Butt and Leg Problems

Brian has written to us quite a few times before and this time he is having problems with the lower part of his body and not his bike. He is not happy with his shorts and wants to know what he can do to make his ride more comfortable. His other problem is the hamstring on his left leg, he feels like it is about to cramp up, not nice. We give him some suggestions to sort him out

Question: Hi Samuel,
Thanks for all the info on biking, great stuff.
I have two questions, 1. Which brand of road biking shorts give a comfort ride which offers very good padding? I am currently using Scott, Nike & Btwin, but not very happy with any.
2. I ride practically every day, for the past week I am keep getting this nagging feeling in my left hamstring that it's about to cramp. I stretch a lot on & off the bike, this hinders my performance. Am I missing out on something vitamins or supplements? Pl advise. Thanks for your time.

Hi Brian,

Good to hear from you again.

Normally the better the shorts, the more comfortable they are. The shorts you have are good quality clothing, but obviously they are causing you problems. Have you tried a lubrication oil or cream on your delicate parts? This can make a big difference without having to spend lots of money on more shorts that you don't know if they will be any better. Crotch Guard or other creams cut down friction and help comfort in this most important area, give one a try before you throw away your shorts. Expensive shorts are not always the answer, look at the seat pad, many bike clothing manufacturers use the same or similar pad, a different shaped pad maybe your answer depending on where you are having the discomfort, only you know where that is, so do a bit of investigating, but try the cream and oils first. Be careful no to use any creams that soften the skin as this will not help your "butt" area!

Your other problem is a little more difficult, as you only have the problem in one leg this makes me think that it isn't a chemical problem, but see as you live and ride in Oman I guess it's rather warm there. You maybe lacking in salt, as this can be a cause of cramps, if you use a sports drink this shouldn't be a problem as there most important facet is usually salt replacement and re-hydration, check out the label on you drink of choice and if you don't use one then I think you should start.

If the ham string is tight on one side, then you should take a look at your saddle, is it straight? Has one side dropped or the saddle rail been bent? Is the Gel on the saddle where it should be and has not lost its gelness on one side? Is it on the leg of the foot you put down when you stop? If so then is the shoe plate more worn on that side? Check all these things out as it could be a position problem as it only affects one leg.

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Butt and Leg Problems

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