So, you’re experiencing sore tailbone cycling. This is a common injury in the sport, especially if you’ve only gotten on the saddle a handful of times. Or maybe you’ve just done your first ride that covers a few hours. A lot of your anatomy would be sore if that’s the case.

But, if you keep experiencing tailbone pain after every ride, then something might be wrong.

In order to prevent this, we will have to first understand or find what is causing your tailbone to get sore.

Common Causes of Sore Tailbone Cycling

Tailbone pain can be attributed to several things. The best way to go about this is to determine what’s the cause of your discomfort and pain then make adjustments there.

Saddle Position

What’s great about bikes is that they can be customised to fit your needs. Several things are adjustable so it suits your body’s measurements. A good example of its flexibility is the saddle. This can be adjusted in several ways. The height, the tilt, and the position of the saddle can all be moved.

With that, there is a certain range that should be good for you and your coccyx or tailbone. A small tilt forward or backward can cause a shift in your balance and add more pressure to your backside which leads to it getting sore after getting off. 

What you can do is try different positions to see which is the most comfortable one to avoid sore tailbone cycling. Here are things you can do on your own for saddle position:

Height

To check if the height is correct, the easiest way is to get on the bike wearing your normal cycling gear. Now, place your heels on the pedals and turn them to a 6 and 12 o’clock position. If your leg at the 6 o’clock position’s knee bends, then the seat is too low. But, if you’re having a hard time reaching the pedal, then it’s too high.

Saddle Tilt

The angle of the saddle ideally should support you from any position you’d be using as you ride. This means you should be able to apply as much power to the pedals without compromising your comfort.

To achieve this, the most common angle is usually horizontal or flat from the rear to the front. Of course, this can easily change depending on your body or even your bike.

On the other hand, it pays a lot to get a professional fit done if you plan to do a lot of riding.

Saddle Type

Aside from the positioning of your saddle, the type can become a source of your sore tailbone cycling as well. 

Today, there are so many different types of saddles out there. And most, if not all, are claiming to be the best in comfort or efficiency. It’s usually one or the other.

But the fact of the matter is, all our bums are different. An expensive saddle doesn’t automatically equal comfort. At the same time, a comfortable saddle for your mate can be extremely uncomfortable for you.

Fortunately, a lot of local bike shops nowadays allow you to test ride different saddles before you buy them. In this way, you can get a feel for the right saddle for your tailbone. 

Your Position on the Bike

Sometimes, it’s not the bike that needs adjusting, it can be you. Biomechanics can play a huge role in how you perform on the bike, and this includes comfort as well. 

Try to observe how you position yourself while riding. Do you tend to lean back a lot? Try not to lean too much. 

And, if the soreness is getting to you, try standing up on your pedals from time to time for a few minutes. This break, while short, can already increase the blood flow to your bum and reduce soreness.

Try New Gear

It can be a good idea to get some additional padding if you constantly feel pain on your tailbone and bum. A good pair of cycling shorts with pads can be a difference-maker.

Again though, there are a variety of shorts and gear available today and what would work best for you depends on you.

Your Training Method

Another thing you should look at is your training method. Beginner cyclists who take on long training rides immediately can experience a lot of pain and soreness all over their body. This includes sore tailbone cycling. You may want to pull it back a bit.

Make sure that your training rides are at a length, distance, and intensity you can handle. Don’t overexert yourself or overtrain.

You may also not be giving your body enough time to recover. Make sure to schedule rest days within the week. You can do 3 days cycling for example, with 2 or 3 days doing other exercises, and at least a day of rest.

If you skip your rest and recovery, you may eventually encounter a bigger problem than a sore bum.