Almost everyone experiences discomfort in the butt area while cycling. The contact points on the saddle can sometimes feel sore or painful. Fortunately, these issues can be avoided or alleviated with the following tips.
Here are six steps to keep your butt pain-free
Step 1: Pay close attention: If you start feeling stiffness in your lower back, don’t ignore the damage your saddle might be causing. Thinking it’s just a phase and that you’ll eventually build up an “iron butt” is a big mistake. Ignoring your body’s warning signals and pushing through can lead to more serious consequences.
Step 2: Lift your butt off the saddle: Even if you’re not climbing, standing up and taking your weight off the saddle every 10–15 minutes helps improve blood circulation.
Step 3: Check your saddle position: Carefully and correctly adjust your bike, especially the saddle height. Proper setup often leads to a noticeable improvement in riding comfort and can also prevent you from shifting around uncomfortably on the saddle.
Step 4: Wear the right clothing: From my experience (see the image on the right), a well-fitted cycling bib with padding provides excellent protection. Applying some chamois cream can further reduce friction and offer significant protection.
Step 5: Maintain personal hygiene: Good hygiene helps prevent various bacterial infections. Always wear clean cycling shorts, and avoid sitting around when your shorts are sweaty and damp. Some chamois creams contain antibacterial ingredients, such as herbal extracts.
Step 6: Choose the right saddle: Everyone has a different butt shape, and no saddle fits all. Don’t naively assume that a wide, cushy saddle is best for your butt—sometimes those slim, narrow, and lightweight ones are actually more comfortable. Although over time, a saddle may gradually deform to fit your shape, this often happens precisely because it didn’t fit well initially and could be the cause of back and sacral pain.
Any discomfort is your body’s warning sign that something is wrong and that more serious pain or injury is about to follow—saddle-related pain is no exception.
The ischial tuberosities are the main weight-bearing areas in the sitting position, supporting most of your body weight during cycling, while the perineum (the area between the genitals and ***) is where pain most commonly occurs.
Skin abrasion: Often occurring on the inner thighs, it’s caused by constant friction against the sides of the saddle. It’s very painful, and women are more prone to this type of skin damage than men.
Folliculitis and boils: Folliculitis is the inflammation of hair follicles, and boils are a more advanced stage of this condition. Folliculitis is usually not very painful and can heal on its own, but if left untreated, boils can become extremely painful, have a long healing process, and keep you off your bike for quite some time.
Skin ulceration: Even minor skin injuries can ulcerate if not cared for properly. Once the epidermis is broken, bacteria can invade the dermis and multiply in the warm, moist environment there. Without treatment, the ulceration can gradually worsen and develop into a severe skin infection.
What factors cause pain?
Pressure: When sitting on a saddle, your body weight is concentrated on a small area, creating high pressure that compresses capillaries and affects blood circulation.
Shear force and friction: Pedaling causes slight side-to-side movement on the saddle, leading to friction against the edges, generating heat and eventually causing pain and skin damage. The combination of shear forces from friction and pressure further worsens circulatory problems.Traveler's Forum, pioneering new outdoor culture
Moisture: Sweat-induced dampness exacerbates the effects of shear forces.
Temperature: During cycling, skin temperature—especially in the perineal area—rises significantly. Increased temperature accelerates skin metabolism, and when combined with impaired circulation due to pressure and shear forces, the skin begins to deteriorate from lack of nutrients.
Due to these four main factors, the skin in contact with the saddle doesn’t get enough nourishment, leading to pain, tissue necrosis, and ulceration. Connective tissues like skin have poor self-repair capabilities, making them more prone to breakdown.
After prolonged cycling, the skin in these areas may become red and hot. This usually subsides after a night’s rest, but it’s a sign to manage your cycling frequency and take preventive measures before rides.