Recommend a saddle please!

[Over The Hill]

Recently back from a 290 mile run from London to Paree.

Few medical problems resulting from this (numbness in my todger) which I am thinking is from the saddle cutting off supply of whatever to him.

I have a Selle Italian Flite (On a drop bar bike) which is a fairly hard traditional shaped saddle.

Although I am OK and have not had problems on shorter runs I think it is not good to put my best friend through some suffering so thought i should change saddles.

There seem to be lots of saddles around with a channel or a hole cut along the middle which I am assuming is to stop this sort of problem.

Has anyone else changed saddles for this reason and if so what did you get and did it help?

I have not got lots of money to spend so budget end of market that does the job is probably where I will have to go.

 

[Bigtwin]

There seem to be lots of saddles around with a channel or a hole cut along the middle which I am assuming is to stop this sort of problem.

Has anyone else changed saddles for this reason and if so what did you get and did it help?

There is no answer to this - everyone's different. It's trial and error I'm afraid.

I have some solids and some cut-outs. They make no difference to me - either the saddle is the right shape or it isn't. The cut out may keep a bit more air flowing, but that's about it.

 

[nosherduke996]

You could always cut off your todger, but you wont be able to see where you are going because your eyes will be watering so much.

 

[montage]

Recently back from a 290 mile run from London to Paree.

Few medical problems resulting from this (numbness in my todger) which I am thinking is from the saddle cutting off supply of whatever to him.

I have a Selle Italian Flite (On a drop bar bike) which is a fairly hard traditional shaped saddle.

Although I am OK and have not had problems on shorter runs I think it is not good to put my best friend through some suffering so thought i should change saddles.

There seem to be lots of saddles around with a channel or a hole cut along the middle which I am assuming is to stop this sort of problem.

Has anyone else changed saddles for this reason and if so what did you get and did it help?

I have not got lots of money to spend so budget end of market that does the job is probably where I will have to go.

Charge spoon - £25

 

[Albert]

I'm a Selle Italia SLR fan. I find them supremely comfortable - friends look at them (Ihave 2 bikes - one on each), touch them, try to squeeze them, give me a funny look and shrug.
My experience - the thinner and harder the better a saddle is in the long run.

 

[Jonathan M]

Recently back from a 290 mile run from London to Paree.

Few medical problems resulting from this (numbness in my todger) which I am thinking is from the saddle cutting off supply of whatever to him.

I have a Selle Italian Flite (On a drop bar bike) which is a fairly hard traditional shaped saddle.

Although I am OK and have not had problems on shorter runs I think it is not good to put my best friend through some suffering so thought i should change saddles.

There seem to be lots of saddles around with a channel or a hole cut along the middle which I am assuming is to stop this sort of problem.

Has anyone else changed saddles for this reason and if so what did you get and did it help?

I have not got lots of money to spend so budget end of market that does the job is probably where I will have to go.

The issue of numbness down there is usually due to the nerves being trapped.

I've highlighted a comment you made as some of the early headline making reports of cyclists impotence were based upon riders who were not used to many hours in the saddle going and riding centuries and subsequently finding that they couldn't get it up for several weeks. So possibly your saddle is fine, but physicaly your body wasn't prepared for the long hours in the saddle, the result of which is the numbness you describe.

As far as a saddle resolving this,saddles are so individual that you can't really ask which saddleto use. Many years ago I needed a new MTB saddle. At the time the mags were raving about the WTB range of saddles, I bought one, and hated it, it was the most uncomfy saddle I'd used. I replaced it with a .....Selle Italia Flite Gel, the same saddle you're thinking of replacing, so this highlights each to their own as far as saddles goes.

Good padded shorts can also be important for comfort.

 

[Over The Hill]

Thanks for the feedback.

I am thinking along the lines of -

a full cut out design like this.

I mostly do runs of 25-35 miles but then enter the odd longer event so need a narrow saddle.
I think the problem is arising with nerves or various tubes (blood flow?) being squashed and I am guessing this is probably where whatever tube passes under the pelvis bone and gets trapped between the bone and saddle.
My concern with the ones with just a shallow slot is that they will not be deep enough to cure the problem. Then with the ones with a cut out, you must just transfer the pressure elsewhere.

I think it will just be a matter of giving one a go.

 

[jimboalee]

Before you going spending money, experiment with the saddle height.

Even though you have done the measuring and it is correct on paper, some cyclists don't extend the leg enough and after several thousand revolutions, the pressure on your Perineum causes numbness.

Shift the saddle down by 2 millimeters, yes, only 2 mm. Go for a longish ride and evaluate if the problem is still there.

 

[Amanda P]

I mostly do runs of 25-35 miles but then enter the odd longer event so need a narrow saddle.

Interesting comment. Why does a long event need a narrow saddle?

 

[I am Spartacus]

Saddle width..
I changed to 135mm and it has changed my life.. as I told it on the Oprah show 3 weeks ago on ITV2 at 4:17am

 

[Over The Hill]

Interesting comment. Why does a long event need a narrow saddle?

My understanding of it is that you can get a nice fat saddle and it be very good and comfortable for shorter runs, but because it is supporting bits of you that move (tops of your legs) it leads to chafing so you need the narrower saddle.

 

[Amanda P]

I asked because I use a ladies B17 on one bike and a gents B17 on another. They don't seem particularly narrow to me. But I've ridden considerably longer distances than 30 miles (up to 120-ish) on both and not experienced any chafing.

 

[Batzman]

As far as a saddle resolving this,saddles are so individual that you can't really ask which saddleto use. Many years ago I needed a new MTB saddle. At the time the mags were raving about the WTB range of saddles, I bought one, and hated it, it was the most uncomfy saddle I'd used. I replaced it with a .....Selle Italia Flite Gel, the same saddle you're thinking of replacing, so this highlights each to their own as far as saddles goes.

Good padded shorts can also be important for comfort.

To make your point, I find that WTB saddles are absolutely the best I have ever tried, and the only ones not to give me this problem

It's all down to trial and error, I'm afraid...