this post was submitted on 31 Jul 2023
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Question for endurance/long-distance cyclists (150km+ at a time). (lemmy.ca)
submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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I'm hoping someone can offer some advice.

I love long distance cycling, and plan to do a 200 km brevet within the next year (with plans to do 300 km, 400 km and beyond as my schedule allows).

I've done 180 km+ and regularly ride 80 - 100 km+ at a time (multiple times a month).

My ass, hands, and legs are totally fine until around 130 km, then saddle pain creeps in.

I will admit that doing these distances on a folding bike with 20" tires isn't ideal, and perhaps that's just the limitation I have to work with. I do have a suspension seat post and wear padded shorts on those long rides, but again, everything is quite comfortable until around 130km.

Is this a bike fit issue? A padded shorts issue? A small tire issue?

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I've wondered this same thing. I've done 200km before and I did a lot of riding up to the point and I haven't found the secret other than breaking up my rides a little more as I've gotten older. I've just always chalked it up to a slightly unfit bike, not the most comfortable saddle and maybe not in the exact right riding position for long enough to matter.

A folding bike sounds brutal and I hope you find a fix!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

I haven’t found the secret other than breaking up my rides a little more as I’ve gotten older.

Unfortunately, that won't work with a brevet event, since they are timed!

I will say that even on my (too small of a frame) mountain bike with 26" tires, it's a more comfortable ride even without padded shorts or a suspension seat post. Perhaps a full-sized bike will solve my problem, but maybe it's something else I can fix in the meantime.

Do you find that you always get sore around the same KM or does it change? I'm REALLY comfortable up until a certain point (and after many hours in the saddle), so it would be strange to think that it's an improper bike fit or saddle problem, as I'd expect to be uncomfortable within an hour.