A Pain in the Butt?
After riding around all day on the KHS Green, I noticed something, ahem, interesting. I've no idea how to put this delicately, so I won't even try: My bottom hurt like hell the next morning! It did not seem to be a muscle pain, but rather a pain from the imprint of the seat.
When returning the rental bike, I gingerly asked one of the Cambridge Bicycle employees about this. He replied that the sore butt is a natural side-effect of the relaxed-style sitting position: Because the seat is so much lower than the handle-bars, the body's weight gets distributed predominantly to that part of the body. The butt gets pressed into the seat, eventually becoming sore (especially after hours of riding).
This explanation makes sense. But why is this "feature" not mentioned on any of the reviews and weblogs that praise Dutch bicycles and relaxed-style riding?... I wonder whether the quality of the seat might have something to do with it as well. Either way, I thought it would be useful to provide this tidbit of information!
When returning the rental bike, I gingerly asked one of the Cambridge Bicycle employees about this. He replied that the sore butt is a natural side-effect of the relaxed-style sitting position: Because the seat is so much lower than the handle-bars, the body's weight gets distributed predominantly to that part of the body. The butt gets pressed into the seat, eventually becoming sore (especially after hours of riding).
This explanation makes sense. But why is this "feature" not mentioned on any of the reviews and weblogs that praise Dutch bicycles and relaxed-style riding?... I wonder whether the quality of the seat might have something to do with it as well. Either way, I thought it would be useful to provide this tidbit of information!
Again: customization is key. A cheap and uncomfortable seat is one of the reasons this bike is so affordable. Take some of the money you save and invest in a decent saddle – and keep riding! Your muscles will get used to it.
ReplyDeleteYup, no matter what bike I get, it will have a suspended leather, sprung seat. The KTM Bike I have been riding in Vienna has a Selle Royal sprung seat that is a step up from what the KHS Green is fitted with. I have been riding on the KTM twice a week for 2-6 hours at a time for the past month, and although it feels better I am still consistently sore the day after. Granted, 2-6 hours at a time is not exactly "starting the season gradually" after not having been on a bike at all for the past 12 years :)
ReplyDeleteThe trouble with all saddles with noses is that no matter how wide or however much cushioning they have you are always going to experience perineal discomfort.
ReplyDeleteOne answer is to get one of those nose-less saddles, but these make steering your bicycle rather difficult, if not downright dangerous at speed.. They feel like you're sitting on a football attached to the top of the seatpost.
Another is to dump the conventional bicycle altogether and get a recumbent... like a Sinclair C5 with pedals. And we all know how dangerous those were in traffic.
There is a third option, however. It's a saddle with a nose for a conventional bicycle, that completely negates any perineal pressure. Sounds impossible? See www.rido-cyclesaddles,com.