how long do you really have to wait to figure out that a piece of hard plastic being jammed up your rear is uncomfortable ( at least for me, ymmv). the only person that might be hurt by me adding a 1/4 inch of foam under my butt is me. and it sure hurts less than the torture device that came stock on my bike. so it takes a little longer to build up my sit parts. i can live with that.
> 
> this is not to say you should get a super squishy saddle. but getting one that your reasonably comfy on is only going to make your rides more enjoyable.





mimi1885 said:


> Yeah I agree, the more you ride the narrower and firmer saddle you'd want because it'd feel more comfortable and not get in the way like the gel type.
> 
> If I'm off the bike for a few months the first ride back I'm usually put my WTB on with the wider tail it's more comfortable or at least hurt less, then once "I'm back" I'd go back to my SLR aka house of pain


I recently started riding again after taking a number of years off. Upgrading to a better seat was the first thing I did with the new bike before it left the store. I like the Serfas RX-921V. I'm sure it's made _my_ saddle break in easier.

I'm aware that I might want a leaner seat in the future, and may even alternate seats for different types of rides. For now, I want to minimize discomfort that would discourage me from riding.


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## Red Leg (Jun 26, 2008)

Dear Monkeybutt 711 If your body gives you pain, there is a problem, period. After riding for eight years, I make this suggestion, as I would to anyone, whether they have soar butt issues or not ... ride standing up at all times, no matter what the terrain may be. 

Try it and I bet you'll be surprised by the numerous side benefits you'll notice. 

Standing up can eliminate at least two other potentially serious problems ... serious crotch infection due to chafing on the seat, leading to an extremely serious condition known as cellulitus (which can literally kill you)... and erectile dysfunction as the result of long-term pressure on the blood vessels in the pereanial region. Don't believe me ... ask your doctor. Above all, have fun.  Red Leg


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

when i first started riding (and when i'm back to riding in the spring) it takes about 2 weeks of lots of riding for the bum to stop hurting.

however, on my first bike, i bought a gel pad because i didnt own bike shorts yet. some sort of padding, whether attached to the saddle or your shorts will help alot.


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## Monkeybutt711 (Dec 30, 2011)

So I watched some video's and tried getting my bike fitted in without having to pay for it, and I'm not sure that helped much. I went last week to the LBS and bought a new Specialized Body Geometry seat with a little more padding, and it seems to have helped a but (its a road saddle). I rode 6.5 miles yesterday with very little discomfort, and I have an 18+ mile ride tomorrow. Hopefully the saddle will help me stay on my bike longer. I'll keep you updated. 

P.S. Thanks for all the advice!


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

this may be interesting- http://forums.mtbr.com/general-discussion/observation-about-saddle-comfort-791541.html


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## curby (Apr 29, 2012)

Looks like I need more riding time after a long winter. I guess that's the only way to toughen up, and cure the cause.


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## blammo585 (Apr 24, 2012)

People here seem to ride differently than me. I ride everything sitting down unless it's really fast and bumpy. I just got a really comfortable seat. I don't see the point of the streamlined seats unless you're a die-hard racer. I know it shouldn't get in the way, but even with a "fat" seat I've never felt that it's kept me from doing anything.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

blammo585 said:


> People here seem to ride differently than me. I ride everything sitting down unless it's really fast and bumpy. I just got a really comfortable seat. I don't see the point of the streamlined seats unless you're a die-hard racer. I know it shouldn't get in the way, but even with a "fat" seat I've never felt that it's kept me from doing anything.


Most of the time when I'm riding the trail is either fast or rooty/rocky. I sit down to recover on smoother sections when I can.

Fat saddles get in the way in technical spots when you need to get behind the saddle. Steep downhill spots, jumps, stuff like that. They reduce your ability to let the bike move underneath you because they get in the way. Worse, they can make you crash.

Whether you race or not, a streamlined saddle lets you be dynamic on the bike.

Another problem with fat saddles: when you sit on them, they compress largely soft tissue where your blood vessels and nerves reside. A good saddle will support your sit bones and reduce soft tissue compression.

Now, a wide saddle and a fat saddle are not the same thing. Not everyone's sit bones are the same width. Multiple manufacturers accept this and list widths of their saddles. Fat saddles have excessive padding and are often wide, but not always. I have seen narrow saddles with excessive padding.

When you say your fat saddle hasn't kept you from doing anything, I ask what have you done? How long are your rides? Where are you located? What is your terrain and trail surface?


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## mark! (Jun 1, 2012)

The very first ride my ass was killing me. I adjusted the angle of the seat and the next day rode again, no problems at all. I ride 90% sitting since I'm a clydesdale and I'm trying to take it was easy as I can on pedals and such. I've only ridden on improved singletracks, and I stay away from the technical stuff for now.


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## Trail_Blazer (May 30, 2012)

The factory seats are often not comfortable at all for a long ride, this is part of the scheme to get you to spend more money.

Get a new seat, but don' spend over $100 though.
Get a wider seat even though it may not look sporty and make sure it has nearly 1 inch of foam type padding, most only have 1/4 or 1/2 inch of padding and the "gel" doesn't replace the need for a lot of foam cushion.

You should also slide the seat forward, which I always have to do to get my seat comfortable on the bikes.


