What to do about "Recumbent Butt"

The greatest selling point for a Cruzbike or any recumbent bike is comfort. There is no wrist, neck or back pain when you ride a recumbent which is why many people love riding recumbents. There is also no saddle pain or numbness and no requirements for chamois shorts or creams. Riding a recumbent is like working out while sitting in a chair, it is perfectly ergonomic.

However, if a Cruzbike rider really starts putting the power on while riding their T50, A4x or S40, sometimes, depending on their anatomy, they can experience what is knows as recumbent butt. This is pain or discomfort in the gluteus maximus muscles. The reason for the discomfort is that riders working hard are using those muscles while under pressure from the seat. If the rider stops riding or lifts their butt off the seat, the pain goes away immediately.

We’ve thought a lot about "recumbent butt" and have the following suggestions for any riders experiencing this type of discomfort:

1. The most important and easiest thing you can do to alleviate "recumbent butt" on a Cruzbike is to add more of the dual density foam that comes in the stock seat cushion. The cushion cover easily comes off and you can add extra foam on the seat pan part of the cushion. This extra thickness allows for more space for your muscles to contract before hitting the seat pan. This cures most recumbent butt issues in my experience. You can order extra foam here.
2. If you’re riding an older model Cruzbike with an aluminum seat, you can try switching to the new nylon seats. We had issues with the first run breaking but the new material seems both flexible and strong.
3. Consider purchasing a V20c or reclining your seat back more. When you lay back the pressure is spread out over your back and recumbent butt does not happen.

A separate discomfort issue can come from bony protuberances in the lumbar spine of some riders (my tail bone sticks way out!) You can add more foam around it, creating a donut for the part that is rubbing or causing pressure pain. This is very much a trial and error job. Keep adding or subtracting foam until you find something comfortable. If you lean forward to climb as I do, creating a space for your tail bone makes it much more comfortable.

If you have other ideas or suggestions of things that have worked for you, please let us know by including them in the comments below or emailing us at support@cruzbike.com