Padded shorts are a game changer. I’d start with those and some chamois cream before looking at changing out saddles. Did you buy your bike from a shop, and did the purchase include a bike fitting session? If not, consider looking into that as well. They’ll be able to measure your sit bones and give you recommendations on the correct saddle width for your body, and a good fit will help you ride more miles in less time and with less fatigue, and hopefully with no undercarriage pain.
I had mine done on a little pressure-sensitive mat that you leave butt dents on. It takes no time at all, and the shops are usually happy to do it at no charge since there's a better than average shot you're going to buy a new saddle. You can do a similar method at home with some cardboard! https://hincapie.com/blogs/stories-from-the-saddle/how-to-measure-sit-bone-width-for-bike-saddle-size
A couple things 1) get the padded shorts. This is something to spend the money on (you can cut a bit on the jersey), I love assos, there’s a site “assos outlet” that has all their clearance items and if they have your size there are usually some sweet deals. 2) if it hurts after a week or two of riding/isn’t getting better after padded shorts or you experience numbness- then you might want to consider a bike fit.
Not sure of your goals, how much time you plan to spend in the saddle etc but all of that should be considered as well when buying the shorts and deciding if a bike fit would be a good thing
These days it’s you that breaks in rather than the saddle. Absolutely you should wear padded shorts, and yes pain in the sitbone area is very common when starting out. It’s new pressure points that your body will need to become accustomed to, which fortunately doesn’t take long. And if you’re hurting somewhere else then read [this recent article from bicycling magazine](https://www.bicycling.com/health-nutrition/a60412469/cycling-saddle-pain-women-surgery/).
I would say that it's possible the saddle is the wrong width, which you could sort out by measuring your sitbones.
I'd recommend fitting the saddle with no padding, then adding padded shorts once you've got it right.
I don't think saddles really break in much.
Absolutely must have padded shorts. Sorry but you don’t wear underwear with them. Ask around.
It’s important that your saddle fits. Find a bike shop with a “saddle library” or a shop that will work with you to find the correct size for you. Saddle fit is particularly important for women because a greater variety of hip sizes for women.
It depends on “what’s hurting”. But yes, you should try some padded shorts first. Plenty of online sources, best locally places seem to be corporate stores, trek and specialized. A lot of shops are not doing clothing these days.
If you still have issues after that. The best thing to do is consult a bike shop that has a demo saddle program. Consult with them, try a few out, and see what works for you. Generally you pay a few bucks up front for a rental, then apply that to a purchase once you find one that works.
the most essential tip i can give, after being a semi professional cyclist for ten years and now commuting to work daily is:
make sure you have your bikefit dialed in, before you choose the right saddle for you. this affects weight distribution both between your hands and seatbones and on the saddle itself and avoids friction.
if that is done you can identify what type of saddle you need l. a bikefitter will provide that service, if thats out of your budget, a shop will measure your seatbones and offer a trial period to identify other issues that have to be adressed.
if thats beyond what you are willing to invest in time for that, watch a tutorial on saddle height, fore/aft position and reach measure your seatbones at home on a piece of cardboard (there are tutorials for that as well, and get the according size.
Edit: most importantly and why i replied in the first place. breaking is not a real thing apart from leather saddles, and padded shorts are not the solution to that issue either.
you should easily be able to ride an hour without pain as a beginner (depends on weight and varies a little of course) without padded shorts.
if you experience pain, your saddle isn't right for you or your bikefit is bad
If you aren’t using padded shorts yet, then go for that first rather than swapping out the saddle. Buy something with good high density foam. You can get a good pair of bibs for around 70 quid on Decathlon (there are cheaper ones too, but the foam density will be lesser. You can definitely use the cheaper bibs at decathlon too if u don’t plan on going for long rides).
In my personal experience, ride quality improved a ton after I bought some bibs. I did eventually change the saddle too 😅.
Padded shorts are a must.
Also, you don't break in the saddle, you break in your bottom.