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## adleysh (Jun 4, 2012)

Ive been told that you should have a seat break in that you raise your cheeks of the seat for around 30 seconds or so every 10 minutes in order to allow blood flow to return, this may possibly resolve you problem. 

But this may also be ballderdash from a friend to make me stand up every 10 minutes, but it seems plauisable.


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## Julie Anderson (Jun 5, 2012)

I'm new to this forum and want to say you guy Hello. Sorry I'm posting it here because I can't start new thread


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## Atl-Biker (Feb 8, 2012)

Great advice all around. Always thought I was doing something wrong leaving the saddle so much. One thing that hasn't plagued me is I really haven't had any issues with my A$$ hurting after/during rides. And for that I am thankful.


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## Kevo in Houston (Jun 5, 2012)

new here!:thumbsup:


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## GIJosh84 (Jun 20, 2011)

Bike fit...last season I was riding a bike that was just too large for me and had me stretching to reach the bars and all season long I suffered from pain you described. This season I have a proper sized bike and that pain is gone. Albeit this bike has a much higher end saddle and a carbon frame instead of last years alloy, that might be some of it too. 
Carbon absorbs minor vibrations that would otherwise transfer to your butt or your hands in the case of handbars. Maybe take a look at a carbon seat post, or a saddle with carbon rails. I'm anticipating carbon haters replying to this statement, and I'll tell you, I've seen alloy seat posts break on my local trail, so what ever you do to snap a seat post (crash), it's going to go right ahead and snap regardless if it's alloy or carbon.


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## Bsmith891 (Apr 3, 2012)

I am fairly new to mountain biking (used to ride BMX though), but I have found a low-end Avenir webspring saddle that works great. I am a pretty big guy (just shy of 270) and ride a hardtail on some bumpy singletrack. I found that the webspring relieves some of the pressure points of sitting on hard foam-covered plastic.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

this might shed some light on the topic: http://forums.mtbr.com/general-discussion/observation-about-saddle-comfort-791541.html


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## Trail_Blazer (May 30, 2012)

accidental entry


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## SVBS (Jul 9, 2012)

I've also found that if you slide your butt forth & aft every couple minutes, it help as well


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## Dr. Who? (Jul 13, 2012)

Had the same problem when I started riding again 2 years ago. I ride for an hour or less and be fine but anything more and my bum would get and stay pretty sore for a day or two. I got a pair of gortex padded shorts and that alleviated the problem. I was considering a different seat but I Knew I couldn't be sure it would do the job until I spent a few hours riding on it...then what? Buy another and try again. So I went with the shorts instead. I haven't had a problem since, except of course when I've forgotten to wear the shorts (Only happened a few times, now I never forget)


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## cw4847 (Jul 2, 2012)

Any recommendations for padded shorts under $50 or so? I'm in the same boat as the op and am not sure what to look for to make sure I'm not wasting any money on a pair.


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## Dr. Who? (Jul 13, 2012)

I tried on a bunch at the store. and didn't like feel of many of the cheaper ones. Nthen I went and tried on a few more in the $90-140 range. Wound up spending around $120 for the pair that I felt fit me best and had the nicest widest cushy area. I wasn't happy about spending that much but I am much happier when I ride now. Also, a nice thing to note is that even if you spend more than you want to on a pair of short, they will likely outlast any other piece of gear you have aside from maybe a helmet. Glove, I've ripped through plenty some expensive and some cheaper ones. Shoes, I wear the hell out of 'em. But my special padded undies still feel as good as the day I bought them. Now, from my past experience, I would buy any gear from GORE. Unfortunately I don't know much about other brands. 

But I would recommend that you find the biggest local shop and try on every single pair of bike shorts they have in your size, test them out sitting on stuff and maybe bring your bike or bike seat with you to the store.


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## BigGK (Jun 22, 2012)

I'm gonna have to give in and pick up some shorts as well. I think not only for the soreness factor but also they breathe really well and it might help keep you cool


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## DavyRay (Apr 13, 2012)

I have liner shorts, bike shorts, and bib shorts. I like the liners and the bibs the best.
I have are Pearl Izumi, Capo, Giordana, and Sugoi. They are all good.
I wear other shorts over them, as I think they look silly.


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## DennisF (Nov 4, 2011)

> Standing up can eliminate at least two other potentially serious problems.... erectile dysfunction


I'm convinced


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## Lateralus1082 (Jun 28, 2012)

The only problem I've had is minor chaffing, and this was when it was extremely hot outside. A dab of A&D lotion and I was good to go.


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## prldecivic (Jul 19, 2012)

Red Leg said:


> Standing up can eliminate at least two other potentially serious problems ... erectile dysfunction as the result of long-term pressure on the blood vessels in the pereanial region. Don't believe me ... ask your doctor. Above all, have fun.  Red Leg


I will never sit down on a bike ever again!


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## adonis_abril (Jun 7, 2012)

Kind of expensive, but I almost pulled the trigger on this at the same time I purchased my bike. Turns out, the stock seat was fairly comfy and two weeks worth of daily commute broke it in  The saddle was in a tilted angle when stock and did cause some discomfort. I leveled the saddle with a spirit level and fixed the issue.


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