Developing a healthy lifestyle through cycling

Is cycling nirvana possible?

Posted by Bryan on Jun 26th, 2009 in Uncategorized | Comments

I’ve watched cycling for as long as I can remember. It’s thrilling to me to watch men and women push themselves to feats of physical stamina that us mere mortals can only dream of. Though most of us can’t attain those heights of physical performance we still push ourselves to ride harder and lose that extra weight, lower the time on our favorite route by a few seconds or hang with the elite riders on the Saturday morning group ride. Those are our feats of physical stamina.

When watching the pros ride their bicycles it’s amazing how effortlessly they propel themselves and how comfortable they look on their machines. They ride for hours at a time in what appears to be euphoric comfort while trashing their bodies in superhuman efforts. Is the ability to ride for hours at a time actually comfortable to them or do they suffer as much as I do? I’m not talking about suffering from a physical exertion stand point but rather suffering from actually being in the saddle and hunched over the bars for a significant period of time. For me, that period of time is limited to about an hour or so. After that I begin to feel discomfort and wonder if every cyclist feels what I’m feeling or is there something wrong with me or my equipment.

You see, comfort in the saddle is bothering me. I’m certain my current bib shorts are part of the problem but I’m concerned that I may have other issues. I always thought that as cyclists, once we’re accustomed to riding, we should be able to ride semi-comfortably for several hours on the bike. I’m finding this isn’t the case for me right now and it has me worried. I find it hard to ride comfortably in one position for any length of time/distance and have to move my hands around a lot and get out of the saddle to relieve pressure. Is what I’m feeling normal or should I be able to achieve a level of comfort on the bike that will enable me to ride comfortably for hours? I believe there are several factors that may be in play which include my bibs, bike fit, saddle, weight and, perhaps, my bike.

  • Bibs. I discussed my bibs and the problems I’m having with them in an earlier post. I know I need new ones but I don’t think they are the answer to all my problems. If you have bib recommendations please leave them in the comments.

  • Bike fit. This is always the short answer when cyclists discuss riding position and I’m sure it plays a significant role in comfort as well. I was fitted to my bike when I bought it 15 years ago but haven’t had it checked since. My gut tells me that’s probably very bad. I’ve gained a lot of weight since I purchased my bike and 15 years has got to have affected my fit.

  • Saddle. I still have the original saddle that came with my bike when I bought it. It appears to be in good shape but I wonder if, with the technological advancements made in saddles over the last 15 years, if I would benefit from a newer, properly sized, saddle.

  • Weight. I’ve probably gained 80 pounds since I bought my bicycle. I’m sure the extra weight I’m carrying is putting a lot of stress on the pressure points when I’m riding (like contact points between my rear and the saddle) and losing those extra pounds will alleviate some pressure. Will it be enough to let me achieve euphoric comfort in the saddle?

  • My Bike. I’ll admit that when I purchased my bike 15 years ago that I knew nothing about bicycle components or frame geometry. Sometimes I feel like I was the latest sucker to walk in the door and the sales staff off-loaded a bike they were having a hard time selling. Don’t get me wrong, I like my bike but believe it may be a big contributor to my discomfort. It’s a 14-speed with down tube shifters, the older quill-shaft stem and classic road handlebars. It’s all aluminum with zero carbon fiber. I can’t get into the drops because of my gut but if I could I don’t think I could ride in that position very long because of the angles involved. With today’s newer, more upright designs, I sometimes wonder if it’s time for me to go ahead and upgrade in order to a level of sustainable comfort.

I can’t help but notice how several of the items above are related. Losing weight would not only take pressure off my sit bones on the saddle but would probably also improve my fit. Getting a properly sized saddle for my current weight may help as well. Getting a new bike with a more relaxed position may help with fit and saddle discomfort. See what I mean?

So, am I expecting too much by wanting to be comfortable on my bike? I don’t think I am but I may just be ignorant to what to expect and have my expectations set too high. I’d like to hear about your comfort levels on the bike and if you can ride for hours with little to no discomfort.

