Plaid13

Ok i used to mountain bike alot years ago sometimes 40-50 miles a day but its been about 8 years since i have rode at all. But i have felt like getting back on the bike and riding some. What i need to know is some sort of excercises i can do at home inside now while its still too cold to ride to get myself into a little better shape to be ready for a ride once its nice out. One thing that i noticed when sitting on the bike that i didnt expect is that little bike seat that i used to think was comfortable as hell... now is just flat out painful to sit on. i assume this is because i just dont have the same muscle tone i used to to support myself so its just hard seat right to my tail bone. Any suggestions on what i could do would be great.

thingstodo

Here are a few thoughts...

If your seat hurts your butt you either need a new seat because your body has changed or you don't remember how to sit on it. If it's a good seat, the two "sit" bones in your butt will hit the two spots on the back that stick up. The rest of the seat is just there. Also, narrow is better although a mountain bike seat is a little wider than a road bike for some reason.

Squats would be a good excercise to prepare for riding because they work a lot of the same muscles - but they will never work them the same way as a bike will. Also, a lot of core work - abs and lower back - will help because you use your core so much riding, especially mountain bikes.

Good luck!

__________________
If you're wringing your hands you can't roll up your shirt sleeves.

Stangers have the best candy.

eribrav

Couple of thoughts as well.

I ride a lot on my road bike each year. We have a harsh winter here, so from December to March I ski/snowshoe etc and don't really ride. When I get back on the bike in March my butt hurts bad after the first few rides. I think the bone just has to get used to the seat again. So just getting back on a few more times might make things better.

It's also possible that your seat truly isn't comfortable anymore, because the passage of time has changed it for the worse. Padding may have shrunk and compressed, the saddle cover may have changed due to aging, and the shape of the whole seat itself may be different now. You may have to spring for a new saddle. Where was the bike kept all these years? Was it subject to changing temeratures and humidity?

Rodney

Get a new seat. A nice, padded one.

You don't say how old you are; but past a certain age -- 35 or so -- many men's butts begin to shrink. Some of the padding begins to go away. No lie, it's happening to me, and I'm not losing weight (that's for sure!). Not sure why, but it's a wide phenomenon, and I don't like hard wooden chairs as much as I used to!

Aside from that, everything everybody is telling you sounds right. A good way to throw your back out is to start riding hard after a very long layoff. Exercises that strength the muscles that support your spine and lower torso are excellent.

Do you have access to a good exercise bike? I have a recumbent that I use sometimes; it's not really the same as riding a real bike, but it gets your thighs and buttocks and lower back at least somewhat ready, while providing good support.

Plaid13

The bike was stored indoors in a basement where it was kept dry and clean so i really doubt the seat has changed. it has always been a hard seat was ment for racing and has hardly any padding at all. but it used to be very comfortable for me. I am 25 now so i dont think im old enough to start loosing my ass just yet. but i have gained about 30lbs one of the main reasons i would like to get back to riding my bike. I would have changed the seat on it with one of the others i have sitting around except the seat post of the bike that the seat is bolted to has a stripped bolt that wont let loose and one thats still fine so the seat is still on very tight but it refuses to let go. And buying a new post for it costs more then i would like to spend being a bum dosnt pay very well. But i was able to stick on a gel seat pad so it has about a half inch of padding to it.

thingstodo

Hey, I'm 50 and I still like a skinny seat. I have a spin bike at home and use a road bike seat on it. I also take spin classes at the gym and hate the "normal" seats they have. I've often been tempted to bring in my spin bike post and seat to class since I use the same bike.

Padding - especially the gell stuff - can actually cause problems with numbness in your balls. That scares me. I had a gell seat on my first crossover bike and got rid of it when I started riding over 10 miles at a time. That gell squeezes in places it shouldn't.

Just do a little research on the bones in your butt and seat design. And eribray may be right - a few times and the soreness will dissipate.

__________________
If you're wringing your hands you can't roll up your shirt sleeves.

Stangers have the best candy.

Plaid13

i hope thats all it takes because right now that seat is just one big pain in the butt. now i just need to get myself in shape enough to ride without getting totaly exhausted. Its a really odd feeling after riding only half a mile my legs are just so weak and worn out feeling. But... i still jog on the tredmill for a couple miles once or twice a week. its like the muscles i use on a bike havnt been used at all in years.

