[jacksmom97]

Well, I took my bike (Specialized Ariel) to be fitted and it was close...the guy had to raise the seat a few inches...well, my rear atill hurts during and after the ride. I have read a few threads about how a firmer saddle might be best and you have to get used to it...then there is the ??? about bike shorts? Why do they cost so much? Are the ones at the LBS (for $130) that much better than what you might find at say Academy or Dick's? I will invest if they will give a more comfortable ride.

Thanks in advance for ya'lls help...this forum has been very helpful...

[retromike3]

I wear bike shorts when I ride because they make riding much more comfortable. If you ride with jeans or other heavy fabric then there is going to be "binding" and it will add to your discomfort. regardless of your clothing you are going to get a sore rear end. At my old shop I used to say that the only real hard asses in sports were cyclists. usually it takes about a month or so of pain to get to a point were the mussels are firmed up to support you without to much pain.

P.S. I think you can shop around the net and find some shorts for quite a bit less than 120 bucks. I generally support local bike shops but I think you should be able to get a good pair from a shop for half that price.

mike

[georgec]

When I bought my Specialized Crosstrail I had them put on a new seat, one of the ones with a wider back where you checks ride. I still got a little sore but not like I would have with the narrow ones that come on the bikes. I don't wear bike shorts just regular shorts or jeans.

[IcecreamLtDan]

If you don't have a problem shopping online you can get good riding shorts much cheaper. Personally, I prefer bibs, I got a set just to try and now I love them. Performance.com actually has a set at a decent price that I've bought a few of and been quite happy. If you don't feel comfortable with the idea of the tight Lycra short, you can either wear a pair of gym shorts over them or look at mountain bike shorts.

[michael2u]

Apart from all the above fabric advice, you should also look for the changes made in your bike. Possibly the seat might have been raised some inches more unnecessarily, this may be by mistake also but can cause a lot of problem to the rider. You should check it first, there is no harm in it.

[flanderscycling]

I'm more comfortable on my bike seat than in my seat.
The only reason is that I spend more time on my bike. The more you ride (well positioned off course), the more comfortable you will feel!
The short does matter on the long distance...

[retromike3]

for me the main problem is the mussels that you have to tone up to get riding comfortably. I used to say the only athletes that were true hard asses were cyclists. I have a newer Cineilli leather saddle that I got after I wore out my old Cineilli. The new one looks just like the old one but it does not have the made in Italy brand on it (sigh)

Both saddles were firm and fairly narrow and very smooth so they did not cause to much friction. I did get over twenty years on my old one, so it was money well spent. Wider is not always better. If you are set up properly your upper body will support about twenty percent or more of your weight. Your not riding a sofa its going to hurt for awhile, but it will get better.

mike.

[SUX VR40 Rider]

I am guessing by your username, jacksmom, you're female. Do you have a saddle for women? My wife swears by her Terry saddle. If you have the OEM saddle that came with the bike, typically a cheap one to keep costs down, that may be why you are hurting so much and you need a better quality women specific saddle.

[wild]

I have tryed 6 or 7 saddles on my Absolute but have not found the one for me, evean though I have over 3200 miles on the bike. After about 40 miles I just hurt . I think a saddle not only has to fit you but I think a differnt shape saddle is neaded for the type of bike. I am sure a hybrid bike where you sit more upright would be differnt than a road bike saddle where you are bent over more. I will keep looking, rideing , I know that the right one is out there .
my .02

[JK13]

Jacksmom, how long have you been riding? If I recall, you're rather new. If I haven't ridden much over the winter, my butt hurts at the beginning of the cycling season - it's like a bruised feeling right where my saddle goes, and yes, it hurts when I get off the bike and sit on the couch. I don't typically have that "pain" while I'm riding - it's almost like it goes numb from sitting on it, and once I get off the bike it's sore. Once I get used to riding again, and put in some miles, it's fine.
That's not to say your saddle isn't the cause of the problem itself - if your bike really fits, and you've been putting in some miles and it still hurts, you could try a new saddle. A new saddle will cause some discomfort, though, when you first get it as it's going to sit differently on your butt, so just like my first rides at the beginning of the season, you have to break it in and get used to it, too.
Since I have several different kinds of bikes, I'll also add that I'm most comfortable on my road bike saddle. It could be because this is the bike I ride the most, so my butt is used to it and I can go all day on that bike. Whereas, I'm only good for about 30 miles on my commuter which has a more upright position like your hybrid, and a wider seat. Next season, I will switch out my seat to something more road like.
There are lots of women who are only comfy on a women's specific saddle (Terry being a big favorite). I ride on the stock saddle that came on my Fuji, it's not women specific, and I'm fine on it. I do find that more heavily padded shorts make things worse for me (especially on a wider hybrid seat which is typically more padded to begin with) - more padding is not necessarily better either in your saddle or your shorts, as it can put MORE pressure on your body. My favorite and most comfortable shorts are my Sugoi triathlon shorts, as they have a very soft and thin chamois in them (and because I'm comfortable in my saddle). They are more expensive, though, so I only have one pair.
When it comes to shorts, I do think you get what you pay for - I started off with the cheap, lower end shorts from Performance that have a thicker, foam looking chamois that is sewn into them. I HATE the chamois material, it's too thick, and the stitching along the sides of the chamois rub (yes, they are so cheap the chamois isn't really incorporated into the shorts - it's sewn onto the crotch). I have a couple of pairs I got from Dick's that aren't bad, the chamois is soft and not too thick. My regular "go-to" shorts are my Shebeest knickers - they have a great chamois and a nice women's fit. I have two pair of these.
The "best" advice I can give would be to make one change at a time, either on your saddle or with shorts, and ride with it for several rides to get used to the new change before making another change. That way you know what's working and what isn't.