Many people use bicycles for transportation, sports, and professional training for various types of competitions. However, sitting on them for a long time is annoying and can be harmful when you don’t take the necessary care when driving for long hours.
It is important to know why this can be uncomfortable, especially if it causes irreversible damage to the body after long periods of practice. In addition, you can get to know if there are solutions for better seats applicable for any bicycle that is being used.
Although not all bicycles are uncomfortable, the idea is that you can know what can happen with one that is. Read on to know more about it for the best comfort.
Why are Bike Seats So Uncomfortable?
Mountain or sports bikes are uncomfortable, but touring bikes are adapted to be as comfortable as possible. The sports ones have larger structures that particular adaptations must make to be comfortable for each person. Several factors can contribute to discomfort, such as:
- Being a beginner or not riding enough:
When you don’t have enough cycling experience, there are likely to be a lot of discomforts when you start riding more often. For this, a few weeks of cycling are recommended to work as an adaptation, but it can be impossible when you do not ride at least once a week.
- Seat sizes and fits:
It is important to check if the bicycle seat is suitable for the person’s frame and size and, if not, it is advisable to go to a bicycle shop for a change. The idea is that custom measurements are taken so that the seat fits well and can be comfortable to drive.
Angle adjustment at the nose of the chair is another item to consider because improper tilt can be the reason for backaches and uncomfortable rides. For this, it is necessary to use a level and to know which angle personally works.
- Bad handlebar positioning:
The handlebar must have a correct position because, if it does not have it, you can have pain due to the forced use of a handlebar at a bad angle. The idea is that the seat is located in a position equal to the handlebar so that a forced inclination is avoided when driving.
- Inappropriate clothing:
When driving with mountain bikes or cycling, it is important to have adequate clothing for it, using essential protections to avoid discomfort. By wearing skin-tight shorts with an ergonomic pad, you have protection to avoid the pain of using the bike seat.
- Seat made of hard materials:
Mountain bikes, despite being thinner than touring bikes, have hard materials and excellent quality. There are hard materials on the seats, and if it is uncomfortable, it is recommended to use pads to cover the seat or cover it with some specialized bicycles.
If the seat does not have thick foam and is covered in rubber, you can be sure it will be really uncomfortable. Therefore, when buying a bicycle, it is important to test how comfortable the seat is.
Although this is not a safe answer because it can start to tire after a while, it is more likely that you will have a safe, quality and body-moulding seat.
- Small design seat:
Some seats have a small design because mountain bikes are used for trekking activities to be ridden uphill. This means that cyclists will not use the seat for a long time and pedal without being seated.
In case the bicycle is used for daily activities that do not have to do with sports, it is more important to make the seat comfortable because it will be uncomfortable if it is very small. You can change the seat for one of a city bike, so you don’t have more discomfort at any time.
- You have the wrong size bike:
There are manufacturers that have solved this problem and created bikes with better seats, but this is not always easy to find. Therefore, at the time of purchase, it is important to choose the correct and personalized size with adequate measurements between the seat and the handlebar. Further, you can also read about bike seat keeps tilting if you are facing this issue.
How Do I Make my Bike Seat More Comfortable?
If you have a mountain bike, the way to make it more comfortable is to cover it with thick, moldable foam that adapts to the silhouette of the body. Another alternative is to change the seat for one that is suitable for touring bikes, especially when the mountain bike you have is not used only when doing sports.
Leveling with the handlebars is important to avoid back problems and allows you to correct poor posture when driving. You can also do training routines and use the bicycle which you ride at least once a week to get used to it. Understand which foam is best for the bike seats? to know more.
How Long Does it take to Get Used to a Bike Seat?
This is something that depends on the amount of time with which the bicycle is used per week because for those who are beginners or who are returning after a long time, it is more complicated. In a month you can have complete comfort, but it will be so if you practice at least once a week.
It also depends on the type of bicycle, because if the bicycle does not have the right dimensions and characteristics for each person, you will never be able to get used to it.
Are our Bike Seats Supposed to Hurt?
Under normal circumstances, there shouldn’t be any pain from riding a bike, but it can be a bit tricky to get used to in a short time. For those who cycle frequently, it is easy to be sure that they will never feel pain unless they are using a new bicycle that is not suitable for it.
The seats of touring bikes will always be comfortable and this is a great advantage that can be used in the long term because a mountain bike can be modified and put on a touring seat. If this doesn’t work, it may be a problem with the height and angles of the seat and handlebars.
Discomfort can also be generated if the seat is too small or is made of hard materials without coverings of any kind.
How Do You Sit on a Bike Seat that Doesn’t Hurt?
The ideal is always to have the best possible position when driving, you can adjust the seat so that it does not hurt at any time and position yourself according to the height you need. It is not only pain in the legs, buttocks, and thighs, the idea is to eliminate possible back pain in the future that can cause major injuries.
In the event that the seat is not flattering, what is recommended is that it be changed as soon as possible so that major problems are not generated in the long term. You can also do other types of sports that help to give greater mobilization of the back and legs, but without demanding too much.
A good way to make everything work is good breaks that do not overextend training times or use of the bicycle as a method of transportation, especially if it is daily transportation. Thus, the process of getting used to it will be simpler and will not generate discomfort of any kind when driving.
Why are Mountain Bike Seats So Uncomfortable?
Mountain bikes, despite being a bit simpler and made of lightweight materials, are very resistant and the seat is also part of this resistance, which is necessary to withstand their uses. The more resistant the seat, the less danger can be generated when going through places where there are potholes or other irregularities in the terrain.
However, they are seats that are not characterized by being comfortable, they do not have foam on them and this can cause greater discomfort that can lead to hip or leg injuries. The ideal is to always sit correctly and completely avoid seats that are too small or poorly level for the size needed.
Conclusion:
For the use of any type of bicycle, it is important to bear in mind that they will not always be comfortable at first, but that repeated use can help an easier adaptation when used in the long term. Mountain bikes and touring bikes have different structures and this can affect the comfort you have when riding.
For this reason, if you want, you can change the seat of a mountain bike for one that is for a touring bike seat, giving a correct leveling with the handlebars to handle easily. Another alternative can be to cover the seat of the mountain bike so that it does not stop being used, being a strategy for which thick and padded foam is needed that can be lined with leatherette.
Thus, any type of ailment that can cause injuries in the future and that makes it not considered how to handle a bicycle will be eliminated more easily.
