Saddle pressure, numbness, and maintaining sexual health at 59

[m@Robertson]

SQLab two thumbs up x 100


Saddle width and nose length are in large part specific to the type of riding you do. Aggressive riding on a road bike is best handled via a narrow, long-nosed saddle. As your posture elevates, the nose goes shorter and - to a point - the rear of the saddle widens.

Those big fat Grandma's Sofa saddles (looking at you, Cloud 9) should be sold with a paper bag so the unfortunate dupe can wear it over their head. Adding padding to a bad saddle design only puts off the point where fitment causes pain to manifest. The people who use those saddles tend to not ride anywhere far enough for this to show up as a problem so they think its a miracle. With that said, a cruiser saddle for a cruiser that just lazes around the neighborhood for a couple of miles is a fine thing.

Proper saddle fitment comes after measuring your sit bone width, taking a look at your riding posture and riding style. For instance a wide rear sofa saddle isn't as bad as it would be for a pedaler if the rider just exercises their thumb and throttles the bike. That rider would not experience the discomfort of banging the rear of their thighs a few hundred times per ride against the fat saddle.

I was using Ergon ST Core Prime saddles (which are quite well padded, well designed and narrow-ish with a long nose) but I was having some issues and eventually figured out I had misjudged the saddle width (a proper saddle is available in multiple widths). Now I am using the SQLab M-D saddles in the 16cm width. That model is designed to relieve almost all pressure on the perineum, and it was markedly more comfortable overall than the already-comfy Ergon.

Everyone's ass is different. As is their bike, riding position and (often bad) attitude. Expect 20 posts on the subject to have 20 different recommendations.

 

[m@Robertson]

They'll even send you a free measuring chart and kit:

Free "measure at home" Kit

Bundle: measuring boards, ruler, instruction and product overview. We recommend purchasing ergomics products at an approved dealer as our dealers are trained and experienced in ergonomics. All Ergonomics Partners in our dealer search offer: sitbone measurement, grip size determination and lots more.

sqlab-usa.com

I ordered the kit but decided not to wait for it, and used a square of cardboard that hadn't been skwunched up.

An important thing with the measuring (you can do it on any soft corrugated paper/cardboard) is that you're in your riding position.

No thats not correct. SQLab's directions for using the sit-kit are very specific as to what you do. A later step in the fitment process adjusts the number you arrive at from the seating measurement to account for riding position. You can see the contents of the kit at that link you posted. It shows the complete instructions and the cardboard they send you is the only thing additional that is missing from the web page.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

I switched to SQLabs saddles and find them comfortable and respectful of the human anatomy.

Thanks for getting me off the dime. I've known for some time that a saddle change is in order but kept putting it off due to the hit-and-miss nature of the process. The very helpful fitting and use case guidance on the SQLabs site gave me enough confidence to enter the gauntlet here:

Amazon.com

Fingers crossed. Anyone have firsthand experience with the 602 M-D Active Cr-Mo?

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

I ordered the kit but decided not to wait for it, and used a square of cardboard that hadn't been skwunched up.

No thats not correct. SQLab's directions for using the sit-kit are very specific as to what you do. A later step in the fitment process adjusts the number you arrive at from the seating measurement to account for riding position. You can see the contents of the kit at that link you posted. It shows the complete instructions and the cardboard they send you is the only thing additional that is missing from the web page.

I also doubt that you need the special cardboard. I substituted a panel from a standard Amazon box but otherwise followed the kit instructions to the letter.

In the right light, I could see the sit bone impressions well enough to outline them and identify their centers. Got the same 11.1 cm separation twice, added 4 cm for my nearly upright position, and arrived at a saddle width of 15 cm.

Fingers crossed.

 

[antboy]

Hello fellow cyclists,

...

Any advice on adjustments, saddle types, or other measures to mitigate these concerns would be greatly appreciated. My goal is to continue enjoying my daily rides without compromising my health or sexual well-being.

Thank you in advance for your insights and suggestions.

Fitment is a big deal.

