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.

  • BlazarNGC@lemm.eeEnglish
    6·
    1 month ago

    Get yourself a Brookseather saddle or something real nice. Two quality chamois shorts. Chamois or anti chafe cream. Get your bike fitted to you. And yes, build the “memory” of long days in the saddle.

    Wear one chamois with the cream on your nice well fitting saddle (doesn’t have to be leather but they are nice for long days because they are smooth and low friction and they have suspension to them, plus you’re not dropping your soft bits into foam which can be hot and increase friction). Take a few breaks throw out the day and stretch a bit. Alternate days with different chamois shorts (nice $100 ones and don’t wear anything else) so they stay drier and don’t funk up. Make sure your bike fit is optimal, yes you can do this yourself but a quality fitter will set you up probably (hopefully) better than you can yourself.