Tips for surviving long saddle hours?

Were they all offroad?

Here's another one I just thought of. Flex the muscles in your legs and ass and hold it for a minute or so at a time. Kind of like doing a stalled squat just off your seat. This really helps me when I have a ways to go to the next stop but I was sick of sitting still.

After you've incorporated all or any of the above, just be prepared to hit, and then break through the wall of pain.

Sometimes, you just gotta go Lombardi on your ass.

No substitute for toughness.

Which, if you're a participant in one of those weird Japanese game shows - is good advice...

Personally, I pull over and have a nap, or a cup of coffee...or just stop early. "Saddlesores" aren't gonna hit you on day 1, maybe not even day 2 - but when they do - oh boy :)

A good idea that's worked for me.

The other recommendation I'd make is, don't.

I ride to get around, to see and do things, not to rack up miles. If riding is a pain in the arse, why bother?

Break trips into short legs as far as possible. Even on days when you want to cover a long distance, to get to where you want to be, take a decent break from time to time. In addition, stop here and there for short breaks to smell the roses, take in the air, snap a photo, or whatever turns you on.

3 pairs???? I only carry one as they dry almost instantly when wrung out in a towel. I've tried wearing them riding (tho never under bicycle shorts) under stretchy armored shorts and they are fine for a day but bunch up.

A week!!!!!?????? Holy guacamole!!! I still sometimes use my bicycle shorts for moto riding. Modern synthetic chamois are great for one day rides. But my shorts are positively toxic the next day. TOXIC!!!! Maybe it's a different personal chemistry thing.

I have a pair of Moto skiveez (however you spell it) and they are better than cycling shorts beginning on day 2. But they take awhile to dry when washed in a sink/faucet/etc. I keep coming back to my LDcomfort shorts. They are comfortable, wick well, but most importantly they resist 2nd day funk. Even 3rd and 4th day funk. On the recent Best of Montana ride I only really washed them once during the week, and just jumped in rivers and lakes most days. If I could get LDcomfort material shorts with a combination of good rigid/soft armor protecting against hip pointers, my search would be over.

Lots of other good pointers in this thread. My gas station food of choice is beef jerky and licorice. Both can easily be stuffed under a full face helmet so you don't waste time sitting around eating. I can go for a day or two with just that and a coffee in the morning. I also carry a few Atomic Fireball jawbreakers for those times I can't stop immediately to sleep and need to make it another 1/2 hour or so down the road to a good spot to sleep. They are hot enough that I have to move it around my mouth. The heat and the thought required to move it get me down the road that little extra bit.

>"Modern synthetic chamois are great for one day rides. But my shorts are positively toxic the next day.
TOXIC!!!! Maybe it's a different personal chemistry thing."

I wear Ex-Officio or Under-Armor shorts under the KTM shorts.

that would be not stopping to waste my time, I ride to ride, not to stop and smell roses, I can do that in my back yard

For a month long ride into Latin America I don't always feel like washing ... or no time. So 3 pair. I did Europe with just 2 pair, was fine ... in dry weather. If raining and cold they don't dry quite as fast ... like the entire length of France.

No, it's ROAD RIDING as opposed to trail riding. Trail riding I sweat like a rapist ... so daily wash a must. But doing long road rides (like 400 mile days) I can push it to a week. (sometimes) in cool weather.

I've heard nothing but GREAT comments about LD comfort. My next purchase!

Big ups on Jerky and chewing on something to get to final destination ... which can be tough after long day.

preparation h & baby powder!

Each to their own, but I can't see the point.

+1 on the atomic fireballs.
I would just add that a crampbuster or equivalent is good to have in addition to a throttle lock. When riding through a long stop and go traffic jam or back roads with closely spaced small towns. The first is annoying and the second is asking to get pulled over.

I have, Eugene, Oregon to Los Angeles, Ca., left early on a Sunday AM to be back in LA by Monday AM, of course my body was 15 years or so younger, LOL.

The roads must've been longer back then.

All this plus, wipe off your ass sweat at rest stops. Even if you don't feel it, it is sweating. For the boys, wipe the boys too.

baby wipes, or as my ex called them "cock wipes" are excellent for keeping the nether regions clean while on the road.

My experiences:

Baby powder is useless. Once you sweat that powder turns into pancake batter and it sucks and won't ever dry.

Under armor briefs I really like, dry fast and fit great.

Sacrum armor in my motoport pants made a huge difference!! Elevates my ass just enough to keep airflow going.

Baby wipes of all brands don't do anything.

Anything to get airflow around your butt. I bought some of what they call "3D cloth" from one of those Chinese sites and made a seat cover from it. Works great. And to all you seat manufactures out there, I'm going to give you a million dollar idea for free, make cloth seats for bikes. If you have ventilation on your ass, you don't get monkey butt.

Bought a nice little Coleman "24 plus hour" soft cooler. It sits on the pillion seat behind me, it has a little trap door on top to make getting the water, and sports drinks in and out easy while riding. I use a magnetic tank bag to hold things I used to keep in my pockets, or had to pack in a case where I can't get to it while riding, it also holds my spit bottle.
Since I'm old, overweight, like to listen to music, hate ear plugs, and all of that other core/yoga/vegetarian crap I took a short cut and bought a proper touring bike....



Mean City Cycles further adjusted the HD Tallboy seat to fit me, the HWY pegs help a lot, as does standing while riding. Taking secondary roads whenever possible makes the long days more enjoyable, but I do ride the slab when it makes the most sense, especially when I have to ride at night.
I'll call my wife, or a friend while riding too, but the best thing of all for me was finding a like minded friend to make long trips with.

Nice bike. I love the look but man my back can't take cruisers. I agree about a good riding partner. I haven't found one yet.