Sore butt ....

[godivatrailrider]

Having returned from a cycling weekend ... can't really call it bikepacking as we stayed at a pub, any advice on overcoming sore butt ?
I suspect "more of the same" same as any new cyclist, the butt gets used to doing it.
We were riding 6 hours both days and by the end of Sunday all of us were finding the saddles uncomfortable.
But 6 hours isn't much for most of you heroes.... are there any tricks to make things more comfortable?
I was on a Charge Spoon, usually a comfy saddle for 2-3 hours. 6 hours was another matter.
On my crosser I have a C17 Cambium , which is quite wide and I plan to use this more on BP bike.
I had reasonable padded bibs on too.

Me and The Boy are doing a 370mile tour in Belgium in June, it'll be 6 days of 60 mile days more or less.
Do you just toughen up?

[Moder-dye]

I had a charge spoon on my 29er which is usually fine but I found that bikepacking for 7 or so hours a day it was no good for me and got some proper sores despite using cream. I think its the mechanical bumping especially if wet off road that makes it worse, I have no real issues on road with a pretty firm road saddle.

My wife , lucky lady, had a look after my last ride and said it was a proper grade 2 pressure sore not just chaffing.

Just swapped for a slightly wider WTB rocket and had no problems on a couple for rides this weekend, one about 5.5 hours.

[whitestone]

It's worth looking at your bike setup: what's good for short rides can suddenly become awkward/painful when you increase time/distance. Without going into too much detail it depends where you are getting sore. If it's your sit bones then it could be that your saddle isn't the right width for you or is now a bit old - the padding on Charge Spoons compresses over time. If the soreness is further forward then try tilting the nose of the saddle down a few degrees so that you aren't constantly being bashed by the saddle nose.

Unfortunately it will take several long rides to figure it all out as you need to get to the point where it doesn't feel comfortable in order to be able to determine that you've fixed it.

[ScotRoutes]

How old is the Spoon? I find them.comfy enough to start with but a year or so of proper use and the padding has lost all support. Now, you can pick them up pretty cheap so you might argue that's still vfm. Other than that, getting your arse used to long days and trying different saddles are all that can be done. I've used a Brooks B17, various Specializeds and am currently using a Belair on my bikepacking bike.

[Moder-dye]

Just to add when i had a road bike fitting my saddle was too narrow for me. My new saddles are both wider (155mm), the width suggested by the fitter, so that might have been part if my issue.

But saddles are obviously a whole minefield of personal preference.

[godivatrailrider]

It's worth looking at your bike setup: what's good for short rides can suddenly become awkward/painful when you increase time/distance. Without going into too much detail it depends where you are getting sore. If it's your sit bones then it could be that your saddle isn't the right width for you or is now a bit old - the padding on Charge Spoons compresses over time. If the soreness is further forward then try tilting the nose of the saddle down a few degrees so that you aren't constantly being bashed by the saddle nose.

Unfortunately it will take several long rides to figure it all out as you need to get to the point where it doesn't feel comfortable in order to be able to determine that you've fixed it.

It's the sit bone area, no numbness "further forward" ...

With Cambiums, how do you know which is the right width.... I bought the C17, thinking wider = more comfortable
Would the C15 be likely more comfy?
I'd be prepared to buy another Cambium for the Rooster so the bikes I do the most riding on have the same saddles.

[Chew]

Is your seat at the correct height?

Are your hips stable, or do they rock as you pedal?
If you have movement thats causing more friction. Try dropping the saddle by 5mm and see if that helps.
This can also help of rougher ground as it gives you a bit more clearance over the bumps

Also what tilt do you have on the saddle?
Common convention is usually to have it flat, but I find it comfier to drop the nose a bit, so its in a flat position whilst climbing

[godivatrailrider]

Is your seat at the correct height?

Are your hips stable, or do they rock as you pedal?
If you have movement thats causing more friction. Try dropping the saddle by 5mm and see if that helps.
This can also help of rougher ground as it gives you a bit more clearance over the bumps

Also what tilt do you have on the saddle?
Common convention is usually to have it flat, but I find it comfier to drop the nose a bit, so its in a flat position whilst climbing

I don't think it's friction... I use Udderly Smooth quite liberally and I don't think it's any abrasion It's more like bruising / tender ...

I do tend to right with the saddle flat. I'll try dripping the nose a couple of degrees

[psling]

Do you ride with a backpack?
I find that I can spend a lot more time in the saddle bikepacking than even on a long mtb ride and that carrying weight on my back can affect my 'long-term comfort' in the saddle. I think I adopt a different riding position too when the bike is loaded up, a more upright position and this also affects my comfort in the saddle.
Just rambling thoughts, may help though.

[whitestone]

Is your seat at the correct height?

Are your hips stable, or do they rock as you pedal?
If you have movement thats causing more friction. Try dropping the saddle by 5mm and see if that helps.
This can also help of rougher ground as it gives you a bit more clearance over the bumps

Also what tilt do you have on the saddle?
Common convention is usually to have it flat, but I find it comfier to drop the nose a bit, so its in a flat position whilst climbing

I don't think it's friction... I use Udderly Smooth quite liberally and I don't think it's any abrasion It's more like bruising / tender ...

I do tend to right with the saddle flat. I'll try dripping the nose a couple of degrees

I've previously linked to a Guardian article about "shaving" and saddle comfort in the women's British Cycling track team, might be worth searching for and having a read. The "convention" seems to come from old UCI rules for road racing that the saddle must be horizontal, I think originally to avoid any power advantage, but the rule has been relaxed to allow up to a 9deg nose down tilt.

I did it to avoid getting nerve damage in my hands on very long (greater than 12hrs) rides. Sounds silly but I think the sequence went like this: constant bumping on the nose of the saddle => put more weight on the hands = > eventual nerve damage. By tilting the saddle I basically broke the sequence. Usual caveats apply about this might not apply to you, etc.

[godivatrailrider]

Do you ride with a backpack?
I find that I can spend a lot more time in the saddle bikepacking than even on a long mtb ride and that carrying weight on my back can affect my 'long-term comfort' in the saddle. I think I adopt a different riding position too when the bike is loaded up, a more upright position and this also affects my comfort in the saddle.
Just rambling thoughts, may help though.

Good suggestion but no, I don't ride with as much as a Camelbak on my back ....