# Pelvic bone hurts



## firstcut (Jun 16, 2006)

Hello iam fistcuts gf and i have been riding with him for the last 2 days (14 miles total) on pavement on a fs joshua and my pelvic bone feels like it is bruised. Does this go away? Or do i need a new seat?...Or should i just strap a pillow between my legs lol ?


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

do you mean your sit bones? Some of that could be the saddle, some of it could be your butt just needing to get broken in. 

Saddle type and fit can take a while to get dialed in. Butt break-in is just a matter of saddle time. Be sure you are wearing the right gear: a good pair of bike shorts with a pad (chamois) and no undies. (this is to prevent chafing etc) 

There are lots of good threads about saddles and saddle soreness in the FAQ for the Women's Lounge.


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## firstcut (Jun 16, 2006)

no its not my sit bones its my ummm  crotch bones, i dont know how else to put it, this is so embarrassing. He switched the seat out for me for a wide seat of a huffy womens bike. Also it seems that i cant tilt the seat any father down to help this problem. I will check out the faq and do some reaserach in the search bar thanks.


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## chuky (Apr 3, 2005)

She is referring to her pubic bone. 

Needing to tilt the saddle to a nose-down position means that you don't have the right saddle for your anatomy. You need to go to a bike shop and check out a few other options. The stickies at the top of the forum have a LOT of information on this subject.

Cheers,
C


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## Cate (Jul 11, 2006)

I am not a long time bike rider, but I am a sufferer of a pelvic injury (pelvic separation during birth of my third child- very very painful and long lasting.) Before my bike that I ordered (Specialized Hardrock for women) came in, I attempted to ride my husband's bike (Specialized P2) for five minutes and had pelvic pain for 3 days. I was very concerned about what would happen when I went on real rides with my new bike. The Hardrock has a Specialized Body Geometry saddle on it, and it makes a huge difference. So far, I have had not even had a twinge of pelvic pain since getting that bike (sore sit bones initially but not in the pelvis)- even after hours of riding. I know not every saddle works for everyone, but I do know that there are saddles that won't make your pelvis hurt. If it is hurting, try a different one! I highly recommend the Specialized Body Geometry for Women, but it might not work for you. Good luck!


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## SheSpeeds (Oct 31, 2005)

*no modesty in this forum *

Sometimes a bigger saddle means more chaffing and less comfort. It's the opposite of a big fluffy couch vs. a modern tight stitched couch...the minimal saddle is usually the best. I agree that the nose needs to get tipped downward some. "pointing down" can be a fractional change. You may hardly be able to see it pointing downward for it to be just right. Too far and you'll feel like you're falling forward. Play with it for a while and see. Saddles with the hole in the center may also resolve the issue.


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## rufusk (Sep 11, 2004)

It's all about your own body, but what I did to get rid of the pain you describe is I got a saddle with a cutout. I bought the Specialized Body Geometry for Women saddle. It got rid of the pelvic pain and gave me rations of NEW pain in my sit bones. The saddles that have worked for me are the Selle Italia Lady Gel Flow and the Terry Butterfly.

Good luck with the saddle. I know EXACTLY how you feel!!


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## CycleMainiac (Jan 12, 2004)

Wider and softer is almost always the wrong way to go for two reasons.

First, the width of a saddle needs to be just right for your parts so that you perch on your sit bones.

Second, the more soft a saddle is the more your sit bones sink into that softness resulting in your other soft tissue getting squished/mashed into the softness. 

So a firm saddle with the correct width and shape for YOUR anatomy is the ticket. 

Go sit on the top step of some stairs. Spread your legs slightly and lean forward so feel your sit bones. Try and recreate this with a saddle.

Take your bike and related gear (bike shorts and shoes) to a shop and ask them to set your bike up in a trainer and try every saddle you can. 

Sometimes the best first step is picking the least of the evil.


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## Clockwork Bikes (Jun 17, 2006)

*Shorter stem and higher handlebars*

As a framebuilder, I would shorten your stem and rais your handlebars (at least above your saddle height). This will straighten your back and place more weight on your "sit bones." This will also lessen the angle between your back and arms. This angle should always be less than 90 degrees.

www.clockworkbikes.com


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## ima_bleeder (Aug 25, 2006)

I totally feel your pain. Well, felt your pain. And I also tried to tilt the seat down. Totally worthless. I've done two things now. Gotten a new bike, and therefore a new seating position ... and gotten a new seat. 

I think the seating position is huge. I'm no expert on that though, so I'd check out Clockwork's information. But getting a better fit and seating position eliminated the crotch pain, and also eliminated some tingling I was getting in my hands.

I also agree that bigger and fatter seats are not the answer. I got a Specialized BG seat, and it works great for me. In fact, I got kind of a skinny seat. It probably looks painful to a beginning rider, but it works fantastically for me. I would also have liked to try the Terry saddles, they look great, but it was urgent, and Specialized was very available for me. Anyway, all my weight is on my sit bones, and none on the more sensitive parts. As long as I keep riding, my sit bones stay conditioned to take the pressure, and I'm fine. It's also narrow enough to allow me to change my position on my bike ... ie, get in back of the seat for the steeper descents. 

Good luck! Comfort is important stuff.


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