Tips to break the 1 hour numbbum ceiling

I don’t know about anyone else but I find I have a 1 hour bum tolerance when it comes to structured workouts on a trainer. Because you are seated and pedalling consistently without breaks you don’t get to move around like you would on an outside ride. Anyone got some tips out there to extend my comfort on the trainer to tackle 1.5hr+ workouts

Stand up every 10 minutes for 5-30 seconds. Even before you start getting sore.

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That’s where you are going wrong, you have to move around! Get out the saddle, move around etc. It soon becomes a habit.

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Lots of various discussion here:

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Penaten cream (or any butt cream) on the butt helps me big time!!!

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  1. Practice
  2. bike fit
  3. saddle that fits
  4. good quality bib shorts
  5. suitable distraction

Not necessarily in this order.

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Agree with all of these. To me 1 and 3 are the most important.

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My experience…get a bike fit, try different saddles and the last its just time. What bothered me at the start is nothing now.

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I found a huge difference when I replaced an old set of shorts for some new ones. I used to have to get up out of the saddle regularly to make it through rides. With the newer kit, I can comfortably ride for MUCH longer before I need to get up to get comfortable.

If it helps you though, nothing wrong with standing up for 30 seconds or so every so often. I find myself standing a good bit when I ride outside anyway, so it’s probably good to not completely neglect that when riding indoors.

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Stand up for 30-60s every 5-10min, especially the second half of the workout. Sometimes, if I am really struggling toward the end of a workout, I will get up at the top of every minute for 20-30s to help distract me, change the pace, and get me to the end of the workout. There are some workouts that have you getting out of the saddle on the minute but I forget which ones. That is where I picked up the idea.

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Quality Shorts, and build a rocker plate are my tips. Even the basic rocker plate I self built made quite a big difference (even with being too lazy to get the action just right).

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Thanks everyone for your replies, appreciate it. I have spent too much money on bike fits, saddles and expensive bibs, according to someone in the house! It was good to hear that people actively move round and stretch etc.

I have always concentrated on form and listening to Chad…his never told me to move around or stretch…I thought I would get in trouble :slight_smile:

My bike fitter is obsessed with these: SQlab Saddle 612 ERGOWAVE® | SQlab Online Shop.

Even though I measured fine for my saddle when I went in to the fit, I experienced numbness during longer trainer sessions (but not outside). Switched the seat for one of these, problem solved.

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QUALITY BIBS, SHORT, BIBS or SHORTS. Personally, I prefer shorts (most are cheaper than bibs of the same quality) on the trainer and bibs on the road.

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I vote for finding your threshold, then stand up for 10 seconds every 10 minutes. For myself, my goal is forty minutes, stand for 10 seconds, at the fifty minute, stand for 10 seconds, continue till the ride is done. Amazing what getting you blood flowing will do for you. I’ve done the same, new shorts, saddle, fit and it came down to time and a routine.

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I find that even just a brief shift in position, going from hoods to drops, or tops to no hands, forces me to put more weight onto my feet while changing position, and that typically does the trick for me especially if its a harder workout. My struggle is with the longer endurance rides, where I am not putting a lot of power down, my weight tends to live on my butt, rather than being split between my feet, leading to numbbum.

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I am unable to stand at all. Inguinal Hernia will not allow me to so all I can do is shift around a bit. The combination of a home made rocker plate and a product called butt shield allow me to go a few hours on the trainer without to much problem.

I used Butt shield to do a 11 hour ride in the saddle outside. But Shield is magic!

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1hr is ridiculously short, there is literally no way* you’re sitting on the saddle correctly.

It took me a few years both outdoor and indoor to get my sit bones on the right place, nobody seems able to advise on it properly so I won’t try - but when you’ve got it right two to four hours is fine.

*Excepting medical conditions and unexpected razor blades

I started using the SQLab 611 at the beginning of the year. Without doubt the best saddle I’ve tried (I have 10 saddles in total) - only problem is I now need another one for the outdoor bike!