Bobaphat

I am glad to hear I am not the only person with the seat problem. Its been about 15 years since I rode a bike with any consistancy, and my wife bought me one for Christmas this year. The first time I rode it I could barely sit down!I couldn't believe how painful it was to sit on that thing and I had ridden on much harder seats in the past. I even bought a replacement seat that my friends jokingly call a "pillow" but even that seat isn't comfortable. I've been riding lately when weather permits, and the more I do it, the less it seems to be a problem. I am hopeful that all I need is a little time to re-adjust to the sensation of a bike seat and the pain will subside. I wish you luck though

__________________
--size matters not-- yoda

txd

You could look into getting a turbo trainer or a set of rollers, what better way to prepare for cycling in the warmer months than cycling indoors on your bike

On the saddle side of things, once you get a few miles back under the belt it shouldnt bother you are much. You could also look at getting a padded bike shorts (lycra or baggy, the choice is yours)

newtx

A nice stiff saddle with padded cycling shorts works for me. I've never used a gel seat but I don't think it would be comfortable for long rides.

thingstodo

You couldn't have said it better! Have the gel in the shorts, not on the seat!!

__________________
If you're wringing your hands you can't roll up your shirt sleeves.

Stangers have the best candy.

Plaid13

i have wanted a set of those rollers for a while but considering im working with the pay of a bum at the moment its kinda tough to justify spending money on something like that.

trickyy

my lower back is the only thing that hurts when i ride for long periods of time (1-2 hours)
it's hard to stay in the same position so long
has anyone else ever had this problem?

thingstodo

Two things could be causing your lower back problem. One is fatigue. You use your core muscle A LOT biking. The onvious crunches would help , along with back extensions.

If you are riding a road bike, the handle bar might be too low for you. A 45 degree angle stem might help. I went from a mountain bike to a road bike years ago and had the same problem. My bike shop dude put on a 45 stem and the back issues went away immediately! It basically raised the front of my body about 1.5-2 inches and made all the difference.

__________________
If you're wringing your hands you can't roll up your shirt sleeves.

Stangers have the best candy.

astrahl

I would suggest going to a local bike shop and asking for their help in making sure the bike is the right configuration for your height. Lots of shops have adjustable frame devices that help to determine what size bike is best.

Many problems of achey muscles can be attributed to a bike that isn't properly adjusted for your height and dimentions. Seat height, handle bar height and length can greatly affect your comfort in the saddle.

Good luck!

__________________
Maybe it was over when she chucked me out the Rover at full speed.
Maybe Maybe...
~a-Ha

trickyy

thanks guys, i'll check into it

newtx

I've had the back troubles too. Probably because of weak flabby core as well. If you ever see a great downhill track with bulldazer tracks- avoid it like the plague. I followed one downhill for 5/6 minutes bouncing the whole way. I think its the rapid bouncing that did me in. Back hurt for weeks.
Least fun mountain biking: Tired, totally zonked, loading up bike on rack after a couple hours of riding, stepped against exhaust pipe on my truck and burned a "0" into my shin. Nothing like a great burn. Its like the battery bunny - keeps burning and burning........................
Most fun mb-ing: 3rd time on my first decent bike, did an endo and did a beautiful helmet plant. Got to buy myself new bars and I was hooked.
astrahl is right on the mark. If you can't take a little pain- mountain biking is not going to work.

Ilow

Some thoughts for the record, in no particular order. Specialized now has seats in different widths for different widths of sit bones (some stores, like mine actually have a fun memory foam pad to help measure your sit bones!) A lot of ppl swear by the WTB seats too, but you probably are looking for a cheap (i.e. free) fix. Make sure your saddle is properly adjusted. Again, it will cost some money, but you could also get a suspension seatpost. Do some Pilates. There is no real substitute for real riding. Do 'wall squats' hold your back against a wall with your legs at a 90 degree angle as long as you can--repeat as needed. Get cold weather gear and ride in the winter too. Have fun.

__________________
"Religion is the one area of our discourse in which it is considered noble to pretend to be certain about things no human being could possibly be certain about"
--Sam Harris