On my longer XC gravel rides - sometimes few seconds stand up from saddle (or shift ride positon when criusing downhill) doing it's magic. And different saddle as well.
BRAVO GCN!!! The other day, Manon had a short dealing with ladies’ periods and cycling, and now this. It’s fantastic that this channel tackles these real and somewhat awkward topics. This is GCN’s highest purpose!!
I agree. This happens to me and I don't really know why, although I have an idea... I just need to lose weight, but perhaps there's a better answer in this video, I need to watch when I get a chance!
Foot numbness. > Overly flexing the ankle, saddle to high/low, cleat placement, insoles and importance of arch support and even metatarsal support. @@gcn I didn't know some these things when it came to foot support/insoles, I spent long days in the saddle and have permanently ruined the nerves in my feet.
Definitely an issue to avoid, or deal with. Very useful content. The cut out/short nosed saddle made a big difference for me personally. I also worked on where I sat on the saddle. I then moved it forward until I was able to sit on it correctly in my favored position. Spent a lot of hours gathering info and trial and error.
I participate in ultra distance cycling races and suffered from a terribly painful perineum inflammation after racing for 1500km almost non-stop. It was really difficult to find a specialist who knows about cycling related issues, and actually first mistaken for prostate issues, which prolonged the issue unnecessarily. So I am really happy this is a topic you talk about! It's more common among cyclists than one might think! 😢
@gcn yes in the end it all worked out fine and I have spent long days in the saddle again since then. :) but it's really no joke! It took quite long to sit down confidently again, as I felt anxious about putting normal pressure on the saddle for many weeks.. really bad experience overall! 🤒🤕
Agree with Phil, saddle tilt should be the first thing you adjust. I used to get numb on 20 mile rides, changed my tilt ever so slightly, and no signs of numbness on 50+ mile rides now.
When i was starting cycling i found out that the problem is not the bike saddle but the fact that i was obese and my groin area had considerable fat. I realized that when i also experienced the same numbness after sitting on a soft couch. Thanks to the fact that pedalling action turned out to be a good exercise to reduce fat in that area, i no longer experience "numbness" after losing 20 lbs. 😊
Had very bad sudden perineal pain which kept me off the bike for a few weeks. Got a new cutout/shorter saddle and adjusted tilt to -1.6 deg and has been great since. Glad GCN is addressing this issue!
I'm at -1.6 as well. I had it at -2 but I found I was sliding off the sit bones on to the more narrow part of the saddle. Seems to be roughly the right tilt for me
Great to hear that you fixed the issue! Cut out saddles can be a great go to option 🙌 Did it take some trial and error before finding the perfect combination?
@@gcn Thanks! Like others have said here, I initially went too far with the tilt at -2 or more, then dialed it back. -1.6 seems right for me who always had a slight positive saddle tilt (strangely, was to avoid sit bone pain years ago). Also moved my saddle a bit forward as well.
This is awesome. Thank you for not only tackling this issue, but also tackling it with specificity and maturity. This kind of content is very useful, informative, and hopefully help people out there.
As helpful as the short nose and cut-out saddle may be, I found I was being forced forward onto the narrower part of the seat because I was on too WIDE a saddle for the width of my sit bones. Before discovering I was on too wide a saddle, I moved it as far forward on the rails as possible. In winter I ride ride rollers a lot and found it necessary to dismount every 20 minutes because of discomfort. Selecting a saddle which is the right width (for me nearer 130mm) has worked magic
Really great stuff! I've been teaching indoor cycling since 2003 and helped a bunch of people over the years with these issues exactly as described here. Nothing more to add - just great job on covering this topic in a complete way!!!
A timely video, given that we are now firmly in indoor season and plenty of people, like me, will be finding that a fit that works great for them out on the road isn't so good in a more stationary environment. Well done GCN.
Exactly that - indoor trainers being much more fixed means you wiggle around less and are more prone to these issues. What do you try to alleviate the problem?
@@gcn Well, this is the first winter during which I am spending a lot of time on the turbo so I am still in the process of experimenting. I've just had my first session on a new saddle (shorty style with substantial cutout), so we'll see how that goes.
I get it once in a while. I just stand up from my saddle, shake it off, adjust my butt on the saddle and carry on. Glad this topic was covered. Great video as always GCN!
Thanks for tackling this taboo topic. Have been wondering about some small adjustments recently. I definitely find staying in a fixed position while indoor training causes numbness towards the end of workouts. Standing here and there is always helpful. And I’ll take the advice to nudge my saddle forward a bit. Thanks Si!!
as some cyclists are hung like a horse - the old school Selle Italia seats with full padded uppers was definitely the source of my numbness and discomfort - even after short one hour rides - it was so bad I was close to hanging up the pedals as it took 3-days to recover - with the now near universal Selle Italia cut-out seats - I use a Selle Italia Flite + Castelli KISS chamois with LOTS of chamois grease - 6 hour rides later with zero discomfort or numbness - hee-haw - I have NEVER sat on anything else since - best cycling gear decision EVER - literally saved my road cycling
I bought a newer frame earlier this year and kept the saddle, seatpost from my much older bike, same position, and everything. I found it was working my lower back and upper glutes far more. I hadn't taken into consideration the racier geometry. I moved the saddle forward, and that solved the problem.
