Pain in left sit bone

[DR ◣◢]

Hi all

 

Long story short my fiancé recently purchased a new bike in a size small. Her previous was a medium and it was definitely too big for her. The shop did the basic setup for her and everything looked just fine. 

 

First 8 rides or so were problem free. She did note that her quads are now doing a lot more work compared to the old bike which points to the new bike being the correct setup and she now uses the correct muscles to put down power. 

 

A week ago she complained saying it feels like the liner on her shorts is shifting because her left sit bone is hurting more than the right. She switched liners for the next ride and it was ok. 

 

This past weekend the pain is back yet the liner is perfectly fine again. 

 

I rode behind her for a while and I can confirm that her hips are staying level on the pedal stroke. No dipping to the left or right.

 

Any advice on this one? 

[bertusras]

Honestly, ladies are so finicky when it comes to saddles. I went through about 5 before my fiancee was happy. Does she have the correct saddle width?

[DR ◣◢]

Honestly, ladies are so finicky when it comes to saddles. I went through about 5 before my fiancee was happy. Does she have the correct saddle width?

 

To be 100% sure we will need to get her measured. She is on a 142mm now and was on a 135mm before. 

 

Might we worth getting to a butt measuring place for her. 

[Thomo]

Would the smaller bike not have shortened her reach and in so doing placed more weight on the saddle and less on her arms/hands.?

Could also mean that she's further back on the saddle leading to the discomfort experienced.

Setup may just need some tweaking or possibly rebook the saddle being used.

[porqui]

Honestly, ladies are so finicky when it comes to saddles. I went through about 5 before my fiancee was happy. Does she have the correct saddle width?

 

What - you went through 5 ladies before you were happy ???

 

To OP

I discovered about six months ago that twisting the saddle ever so slightly either to the left or right can make a difference to one's comfort. We like to think that everything at our seat end is all symmetrical but it is not. I had tried many saddles before accidentally discovering that a twist in the saddle made it more comfortable. ( I twisted it away from the sore side and by about 3 degrees )

Edited July 27, 2020 by porqui

[Jewbacca]

Can confirm... All my saddles point a degree or two to the left.

 

A little trick I learned was to put one of those bottle clamp mounts butted up against the seat collar (So it stays at the right saddle height), tweak the clamp bolt back ever so slightly to hold it in place but allow slight movement, then go for a ride.

 

It will settle in a natural position. Also make sure she is using the width of the saddle and isn't sitting too far forward.

 

Good luck!

[DR ◣◢]

Would the smaller bike not have shortened her reach and in so doing placed more weight on the saddle and less on her arms/hands.?

Could also mean that she's further back on the saddle leading to the discomfort experienced.

Setup may just need some tweaking or possibly rebook the saddle being used.

 

She is running wider bars now so her position is similar. 

 

Would a different position now cause pain in both bones?

[bertusras]

Also, is it the sit bone that's hurting, or the glute? How long has she been riding? Can it maybe just be that she still needs to become "hardegat"?

[Karman de Lange]

Honestly, ladies are so finicky when it comes to saddles. I went through about 5 before my fiancee was happy. Does she have the correct saddle width?

 

We tested 9 saddles before finding one for my wife....  there so many shapes/sizes out there, one just have to test and test till find one.

 

But to orginal poster .. drop saddle by 20mm .. test if its any better .. if it is, then you know saddle to high , if no change, then its not that.   Its a quick and free test .

 

Also just make sure cleats are straight and same position left/right, insoles are still intact (they collapse eventually) etc.

[Karman de Lange]

Hi all

 

Long story short my fiancé recently purchased a new bike in a size small. Her previous was a medium and it was definitely too big for her. The shop did the basic setup for her and everything looked just fine. 

 

First 8 rides or so were problem free. She did note that her quads are now doing a lot more work compared to the old bike which points to the new bike being the correct setup and she now uses the correct muscles to put down power. 

 

A week ago she complained saying it feels like the liner on her shorts is shifting because her left sit bone is hurting more than the right. She switched liners for the next ride and it was ok. 

 

This past weekend the pain is back yet the liner is perfectly fine again. 

 

I rode behind her for a while and I can confirm that her hips are staying level on the pedal stroke. No dipping to the left or right.

