Racing bicycles and Vlad the Impaler

[DaveB]

Yesterday I rode my racing bike again for the first time in a few years; took it out of the shed, cleaned it up, put two new tyres on it and fitted a newfangled saddle with a little groove cut away for protection of the male tubular organ and went out for half an hour's interval training.

Can't do any serious running at the moment, you see, as I have some kind of knee problem that might require an operation, so on sports doctor's advice I'm training on the bike. Now I'm pretty fit, so cycling was easy enough. However, the saddle is really only a slight improvement on Vlad Tepes's original design for racing bicycle saddles. It didn't cause any numbness in the willy department, which is a good thing, but I nevertheless have a bruised bum. I know that some members of the congregation have experience with racing bicycles, and am wondering what is necessary to prevent this pain, other than the cushioned shorts which I already have?

The only cure for this is more time in the saddle.

Get back on the bike again today. It will hurt like hell for the first 5 mins or so then get easier. Just keep riding everyday and the pain will go away.

You *can* buy gel filled saddle covers but they have a tendancy to reduce the efficiancy of the saddle cut out and you end up with a numb knob anyway. Personally I wouldnt bother.

As Suity has discovered, it's not fitness that counts on long rides, it's being used to being on the bike for that long and not being crippled by pain after the firt hour.

[Mich the Tester]

Get back on the bike again today. It will hurt like hell for the first 5 mins or so then get easier. Just keep riding everyday and the pain will go away.

Will do. Dreading it though.

[suityou01]

The only cure for this is more time in the saddle.

Get back on the bike again today. It will hurt like hell for the first 5 mins or so then get easier. Just keep riding everyday and the pain will go away.

You *can* buy gel filled saddle covers but they have a tendancy to reduce the efficiancy of the saddle cut out and you end up with a numb knob anyway. Personally I wouldnt bother.

As Suity has discovered, it's not fitness that counts on long rides, it's being used to being on the bike for that long and not being crippled by pain after the firt hour.

Fitness does help though. There is the small matter of being able to keep the pedals turning for 6 hours.

[Mich the Tester]

Fitness does help though. There is the small matter of being able to keep the pedals turning for 6 hours.

That's not a problem; I only need to ride for half an hour or so in fast intervals.

[TimberWolf]

Are you suggesting that racing bicycles were actually made for people who weigh less than 15 stone?

The mathematics suggests that someone with a fat arse (minimising seat pressure) wearing Teflon underpants (minimising friction) would not suffer pressure sores. He would slide off the seat and land on his fat arse as soon as he accelerated though. Another alternative is to look at the formula denominators as you suggest, i.e. minimise weight.

[suityou01]

That's not a problem; I only need to ride for half an hour or so in fast intervals.

Oh yeah, no need for fitness then, sorry.

[Mich the Tester]

The mathematics suggests that someone with a fat arse (minimising seat pressure) wearing Teflon underpants (minimising friction) would not suffer pressure sores. He would slide off the seat and land on his fat arse as soon as he accelerated though. Another alternative is to look at the formula denominators as you suggest, i.e. minimise weight.

OK, I'll go for a dump before riding this evening. Should save a couple of lbs.

[doodab]

Are you suggesting that racing bicycles were actually made for people who weigh less than 15 stone?

Funny you should mention it, some older carbon frames had a rider weight limit of 90-95kg or so. I think some might still.

Carbon Frame weight limit..

[doodab]

That's not a problem; I only need to ride for half an hour or so in fast intervals.

Lifting yourself out of the saddle over larger bumps will help as well.

[Mich the Tester]

Funny you should mention it, some older carbon frames had a rider weight limit of 90-95kg or so. I think some might still.

Carbon Frame weight limit..

I'm 98 kgs and it's a steel frame.