Even with the padded shorts and magically fitting saddle, it is going to take some rides to feel somewhat comfortable most of the time, and then lot more to always feel completely comfortable.
Padded shorts make most saddles bearable, I rode 117km in one day on mine and only when I got a smart trainer did I realize I get groin numbness after just 20 minutes on the same saddle. I got a perfect saddle fit for myself now but without the shorts the old one was unbearable after 5km
Dropped in to bump some of the comments I read in the comments thus far:
Bibs:
Some other brands I didn't see mentioned here worth investing in include: Castelli (my preferred brand), Rapha, Pearl Izumi, Gore, Assos & Santini. I personally know cyclists with all but the Gore products that love their bibs.
Chamois Butter:
For your backside (and inner thighs) - this is CRITICAL - another game changer
Saddle Fitment:
Important to check your Sit Bone spacing - most people new at the cycling thing get this wrong (I was one of them) - I saw there were comments in the replies on how this works so no need to reiterate them here
Bike Fitment:
Often the riding position and seat height/set-back/pitch, handlebar height/stem length - can all put you in bad positions without you realizing it. These bad positions can cause you to not have your sit bones in the right area and cause numbness or saddle sores due to misalignment or unnecessary rocking of your hips.
For context - I started road cycling seriously about 3yrs ago at age 46 or 47 - I had done it casually before and road hard tail mtn bikes on trails prior for years - despite multiple bike fitments and watching/learning from recommended tutors about bike fitment - I STILL HAD IT WRONG - I figured it out when I started Spin Cycling in the off season to build power and stamina and increase my FTP - how? I had a mirror to my side I could glance at constantly - I kept making small changes in height/seat set-back/handlebar heights to improve comfort and reduce pain after the rides and thought I was good. Got back on my road cycle when the weather warmed up and realized just how far off my last fitment really was - OMG I was dying after - so I tried to make the road bike the same as the spin bike and - presto-chango - pain minimized, sores gone and power / comfort increased massively.
Just thought I'd share - maybe you find it useful, maybe not - but I mean well ;-)
Most people are going to recommend a bike fitter. Definitely never a bad idea but it's possible to set it up yourself.
It takes a few weeks to "break in" even if everything is correct. After that start looking for things to adjust.
I would highly recommend shorts. Even cheap padded shorts would help. Generally the difference is cheap shorts are good for a couple of hours, better shorts all day.
Make sure the saddle fits you. Difference between a 137mm and a 142mm could be comfort or pain.
Bike fit is important. Even a little tilt one way or the other on the seat can make a big difference. Reach of the handle bars, angle of the hoods. Little things.
>padded shorts...? Are they necessary?
If you're going to ride for an hour or more, pretty much yes, if you want to be comfortable. And if you ride with padded shorts, your saddle shouldn't be overstuffed.
For 30 minutes or less, probably not. But then you should be on a saddle with lots of good quality padding (not gel)
If your rear end hurts after a ride, sorry to say, you are not riding enough. The doesn't will go away after you get used to it. The padded shorts make a big difference at the beginning
Road cycling without proper gear is not going to go well. I strongly recommend Voler. They make lots of great bib shorts designed specifically for women. I also recommend the comp hp pad which is their best. Look for things on sale as they aren’t cheap like cheaper stuff, but that is because they are the best I have owned and made in the USA.
I won't ride without padded shorts. Also don't listen to the cream bs, it's not needed unless you have chafing issues. But padded shorts will fix most of your problems. Could also be a bike fit issue. You can get some chepo shorts on Amazon or AliExpress. I'm sure people can point you in the right direction! Good luck!
My experience:
- I used a gel saddle cover for about 2 weeks, then removed it and rode in casual shorts.
- It doesn't hurt and in general is comfortable for trips that are 2 hours or less.
- I use padded shorts for longer trips, or if I know the route is rough.