I found that a saddle with thinner firmer cushioning and a cutout helped this issue. My biggest issue was on 8 to 10 hour mountain bike rides, particularly long stretches of sitting. I have found a saddle that seems to work so I put it on my endurance MTB and also on my gravel bike.
Good clip, Just bought a Zwift indoor trainer and for the first time ever got penile numbness after 40 mins . Never have it outside. Now have soft nose saddle and wobble under the feet of the zwift hub for a more natural less static ride. It works .
** I had this issue and purchased every seat... adjustable ones, super soft, hard, custom made one! you name it! I learned everything that every video talks about regarding bike adjustments etc.. Nothing worked! Then I went to get a Proper bike fit (a physiotherapist who also knows his cycling) , In my case, right away he said my hamstrings where too tight, so he got me stretching these for 30-60 seconds a few sets each leg after each ride (as well made a few tweaks on the bike) and it made all the difference in the world ** SERIOUSLY GET THIS DONE!
Picking your saddle is like a perfect pair of jeans, once you find it buy a a few of them because they will stop making them in a few years. I've had the same saddle design for the last 30 years. Selle Italia flight.
Exactly. All my saddles are transfers from older bikes. I don't get the hard ones with channels. The narrow foamy gel ones have always worked fine for me.
You hear over and over again that a cutout is the thing to look for to avoid perineal pressure. But the truth is, you need support in this area, on the lateral space of the perineum. This means that if you have a cutout that is too big, then the pressure will be offloaded to the edges of the cutout. The key is it get the V or T shape of the saddle that gives you support for the pubic rami, without compressing the central perineum. A wider cutout is not always best, and a v-shaped saddle with a cutout that is just finger width may be better for some. Your saddle angle will also very much affect how much weight is distributed to the ischial tuberositities, relative to the pubic rami. Setback, saddle height and angle will therefore all depend on how well the saddle is adapted to your morphology and riding style. When you are perfectly balanced, you'll know it!!
Very last comment is key beyond basic points. I've only every experienced numbness on 50+ mi rides and that was fixed by minor adjustments on the saddle.
adjustment: I rotate the handle bar upwards a little bit so that the tips of the brake/ gear change top is closer nearer. Less aero ,, no issues at all with the million dollar spot at all since
In addition to all the tips in the vid, I would also add that its also helpful to get out of the saddle for a few seconds every now and then, to alleviate the pressure on the soft tissue.
100% of the time if my ride is over 2 hours. Thanks for the content, good reminder of what to check and recheck every time an issue pops up or numbs out.
This video nailed it. I found that a flat saddle tilted down just a little, and moved forward, put ALL the pressure on the ischial tuberosities (sit bones) and none on the perineum. I also don't use heavily padded shorts because that padding will put pressure on the perineum as well. Takes a little getting used to and those bones will be sore initially, but they adjust and I have no numbness or tingling no matter how long I ride. You do NOT want to get ED as a result of good exercise and fun.
A lot of bike shop will measure your sit bone width and then get the appropriate saddle so they are supported properly. This was one of the biggest factors for me.
After installing a Spongey Wonder noseless saddle, my undercarriage problems disappeared. The saddle took a while to get used to and adjusted properly but it's made a positive difference in my cycling experience.
I had this issue a couple years ago, and pitching the saddle down and sliding it forward a bit and that took care of it for over 90% of my rides under 3 hours.
Thanks Si, great subject to discuss. I love my ISM PR 1.0 saddle. Solved my long Ironman 180km rides and on my Giant TCR road bike with my double century (200km +) rides. Some other subjects that you might have already discussed: * Numb feet * Sore backs (generally because of fit and lack of CORE strength for the position) - but i think you guys have already covered this before.
I prefer relatively hard flat saddles, and regular unpadded shorts.The key is to get something solid under your sit bones. If your sit-bones are sinking into the thick soft padding, then more of the weight ends up on softer parts. Also, don't be afraid to experiment with seat angle. Different saddles have a different taper and curve, and that can lead to a different effective angle than what it looks like. particularly with a long reach, or large saddle to bar drop,
Just taken up cycling and really looking to get stuck in. This is the first thing I sorted, 2/3 rides in and there was no way I was going to continue riding with a standard saddle. Found Selle saddles and problem solved, it just makes sense!
Typically excellent and informative video. Time honoured advice here, pretty much unchanged since I started riding seriously over 40 years ago, tilting the saddle forward being the most common sense one. My Brooks Cambrium cutout C15 has served me well in this respect - supremely comfortable.
A solution you didn’t mention if you are struggling to solve the issue is finding a bike fitter that uses Saddle Pressure Mapping to dial in your saddle position like Performance BikeFit near Portsmouth in Hampshire UK
I prefer a very narrow saddle- hand-built selle italia with fibreglass body and titanium rails- no hole in the middle- very comfortable, no numbness no ED- what doesn't get sat on, doesn't get numb- the hole in the middle can chafe on the edges of the hole, so I avoid holes. The fibreglass body flexes as you ride, providing a suspension-like comfort.
I wish Companies would start adding extra room in the crotch of Men’s Cycling Bibs and Shorts, like modern boxer briefs have, because I don’t have any issues from the saddle, but I feel like most Shorts and Bibs mash my junk, and it’s just too tight and uncomfortable- adding a pouch like area, like modern boxer briefs would remedy this greatly….who’s with me on this? Come on Castelli, Rapha, and Gorewear, etc, let’s make Men’s bibs and shorts more comfortable please! 🙏🏼
This is a good reason to have a bike fit done either bi-annually or every 3-4 years.. Your body changes and the stress points change as you get older or more fit. Another good idea is try to work with the bike shop you purchased your bike from, typically they have a try-before you by program on saddles so you get exactly the one you need. I tried a dual cutout version on my TT bike and I ride so forward on it the compression of the nose caused chaffing on my inner thighs. Seems counter intuitive but generally I do better with saddles that have less padding. All personal preference though.. :) Good Topic.