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  • I did some research on bike fits and found that Richardson Bike Mart does a starter fit for $50 which covers Reach, Stem Length and Angle, Cleat Alignment, Knee Over Pedal Spindle Alignment, Comfort Issues, Frame Size, Saddle Height and Position, and Handlebar Size & Position. I'm going to call another shop to see what they charge. I would like to get fitted for a proper saddle at the same time.
  • +1 on Tracy and others who put fit in the #1 spot. I also discovered that after you ride for a while ( a year plus) and build up stamina it is not a bad idea to go back and get refit.
    +1 on Weiland - core exercise has helped my older body and planks (three times a week) have become my friends
  • I agree with you on the bike fit and core exercises.
  • I would strongly suggest a bike fitting session with a reputable shop. I think you'll find it worth the money. Even if you weren't heavier than you were 15 years ago, your body has undergone a lot of changes in that timeframe. For me, flexibility is not nearly the same at 49 as it was at 35, let alone 25.

    With that said, I can usually ride 3-4 hours on my properly fitted bikes without significant discomfort. After that, fatigue begins to set in and it's not nearly as fun as when I started the day!
  • Thanks for the advice Tracy. I'm definitely looking for an affordable bike fit session.
  • Ray
    I'm constantly moving my hands round on the bars, even if I keep them on the hoods I change their position slightly. I coast with the pedals at 9 and 3 o'clock, and stand just enough to take pressure off the saddle. Thirty seconds of that and I'm good to go for awhile longer. The drops are not an issue, most of us use them only 10-20% of the time we're on the bike. I'm certain that dropping some decent money on a proper fitting session will make a huge difference.
  • I have to move my hands around a lot too. Maybe I should be more cognizant, like you, that I coast at 9/3 o'clock and ease out of the saddle a little to relieve some pressure.
  • Al
    First off: I completely agree with Chad.

    Secondly, the pro riders likely have discomfort issues like us, but they train so much on AND off the bike that they probably minimize it. If you rode as much as they did, with the coaching they have at their disposal, your form would mold to your bike in time.

    I think what you are looking for is a combined approach - refit when you get a new saddle and new bibs. Strength from diversity.
  • Combined approach sounds like good words of wisdom.
  • I'd also like to add that *where* you ride can affect your comfort level to a certain degree. Riding 25 miles on a flat bike path is very different from riding the same distance on roads of various terrain. It depends on the rider, of course, but I'm often more comfortable on longer hauls on varied terrain than I am on the long, flat rides. The uphills and downhills get you up and down on the saddle and moving around on the bike, so you're not in the same place for too long. On the bike path rides, I'm more inclined to have problems with contact points, particularly with my hands and wrists. I too, have found that losing a bit of the belly helps with the comfort, albeit gradually, as you're able to bend over a bit easier.
  • I'm sure ride surface has a lot to do with it too. There's one section where I ride (from my car to the loop around White Rock Lake) that I hate because the trail has seems that are sometimes very uneven and can be jarring.
  • You have a good list of the common places to start with (bike fit & weight being the top ones IMHO). Let me throw out a couple more areas you could work on that will help you with your overall comfort. Core exercises, strengthening your abs and back will help. On longer rides around the 3 1/2 hour mark my shoulders and arms would fatigue. I started lifting weights and concentrated on my forearms (wrist curls) and shoulders. Haven't had the fatiguing that I had before, in fact the last few centuries I've ridden have been a breeze. Stretching will also help, I'm one of the least flexible people around and I should do a lot more of it, but stretching will help limber up your hamstrings and hipflexor. Thus helping you in your position on the bike.
  • Good point on core exercises. I'll be doing that when I start my 12 century training program here in a couple weeks.
  • As you know, I ride a few miles here and there. My bike is properly fitted to me, I ride with mid to upper level bibs, and on a Fizik Arione saddle. After about mile 40, about every 30 minutes I have to stand up and "let things relax" a little. When I'm in a group, I usually do this when I rotate to the back of the paceline.

    You hit the major issues: fit, saddle, bibs, and of course, added pressure caused by weight. I don't think you'll ever be 100% comfortable, and one of the best things to do is follow Eddy Mercxx' advice: "Ride your bike!"
  • I'm riding plenty but I think I'm at the point I need to fork out the cash for a fit and quality bibs.
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