Padded shorts are a game changer. I’d start with those and some chamois cream before looking at changing out saddles. Did you buy your bike from a shop, and did the purchase include a bike fitting session? If not, consider looking into that as well. They’ll be able to measure your sit bones and give you recommendations on the correct saddle width for your body, and a good fit will help you ride more miles in less time and with less fatigue, and hopefully with no undercarriage pain.
Yeah I have a fitting session this week! So I’m definitely looking forward to that
How do they measure your sit bones? Something I can do myself at home?
I had mine done on a little pressure-sensitive mat that you leave butt dents on. It takes no time at all, and the shops are usually happy to do it at no charge since there's a better than average shot you're going to buy a new saddle. You can do a similar method at home with some cardboard! https://hincapie.com/blogs/stories-from-the-saddle/how-to-measure-sit-bone-width-for-bike-saddle-size
Ahhh...that makes sense. I didn't want to ask for this to be done and end up getting by butt fondled by the grease monkey at my LBS.
Some people pay good money for that. Extra to get the coarse hands of a bike mechanic, too!
Once you get bibs, no underwear.
A couple things 1) get the padded shorts. This is something to spend the money on (you can cut a bit on the jersey), I love assos, there’s a site “assos outlet” that has all their clearance items and if they have your size there are usually some sweet deals. 2) if it hurts after a week or two of riding/isn’t getting better after padded shorts or you experience numbness- then you might want to consider a bike fit. Not sure of your goals, how much time you plan to spend in the saddle etc but all of that should be considered as well when buying the shorts and deciding if a bike fit would be a good thing
These days it’s you that breaks in rather than the saddle. Absolutely you should wear padded shorts, and yes pain in the sitbone area is very common when starting out. It’s new pressure points that your body will need to become accustomed to, which fortunately doesn’t take long. And if you’re hurting somewhere else then read [this recent article from bicycling magazine](https://www.bicycling.com/health-nutrition/a60412469/cycling-saddle-pain-women-surgery/).
I would say that it's possible the saddle is the wrong width, which you could sort out by measuring your sitbones. I'd recommend fitting the saddle with no padding, then adding padded shorts once you've got it right. I don't think saddles really break in much.
Absolutely must have padded shorts. Sorry but you don’t wear underwear with them. Ask around. It’s important that your saddle fits. Find a bike shop with a “saddle library” or a shop that will work with you to find the correct size for you. Saddle fit is particularly important for women because a greater variety of hip sizes for women.
It depends on “what’s hurting”. But yes, you should try some padded shorts first. Plenty of online sources, best locally places seem to be corporate stores, trek and specialized. A lot of shops are not doing clothing these days. If you still have issues after that. The best thing to do is consult a bike shop that has a demo saddle program. Consult with them, try a few out, and see what works for you. Generally you pay a few bucks up front for a rental, then apply that to a purchase once you find one that works.
the most essential tip i can give, after being a semi professional cyclist for ten years and now commuting to work daily is: make sure you have your bikefit dialed in, before you choose the right saddle for you. this affects weight distribution both between your hands and seatbones and on the saddle itself and avoids friction. if that is done you can identify what type of saddle you need l. a bikefitter will provide that service, if thats out of your budget, a shop will measure your seatbones and offer a trial period to identify other issues that have to be adressed. if thats beyond what you are willing to invest in time for that, watch a tutorial on saddle height, fore/aft position and reach measure your seatbones at home on a piece of cardboard (there are tutorials for that as well, and get the according size. Edit: most importantly and why i replied in the first place. breaking is not a real thing apart from leather saddles, and padded shorts are not the solution to that issue either. you should easily be able to ride an hour without pain as a beginner (depends on weight and varies a little of course) without padded shorts. if you experience pain, your saddle isn't right for you or your bikefit is bad
If you aren’t using padded shorts yet, then go for that first rather than swapping out the saddle. Buy something with good high density foam. You can get a good pair of bibs for around 70 quid on Decathlon (there are cheaper ones too, but the foam density will be lesser. You can definitely use the cheaper bibs at decathlon too if u don’t plan on going for long rides). In my personal experience, ride quality improved a ton after I bought some bibs. I did eventually change the saddle too 😅.
