There are most definitely affiliate links in the content below. When you click on them and make a purchase (which I hope you will), I get a small cut, which helps me do this work! If you want to read more about how I use Affiliate links, please go here.
One of the most common things I hear when people hear I’m a cyclist is “Oh I love bikes, but it hurts my butt too much.” And let me tell you, your pain is real. And valid! And there’s ways to make it better!
Honestly, no matter how much you love your bike saddle or how perfectly your bike fits, it’s never going to feel like a couch. In fact, it shouldn’t. But it also shouldn’t be painful, or cause pain after you get off your bike. On a scale of 1-10, your bike should never cause you more pain than a 3 or 4, in my opinion.
So, how in the world do you make that happen? Read on for my advice for avoiding pain on the bike, the best saddles for bigger and heavier riders, and some troubleshooting tips.
How To Avoid Pain on Your Bike
Whether you’re riding around the block or twenty miles, you should not be in pain while riding your bike (unless maybe you’re going up a giant hill and it’s supposed to be hard.) No, I’m talking about pins and needle pain in your hands, numb feet, tingly bottoms - all of that is a sure sign that something is wrong. Below are a few suggestions to try - but before you go changing anything, ONLY MAKE ONE MODIFICATION AT A TIME.
Seriously, don’t change everything at once, because it’s likely that you’ll need to keep making adjustments to get the fit exactly right. If you change everything at once, you might not be able to get things back to where they were at. Patience is your friend when dialing in your bike.
Check your saddle height.
One of the most common mistakes I see are saddles that are too high or too low. Too high and you’re going to hurt your knees, back or achilles tendon. Too low, and you’ll also hurt your knees and potentially your hips, back, and who knows what else!
When your legs are at the bottom of the petal stroke, your leg should be extended about 90% of the way. Further than that and you risk over-extending your knee, much shorter, and you’ll have both an inefficient pedal stroke and put unnecessary pressure on your knees.
Modify your points of contact
Our bodies have 3 points of contact on the bike - hands, feet and saddle. All of these components can be changed out - some easy swaps can be done at home, some you’ll need a professional mechanic.
Handlebar grips are an easy swap to make at home and there are a lot of different choices - foam grips, ergonomic grips, leather, everything in between. You can also swap out your entire handlebar, but I recommend working with a mechanic on this project to ensure everything will work together correctly.
Pedals are also a relatively easy swap you can make at home. If you’re having foot pain, you could consider a wider, flat pedal or one with adjustable pins that can be dialed in or out. Often times, foot pain doesn’t originate at your feet (usually an issue somewhere else on your bike) so pedal choice is often more related to aesthetics or function that pain relief, but it’s still worth considering.
Saddles are an entire ecosystem into themselves, as you can modify the height, angle, and position. I’d highly recommend working with a trusted bike fitter or mechanic when making adjustments on your saddle.
Read this post for my favorite saddles, and things to consider when choosing a saddle. Overall, I try and avoid gel covers/seat covers in general and instead swap out the entire seat, as the extra cushioning can actually cause more chafing/movement.
Stand up or Shift Your Body Weight Occassionally
Anytime you sit in one position for too long, your body is going to hurt. I don’t care if you’re in the world’s most comfortable chair, every once in a while, you gotta move your body!
The same is true on a bike. Practice standing up, stretching while riding, and shifting your body weight. I try and do this every 10 minutes or so, always returning to a neutral riding position before pedaling again.
I also recommend standing up over super bumpy or rough areas, and taking a couple minutes to stretch while waiting at red lights or during a water break. My friend Kelli wrote an amazing book called “Pedal, Stretch, Breathe - The Yoga of Bicycling”, which has some excellent recommendations for on the bike stretching!
The Best Bike Saddles for Heavier Riders
Everybody has an opinion on bike saddles. Some people like super hard, stiff saddles while others like soft, leather saddles. There are squishy saddles, vegan saddles, saddles with holes, and saddles with supposed antibacterial qualities. Honestly, the choices are both endless and overwhelming.
So many types of saddles.
I’ve ridden a lot of bike saddles in my day and am not shy about sharing my opinion. One of my most popular blog posts to this day is a review of a saddle (that I was not very favorable to…) so when I tell you I like these saddles below, you can trust me.
Before we get into saddles, you need to know that even though you have a big butt (or wide hips), or are a larger bodied person, THIS DOES NOT MEAN YOU NEED A HUGE SADDLE! When you’re on the bike, the majority of your weight should be resting on your sit bones (technically the ischial tuberosity bones.) These are the protruding little bones at the bottom of your pelvis and they’re designed to support your weight!
When you’re on your bike saddle, you should be sitting on the bony part of your butt! I like to wiggle my butt into position, which helps get all the extra fleshy bits out of the way too!
Ok, now onto saddles!
I’ve also got this ENTIRE post about saddles if you want more recommendations, especially for indoor riding!
When You’ve Tried Everything Else
Sometimes even after you go through all of the modifications i’ve listed above, you still might be in pain. At this point, you need a professional bike fit. I recommend asking at your local bike shop who they recommend for this service. Note that it will not be cheap (likely a few hundred dollars) but it will customize your bike exactly to your needs, and if you plan to spend a lot of time riding, it’s definitely worth the investment.