Filed under: Etc., Transportation Alternatives, On Two Wheels, USA
Dude! Better bicycle seat yields better sex
SpongyWonder bicycle seat
Some of us guys who use a bicycle to commute to school or work expect to reap the benefits this kind of self-propelled transportation provides. We save money and don't pollute by going gas free. We get a bit of a cardio workout and reduce our need for expensive medical treatment later on. However, for some there are drawbacks to cycling that don't get mentioned much because it was thought nothing much could be done about it and besides that, there are some things guys just don't like to talk about.
For those of you who were afraid to ask there is good news to be had today. A new study informs us that no-nose bicycle seats can improve penile sensation and erectile function whilst decreasing "groin numbness" and perineal discomfort. No, really! The study was carried out over the span of a year using 90 cycling police officers from all over the country as guinea pigs and found that, well, no-nose bicycle seats rule! Of course, some complain that this type of seat also decreases control over your bike (and looks funny) but for transportation purposes they should function just fine. There are many different styles of noseless saddles out there so hit up the great Google and take a gander.
[Source: Science Daily]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Brent 6:56PM (8/12/2008)
Interesting, maybe for my road bike, but I use the nose on my mountain bike a lot.
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Jim E 7:31PM (8/12/2008)
Now that is multi-tasking!
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Benjamin Jones 8:19PM (8/12/2008)
I understand the argument that hard, thin saddles could damage the prostate on a road bike for racers just because of the amount you lean forward and the stiffness of the saddle (I ride a carbon fiber saddle with a 7" drop from the saddle to the bars), but for most commuters/casual riders with fat ass soft saddles anyway, I don't see that there'll be a big issue.
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Brent 10:57PM (8/12/2008)
Carbon saddle? Damn man. You must be a weight weenie! :) Those things look painful to me... maybe if I had better shorts...
J 10:54PM (8/12/2008)
This article is a load of crap. Who properly adjusted the 90 officers to make sure the control group was not just a bunch of $500 mtn bikes not knowing what to do?
Standard seats offer exponentially more control, and improved safety, and when adjusted properly are just as comfortable. I agree with Ben Jones.
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GenWaylaid 3:29AM (8/13/2008)
For years I've maintained that there is no greater ergonomic mismatch than a conventional bicycle seat and the male anatomy.
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Chris M 3:35AM (8/13/2008)
Years ago I remember seeing a metal bicycle seat with a distinctive "scoop out" at just *that* spot.. and thinking,
Oh, man, thats some BIG stud!" LOL!
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Zigster 8:57AM (8/13/2008)
Tilting the saddle forward a couple of degress would have accomplished the same result.
Remember, harder saddles are safer because all the weight is on your sit bones. Soft saddles allow you to sink in, putting pressure on the taint.
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Will 10:54AM (8/13/2008)
And as Dave Zabriski has said countless times, mainTAINTenance is the best form of prevention.
MikeInNC 8:59AM (8/13/2008)
When they start popping up in real numbers at "The Tour", if that ever happens, you'll start seeing more widespread adoption.
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john riley 10:11AM (8/13/2008)
This is not the first study to indicate some issues with conventional seats. I am thinking there may be some other variables, like the weight of the rider. It might be that fit, light riders don't have issues and heavier riders do?
This is my idea of a bicycle seat:
http://www.ransbikes.com/Straus%20LE%2007/Dstratseat.jpg
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Paul Allen 10:29AM (8/13/2008)
I tried that spongy wonder seat, it was uncomfortable, and VERY heavy.
The Pro-Hub X2 is much better: http://www.hobsonseats.com/
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BoomBoom 10:43AM (8/13/2008)
Man, people are incredible. Someone does an actual scientific study and the people it effects just say "I don't believe it." You might as well try to convince them that the earth is round or that asbestos is actually good for you. Yum. The only good side is that hopefully, with a reduction in reproductive rates, the genes for "denial of scientific fact" will slowly leave our population :)
The other alternative that hasn't been brought up is a recumbent. No health effects there, plus they have the potential to be so fast that the Tour de France had to ban them. Have your cake and eat it too. (Duck, here come the flaming posts from the Roid-Raging-Roadies)
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cw 3:56AM (8/16/2008)
Well, the problem with this is that in a few months there will be a "scientific study" that refutes this one.
I'm one of those guys who spent a while looking into these designs before buying a saddle and continue to watch the debate. I even bought "the seat" (hornless saddle), though I returned it - didn't feel right for me.
The horn of a saddle really does offer useful control if you sit in leaned forward position. The hornless saddles generally are better suited to people who ride in a very upright position (beach cruisers, livery bikes). This is true even for your average cheap mtn bike. Of course, if you get something that is sized and adjusted properly for you and how you want to ride, then the weight should be properly over your sit bones anyway, even with the horned saddle.
What is probably most important, however, is to understand that bicycle saddles are SADDLES not seats. Your legs are supposed to support your weight to a large degree. This lessens the potential pressure on the crotch.
It's really like the differences slow cars and fast cars - what makes an Elise go around corners fast, is what makes it suck going over potholes. What makes a Roadmaster great at going over potholes, makes it suck at going fast. What makes an '92 Bronco with a 20" lift good at going over stuff, is what makes it suck at pretty much everything else.
If want to be the most comfy on a bike, not put a lot of strain and sweat into a ride, get big handlebars that come back to meet you with a nice wide*, springy (notice I didn't say "spongy") saddle with a shorter horn - or no horn. If you want to go fast, go up hills, etc. get a narrower, longer, lighter saddle* and a stem/bar combo that'll let you get down into a nice poundy tuck when you need to.
Then there is also recumbents....and electric assist.... (another time, another rant)
peace: cW
*the optimal width to match that of your ischial tuberosities - aka, sit bones
Cyclist 9:24AM (9/07/2008)
Actually, there are many studies that have looked at this issue. Some find the traditional saddles are a problem, others have not.
From what I've read and experienced, a hard (but slightly flexible) leather saddle is best. The idea is to get your weight on your ischial tuberosities (sit bones), not on you perineum. The soft saddles allow you to luxuriously sink in, but then it's the perineum that's supporting your weight.
So nosed or noseless, as long as you sit on your sit bones and not the soft parts in between, you'll have sex for decades to come.
ronnie schreiber 11:02AM (8/13/2008)
They've been making male specific saddles for over a decade. They have either a cutout or a softer, relieved section under the perineum.
Numbness isn't a problem for most male cyclists in real life. On a trainer is a different issue because you don't move around on a trainer like you do when riding on the road or trails. In real life you get off the saddle when accelerating or move forward or back depending on if you're climbing or not.
The only time I've ever gone numb has been on an indoor trainer. The good thing about a trainer is that they are so boring, nobody can do more than 45 min or an hour on the things.
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tankd0g 11:24AM (8/13/2008)
Ug, this idea is as old as the hills and it might help you get it up but you won't be able to handle it with the carpel tunnel syndrome you get from leaning on your wrists all the time.
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Greg 2:01PM (8/13/2008)
I rode a racing saddle for several years and developed E.D. Before you conclude the former caused the latter, I stopped riding 4 years before developing E.D.
Go figure.
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Seerak 3:42PM (8/13/2008)
Funny thing about this, is that I have a Schwinn gel seat I never used, that has two big round lobes to the back, and a long "shaft" facing forward. It looks just like.... Dr. Evil's spaceship from the Austin Powers flick ;)
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George Krpan 10:45PM (8/13/2008)
Another product designed by people who don't ride bikes to sell to people who don't ride bikes.
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