I’ve wanted to get into bikepacking for years, but I’ve always been concerned about how I’d be able to ride for multiple days. I was on a cycling team in college and the longest ride I’ve done is about 70 miles, after which I was toast and my butt was really sore. Obviously this is different than bike touring, but it still makes me wonder how others do it.
Do you take a lot of breaks throughout the day? Or is it more just conditioning yourself and building “callouses” (for lack of a better word haha). I’m pretty sure my pelvic bones are positioned right on my saddle, but maybe I need a different one.
Lots of great recommendations here and a good saddle/setup is probably the most important. I have only one thing to add: Padded bicycle underwear also helps quite a bit.
You both get used to it, and your saddle moulds to you, to some extent.
I was off the bike for a few years. When I got back on, my first long ride was a killer. The second was shortly after, and it wasn’t so bad. After a couple short rides on consecutive days, it was pretty much not a problem any more.
Things that worked for me:
- Bike fit and saddle compatibility. Make sure they’re all set up for you; get it done professionally if you’re not sure.
- Multiple handlebar positions. I attached bar extensions to my flat bar to give my hands and wrists a few different positions to swap between. Also gave my bars a double wrap of bar tape because I was doing a lot of off road riding.
- Training. Do a whole lot of 2-5 hr slow rides, just accumulating time in the saddle. Not sure how you usually ride, but get used to a comfortable cadence and level of power you can put out all day.
- Stop for breaks but only if you need them. I found if I stopped for too long my body would start to cool down and it would be hard to get going again. I relied more on “bike yoga”, e.g standing in the saddle and stretching my back and legs. If you’ve done lots of training rides you’ll find you need to stop less.
Main takeaway is that it’s all about spending time in the saddle. If you’ve done a month of training and you’re still not comfortable, it’s probably your saddle. Lots of places can now measure your sit bones and recommend a saddle. They might also let you test ride a saddle for a week or two.
Good luck!