Did a long day ride in the Surrey Hills. Loads of climbing and spent way too much time seated climbing. Couldn’t feel my nob properly for 4 days after. Most odd when having a wee. You can see the wee coming out of what appears to be a useless appendage. Straight off and bought a saddle with the middle cut out. I now try and get out the saddle for a while when climbing to get the blood flow back to the old fella.
Great to hear that you loved the video, are there any other subject you think we should be answering? We're always open to new ways we can share knowledge the GCN community 🙌
Sure! I know this probably has been done in the past, but videos on riding as you get older are always good. Also, would love a behind the scenes video on the people who work there--they (and you) need some props!@@gcn
Strictly speaking for myself, it was a bike fit issue, my bike was just too big for me, reach was too long (left wrist numbness), saddle too high, too far back. I'd say the longer the ride the more the problem presents itself. Haven't had any issues with my new (correctly sized and fitted) bike in 1000+ km
Proper bike fit and saddle choise is better spend money than carbon wheels. I've had these issue. For the time with that problem take a break, even a few weeks and go do a bike fit, during that time, don't drink coffee or any sugary drinks, eat anti-inflamatory diet. Buy youself at least two pair of good quality bibs for thouse long training hours. Other things that help a little is all legs gym training, core training with all these kegele and muscles aroung your stuff, it just add more resiliant meat to butt cheks and area. Other thing is to lose weight, it also made a difference for me. Buy thouse rubbery ends to your trainer, so it can wobble a bit like when you pedal outside. And the last one, not for every one, start running zone2, especialy in the winter, or when is convinent, insted of long zone2 in the saddle, do a brick and take a run outside and finishied off on a trainer.
Great vid. Stretching would also help. This is my case: I had numbness when passed 1-hour Training. My bike fitter did some adjustments and he suggested me a change for a short-nose saddle that I found for cheap in a sale. He also recommended I enhance my daily stretching routine, because in my very case, the numbness was related to poor elasticity in the lower back and hamstrings that overloaded the hips muscles and the perineum.
Simon mentioned that the wide part of the saddle where the sitting bones rest needs to be firmer than the front or the nose of the saddle. Indeed, the 3D printed saddles from Specialized (or others) are like that...Just in case somebody is looking into buying a new saddle.
Yeah men can adjust themselves but our clits kinda stay in the way. Usually it's not too bad riding but then there are sometimes some shooting/jolts later to the good bits that make me fear I'll lose her 😮
Amy Hudson recently posted a video of getting a bike fit to resolve some of her pain/numbness issues. ua-cam.com/video/YA6PX_OiGTA/v-deo.htmlsi=oG7ws-Rpy_VQ_aDk The saddle pressure mapping definitely showed the difference bike fit can make.
Had issues with perinieal pain myself when I bought a road bike coming from an MTB background. Anything more than 2 hours I started to feel pain, finally did a bike fit and ironically I was correct on height, reach and the like but my saddle needed to be tilted forward to around -1.4 to fix the issue. The issue went away now and could ride for hours without pain. Discovered road bikes are more important to have a proper bike fit due to the amount of time you spend on the saddle compared to MTB.
Great video. Had horrible, sickly aching in one of my plumbs - to the extent I went to docs to get it checked out. All fine, so wondered more about the bike despite having had a fit and (key) it never hurt on the bike itself, or rather never seemed to cause it. Tried a wider pressure relief saddle (turns out I have wide sit bones despite relatively slim hips/waste) and it made all the difference. But, still - don't ever not go to the docs if things are causing concern. Seen him since and he said it was absolutely the right thing to do.
Great video, well done GCN. I have experienced this problem a couple of times after buying a new pair of cycling shorts. They were particularly tight around the nether regions and lacked padding where it mattered. I don't wear them now and haven't experienced the problem since. However, I think I would also benefit from a professional bike fit as I do tend to gravitate towards the nose of the saddle when I'm riding and have to periodically move myself back.
I experienced this a little earlier this year when I first started doing longer rides. In my case it was in part being new to it and in part not having a decent pair of shorts. Switching to better quality shorts that gave me more support and stopped me moving around has meant I might now only experience a little bit of numbness after 5-6 hours in the saddle.
Specialized Mirror saddle (short nosed and cut-out) and Assos cycle bibs solved all my problems. Can hardly believe the difference in comfort (a plague for 30+ years - especially front end numbness gone like magic). Both cost a lot - but would not use anything else today.
I found that a very stiff saddle with minimal padding or no padding at all, associated with a good bib is what work best for me. Never had any issues anymore ...to much padding on the saddle push material where is not needed ad compression of th soft tissues happen..
I switched to an ISM saddle similar to the obe shown toward end of video). Problem instantly gone. There is a reason triathletes overwhelmingly use this type of saddle. It is so effective. The only downside is not that it doesnt work for some people (it is almost 100 percent effective for numbness), its just that the sit bone area will not work for everyone (same problem as every saddle has, as mentioned in video). One thing I found odd about the video is that it focused exclusively on only half the problem of guys twig and berries getting numb (dont know if UA-cam will let me use correct terminology). I think its a more common problem for the ol' marbles to get numb.
