Bicycle seat question

[Medusa]

I bought a bike last week and I've taken a few long rides on it and my gluteus maximus is killing me! A friend told me that I can buy a gel cover for it and that will make my ride much more comfortable. Has anyone used one and been pleased w/it? Or do you think I should just get a different seat altogether? I feel like I have a knife for a tailbone.

As an aside, I was riding w/a friend this evening and some neighborhood kids were playing w/a remote control car down the street. We purposely avoided them but one of the kids deliberately rammed his car into my bike and nearly caused me to fall over. Two of the kids took off running and my friend yelled "Yeah, you'd better run." I said to the kid who came over to me "Hey, if you don't care about me or my bike, I don't care about your car". (It had flipped over and the roof of the car came off. Tough. It was his own doing.) He said "I'm sorry. Are you ok?" I said "Yeah, I'm ok but you deliberately rammed that thing into my bike. You could've caused an accident". He said "I know, I'm sorry". And that was the end of it. My friend yelled "Stupid kids! You don't have respect for anything!" Of course, the parents were nowhere around. My tail bone by then was throbbing and I realized that I really do need to get another seat because the incident jarred me.

[Husky_mom]

I never used one but my dad bought one for his bike and was very pleased with it...

I´ve felt some of the more cushioned seats and they seem way more comfortable... you might wanna try different seats.. wider, narrower, with cushion, etc, instead of hard plastic or very stiff ones....

[RICHARD]

Junk the seat and invest some money in a good one.

Like HM said, you can find a wider, more comfortable chair. There are models made for women. Some have gel pads built in. Covers do move around and will cause more problems than they solve.

DO NOT LET A BIKE SALESMAN talk you into the 'top of the line' model, if you can, sit on a few to see how they feel.

Plus, the type of bike has a lot to do with the seat.
The lower the handlebars, the farther forward you will lean and have less contact with the seat.

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Padded bike pants are great too. Long legged, cotton undies are the best to wear underneath. Drop some baby powder into them and you'll stay comfortable.

I rode to work for a long time and suffered from more crazy stuff related to bike seats and pants that you can imagine.

[Medusa]

Well, Richard, I'm a nerd. It's only a 3 speed and I don't have riding gear, etc. But what you say about the seat and handle bars makes sense because I kept sliding forward and when I shifted my weight, the stabbing pain in my tailbone appeared. When I bought it, the seat felt fine but then it's probably like buying new shoes. They feel great in the store but later on they hurt. No, I won't let him talk me into an expensive seat because the bike itself didn't cost that much.

[Husky_mom]

if you are slipping forward.... can the seat be untight... and maybe its leaning a bit forward?....

there are also seats with a "divider".. it has two bigger cushions for the butt and leaves the tailbone "floating" in the middle section...

[Jessika]

How wide is the seat? I've found the narrower seats hurt more for me than the wider ones. And yes, the gel ones are awesome

[RICHARD]

Bike/frame size is important.

THere are no nerd bikes or riders.

GET A HELMET. Even if you have to buy a used one at a yard sale until you can getone that fits you.

You should be able to straddle the bike (if it's a man's model) without hitting the frame. I think you may have a 'beach comber' model?

You can adjust the handlebars and seat to your frame. To check the seat prop the bike up against a wall, stand back and look at the level of the seat.
It should be horizontal. Get the handlebars adjusted - If you have the straight or longhorn models, so your forearms are pretty level with the ground. Your body weight should be split between the seat and bars. If you lean too far forward your shoulders and neck will get tired from shifting your weight back and forth as you pedal, trying to get going and keeping your momentum.

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Fingerless gloves and shoes?

Even if you think you look funny or dumb, be prepared.

Gloves will protect your hands from road rash should you tip over and shoes with a stiff sole are a good idea. Your feet will thank you! As you pedal, your heel takes the stress of the 'push'. The pedal pushes your arch up and your foot flexes to keep it centered, you also stretch the ligaments and tendons of your forefoot, not a good thing after long rides.

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Also, get some pepper spray for pesky five year olds and dogs!

[Kfamr]

Oh gosh, I feel your pain!

My friend and I have been going on bike rides pretty often. The other day we went on a 5 hour ride. My butt was killing me!

I've got a very narrow seat and a small bike (it's a racing/trick bike, totally not meant for what I'm using it for.) I imagine the gel seats and a wider seat would be much more comfortable.

[Glacier]

I use a cheap ol' WallyMart brand gel seat on my bike. It's awesome! Much more comfy!

[Alysser]

My mom's bike seat is like that and of course I can't find the old gel seat I had! I feel your pain. Gel ones are awesome although some people complain they slide off the seat. I've never experienced that before if it is applied properly. You can buy one just about anywhere. I got mine at wal-mart