Look away ladies - Men only

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bobloes

Active Member
An age old problem I am sure. I am 63 and have ridden pretty well for forty years but not in a serious manner and hence my time in the saddle has generally been less than two hours max - until now. I find that the area in contact with the saddle becomes quite numb within anything as short as an hour and I then have to take a break or lift the parts which will probably give another half hour or so before the discomfort returns. When I was younger and played rugby I wore a jock strap which lifted. Not sure whether they are still available or whether technology has moved on. I saw some very tight fitting underwear which gave the impression of holding things in a particular position. I wear a normally padded pair of riding shorts and the seats are gel. Any suggestions short of castration welcomed. Cheers
 

Paulus

Started young, and still going.
Location
Barnet,
Hi there bobloes, If this condition has come on recently, could it be time for some new cycling shorts? or a new saddle maybe. Have you changed your position on the bike or raised or lowered the saddle? A lot of questions there i know, but try to think if anything has changed. Cycling shorts are designed to be worn, a hem, commando are you wearing undercrackers as well as the shorts?
 

sidevalve

Über Member
Nope, sorry it's the knife or nothing. However, failing that, the question is [as above] has anything changed, ie saddle [is it worn, has it moved], shorts, handlebar position, even shoes. You could try a different saddle or try moving yours a little as we all tend to lose a little muscle around the "lower middle" as we get older [mine seems to be moving to the waist level], and what suits at 23 might not be ideal at 63. You could also try to beg borrow or steal a ride on a full suss MTB, not ideal for the road but it may help pinpoint your problem.
 

Davidc

Guru
Location
Somerset UK
I've occasionally had that problem, since my 30s! I have always found that I can stop it with careful fore and aft movement of the saddle. Having the offending bits not held firmly makes it worse. I can't wear lycra, but there are a number of tight fitting options for underpants for use with other shorts and trousers.
 

Psycolist

NINJA BYKALIST
Location
North Essex
I've occasionally had that problem, since my 30s! I have always found that I can stop it with careful fore and aft movement of the saddle. Having the offending bits not held firmly makes it worse. I can't wear lycra, but there are a number of tight fitting options for underpants for use with other shorts and trousers.
Davidc..... Your automatic comment on your posting about your headwear threw me there for a moment, I thought it was connected to the thread..LOL :rolleyes:
 

snorri

Legendary Member
You manage up to an hour on a gel seat before onset of numbness? That's a lot longer than I can manage:sad:.
Padded shorts + gel seat + man bits, there's just not enough room down there for everything, something has to go!
I would suggest dumping the gel seat and try a firmer model that supports your sit bones only. It's a while since I've bought a seat, but someone will be along with suggestions shortly.
And it's not an age thing, 63 is the new 43:biggrin:
 
OP
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bobloes

Active Member
Thanks for all of those ideas. I will check out which work. Thanks again - it is just a little thing but it is mine!!!
 

Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
I'm 65 and have just got back into cycling. I had the same problem as you. I did 3 things which immediately eliminated it.
a) Changed the saddle. I bought a "better" firmer saddle that had a centre cut out.
b) Bought decent padded shorts (from a LBS with proper cyclists)
c) Played around with the saddle height/angle/position....saddle now slightly angled upwards at the front (opposite to what the tips below say)and at a height that my legs don't fully extend.
Below are a list of "tips" from another site......I contemplated a bike fit but find I can now ride 40 miles with no leg pain or numbness.
Hope this helps as it is a most unpleasant sensation.

Top tips on eliminating numbness


  1. Get a professional bike fit – often this is a big factor. Once you have been fitted properly to your bike the numbness and other discomfort issues may disappear
  2. If you don’t get a professional bike fit, you can try positioning your seat that its level or just a few degrees down in front
  3. Ensure your knees are not fully extended at the bottom of your pedal stroke, otherwise this puts extra weight on your sensitive areas
  4. Saddle choice – go for firm saddles over the softer ones. Firm saddles are better because they do not compress your vital arteries and support your sit-bones better.Sommer and Minkow state that flat or concave saddles generally have better performance. Since the link between cycling and impotence made headlines in the late 1990s, a proliferation of new saddle designs emerged and there now a wide range of choices for the cyclist.
  5. Invest in a pair of good quality cycling shorts with a well designed chamois
  6. The simplest adjustment you can make is to ensure you stand up on the bike every 10 minutes or so. If you live in hilly or rolling areas this would be a natural occurrence
 
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bobloes

Active Member
Dave7 In addition to the other advise that is really good - particularly from another old codger!! Thanks.
 
Pins and needles in the man bits hmmmmmmmmm, can be quite nice, at least you know there is life in the old todger. I started to have the same problems a few years ago, tried 3 different saddles before I solved the matter, currently using a Charge Spoon. At first i thought it was because of my age (71 youngster) and I had put on a few pounds, the extra few pounds was pushing my perineum down more onto the saddle. Having lost about a stone in weight over the summer, the problem has gone away, so i am not sure if it was weight or a change of Saddle that has solved it.
 
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