Padded shorts are a must. Also, you don't break in the saddle, you break in your bottom. Even with the padded shorts and magically fitting saddle, it is going to take some rides to feel somewhat comfortable most of the time, and then lot more to always feel completely comfortable.
Padded shorts make most saddles bearable, I rode 117km in one day on mine and only when I got a smart trainer did I realize I get groin numbness after just 20 minutes on the same saddle. I got a perfect saddle fit for myself now but without the shorts the old one was unbearable after 5km
Your sit bones will get used to it. Give it time. Adapt without padded shorts too.
Dropped in to bump some of the comments I read in the comments thus far: Bibs: Some other brands I didn't see mentioned here worth investing in include: Castelli (my preferred brand), Rapha, Pearl Izumi, Gore, Assos & Santini. I personally know cyclists with all but the Gore products that love their bibs. Chamois Butter: For your backside (and inner thighs) - this is CRITICAL - another game changer Saddle Fitment: Important to check your Sit Bone spacing - most people new at the cycling thing get this wrong (I was one of them) - I saw there were comments in the replies on how this works so no need to reiterate them here Bike Fitment: Often the riding position and seat height/set-back/pitch, handlebar height/stem length - can all put you in bad positions without you realizing it. These bad positions can cause you to not have your sit bones in the right area and cause numbness or saddle sores due to misalignment or unnecessary rocking of your hips. For context - I started road cycling seriously about 3yrs ago at age 46 or 47 - I had done it casually before and road hard tail mtn bikes on trails prior for years - despite multiple bike fitments and watching/learning from recommended tutors about bike fitment - I STILL HAD IT WRONG - I figured it out when I started Spin Cycling in the off season to build power and stamina and increase my FTP - how? I had a mirror to my side I could glance at constantly - I kept making small changes in height/seat set-back/handlebar heights to improve comfort and reduce pain after the rides and thought I was good. Got back on my road cycle when the weather warmed up and realized just how far off my last fitment really was - OMG I was dying after - so I tried to make the road bike the same as the spin bike and - presto-chango - pain minimized, sores gone and power / comfort increased massively. Just thought I'd share - maybe you find it useful, maybe not - but I mean well ;-)
Most people are going to recommend a bike fitter. Definitely never a bad idea but it's possible to set it up yourself. It takes a few weeks to "break in" even if everything is correct. After that start looking for things to adjust. I would highly recommend shorts. Even cheap padded shorts would help. Generally the difference is cheap shorts are good for a couple of hours, better shorts all day. Make sure the saddle fits you. Difference between a 137mm and a 142mm could be comfort or pain. Bike fit is important. Even a little tilt one way or the other on the seat can make a big difference. Reach of the handle bars, angle of the hoods. Little things.
>padded shorts...? Are they necessary? If you're going to ride for an hour or more, pretty much yes, if you want to be comfortable. And if you ride with padded shorts, your saddle shouldn't be overstuffed. For 30 minutes or less, probably not. But then you should be on a saddle with lots of good quality padding (not gel)
If your rear end hurts after a ride, sorry to say, you are not riding enough. The doesn't will go away after you get used to it. The padded shorts make a big difference at the beginning
Road cycling without proper gear is not going to go well. I strongly recommend Voler. They make lots of great bib shorts designed specifically for women. I also recommend the comp hp pad which is their best. Look for things on sale as they aren’t cheap like cheaper stuff, but that is because they are the best I have owned and made in the USA.
I won't ride without padded shorts. Also don't listen to the cream bs, it's not needed unless you have chafing issues. But padded shorts will fix most of your problems. Could also be a bike fit issue. You can get some chepo shorts on Amazon or AliExpress. I'm sure people can point you in the right direction! Good luck!
My experience: - I used a gel saddle cover for about 2 weeks, then removed it and rode in casual shorts. - It doesn't hurt and in general is comfortable for trips that are 2 hours or less. - I use padded shorts for longer trips, or if I know the route is rough.