Thank you for this content. During my indoor workouts on a free roll trainer I sometimes have this numbness which forrces me to get out of the saddle. This improves balance so I made the best out of it. Not to mention working on best fitting. Have a good day!
@@MrEpsilonZero There are many windblocking fabrics (neoprene being one). There is even underwear made with windblocking. Personally, I wear a cycling short and on top of that a cross country ski pant, which has windblock (nylon or softshell) in the front. Excellent results with complete coverage right down to feet.
i’ve had this issue since i started cycling, and recently changing my saddle to the fizik vento argo completely eliminated any numbness, never thought it would be possible to race and ride 5h+ without any signs of numbness
Back when I was racing seriously like 15 years ago, it was still so taboo. Riding modern pursuit bikes before stubby seats was brutal. Some of us on the team took hacksaws to our Fiziks and ductape seat was a great look for unobtanium track bikes!
Very good video! I have noticed that I suffer from this in indoor trainer, but not when I am riding outside. Also, selecting saddle is a very personal thing, one fit one person, but not the other person. I had to test 7 different saddles (Fizik), before I found the one that fit me the best (I was very lucky with the dealer, since they had lot of test saddles that I could try for couple days each). I also noticed that the one I wanted did not fit me at all (3D-printed one), riding after 1 hour with it was a total misery (I have bike fitting done, I will never buy a bike without fitting anymore), the one that I finally picked is a joy even after full day in the saddle! 😁
Hey - it's more common on indoor trainers as you tend to ride in a very fixed position, and shuffle around less. Some companies, like Wahoo, do trainers that allow some movement, but people also make rocker plates (and even use tennis balls) to allow a more realistic movement on the trainer which should also help.
I think the key is finding the right balance. Too steep of tilt and I find myself sliding off my sit bones and sitting on the more narrow portion of the saddle. All soft tissue. If the angle is too shallow I will be on the sit bones but the front of the saddle will dig in and cause pressure. So finding the point where your weight is on your sitbones but its nose down enough to relieve perennial pressure seems to be ideal for me. Switchin from 2 degrees nose down to 1.6 is enough to put me roughly in the right place.
How have you dealt with this issue on the bike? 🚴
It only happens when I wear certain bibs, but I'm so glad I'm not the only one with a numb penis....
I use an ISM Adamo on the windcatcher bike, otherwise I ride recumbents :)
I leaned my saddle more forward
On my longer XC gravel rides - sometimes few seconds stand up from saddle (or shift ride positon when criusing downhill) doing it's magic. And different saddle as well.
Training hip mobility to rotate my pelvis more to the front.
now this is the content we look for GCN
It has been covered by the GCN several times before.
@@philipcooper8297so it really is something we look for🗿
@@philipcooper8297only tickled. They really have in depth videos on it like this
No no, I really look for bike racing content too. Dammit WBD+....
@@philipcooper8297 get out bed and shake it off
BRAVO GCN!!! The other day, Manon had a short dealing with ladies’ periods and cycling, and now this. It’s fantastic that this channel tackles these real and somewhat awkward topics. This is GCN’s highest purpose!!
I agree. This happens to me and I don't really know why, although I have an idea... I just need to lose weight, but perhaps there's a better answer in this video, I need to watch when I get a chance!
Thanks Daniel - what would you like to see the team talk about next?
Foot numbness. > Overly flexing the ankle, saddle to high/low, cleat placement, insoles and importance of arch support and even metatarsal support. @@gcn
I didn't know some these things when it came to foot support/insoles, I spent long days in the saddle and have permanently ruined the nerves in my feet.
how to avoid .. uh... stomach issues while on endurance rides.
Great points!
If you can’t feel your paddle, you gotta sort your saddle
Oh John, we wished we'd thought of that for the video :D
Going from solid to cut out did the trick for me years ago. Well done Si. You and your team are a skilled group of information presenters.
Thanks Tim! What would you like to see Si discuss next?
Definitely an issue to avoid, or deal with. Very useful content. The cut out/short nosed saddle made a big difference for me personally. I also worked on where I sat on the saddle. I then moved it forward until I was able to sit on it correctly in my favored position. Spent a lot of hours gathering info and trial and error.
I participate in ultra distance cycling races and suffered from a terribly painful perineum inflammation after racing for 1500km almost non-stop. It was really difficult to find a specialist who knows about cycling related issues, and actually first mistaken for prostate issues, which prolonged the issue unnecessarily. So I am really happy this is a topic you talk about! It's more common among cyclists than one might think! 😢
Oh no! Hope you were able to get this fixed?
@gcn yes in the end it all worked out fine and I have spent long days in the saddle again since then. :) but it's really no joke! It took quite long to sit down confidently again, as I felt anxious about putting normal pressure on the saddle for many weeks.. really bad experience overall! 🤒🤕
Agree with Phil, saddle tilt should be the first thing you adjust. I used to get numb on 20 mile rides, changed my tilt ever so slightly, and no signs of numbness on 50+ mile rides now.
