Saddle pressure, numbness, and maintaining sexual health at 59

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:


Fingers crossed. Anyone have firsthand experience with the 602 M-D Active Cr-Mo?
@Jeremy McCreary, I have the SQLabs 602 M-D Active Cr-Mo on my Yuba Spicy Curry, a cargo bike that I ride almost upright (with some weight on the handlebars), and a 601 Ergolux on my Haibike AllMtn, a mountain bike that I ride with more weight on the handlebars. I use Jones H-Bars with 2.5-inch rise on both bikes. I like both saddles. The 602 provides more perineum relief than the 601. Obviously, saddles are very personal, and comfort for one person may be discomfort for another.
 
@Jeremy McCreary, I have the SQLabs 602 M-D Active Cr-Mo on my Yuba Spicy Curry, a cargo bike that I ride almost upright (with some weight on the handlebars), and a 601 Ergolux on my Haibike AllMtn, a mountain bike that I ride with more weight on the handlebars. I use Jones H-Bars with 2.5-inch rise on both bikes. I like both saddles. The 602 provides more perineum relief than the 601. Obviously, saddles are very personal, and comfort for one person may be discomfort for another.
Thanks! Right now, perineal relief is top priority, so the 602 sounds like a great next step in my personal saddle saga. Should ave my 602 in a week. Fingers crossed!
 
Thanks! Right now, perineal relief is top priority, so the 602 sounds like a great next step in my personal saddle saga. Should ave my 602 in a week. Fingers crossed!
I went with the 610 MD. Perineal relief was also my main goal. The 602 is aimed more at the upright riding position, whereas the 610 is geared for riding with more of a lean-over posture.

I also bought one of the 610 M-D Active saddles with the more or less standard cover. Based on what I read from a reviewer, I immediately switched out the active suspension insert for the white soft one. What comes initially installed from the factory is too stiff, and if you want the benefit of that rocking motion, you need to spend the (several) minutes changing out to the soft one. I learned the value of the rocking from my Ergon ST Core Primes that do the same job with entire layers of saddle padding. Putting in the soft white insert makes a big change in comfort.

After trying that first one, for the next bike I needed to change, I decided to spring for the Active v2.1 and see how it felt. Its worth the extra money in added comfort, so for my third and last bike I did it again. I use the v2.1's on my riding bikes and the original on my indoor trainer.

One last thing on SQLab saddles: You will benefit by re-learning where to sit on one. Your sit bones are best served by consciously moving backwards on the saddle and sitting further back than you think you should. Or at least that was true for me. Those last two bumps/pads on the saddle at rear are put to good use. On the older version there is no visible difference in the rear area but the principle held.

20240103_160758.jpg
 
Oh and also I have available for sale two Ergon ST Core Prime saddles in Small/Medium size (which is wrong for me). Both are in excellent looks-almost-new condition. And an Ergon SMC Core Men's mtb saddle in Small/Medium. Barely used and looks new again. I've been too lazy to put them on Ebay but I need to sell them off to defray the cost of the three SQLabs.

I had thought the narrower saddles would be better for me on bikes I pedaled hard, and they were, but they put too much perineal pressure on which made them bad for me. The long/narrow nose of the SQLabs fixed that pedaling issue.
 
Thanks! Right now, perineal relief is top priority, so the 602 sounds like a great next step in my personal saddle saga. Should ave my 602 in a week. Fingers crossed!
I bought one of those for myself, but my wife stole it:
Screenshot 2024-03-16 at 11.48.23 AM.png
 
@Jeremy McCreary, I have the SQLabs 602 M-D Active Cr-Mo on my Yuba Spicy Curry, a cargo bike that I ride almost upright (with some weight on the handlebars), and a 601 Ergolux on my Haibike AllMtn, a mountain bike that I ride with more weight on the handlebars. I use Jones H-Bars with 2.5-inch rise on both bikes. I like both saddles. The 602 provides more perineum relief than the 601. Obviously, saddles are very personal, and comfort for one person may be discomfort for another.
After long searching I was going to choose a noseless saddle however I’ve read about bike control seems to be impossible. The 602 md seems to be a good compromise. Can you please describe your feelings about prostate pressure and overall thoughts? I am not scared from hard saddles…. My superflow saddle is very hard and my bike is a emtb riese muller
 
Cane Creek seat post suspension and a Cloud 9 gel saddle. Ride free from road pain. It makes the long 25-35 mile ride fun and not an endurance test.
 
