Sillyak

Hello everyone.

I've recently started doing longer rides. Yesterday I was out for 3.5 hours. I have a road bike with endurance geometry, stem is right down onto the headset, I have had a basic fit. I am completely comfortable on these longer rides. I can ride the hoods for long periods of time with no core, back or shoulder pain. My only issue is numbness of my junk. No pain, just goes totally numb and takes an hour or two to go away after. I am climbing out of saddle and changing position on saddle occasionally.

What are my options? New saddle with a cut out? Should I raise my stem? I would like to avoid raising the stem as I am comfortable otherwise.

kbarch

I think it's a combination of saddle width and shape, and arrangement in the shorts. 99% + of the time, I have no issue, regardless of how long the ride is, but now and then, after not so many miles, it will be an issue - same saddle all the time, but shorts vary.

1500SLR

You need a seat with a channel cut out in it. You're getting junk numbness. That will lead to erectile dysfunction if you keep riding like that.

Kontact 

You need a different saddle. Cut out saddles help some, saddles which isolate all your weight on your pelvic bones like ISM or Kontact saddles are even more effective. But don't keep doing that to yourself.

Oso Polar

Adjust your seat angle, move its nose down slightly, just a few millimeters.

fietsbob

stand on the pedals, get off the saddle every once in a while .. its Free..

Racing Dan

For me.. Before I had a seat with a convex shape. Now I have a seat with a cut out and a shape that lets me sit on the sit bones rather than the soft tissue. MUCH better.

Sillyak

I have been getting out of the saddle quite a bit. My area is constant short rolling hills. I get out of the saddle on every climb just to be moving around and stretching things out.

The cut out saddle makes sense to me. Local bike shops sells Fizik, Brooks and Selle Italia and says if a saddle doesn't work I can exchange it. Anyone have success with the Fizik open?

Lazyass

+1. The nose too high will result in pain. Drop the nose just a hair at a time, until you get the balance between crotch pain and the feeling like you're sliding down the front of the saddle. Even a tiny change in tilt can make a huge difference. Too many people give up on a saddle and have no clue they don't actually have it adjusted properly.

fietsbob

Only have the Brompton-Vitesse-Fizik , narrow nose so no cut out.., I have a Brooks team pro I've used fo over 40 years and on several tours..

but around town the 'Pleather' covered Vitesse is on my bike..

Perhaps you are rotating your hips too far forward, not doing that is doing nicely for me all these decades.




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Sillyak

Saddle is currently slightly nose down from level.

Lazyass

That's irrelevant. What matters is if you actually feel like you're sliding down the front or not. If you don't then bring the tilt down a hair, as in a tiny amount, and test it.

berner

For me, a saddle with the above mentioned cutout has been a big help. Also, I use a saddle with a 'saddle' shape where, from front to back, the middle area is lower than the ends. Easy to say but it took a number of different saddles to figure this out. Also, not too much padding.

WhyFi

What horrible advice. Junk numbness is not something to take lightly, and a properly fitting saddle will allow you to remain seated all day long.

OP, read though this, it's not a long read but it's got a lot of useful info - https://www.cervelo.com/en/engineeri...f-road-saddles

fietsbob

Im 70 and have been cycling for a very long time , and if an occasional standing on the pedals does not get circulation back in that compressed tissue
a stop for a Pub Lunch will..

If it is lasting for a long time after you get off the bike,
You may want to consult a Neurologist and/or a Urologist, but they do not offer advise for free on a Bike Forum ..




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silverado8405

Ive got a fizik open, love it. I tried the flat one and the channeled one and I hated those but the open has been a dream for me.

Stratocaster

It's happened to me, but oddly - only once. Not sure what happened on that ride. It happened about 7 miles in.

cycledogg

Saddles are the most personal part of the bike. What works for others may not work for you. If your LBS will let you try saddles, do so, but give them a GOOD HONEST try. That means, do some long rides, and short rides. Keep the saddle for as long as they allow and RIDE IT. I have had too many riders "test" ride a saddle, but only for a few short rides and say it works only to have them come back a month later and complain that it doesn't. Also, not only should the saddle be set up properly for your build, but you too, should find out if you are riding properly. You may want to invest in a bike fit session. JMHO from a long time roadie.
Cheers

Mike F

Sella Anitomica, heavy but worth it. Your junk will thank you...

Dan333SP

One thing that sometimes gets overlooked is saddle angle left/right. I use a saddle with a cutout (spec Toupe) and if I leave it dead center I get numbness. Angled a few degrees left, and now I never experience issues.

Bah Humbug

I've had good results with my Dash Strike Stock.

A disappointing number of seatposts can't be twisted. Including most Cervelos. I suspect AG's should be rotated clockwise a hair, but Cervelo means no dice.

duane041

I have tried many saddles, but have finally gone back to the Terry Fly Ti. It certainly won't win ya any "cool" points but I'm long over that crap anyway.

canklecat

I've just ticked over 1,000 miles on a Selle Italia SLS Kit Carbonio, their lowest price saddle in that current configuration. It's not the Flow version with the cutout. So far, so good, for me. No numbness or discomfort, and I usually wear shorts with minimal padding (Aerotech Pro with their tan/black faux-chamois). Check out the Flow versions of Selle Italia (I notice the guy who does the Bike Fit Adviser videos on YouTube uses a Selle Italia, although they may also be a sponsor, dunno.)

But my rides are usually 20-40 miles. Don't know yet how it'll feel after a longer ride. My main limitation is always neck pain, not saddle discomfort. That's a fit issue. I'm too stretched out on the bike. I'm going to try a shorter stem, maybe a different bar with less reach.

Of course the problem with messing with fit in one place is it may shift problems to another area. So it's possible by reduce the reach to relieve the neck and shoulder pain, I may sit more heavily in the saddle. We'll see.

Bah Humbug

Oh yeah, good lord don't listen to anything anyone says about your saddle. It doesn't even show while you're on the bike, nevermind that health and comfort far outweigh style.

canklecat

Terry saddles seem to emphasize comfort. Nothing wrong with that. My old road bike came with a Terry woman's saddle. It's shaped like a Selle Turbo but with a short nose and it's Lycra fabric over dense foam. It was very comfy in hot, muggy sweaty summer. But the short nose was annoying me so I swapped to a minimally padded Selle Italia. So far, so good, after about 1,000 miles. The longer nose helps when I'm in and out of the saddle on climbs.

I switched the Terry saddle to my hybrid. It forces a more aggressive riding style than the similarly made Lycra over dense foam comfort saddle it replaced. Not sure yet whether it's a good fit for the more upright bike.