Great tip 🙌
Which way did u tilt it
@@johnrogers6616 tilted forward slightly
When i was starting cycling i found out that the problem is not the bike saddle but the fact that i was obese and my groin area had considerable fat. I realized that when i also experienced the same numbness after sitting on a soft couch. Thanks to the fact that pedalling action turned out to be a good exercise to reduce fat in that area, i no longer experience "numbness" after losing 20 lbs. 😊
💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻 nice man! Congrats
Obese or not, newbies just need to condition their butts to the routine.
Allahu Akbar Moment
Great to hear that cycling has helped your health 🙌 It's such a great tool to keeping fit, what's your next on the bike goal?
Had very bad sudden perineal pain which kept me off the bike for a few weeks. Got a new cutout/shorter saddle and adjusted tilt to -1.6 deg and has been great since. Glad GCN is addressing this issue!
I'm at -1.6 as well. I had it at -2 but I found I was sliding off the sit bones on to the more narrow part of the saddle. Seems to be roughly the right tilt for me
-1.2 for me. Flat my balls touch, any lower down I get saddle sores.
Great to hear that you fixed the issue! Cut out saddles can be a great go to option 🙌 Did it take some trial and error before finding the perfect combination?
@@gcn Thanks! Like others have said here, I initially went too far with the tilt at -2 or more, then dialed it back. -1.6 seems right for me who always had a slight positive saddle tilt (strangely, was to avoid sit bone pain years ago). Also moved my saddle a bit forward as well.
@@___Bebo___how do you get an angle so precise.??
This is awesome. Thank you for not only tackling this issue, but also tackling it with specificity and maturity. This kind of content is very useful, informative, and hopefully help people out there.
As helpful as the short nose and cut-out saddle may be, I found I was being forced forward onto the narrower part of the seat because I was on too WIDE a saddle for the width of my sit bones. Before discovering I was on too wide a saddle, I moved it as far forward on the rails as possible. In winter I ride ride rollers a lot and found it necessary to dismount every 20 minutes because of discomfort. Selecting a saddle which is the right width (for me nearer 130mm) has worked magic
That's a great tip - glad you were able to solve the problem!
Really great stuff! I've been teaching indoor cycling since 2003 and helped a bunch of people over the years with these issues exactly as described here.
Nothing more to add - just great job on covering this topic in a complete way!!!
Not many ride a saddle with no cut-out nowadays I've noticed, great great video 👌
Sent the video to my wife, she rarely watches GCN, but she'll definitely like this one.🎉
😂
A timely video, given that we are now firmly in indoor season and plenty of people, like me, will be finding that a fit that works great for them out on the road isn't so good in a more stationary environment. Well done GCN.
Exactly that - indoor trainers being much more fixed means you wiggle around less and are more prone to these issues. What do you try to alleviate the problem?
@@gcn Well, this is the first winter during which I am spending a lot of time on the turbo so I am still in the process of experimenting. I've just had my first session on a new saddle (shorty style with substantial cutout), so we'll see how that goes.
I get it once in a while. I just stand up from my saddle, shake it off, adjust my butt on the saddle and carry on. Glad this topic was covered. Great video as always GCN!
Excellent video and Simon is just such an excellent presenter. Thank you
Thanks for tackling this taboo topic. Have been wondering about some small adjustments recently. I definitely find staying in a fixed position while indoor training causes numbness towards the end of workouts. Standing here and there is always helpful. And I’ll take the advice to nudge my saddle forward a bit. Thanks Si!!
as some cyclists are hung like a horse - the old school Selle Italia seats with full padded uppers was definitely the source of my numbness and discomfort - even after short one hour rides - it was so bad I was close to hanging up the pedals as it took 3-days to recover - with the now near universal Selle Italia cut-out seats - I use a Selle Italia Flite + Castelli KISS chamois with LOTS of chamois grease - 6 hour rides later with zero discomfort or numbness - hee-haw - I have NEVER sat on anything else since - best cycling gear decision EVER - literally saved my road cycling
I bought a newer frame earlier this year and kept the saddle, seatpost from my much older bike, same position, and everything. I found it was working my lower back and upper glutes far more. I hadn't taken into consideration the racier geometry. I moved the saddle forward, and that solved the problem.
Race geometry can have a huge impact on the bike 👀 Great to hear you've found a system that works for you. What new bike did you go for?
I found that a saddle with thinner firmer cushioning and a cutout helped this issue. My biggest issue was on 8 to 10 hour mountain bike rides, particularly long stretches of sitting. I have found a saddle that seems to work so I put it on my endurance MTB and also on my gravel bike.
MTB can be a whole different kettle of fish - All that in and out the saddle can really take its toll 👀
Great video. I had this problem, particularly on day-long rides of 10+ hours. For me, new saddles with cut-outs fixed it for me.
Good clip, Just bought a Zwift indoor trainer and for the first time ever got penile numbness after 40 mins . Never have it outside. Now have soft nose saddle and wobble under the feet of the zwift hub for a more natural less static ride. It works .
** I had this issue and purchased every seat... adjustable ones, super soft, hard, custom made one! you name it! I learned everything that every video talks about regarding bike adjustments etc.. Nothing worked! Then I went to get a Proper bike fit (a physiotherapist who also knows his cycling) , In my case, right away he said my hamstrings where too tight, so he got me stretching these for 30-60 seconds a few sets each leg after each ride (as well made a few tweaks on the bike) and it made all the difference in the world ** SERIOUSLY GET THIS DONE!
I've had this happen more on motorcycles than bicycles, but thanks for tackling this very real topic.