Jury's still out on my new SQLabs 602 MD after only 5-6 rides totaling 60 miles or so, but here's the score so far:

o Perineum is painless now — big win!
o Coccyx hurts now, but only when I slide forward in the saddle and allow myself to stay there for awhile.
o Sit bones remain painless.

The new coccyx pain was worst at the nearly flat saddle angle recommended by SQLabs. Better with the nose one click up. Fingers crossed for 2 clicks up.

If I can't fix the coccyx issue, my butt range will be no better than it was before the 602.
 
I haven't figured this one out yet:

View attachment 172628
Yes, I'm bein' followed by a moonsaddle
Moonsaddle, moonsaddle
Leapin' and hoppin' on a moonsaddle
Moonsaddle, moonsaddle

And if I ever lose my legs
I won’t moan and I won’t beg
Oh, if I ever lose my legs
Oh if, I won't have to ride no more.
 
I haven't figured this one out yet:

View attachment 172628
Quote:
"Then there are saddles," I went on--I wished to get this lesson home to him. "Can you think of any saddle ever advertised that you have not tried?"

He said: "It has been an idea of mine that the right saddle is to be found."

I said: "You give up that idea; this is an imperfect world of joy and sorrow mingled. There may be a better land where bicycle saddles are made out of rainbow, stuffed with cloud; in this world the simplest thing is to get used to something hard. There was that saddle you bought in Birmingham; it was divided in the middle, and looked like a pair of kidneys."

He said: "You mean that one constructed on anatomical principles."

"Very likely," I replied. "The box you bought it in had a picture on the cover, representing a sitting skeleton--or rather that part of a skeleton which does sit."

He said: "It was quite correct; it showed you the true position of the--"

I said: "We will not go into details; the picture always seemed to me indelicate."

He said: "Medically speaking, it was right."

"Possibly," I said, "for a man who rode in nothing but his bones. I only know that I tried it myself, and that to a man who wore flesh it was agony. Every time you went over a stone or a rut it nipped you; it was like riding on an irritable lobster. You rode that for a month."

"I thought it only right to give it a fair trial," he answered.

I said: "You gave your family a fair trial also; if you will allow me the use of slang. Your wife told me that never in the whole course of your married life had she known you so bad tempered, so un-Christian like, as you were that month. Then you remember that other saddle, the one with the spring under it."

He said: "You mean 'the Spiral.'"

I said: "I mean the one that jerked you up and down like a Jack-in-the-box; sometimes you came down again in the right place, and sometimes you didn't. I am not referring to these matters merely to recall painful memories, but I want to impress you with the folly of trying experiments at your time of life."

Unquote.
/Jeremy K. Jeremy, "Three Men On The Bummel" (1900)/

The idea that the right saddle is yet to be found has been one of the most silly myths of the cyclist community for the last 124 years :D
 
I'm 76. Ischial tubereosity. They're made to take the pressure of sitting. They're about 4 inches apart, so a seat doesn't have to be wide, as long as it has firm padding where it's needed. The seat looks like the OE seat, but my sitbones were hitting metal with the original. This seat has better padding where it counts.

I moved the seat back so that when I lean forward against the bars to put weight over the pedals, there's not much weight on the seat. That's good for letting my legs pedal and letting them absorb bumps. I raised the bars to the point where leaning forward against them doesn't put much weight on my hands. That posture keeps my upper body stable, pressed forward from the seat and back from the bars. (Those pressures are fairly small.)

I tilted the seat so that when pressure from the bars and pedals pushes my butt back against the seat, my sitbones will stay in just the right position. The combination of a fairly narrow saddle and a tilt also minimizes contact with anything but my sitbones. There's another advantage. When I stop, I can easily slide forward and down. When I get under way, I can slide up and back, for a better pedaling position. All three of my ebikes are like that.
Looks ways too tilted…is your posture comfortable?
 
