Tri bike on trainer discomfort

Yup. You don't move near as much on the trainer so the parts that touch continue to touch and the parts that compress are always compressed.

Double the chamois cream you use and remember to wiggle around regularly to all the time. Slide forward, slide back, on right side, on left side, rotate hips forward, rotate them back, etc.

It takes time to build up tolerance as well so don't think one single trainer use is going to change much. Pay attention and you'll see it lengthen before you get horribly uncomfortable until you can go multiple hours on the trainer.

Riding on a trainer eliminates almost all of the rhythmic side to side motion experience on the road.  This limits the contact between you and the bike to a much smaller area.  Until you build up your tolerance try to adjust you position by slightly moving forward and back or tilting hips forward as you tighten your abs and then relax back into your normal riding position. 

If you're front wheel is held higher than your back wheel in the trainer, your bike fit is out of whack.  Check the height at the axle of the front and back wheels and adjust accordingly.

Thanks, this is helpful for me too. I just got a new tri bike and am very uncomfortable in the soft tissue zone, not talking about on a trainer, I mean on the road, but I've only taken 3 rides on it. Glad to know it gets better before the mad saddle search begins

I'm on my road bike with aerobars but I'm a lot more uncomfortable too. In fact, I'm more uncomfortable than I was last year on the trainer! It's going to be a long winter......

Have you been fit on it?? I had the hardest time getting comfortable on the trainer. It got so bad I had to be refit on my bike. Parts were going numb. Any minor irritations you have on the road are magnified incredibly on the trainer.

It is an adjustment every year. My bum is starting to callous finally. I hadn't been on the trainer a lot this fall.

I try to move around while on the trainer every 10 minutes or so. Even if that means slowing down.

Tracy - yes! I just got the bike in July and it wasn't ever really comfortable but, like I said, I put it on the trainer recently and it's downright painful! Yikes.
Also, my toes go numb after a bit, mostly left foot and staring from the outer toes inward. I'm going to keep playing with it, but of it doesn't improve I will be refitted.

Those two issues make me think it is a fit issue. How was your fit done? Who did it? What experience do they have? How much time was spent doing it?

Numb toes can be a foot issue or a fit issue. I have Morton's feet and I get numb feet in any shoe on multiple bikes at times if it is over 95 and I ride longer than 4.5 hours....so for me it is the way my body is made so I have cycling orthotics.

Before you go spend money on new saddle go back to your fitter and discuss your issues, they should work with you to make changes. My fitter typically sees folks 3x initial, check and final visit. I've worked with him since 2005 for all my bikes after using 3 others fitters who didn't get it right.

I ride SMP saddle that has a very large cut out so my soft tissue doesn't touch the saddle but can take some time adjusting your sitz bones. See if you are rolling your hips right when you ride. Imagine you have a tail you want stick up in the air when you move from bull horns to aero bars and they will rotate your hips.

Trainer makes fit issues worse as the position is static.

couple of things:

When in a race, it would be rare for you to stay in aero position for the entire bike portion. Even if you are in Florida and in a flat course, chances are you will get out of aero if it gets somewhat crowded, sharp turns, aid stations etc.  If you are racing in other parts of the country (like the northeast), you will be out of the aero for portions of the race due to steep hills. The pros get out of aero at times too, its fine and normal.

If you are in so much discomfort while in aero, get out of aero for a bit. It's not that big of deal. You will lose more time staying in a uncomfortable position while in aero vs. getting out of aero but being comfortable. 

Also you can try one legged drills on the trainer, which should alleviate some of the foot numbness because you will be able to move the foot that is not being used around.  


Alot of the discomfort is just about getting use to the position and not the saddle.   

Kathy, which SMP saddle do you use? I have an Adamo saddle and its driving me crazy.