My bike came with an Ergon ST10 (a good brand), but I'd have discomfort around the 20km mark. It took about 3 rides to really figure it out. In my case I had to tilt it forward more than I normally would.

After that, it was smooth sailing.

A suspension seatpost might also help (I love mine), but I wouldn't add one until you're happy with the seat itself.

 

[smorgasbord]

No thats not correct. SQLab's directions for using the sit-kit are very specific as to what you do. A later step in the fitment process adjusts the number you arrive at from the seating measurement to account for riding position.

Thanks for the correction.

 

[indianajo]

I switched to SQLabs saddles and find them comfortable and respectful of the human anatomy.

Based on recommendations here I bought a SQLabs saddle. It was the worst I have ever sat on. A plank of oak would have been more comfortable. The touted rocking feature might apply to men weighing 300 lb. It did not rock a millimeter for 160 lb me. Flat as a pancake. No padding whatsoever.

 

[twy]

I had a similar problem with the OEM seat on my Turbo Tero 3. I switched to a Selle Royal which provided some relief. I looked at noseless saddles but could not make the jump. My wife bought a Como 3 which came with a 200 mm body geometry seat. I finally took the time to measure what I needed and ended up buying the same 200 mm seat for my Tero. I still had to determine the correct position of the seat (tilted slightly downward) but once I did that the issue was alleviated.

 

[spokewrench]

A suspension seatpost might also help (I love mine), but I wouldn't add one until you're happy with the seat itself.

On two bikes, I threw away suspension posts in favor of laybacks. In moving your butt back, a layback moves weight to your legs, which absorb bumps much better than a seat post. By the time a bump jolts your seat upward, your legs are already pushing your butt upward. The seat follows along with a rather gentle push.

 

[RMSDivine]

The type of saddle you purchase can depend greatly on what type of bike you ride.
Example: I have a "skinny" Fabric (name of company) saddle on my light drop-bar road bike, which I find very comfortable, even on 70+ km rides.
Since I like the saddle so much I decided one day to install it on my more upright commuter bike. I did a 30km ride and couldn't wait to get off the bike.
What worked wonderfully on my road bike was a painful disaster on my commuter bike.

Also, there can be a number of reasons why you're experiencing numbness while riding, including wrong frame size, wrong saddle height, incorrect saddle tilt, etc, etc.
If possible a visit to a qualified bike fitter would be something to consider.

Numbness occurs rarely, I do use a E-MTB for commuting, 16km a day. Just want to ensure that I am not spoiling nerves in "that" area

 

[RMSDivine]

Suspension seatpost or dropper post?

I find the worst pressure happens when mounting and dismounting the bike.The bike ha rear suspension. Non suspension system below the saddle

No suspensions on the saddle, just rear suspension on the bike

 

[RMSDivine]

Eos, the god of the dawn , who rose every morning.....

There's a subtlety to your spelling that would be good advice - start each day in a happy way.



At 59 , it might be worth having a chat with your gp ?

I did, I think he thinks I'm paranoid

 

[RMSDivine]

I go noseless, they have their drawbacks when it come to bike control but the trade off is worth it for me.

Better erections?

 

[mrgold35]

I had a similar issue with discomfort on longer rides with the OEM saddle with my hard tail fat tire ebike. I switched to Sunlite Cloud-9 11"X10"X8" cruiser seat. Big improvement because I'm spreading my weight across my buttocks instead of feeling like I'm riding a 2X4 plank on a jack hammer. I also added the SR Suntour SP12 NCX Suspension seat post and later upgraded to Cirrus KINEKT Bike Suspension seat post. I did add an adjustable handlebar stem to raise the handlebars for a more upright riding position to reduce numb hands, shoulder fatigue, and reduce the pressure in the crotch area from the nose of the saddle.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

a more upright riding position to reduce numb hands

Numb hands are usually the outcome of some nerves squeezed in your spine as you're sitting upright.
I'm becoming helpless trying to tell people the upright riding position is the Evil Incarnated.