I really wish I could just get about 15+ miles in without complaining about my butt hurting. I got a Brookes Saddle (B-67) 1.5 years ago and have over a1000/ miles on it and my ass still hurts. I had it up, down, tilted forward and backward. My latest was to purchase some expensive riding shorts with padding... which I like how they keep everything in order. Butt ( ;) ), after the 15-mile mark I, am getting pretty squirmy on the saddle... and that's with taking a few short Butt breaks. I am about to take the old bucket seats out of a Buick Roadmaster and just fix that to the bike stem and be done with it!!!
 
I really wish I could just get about 15+ miles in without complaining about my butt hurting. I got a Brookes Saddle (B-67) 1.5 years ago and have over a1000/ miles on it and my ass still hurts. I had it up, down, tilted forward and backward. My latest was to purchase some expensive riding shorts with padding... which I like how they keep everything in order. Butt ( ;) ), after the 15-mile mark I, am getting pretty squirmy on the saddle... and that's with taking a few short Butt breaks. I am about to take the old bucket seats out of a Buick Roadmaster and just fix that to the bike stem and be done with it!!!
Have you considered a suspension seat post like the Kinekt? They are easily returnable via Amazon.

Another thought, can you upload a video of yourself riding to see the bike fit? Consulting a professional fitter might be a good idea too.
 
A good saddle is priceless. Though, I have put so much time on them over the years that most of them don't hurt too bad. Some do, and they just want to cause pain. So, I guess I'm lucky in that I can do twenty-plus miles on one of my free saddles on one of my free bikes and butt pain ain't a problem.
 
I fail to understand how so many people can spend upwards of $2000 on a bicycle and not be willing to spend $150 for a decent bike fit.

Also no saddle, padded shorts, or suspension seat post is going to help you at all if the bike is already wildly out of adjustment. And the depressing fact is that a lot of bikes come from the factory or bike shop wildly out of adjustment. If you buy your bike from a bike shop they should at least take some measurements from you before they assemble your bike. If they don't (take measurements) ask them to do so.
 
Thanks for the advice... I do have a Thud-Buster seat post installed (which I love), but I am still dealing with that nagging Sit Bone pain. I was going to go to the bike shop today to try and get some advice on saddle selection. I agree with @Mr.Coffee, I spent 3 grand for my Bike and then bought a 160.00 Brookes saddle. I am not opposed to shelling out another 150.00, I just don't want to have to keep on doing it. I'll let you know what I find out.
 
I switched to a noseless saddle in my early 40's due to numbness. Doctor said to do it or give up cycling.
I've tried a couple of dozen styles, including the cutout designs. I hesitate to recommend a specific saddle since there are so many to choose from and every butt is different.

FWIW, personally, I found the Spiderflex to be the most comfortable:

View attachment 172430


The Hobson Easyseat was a close second but lacks the shock absorber of the Spiderflex.

View attachment 172432

https://www.amazon.com/Hobson-Origi...works for some, may not for all. Good luck!
6z
How much time have you spent with the Spiderflex seat?
The better half wants to ride, but finds to much pain, (6 seats tried so far), thinking about this Spiderflex seat.
The one seat she finds the better so far, is my NO Nose Schwinn seat. I have suspension seat posts on both bikes.
Tia,[/url]
 
6z
How much time have you spent with the Spiderflex seat?
The better half wants to ride, but finds to much pain, (6 seats tried so far), thinking about this Spiderflex seat.
The one seat she finds the better so far, is my NO Nose Schwinn seat. I have suspension seat posts on both bikes.
Tia,[/url]
I've been using the Spiderflex for 7 years now, with over 7K miles. It's still the most comfortable for me. Saddles are a very personal item though, and one size does not fit all. The manufacturer offers a 30 day money back guarantee (minus shipping) so you can easily return it if it doesn't work out.


One of the things that makes the spiderflex more comfortable is its built in shock absorber. I find it improves the function of my Kinekt and Redshift suspension seat posts.

I also own the Schwinn no nose saddle and it's ok, but not as comfortable as the Spiderflex. Again, this is just my experience.
 
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