Picking your saddle is like a perfect pair of jeans, once you find it buy a a few of them because they will stop making them in a few years.
I've had the same saddle design for the last 30 years.
Selle Italia flight.
Exactly. All my saddles are transfers from older bikes. I don't get the hard ones with channels. The narrow foamy gel ones have always worked fine for me.
1. Stem to long / Saddle to far back
2. Saddle to high
3. Saddle tilt
4. Saddle to narrow/to round
All the GCN guys need to wear white or light grey cycling shorts and your views will go UP!!
You hear over and over again that a cutout is the thing to look for to avoid perineal pressure. But the truth is, you need support in this area, on the lateral space of the perineum. This means that if you have a cutout that is too big, then the pressure will be offloaded to the edges of the cutout. The key is it get the V or T shape of the saddle that gives you support for the pubic rami, without compressing the central perineum. A wider cutout is not always best, and a v-shaped saddle with a cutout that is just finger width may be better for some. Your saddle angle will also very much affect how much weight is distributed to the ischial tuberositities, relative to the pubic rami. Setback, saddle height and angle will therefore all depend on how well the saddle is adapted to your morphology and riding style. When you are perfectly balanced, you'll know it!!
Very last comment is key beyond basic points. I've only every experienced numbness on 50+ mi rides and that was fixed by minor adjustments on the saddle.
I just started cycling more and more, and have noticed a tiny twinge in the region. Never anything numb, but just something. Great video to help!
adjustment: I rotate the handle bar upwards a little bit so that the tips of the brake/ gear change top is closer nearer. Less aero ,, no issues at all with the million dollar spot at all since
In addition to all the tips in the vid, I would also add that its also helpful to get out of the saddle for a few seconds every now and then, to alleviate the pressure on the soft tissue.
nose down was the game changer for me. The second thing was a saddle that was made for my size. the difference was immense.
I’ve never considered posting anything in the comments about this part of my body…until now. Thanks GCN!
100% of the time if my ride is over 2 hours. Thanks for the content, good reminder of what to check and recheck every time an issue pops up or numbs out.
This video nailed it. I found that a flat saddle tilted down just a little, and moved forward, put ALL the pressure on the ischial tuberosities (sit bones) and none on the perineum. I also don't use heavily padded shorts because that padding will put pressure on the perineum as well. Takes a little getting used to and those bones will be sore initially, but they adjust and I have no numbness or tingling no matter how long I ride. You do NOT want to get ED as a result of good exercise and fun.
Can happen on the indoor trainer indeed if you don't stand up from time to time, it in general when pedalling too long flat roads.
A lot of bike shop will measure your sit bone width and then get the appropriate saddle so they are supported properly. This was one of the biggest factors for me.
After installing a Spongey Wonder noseless saddle, my undercarriage problems disappeared. The saddle took a while to get used to and adjusted properly but it's made a positive difference in my cycling experience.
I had this issue a couple years ago, and pitching the saddle down and sliding it forward a bit and that took care of it for over 90% of my rides under 3 hours.
Finally, someone made this video
Thanks Si, great subject to discuss. I love my ISM PR 1.0 saddle. Solved my long Ironman 180km rides and on my Giant TCR road bike with my double century (200km +) rides.
Some other subjects that you might have already discussed:
* Numb feet
* Sore backs (generally because of fit and lack of CORE strength for the position) - but i think you guys have already covered this before.
I prefer relatively hard flat saddles, and regular unpadded shorts.The key is to get something solid under your sit bones. If your sit-bones are sinking into the thick soft padding, then more of the weight ends up on softer parts.
Also, don't be afraid to experiment with seat angle. Different saddles have a different taper and curve, and that can lead to a different effective angle than what it looks like.
particularly with a long reach, or large saddle to bar drop,
Just taken up cycling and really looking to get stuck in. This is the first thing I sorted, 2/3 rides in and there was no way I was going to continue riding with a standard saddle. Found Selle saddles and problem solved, it just makes sense!
thanks so much for tackling such -no punn intended-such a tender topic.
@8:00 you can also get a riser extension. That's what I did to raise my handlebars up.
I suffered from this, and then realised I’d been married for 25 years and that was the problem. Good video though guys well done.
Typically excellent and informative video. Time honoured advice here, pretty much unchanged since I started riding seriously over 40 years ago, tilting the saddle forward being the most common sense one. My Brooks Cambrium cutout C15 has served me well in this respect - supremely comfortable.
Thanks Ian - glad you enjoyed it. What will you be watching next?
A solution you didn’t mention if you are struggling to solve the issue is finding a bike fitter that uses Saddle Pressure Mapping to dial in your saddle position like Performance BikeFit near Portsmouth in Hampshire UK
I prefer a very narrow saddle- hand-built selle italia with fibreglass body and titanium rails- no hole in the middle- very comfortable, no numbness no ED- what doesn't get sat on, doesn't get numb- the hole in the middle can chafe on the edges of the hole, so I avoid holes. The fibreglass body flexes as you ride, providing a suspension-like comfort.
