Any advice on pain whilst riding

[psionmark]

Hi all,

 

First post here, but 60 years old and been riding since I was about 16.

 

I've always had a problem with getting a really sore backside after about an hour in the saddle. Once that pain has set in, even I stop for a bit, it then comes back pretty quickly once I get underway again, so this is somewhat prohibiting long rides, which is what I would like to do.

 

I seem to have had this forever, over a number of different bikes and bike styles. I'm currently on a V-Strom 1000. I'm a shortie (5 foot 8 ) but the bike has had suspension lowered, a lower profile seat and the forks dropped a little (previous owner was similarly height to me, which was handy).

 

I did recently purchase a ComfortAir seat cushion and that helped a lot. It shifted the initial onset of "I have to stop now" by about 20 minutes, which is useful. But what it has also done is highlight that the real are of discomfort seems to be right at the top and back of my legs, just below bum level. With the air cushion, my bum seems more or less able to cope, but the pain at the top of the legs is immense.

 

I love my bikes and riding, and I've often dreamed of going off on long trips, even a biking holiday, but the thought of being in near constant pain after the first hour holds me back. I'm basically limited to short trips from home which, whilst immensely enjoyable, feels somewhat restrictive.

 

Any hints, tips, kit ideas very welcome!

 

For reference, I've tried stuff like changing sitting position, fork height, rear suspension settings, different screens (e.g. altering air pressure) etc. Seems to happen whether I'm on a "racer" with clip-ons, a cruiser, a tourer, or a trailie.

 

As soon as I stop and jump off, the pain stops but then, once remounting and getting underway again, it comes back a lot quicker, so the riding bit gets shorter and shorter.

[Bender]

Is it the position and angle of your legs,  have you tried a cruiser or a Harley with feet forward? 

[billy sugger]

Are you gripping the tank with your legs as you ride? The constant tightening of the thigh muscles will cause the pain you are feeling, hence the pain going when you stop and dismount

[rennie]

Something always hurts when I ride! Some of the pain goes away if you ride more often,

some gets worse 

I had a cruiser for a while, it was better for my knees/legs but terrible for the base of my spine!

 

At our age I don't think we'll ever be pain free, it's just a case of finding what you can live with

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I'm 61 and did 196 miles on my Bobber one day last week. I have dodgy back and a dud hip so pain can be an issue. But I'm not giving in to the idea that it is inevitable. 

 

You have tried a lot of options, have you looked into how your riding kit might affect things? The kind of pain you are describing sounds like it might be down to strain from somewhere. I get pain in my legs when I am sailing but I know that is due to position in the boat.

[Guest]

Physio or osteopath? There will be some mobility exercises you can do to improve.

[keith1200rs]

Hip angle can be critical. Raising seat, lowering pegs are both worth trying. 

[psionmark]

9 hours ago, Bender said:

Is it the position and angle of your legs,  have you tried a cruiser or a Harley with feet forward? 

I have, but a loooong time ago! Good tip though - I have crash bars so could potentially mount some pegs on there as an experiment.

[psionmark]

8 hours ago, billy sugger said:

Are you gripping the tank with your legs as you ride? The constant tightening of the thigh muscles will cause the pain you are feeling, hence the pain going when you stop and dismount

I don't think so, but I'll try and be more aware on next ride and see if I notice it.

[psionmark]

Thanks for all the replies 

 

I'll keep experimenting, although I've been experimenting for over 40 years now haha - might just have to accept it is what it is. But I'll keep at it!

 

I will definitely try putting some pegs on my crash bars, though.

[S-Westerly]

I'm 64 and recently rode to Munich from Gloucester then back to Gloucester and up to  Northumberland. I've got a gel seat which is certainly worth a go. Bike is an "adventure " style (ridiculous name I know) so knees and legs aren't particularly cramped.

[Capt Sisko]

Another 60yr old going gone grey and the usual aches & pains that go with it, but it's manageable. I did the RBLR 1,000miles in 24hrs ride earlier in the year and three things made it bearable. One was an Airhawk seat pad. They take a bit of practice to get just right, but when they do it makes a tremendous difference. Two, a R1250RT with a bloody big screen, fairing and adjustable suspension! Sounds a bit bourgeoisie I know, but when you're not so young as you were, something big & comfortable does it for me. And three, getting a bike that fits.  The F800GT I had before was a great little bike, and the emphasis being little. I'd put a raised seat, raised bars and lowered pegs on it and it always just felt a bit cramped. On F800 forums a lot of people bought them because they were small & light, and some put lowered seats, each to their own and maybe the F800 was just the wrong bike for me, but getting that right fit is perhaps the most important of them all. Changing bike has certainly eased my aches & pains.

 

 

 

Edited August 29, 2022 by Capt Sisko
Typo

[manxie49]

As S-Westerly said, gel seats or pads are worth a go .... The only ache I ever really got was back pain, mainly due to being 6'2" and riding a cramped sports bike.  The physio was brilliant for that though.  My wife however, on longer journeys, used to suffer the same sort of pain as you, riding pillion though.  At the time we invested in one of those gel pads for the rear seat, and although it didn't totally cure the problem for her, she did find it made the ride noticeably better.  She could go a lot further before digging me in the back and asking me to stop.  Have a look at these. https://www.wild-ass.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-motorcycle-gel-seat/

[husoi]

I used to have heavy duty painkillers for my joints and arthritis.

Found out that my GP was an idiot and all I needed was a daily dose of 375mg of magnesium and a top up with paracetamol when it gets a bit worse.

 

On both bikes I fitted some 2cm gel pads and the 70 miles numbness become 130 miles

[Stu]

Jesus! Half you old buggers need putting down

 

[JRH]

On 29/08/2022 at 23:40, Stu said:

Jesus! Half you old buggers need putting down

 

Just you wait.

[onesea]

On 29/08/2022 at 23:40, Stu said:

Jesus! Half you old buggers need putting down

 

Don't worry 1/2 of us might live long enough to wish we could be

 

 

[billy sugger]

As long as you put me down gently in a nice comfy armchair I dont care

[learningtofly]

The mid controls on my Harley are a revelation. In fact, it's the first bike I've owned that I could literally ride all day without fear of discomfort.

[Breezin]

Since we're all fessing up, I'm 63.  I only occasionally get a sore arse on my Interceptor with its infamous plank for a seat.

 

My wife and I did divert to the nearest Decathlon when in Spain recently, after a memorably painful long motorway run, to buy gel cushion bicycle shorts. These improved things noticeably, if not totally. As a bonus, I was able to tell her that, yes, her bum did look big in it!

 

But for the most part, riding off motorways, with plenty of shifting in the saddle, I need petrol or -- you guessed it -- a pee, before an issue arises in the rear end.

 

PS @ltf: what are mid controls?

[Ian Frog]

PS @ltf: what are mid controls?

 

You know the mating frog position caused by rearsets and low bars?

Some Harleys and other cruisers have the reverse with forward controls and a wind in the willows so to speak.

Mid controls are something some models of Harley have so you can have your feet in what we humans refer to as a comfortable position.

I will now dive for cover as people point out how comfortable "they" are with the arrangement "they" are using lol.

My Harley has footboards further forward than I ever thought would work but strangely they do and my ZRX and my Tiger are what I would call normal or mid.

Cheers

Ian