comfort advice

[beechfront]

any suggestions as to how I can make my bike more comfortable to ride? On just 1hr + trips my butt gets so sore I can hardly stand it. This poses a problem as I intend to ride the hell out of that bike this summer and if I can only go an hour and a half without having to rest i'm not going to get much accomplished.

[yuddy]

I have the same problem, but I can ride for about 5hrs (shifting my weight around to cure the numbness) So I am going to have the seat re-done with new foam & cover ($125.00) and see if it helps.
If not, I may just have to spend the extra cash to have a gel pad fitted under the cover.

Ed.

[schpiff]

I am curious to see what difference the gel pads make. Being a tall guy (6-4) I can attest to "saddle sore" because on most any bike my chin is on my knees. Even with highway pegs I feel like a "monkey on a football" Please post and let us know if it helps.

[beechfront]

where do you get a gel pad?

(i'm also 6'4" which is also the cause of my problems)

[Pat Kelly]

JC Whitney and Dennis Kirk have gel pads. I bought one but have never used it. It's the strap on version and has me sitting too tall. I recently got another seat so I may try cutting out the foam and putting it under the cover.
I've ridden bicycles for years and have used gel seats and gel shorts (inserts). They are comfortable but you get the disconcerting feel like you're wearing a diaper with a load in it. Motorcycle seat might feel different as it's 23,000 times bigger

[bikerhawk]

Something that has helped me on long rides is to wear bicycling shorts under my jeans. I have a real good pair from back when I was into serious cycling (funny, I gave that up when I discovered 2-wheeling was even more fun with a motor) with the chamois lining to wick away moisture. Not quite as weird as football players wearing pantyhose for cold games, is it??

[NOMAD]

I'm having a new seat made with a gel pad insert, shouls have it Monday. I too hope i helps as much as advertised. I'll let you know my opinion soon.

NOMAD

[sixtysix]

I may not be the seat at all.......how new are the shocks and springs? I could only ride mine for a half hour, then new shocks and springs, now I can do 800 mile days. Of course it may very well be the seat

[beechfront]

Well I never gave that any thought. How can you tell if the shocks/springs need to be replaced?

[skids]

Highway pegs help a lot because when you switch the position of your legs, you move the pressure points on your butt. The REALLY help the comfort of my knees as well.

[2fast]

saddle sore

If you are on a stock seat, consider upgrading to a touring type. You don't say how much riding you have done in the past, but my experience tells me that as I ride more, well, my rear end just gets accustomed to it. At least mine does. As far as time in the saddle goes, that is fairly limited by gas tank size and mpg as well. I usually stop for gas at about 150 miles or less. Fill it up, stretch a bit and go again.

[beechfront]

i've done very little riding. the longest were a couple of 200 mile trips over the last year. so yeah, maybe part of it is that i just need to get used to it.