Was not expecting a video with this title when I checked my subscriptions 😂
thank you GCN, finally someone who approaches this topic seriously 👏👏👏
I get this , I’ve tried all different saddles and bib shorts , definitely going to get a bike fit and see if that helps
I wish Companies would start adding extra room in the crotch of Men’s Cycling Bibs and Shorts, like modern boxer briefs have, because I don’t have any issues from the saddle, but I feel like most Shorts and Bibs mash my junk, and it’s just too tight and uncomfortable- adding a pouch like area, like modern boxer briefs would remedy this greatly….who’s with me on this? Come on Castelli, Rapha, and Gorewear, etc, let’s make Men’s bibs and shorts more comfortable please! 🙏🏼
Totally with you, that’s my most common source of discomfort. Got to scoop em up. Leaves nothing to imagination when your off the bike though😂
finally, been waiting for this for years, especially in winter
This is a good reason to have a bike fit done either bi-annually or every 3-4 years.. Your body changes and the stress points change as you get older or more fit. Another good idea is try to work with the bike shop you purchased your bike from, typically they have a try-before you by program on saddles so you get exactly the one you need. I tried a dual cutout version on my TT bike and I ride so forward on it the compression of the nose caused chaffing on my inner thighs. Seems counter intuitive but generally I do better with saddles that have less padding. All personal preference though.. :) Good Topic.
Did a long day ride in the Surrey Hills. Loads of climbing and spent way too much time seated climbing. Couldn’t feel my nob properly for 4 days after.
Most odd when having a wee. You can see the wee coming out of what appears to be a useless appendage.
Straight off and bought a saddle with the middle cut out. I now try and get out the saddle for a while when climbing to get the blood flow back to the old fella.
Finally a video worth watching with useful information
All of my saddle discomfort issues were fixed when i got a Brooks saddle. The extra weight is well worth the comfort.
I have the Cambium with cut out. Marvellous bit of kit.
FYI! Women also can get numbness in the same place when riding due to the same nerve pinching. This is not just a problem men have.
Brilliant, helpful advice. Glad you are covering this and Manon is talking about periods. We’re grown ups and can handle this.
Great to hear that you loved the video, are there any other subject you think we should be answering? We're always open to new ways we can share knowledge the GCN community 🙌
Sure! I know this probably has been done in the past, but videos on riding as you get older are always good. Also, would love a behind the scenes video on the people who work there--they (and you) need some props!@@gcn
Great video covering the aspects of a widely experienced issue for male cyclists.
This has caused me issues only on indoor cycling and it has impacted directly how much I train bike during winter
Finally someone talks about the subject! Thank you
This is really helpful. Thanks for tackling the subject.
Finally a video I can relate to
The wings saddle was amazing to pedal with no restrictions for me. But I'm mostly a mountain biker and need to get behind the saddle too. Dilemma.
I have had issues for years with this I finally found the SQ saddle and it’s a game changer
Strictly speaking for myself, it was a bike fit issue, my bike was just too big for me, reach was too long (left wrist numbness), saddle too high, too far back. I'd say the longer the ride the more the problem presents itself. Haven't had any issues with my new (correctly sized and fitted) bike in 1000+ km
What impresses me is how Simon manages to keep a very serious face while listening.
Hes a shower
Yeah, we're equally impressed!
If you wake up and your arm’s numb you just shake it off :-)
Proper bike fit and saddle choise is better spend money than carbon wheels. I've had these issue. For the time with that problem take a break, even a few weeks and go do a bike fit, during that time, don't drink coffee or any sugary drinks, eat anti-inflamatory diet. Buy youself at least two pair of good quality bibs for thouse long training hours. Other things that help a little is all legs gym training, core training with all these kegele and muscles aroung your stuff, it just add more resiliant meat to butt cheks and area. Other thing is to lose weight, it also made a difference for me. Buy thouse rubbery ends to your trainer, so it can wobble a bit like when you pedal outside. And the last one, not for every one, start running zone2, especialy in the winter, or when is convinent, insted of long zone2 in the saddle, do a brick and take a run outside and finishied off on a trainer.
This is the hard hitting content we come for
Great vid. Stretching would also help. This is my case:
I had numbness when passed 1-hour Training. My bike fitter did some adjustments and he suggested me a change for a short-nose saddle that I found for cheap in a sale. He also recommended I enhance my daily stretching routine, because in my very case, the numbness was related to poor elasticity in the lower back and hamstrings that overloaded the hips muscles and the perineum.
Simon mentioned that the wide part of the saddle where the sitting bones rest needs to be firmer than the front or the nose of the saddle. Indeed, the 3D printed saddles from Specialized (or others) are like that...Just in case somebody is looking into buying a new saddle.
Can we please have one of these videos for women. I've had a numbness problem in the past and couldnt figure out why.
Yeah men can adjust themselves but our clits kinda stay in the way. Usually it's not too bad riding but then there are sometimes some shooting/jolts later to the good bits that make me fear I'll lose her 😮
Amy Hudson recently posted a video of getting a bike fit to resolve some of her pain/numbness issues. ua-cam.com/video/YA6PX_OiGTA/v-deo.htmlsi=oG7ws-Rpy_VQ_aDk
The saddle pressure mapping definitely showed the difference bike fit can make.
Well done for covering a sensitive topic
well done GCN! great information.....I never had this problem only numbness in the hands! keep up the good work!
Had issues with perinieal pain myself when I bought a road bike coming from an MTB background. Anything more than 2 hours I started to feel pain, finally did a bike fit and ironically I was correct on height, reach and the like but my saddle needed to be tilted forward to around -1.4 to fix the issue. The issue went away now and could ride for hours without pain. Discovered road bikes are more important to have a proper bike fit due to the amount of time you spend on the saddle compared to MTB.
