Why Your Bum Feels Bruised After Cycling: 5 Awesome Prevention Tips

It is a very common issue for cyclists that bum feels bruised after cycling and there can be multiple reasons for it. In this article, we will discuss bruising and saddle sores along with possible solutions to avoid them.

Discomfort from the saddle is one of the most common issues for bikers and cyclists. If the cyclist is spending considerable time on the bike, then they are more exposed to saddle sores and bruising which can be caused by a combination of sweating, lack of training, the friction of saddle, heat, the softness of skin, bad quality of saddle, wrong posture of rider and absence of cycling gear. Cycling and biking are meant to be for passion and fun and they should not be ruined by pain due to reasons which can be controlled. We can surely control bum bruising with the help of many steps and remedies.

When you ride on a bike the weight of your body is balanced by 2 bones in the bottom of the pelvis and that’s why you will face sore sit bones issues and perineal pain.

What are saddle sores?

This is the condition of the skin that happens in the pelvic and inner thigh region and often spreads to the genitals too. It causes redness and chafing. It is not like the normal numbness which almost all bikers get after a ride. Now, we will discuss common reasons which cause bruising and saddle sores.

Softness of seats can be reason behind Bum Feels Bruised After Cycling:

There is a misconception among the bikers community that soft seats also favor them. A soft seat makes you comfortable but these saddles put more pressure on your butt if your riding period is longer than normal bikers. If you are using the bike for longer rides then preferably the saddle should be narrow and firm. On the other hand for daily use bikes here the riding period is less than half an hour the wide and soft saddles work perfectly.

Selection of bad apparel for cycling

A lot of cyclists don’t wear cycling shorts for cycling and even wear underwear during rides which are totally inappropriate.  A professional cyclist chooses his gear very carefully because it can make him or break him during the ride. Cycling shorts create compression in the legs and that causes a reduction of muscle fatigue. If you understand the aerodynamics efficiency then you can understand that cycling shorts will reduce wind resistance to increase it. Cycling shorts also help in countering sweating and rashes.

Don’t wear underwear

If you cycle on a daily basis then wearing underwear is not a good idea. It’s ok if you wear it on a few occasions but regular use is not recommended if you are facing bum bruising and rashes on the skin.

Replacement of saddle

If you are cycling for a longer period of time then you need to have a look at the dynamics of the saddle. The same saddle cannot be used for different styles of rings. There are different saddles for mountain biking and cruiser bike riding. In addition, every saddle will have to be replaced after a specific time usage as saddles wear out and structure becomes weak.

Always choose saddle according to your riding style. If you are a mountain biker then you have to choose specifically made for mountain biking. There is a reason that cruiser bikes feature large and comfortable saddles because the objective of these bikes is comfort. We have discussed this in our article regarding cruiser bikes too which you can read here.

Your body weight:

If you have started cycling to lose weight then it is very common that heavy bums will get bruises. As soon as you start losing weight the bruises will go away. One of the other reasons for it is that your bum is too soft which gets exposed to rashes.

Shaven skin and no application of chamois cream

If you have shaved your skin then there will be some tiny bumps on your skin and shaved skin creates discomfort and irritation as friction becomes easy due to the absence of hair. More than 50% of bikers and cyclists use chamois cream before having a ride because it prevents friction during the ride and works as a lubricant between your skin and cycling short.

Now we will give a few tips which you can follow if your bum feels bruised after cycling

1. Use chamois cream regularly
2. Wear bike shorts
3. Choose the right saddle and change according to your style
4. Don’t get bruises on your head and keep calm
5. Gradually increases the time of riding