Biking is supposed to be fun, especially when doing long rides. However, there will be moments, especially after the right, your butt feels sore and hurt. For new bikers, it’s normal to feel this way, but there are many reasons why it is happening.
So, why does my butt hurt after riding a bike? When your butt is hurting after biking, there are probably issues in your bike saddle that need to be corrected. Improper use of the bike seat during the ride can also cause your butt to hurt after the ride. Other causes will also be discussed in the list below:
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Bike Saddle Issues
The primary reason for a hurting butt after a bike ride is your bike seat. The saddle in your bike has probably some issues that you need to address. Please check some of the bike saddle issues below:
Misaligned Bike Saddle and Seat Post
When you are experiencing butt pain after riding a bike, it is probably because of a misaligned bike saddle and seat post. The bike seat and the post should be your first destination when trying to find a solution to the hurting butt after the ride.
When you can align the bike saddle properly, it will likely reduce the chances of your butt getting hurt after the ride. You can try adjusting the up-and-down angle and the side-to-side angle of the bike seat to where you are comfortable.
A few millimeters of change can directly impact the comfort level of your bike. The key is to find the best angle that will make you comfortable. In every adjustment, you will need to try it in short periods to see the effect of the new angle position on your butt.
It is essential to set your bike saddle angled at an exact level. If the bike seat is tilted too far forward or too far backwards, it can negatively impact your butt and hips, which can cause soreness and pain after the ride.
You can also adjust the height of the seat post to where it is comfortable for you. What you do is stand next to your bike while your hands are in your hip bones. After that, you can now set the height of the bike seat to that level.
Improper Usage of Bike Saddle
Suppose the bike saddle and seat post are properly set up, but you are still experiencing a hurting butt after the ride. In that case, the next possible cause is probably your unfamiliarity with using the bike saddle properly. In fact, many bikers tend to rest their butt on the skinnier part of the bike seat resulting in some pain after the ride.
You can try sitting further at the back of the bike seat while taking up the whole seat with your butt to correct this issue. This step will somehow reduce the pain you will feel after a very long ride while sitting on the saddle.
Failure to change your position during the whole ride can also make your butt hurt. When you are just comfortable seating throughout, it can also make your butt hurt after the ride. Sitting for a long time will increase the pressure around the butt while reducing the blood flow and the ventilation, which can cause soreness on your butt.
Fortunately, you can have the option to stand up and not just focus on seating the whole duration of the bike ride. Riding out of the saddle when trying to increase the speed or approaching a hill will allow your butt to have a break and basically reduces the pressure being created when sitting for a long time.
Using Low-Quality Bike Saddle
Using a low-quality bike saddle can also make your butt hurt after the ride. A saddle should be firm but should also come with some softness in it. A low-quality saddle is very hard and will make your butt sore and in pain after the ride.
In general, you need to find a bike saddle which is wider and shorter when you are always biking to a shorter destination. Then, a narrower and farmer bike saddle will be perfect when you are doing longer and faster rides.
Improper Handlebar Adjustment
The handlebar can also make your butt hurt after the ride once it is not properly aligned. Apart from setting up your bike saddle properly, you will also need to adjust the proper distance between the bike seat and the handlebar.
You can place your elbow at the tip of the saddle while shifting the bike seat forward to get a forearm distance from the handlebars. There should also be enough space for the handlebar and the hand to fit at least three fingers.
Being Overweight can Make the Butt Hurt After Biking
If you want to know why does my bum hurts after riding a bike, one reason that many people do not know that helps contribute to a hurting butt after a ride is being overweight. When you are overweight, there will be too much pressure on the bike seat and the butt throughout the ride, resulting in soreness and a hurting butt.
To address this issue, you will simply need to reduce your weight if you are overweight. Every pound you drop will lighten your body and will result in reducing pressure on the saddle while you are riding the bike.
Why Do My Thighs Hurt When Cycling
Another problem that you will sometimes experience is a hurting thigh during your ride. When you are cycling, the primary muscles, quads and glutes will be used when riding a bike. However, when you feel a burning sensation during the ride, this situation is caused by muscle fatigue in the thigh muscles.
When you feel that the thighs are hurt, it is probably because of the decreased flow of calcium to the thigh muscles. This situation will usually occur when your legs and thighs are engaged in exhaustive movements, such as during a bike ride.
It is essential to build muscle endurance on your thighs to remedy a hurting thigh, especially in the quadriceps and other leg muscles. This action can be done by doing different types of exercise that will enhance muscle endurance.
Conclusion
Why does my butt hurt after riding a bike? There are many reasons for this issue but mainly in the improper usage, adjustment, and alignment of the bike saddle. Using a low-quality bike saddle can also hurt your butt after a ride. The good thing is that all of these issues can be corrected to make your biking experience comfortable and enjoyable.