 

Any advice on this one? 

 

 

 

o, other point .. did you check if the saddle did not move (skew) or not collapse(bent after fall).  I've had saddle move by 5mm to the causing endless issues also some worn out and going skew after only a year (crap OEM saddles)

Edited July 27, 2020 by Karman de Lange

[DR ◣◢]

o, other point .. did you check if the saddle did not move (skew) or not collapse(bent after fall). I've had saddle move by 5mm to the causing endless issues also some worn out and going skew after only a year (crap OEM saddles)

No crashes and nothing else that would have moved it out of position.

 

Brand new saddle on a fairly expensive bike so no cheap OEM unit either.

[DR ◣◢]

Also, is it the sit bone that's hurting, or the glute? How long has she been riding? Can it maybe just be that she still needs to become "hardegat"?

 

Definitely a sit bone.

She is good rider with around 5 years of riding so it's not a case of HTFU. We average around 15km/h over 20km rides. 

[DR ◣◢]

We tested 9 saddles before finding one for my wife....  there so many shapes/sizes out there, one just have to test and test till find one.

 

But to orginal poster .. drop saddle by 20mm .. test if its any better .. if it is, then you know saddle to high , if no change, then its not that.   Its a quick and free test .

 

Also just make sure cleats are straight and same position left/right, insoles are still intact (they collapse eventually) etc.

 

I will definitely try to lower it and see. Everything else points to the saddle being the correct height. 

 

What bugs me is that this issue only started two weekends ago. Before that everything was fine. Both sit bones got sore but that was conditioning to get used to riding again. She adjusted very quickly to that. 

 

Cleats are not applicable. 

Edited July 27, 2020 by Mr Dampf

[Ramrod]

Hi all

 

Long story short my fiancé recently purchased a new bike in a size small. Her previous was a medium and it was definitely too big for her. The shop did the basic setup for her and everything looked just fine. 

 

First 8 rides or so were problem free. She did note that her quads are now doing a lot more work compared to the old bike which points to the new bike being the correct setup and she now uses the correct muscles to put down power. 

 

A week ago she complained saying it feels like the liner on her shorts is shifting because her left sit bone is hurting more than the right. She switched liners for the next ride and it was ok. 

 

This past weekend the pain is back yet the liner is perfectly fine again. 

 

I rode behind her for a while and I can confirm that her hips are staying level on the pedal stroke. No dipping to the left or right.

 

Any advice on this one? 

the best advise anyone gave me was to go to Richard Baxter for a setup. I was getting strange saddle sores. Also predominantly on one side. I had my setup done numerous times before and tried different saddles. Saddles which were never a problem before were all of a sudden a problem. Bibs brands that I had ridden for years trouble free were now hurting. I even had one guy put a shim under my left cleat to try and alleviate the issue.

 

Richard has a saddle pressure "thingie" that's shows exactly where you are sitting on the saddle and can identify the causes etc. Best money I ever spent.

[Jewbacca]

the best advise anyone gave me was to go to Richard Baxter for a setup. I was getting strange saddle sores. Also predominantly on one side. I had my setup done numerous times before and tried different saddles. Saddles which were never a problem before were all of a sudden a problem. Bibs brands that I had ridden for years trouble free were now hurting. I even had one guy put a shim under my left cleat to try and alleviate the issue.

 

Richard has a saddle pressure "thingie" that's shows exactly where you are sitting on the saddle and can identify the causes etc. Best money I ever spent.

Does he speak English or is everything in Spanish?......

 

On a serious note, it might be worth it if the problem persists.

[DR ◣◢]

the best advise anyone gave me was to go to Richard Baxter for a setup. I was getting strange saddle sores. Also predominantly on one side. I had my setup done numerous times before and tried different saddles. Saddles which were never a problem before were all of a sudden a problem. Bibs brands that I had ridden for years trouble free were now hurting. I even had one guy put a shim under my left cleat to try and alleviate the issue.

 

Richard has a saddle pressure "thingie" that's shows exactly where you are sitting on the saddle and can identify the causes etc. Best money I ever spent.

 

Thanks. We are going to try and rule out a couple of other things first. She is also a runner so from what I can see it could also be related to hamstrings.