Tailbone / Coccyx

[bobbyg]

In the last few weeks I have suddenly developed an extremely painful tailbone. I have not had a fall or impact or anything that I can say was the cause of it.
Anyone on here suffered from the same and it being put down to cycling? Last year I went on a health kick and used my bike for commuting, did about 1500 miles no problem. Over the winter I joined a gym to do spin classes.
Now the better weather and lighter nights are with us, have commuted to work maybe a dozen times (12 miles each way) and a couple of weekend 30 milers and now I am in agony.

Everyone tells me it must be my bike - I can't face the prospect of that being the cause, I so badly got the bug for cycling last year and can't face a spring and summer of car commuting!

Any thoughts? Would a change of padded trousers be enough to cause this as I have been using my long legged ones rather than the shorts of last year whilst it has still been a bit cold? Have also switched to cleats but the tailbone problems started before that.

Bike is an upright Specialized hybrid - as I say, never been an issue before but sitting typing this in my office sitting on a big rubber ring on my chair! Sums it up!

[Vorpal]

See your GP.

Unless your tailbone is in contact with the back of your saddle, I don't see how it could be your bike, but probably the only person who could tell you for certain is a physio with knowledge about cycling.

[Neilo]

I had something like that, right at the tip of my coccyx, turned out to be an ingrowing hair, pilonidal sinus I think that's how you spell it.
You need a very good friend, or a doctor to check that one

Neil

[Psamathe]

Not that I consider my experience relates to your own problems and certainly do seek professional advice rather than comments from a forum (i.e. see e.g. a GP who can examine you, and based on that examination diagnose problems, etc.).

That said, when I first took up cycling (again) year+ ago after my 1st few rides I had a really tender tailbone and was similarly concerned. However, I stated looking into saddle height and position and established my saddle/riding position was very wrong and after raising my saddle quite a bit the problem has never returned.

Just to warn, I recently followed some advice given to me (in response to a post I made), on this forum, by a self-proclaimed expert and it was terrible advice. I then switched back to normal (contrary to that advice) and a lot better now.

Edit (additional thought): I think (from memory) that my saddle being too low was resulting in my sitting too upright and tending to slip/sit too far forward on the saddle. So, I suspect that the tail bone pain was more cause by sitting position as a result of saddle height, than being directly caused by saddle height.

Ian

[tyreon]

I think the clue is in what you have said: you're using an upright. More weight on rear= more pressure. Your tailbone is sitting right next to that saddle. I cycle an upright(on sprung saddle),and cycle a tourer on a Brooks (unsprung)leather job;from time to time depending upon terrain,length of ride,how I'm sitting, I can sometimes feel some ache and sensitivity on my tailbone. Maybe you could adjust the saddle a little. Is it placed horizontal? Too far forward/back? I usually have mine(the Brooks)a tad elevated,and which of course puts more weight on my posterior.

[531colin]

Self-proclaimed expert here.
Have a play with this website http://www.innerbody.com/image_diagram/skel18.html, have a feel around your backside, and see if you think you can possibly put any weight on your coccyx when sitting on a bike saddle, if the saddle is anything like the right width, and you are sitting in anything like a conventional place on the saddle.......I particularly like the interactive 3D image!
Your weight rests on your Ischiac tuberosities http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuberosity_of_the_ischium#/media/File:Gray237.png from here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuberosity_of_the_ischium

(using a mirror, you can look for ingrowing hairs, etc, yourself)