Not the content we wanted but the content we NEED! Thanks GCN 👍🏻
No worries Bertie! We are always down to share cycling knowledge with the GCN community 🙌It's all about making you guys the best cyclists possible 👌
Great Vid Si, useful information and kudos for keeping a straight face through a minefield of potential puns.
Great video. Had horrible, sickly aching in one of my plumbs - to the extent I went to docs to get it checked out. All fine, so wondered more about the bike despite having had a fit and (key) it never hurt on the bike itself, or rather never seemed to cause it.
Tried a wider pressure relief saddle (turns out I have wide sit bones despite relatively slim hips/waste) and it made all the difference.
But, still - don't ever not go to the docs if things are causing concern. Seen him since and he said it was absolutely the right thing to do.
Great video, well done GCN. I have experienced this problem a couple of times after buying a new pair of cycling shorts. They were particularly tight around the nether regions and lacked padding where it mattered. I don't wear them now and haven't experienced the problem since. However, I think I would also benefit from a professional bike fit as I do tend to gravitate towards the nose of the saddle when I'm riding and have to periodically move myself back.
I can attest to what he said about just a few degrees of saddle tilt making a world of difference
I experienced this a little earlier this year when I first started doing longer rides. In my case it was in part being new to it and in part not having a decent pair of shorts. Switching to better quality shorts that gave me more support and stopped me moving around has meant I might now only experience a little bit of numbness after 5-6 hours in the saddle.
Great to hear that it's helped you! Although, the goal is no numbness at all are you hoping to look elsewhere and get rid of the numbness for good? 👀
Specialized Mirror saddle (short nosed and cut-out) and Assos cycle bibs solved all my problems. Can hardly believe the difference in comfort (a plague for 30+ years - especially front end numbness gone like magic). Both cost a lot - but would not use anything else today.
I found that a very stiff saddle with minimal padding or no padding at all, associated with a good bib is what work best for me. Never had any issues anymore ...to much padding on the saddle push material where is not needed ad compression of th soft tissues happen..
I switched to an ISM saddle similar to the obe shown toward end of video). Problem instantly gone.
There is a reason triathletes overwhelmingly use this type of saddle. It is so effective. The only downside is not that it doesnt work for some people (it is almost 100 percent effective for numbness), its just that the sit bone area will not work for everyone (same problem as every saddle has, as mentioned in video).
One thing I found odd about the video is that it focused exclusively on only half the problem of guys twig and berries getting numb (dont know if UA-cam will let me use correct terminology). I think its a more common problem for the ol' marbles to get numb.
Thank you for this content. During my indoor workouts on a free roll trainer I sometimes have this numbness which forrces me to get out of the saddle. This improves balance so I made the best out of it. Not to mention working on best fitting. Have a good day!
Having experienced this on rare occasions, thank you GCN
As a Canadian who has ridden in some pretty cold weather, the private parts can get very cold, both painful and numb. 😂😂😂
Maybe avoid naked cycling in those conditions??? 😆
Stop every 5 miles to do a start to finish diagnostic test. I did that when I lived in Wisconson.
Any tips and solutions ?
@@MrEpsilonZero There are many windblocking fabrics (neoprene being one). There is even underwear made with windblocking. Personally, I wear a cycling short and on top of that a cross country ski pant, which has windblock (nylon or softshell) in the front. Excellent results with complete coverage right down to feet.
Otherwise, in tropical region we are suffering from "overheat", but it’s just feel normal eventhough not good for men.
Now this is a content we all appreciate
i’ve had this issue since i started cycling, and recently changing my saddle to the fizik vento argo completely eliminated any numbness, never thought it would be possible to race and ride 5h+ without any signs of numbness
Good video Simon. 😃👍
Back when I was racing seriously like 15 years ago, it was still so taboo. Riding modern pursuit bikes before stubby seats was brutal. Some of us on the team took hacksaws to our Fiziks and ductape seat was a great look for unobtanium track bikes!
Very good video! I have noticed that I suffer from this in indoor trainer, but not when I am riding outside. Also, selecting saddle is a very personal thing, one fit one person, but not the other person. I had to test 7 different saddles (Fizik), before I found the one that fit me the best (I was very lucky with the dealer, since they had lot of test saddles that I could try for couple days each). I also noticed that the one I wanted did not fit me at all (3D-printed one), riding after 1 hour with it was a total misery (I have bike fitting done, I will never buy a bike without fitting anymore), the one that I finally picked is a joy even after full day in the saddle! 😁
Hey - it's more common on indoor trainers as you tend to ride in a very fixed position, and shuffle around less. Some companies, like Wahoo, do trainers that allow some movement, but people also make rocker plates (and even use tennis balls) to allow a more realistic movement on the trainer which should also help.
I think the key is finding the right balance. Too steep of tilt and I find myself sliding off my sit bones and sitting on the more narrow portion of the saddle. All soft tissue. If the angle is too shallow I will be on the sit bones but the front of the saddle will dig in and cause pressure. So finding the point where your weight is on your sitbones but its nose down enough to relieve perennial pressure seems to be ideal for me. Switchin from 2 degrees nose down to 1.6 is enough to put me roughly in the right place.
I just follow the same advice on how to prevent numb hands and that is to make sure it's not fully stretched out when resting on the handlebars
Only ever had this once and that was doing a 120 mile Zwift ride, was a very odd feeling I don't wish to repeat.