General Cycling Discussion - Brooks Saddles and "Sleepy Pee Pee's"

After the constant barrage of advise on how Brooks saddles are so comfortable I finally took the plunge. Bought a B17N. Up till now I had always used an "ergo" saddle due to numbness issues. Has anyone riding Brooks had any problems with this?

None here. I think the Brooks puts the weight off onto your hands and shoulders more and I have been more apt to feel minor discomfort (never numbness) in that area. I have NEVER had any discomfort in the saddle area. I have the standard B17 (x2)

None here. I think the Brooks puts the weight off onto your hands and shoulders more and I have been more apt to feel minor discomfort (never numbness) in that area.
Your Brooks might do that since you have it tipped downward. Most people I've encountered ride with a Brooks tipped slightly up at the nose, putting the weight onto your sit bones where it belongs. A saddle that puts the weight onto my hands and shoulders would quickly get adjusted and told to stop doing that! If it refused, it would go into the box with all my other uncomfortable monstrosities.

I've had 'sleepy pee pee' with a couple of supposedly 'ergo' saddles. I've never had a problem with Brooks (Team Professional or B-17). My weight is on my sit bones, not my bits.

I've had 'sleepy pee pee'.

I experienced it for the first time in 25 years just this morning while on a ride!

So you suggest that I tilt the seat upwards? Just how much "should" do the trick?

I experienced it for the first time in 25 years just this morning while on a ride!

So you suggest that I tilt the seat upwards? Just how much "should" do the trick?

Only a tiny little bit. Just enough so you don't slide forward.

And something else to think about...

The biggest cause of numb-pecker-syndrome is having the handlebar too low. That forces you to lean over onto your soft parts. Ouch. If you can raise the handlebar do it. But not too much or it will make your bike handle funny. Set the handlebar level with the saddle (plus or minus an inch).

Roger wil-co!

I experienced it for the first time in 25 years just this morning while on a ride!

So you suggest that I tilt the seat upwards? Just how much "should" do the trick?
As cycletourist said, just a little bit up at a time. On some saddles this will stop the boys going to sleep on me, while on others no amount of fiddling with the saddle positon will keep them awake :p.

When it comes to any part of riding position, make changes in very small increments and always one at a time so you can pinpoint what effect each change has had on your comfort and efficiency. I've found the low handlebar problem was also corrected by working on the strength and flexibility of my core, allowing me to more comfortably lean over that little bit further without putting pressure on the sensitive bits (yoga or pilates are great for this, as is just a little bit of good old stretching...).

I love to watch yoga....does that count? LOL....

Ya, I am a big fan of stretching. I have pulled way too many muscle to not be.

You have a new Brooks, it will take about 200-500 miles for the sit bones to make indentations in the leather, once that occures your sleepy pee pee will be greatly reduced. I have a Brooks Swift and I don't have that problem BUT I do get off the seat about every 10 to 15 minutes and ride for about a minute that way to get the blood flowing. I've had numbnuts riding a Selle Flite Transam (they have a cut out), so I don't put a whole lot of confidence in those kind of seats preventing that. There is a new seat on the market called the Flow which I've heard works but I have no personal experience and besides I love my Brooks.

I don't know why more people don't try the Koobi Au Enduro saddle...no more worries about my manhood since I got one.

Only a tiny little bit. Just enough so you don't slide forward.

And something else to think about...

The biggest cause of numb-pecker-syndrome is having the handlebar too low. That forces you to lean over onto your soft parts. Ouch. If you can raise the handlebar do it. But not too much or it will make your bike handle funny. Set the handlebar level with the saddle (plus or minus an inch).

"numb-pecker-syndrome"... hehe, he said, "numb-pecker-syndrome"!!

:D :eek: :p

Tea, Thats what it is. First time it happened to me I stopped half way through a ride to let nature take its course, couldn't feel a thing.

But that's why Man was endowed with 2 hands and 10 fingers.

<grin>