 

[mrgold35]

Numb hands are usually the outcome of some nerves squeezed in your spine as you're sitting upright.
I'm becoming helpless trying to tell people the upright riding position is the Evil Incarnated.

Pretty much every office chair, airline seat, vehicle, home furniture, workout bench, stump in the woods, etc... is usually used in an upright sitting position with zero numb hands? I only get numb hands riding (e)bikes if I lean forward too much on extended rides (numb hands w/ sometimes shoulder/upper back fatigue). Switching to a taller +400mm seat post, larger saddle, ergonomic hand grips, adjustable handlebar stem, wearing padded gloves, and sitting upright has eliminated numb hands on my 5-25 mile rides. Sitting upright isn't for everyone and I would recommend for folks to experiment and stick with what works best for them.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

sitting

You're not "sitting" on the bike. You are pedalling it with your feet on the pedals and your hands on the handlebar grips. You do not sit in the chair for hours without changing your position either.

I suffered numb hands when I used to ride upright. Not anymore.

The name "bike seat" is the most misleading. It is a "saddle" not a seat.

 

[sc00ter]

I used to love those big beach cruiser style seats. But as I've gotten older I've found a normal seat works best for me. Example: I have a slightly wider seat than stock on my Lectric XP. It's a Sella Royal City? from Wal-Mart. I later got a Lectric Xpedition and couldn't find another of the Sella's from Wal-Mart, and was to lazy to swap it over, so I rode the stock Lectric seat and actually like it. No numbness or weird pains BUT I don't go super far. Maybe when I start commuting to work my opinion might change.

Now that I'm older I think that gaining weight has affected my sex drive. I need to loose a bit of weight and get my cardio and energy levels back to normal. I don't recall bicycle seats, in the past when I rode road bikes or commuting to work, affecting my little buddy. Just me getting overweight and lazy has slowed me down a bit.

 

[mrgold35]

You're not "sitting" on the bike. You are pedalling it with your feet on the pedals and your hands on the handlebar grips. You do not sit in the chair for hours without changing your position either.

I suffered numb hands when I used to ride upright. Not anymore.

The name "bike seat" is the most misleading. It is a "saddle" not a seat.

Merriam-Webster definition of a saddle is a seat that a rider straddles. I would straddle something like a motorbike, (e)bike, reverse facing chair, or riding animal. You might have to contact Merriam-Webster and have them update the definition to include support for hands and feet? I don't think they will update because your hands and feet can also be supported in a seat.

Saddle can be interchangeable with "seat" and probably the reason why it is normal to say terms like: "seat post stem", "dropper seat post" or "suspension seat post" instead of "saddle post stem", "dropper saddle post" or "suspension saddle post".

 

[Mr. Coffee]

Bike geometry comes into this as well.

If you have a bike set up for an upright (or partially upright) riding position, a slammed saddle will be nothing but an instrument of torture. Conversely, if your bike is set up for riding slammed an upright saddle will just make you suffer.

Also, very small changes (on the order of 5mm) in stem height or stem angle or even a different pair of handlebars can mess everything up, and you basically have to start over on a bike fit.

Finding a bike fitter that can put your ebike in a trainer is a big plus. There are computer vision and AI-based tools that can take a video of you riding (from either side) and come up with starting points for how to adjust things. That is all newfangled but they can be helpful.

RE: "saddle" vs "seat". One difference in terminology is that usually we expect a "seat" to hold nearly all of our weight and to do so statically. A "saddle" will support us dynamically (while we are moving, e.g. pedaling the bike) and will hold a fraction of our weight, with the rest being supported by our arms and legs. Tucked on a fast downhill you'd expect only a small fraction of your weight (on the order of twenty percent or maybe even less) to be supported by your saddle. One theoretical justification for that fact is that you can more easily make rapid weight shifts to keep yourself on the bike at high speed if your saddle is substantially unweighted. On the other hand, grinding up a slow steep hill you'd probably have eighty percent or more of your weight on the saddle.