Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Anyone else worried about ED and biking?

I'm not sating I "can't", but I'm starting to wonder about it. Enough to consider a bent!

Jerry

It's all about the fit. Proper bike fitting shouldn't cause problems.

I know that, but with all the singletracking I've been doing, and switching to a rigid frame I'm just wondering.

Jerry

If you are on a lot of single track on a rigid frame, I imagine you'd be standing quite often. Changing position that much shouldn't be putting much pressure on your "manly bits".

I still get that numbness though.

I've read where a noseless saddle is great for that. I think I'm going to get one and try it out. According to a study at a PD, almost all the LEOs choose the noseless saddle over the regular one.

Jerry

I wasn't worried about it, but after seeing this thread I got nervous, so I read up. It says people over 3 hours of ride time per week would be at the biggest risk. It would seem a ton of folks here ride way more than that. How big of an issue is this really? I'd be glad to go noseless saddle (if I knew where to find one) if it meant better protection. My fiance is going to want kids, and I don't want her to have to go elsewhere to get em ! :D

Someone should setup an anonymous poll about erection issues to see what people are really going through.

I just found this also, which looks into the statistics in some of the studies sighted:

http://www.cars-suck.org/research/wilting.html

Now I have no idea what to think.

I'll admit I think I was having problems......

Before my ankle bone started to chip away at itself, I was riding 25 miles three or fours times a week and even longer on the weekend ride. I was at this for about a month, after getting back into riding a month earlier.

Now, I'm only riding about an hour on the paths and dirt for about three days a week, sometimes only twice due to my ankle pain.

I've noticed I'm more "YEAH" now than I was in the first of September and August. Wife said so also and was wondering about it and brought it up to me last night. I kind blew it off and thought maybe we were too busy and whatnot. But now after chewing on the idea, I got to wondering. Plus, she is allowing me funds to buy a noseless seat! And she doesn't just pass the billfold!

After reading and searching, I believe that being too heavy, high blood pressure, and lack of exercise is a bigger threat than me not performing like I was at 18. But, there is always something behind this. Too much info for both sides to be totally right. So I'm just going to keep on riding, but with a Willie friendly saddle.

But, a cool racer bent is the stuff also!

Jerry

It's all about the fit. Proper bike fitting shouldn't cause problems.

+1 on proper fit and finding a saddle that works for your anatomy. I've been reading a book called "Ride to 100" The name is meant to imply both learning to ride a centrury and being able to ride into old age. They have a whole chapter on this subject. They discuss how back in the 1980's there werew a number of doctors how claimed that cycling was going to do major harm to men. The research the authors looked at showed the following:

- Cyclists have lower incidents of ED than the general public
- Runners have lower incidents of ED than cyclists
- Very high-mile riders (I think they considered it 200 miles per week or more) have higher incidents of ED than people who rode less.

Therefore getting exercise is an important factor in minimizing ED, and cycling can be part of that. Obviously if you are feeling numbness, than there is a problem with the general fit on the bike, shape of the saddle, etc, that needs to be discovered and solved.

I can personally attest that my physical fitness has improved dramatically in the last 1.5 year of daily cycling. My wife has noticed improvements in "performance" as well:).

Happy riding,
André

I wasn't worried about it, but after seeing this thread I got nervous, so I read up. It says people over 3 hours of ride time per week would be at the biggest risk.

I ride almost 3 hours a day, 5 days a week. Previously on a B-17 Champ. Standard, now on a B-17 Imperial. No problems with anything.

I am not worried, my wife is:D

When I was riding 7 days a week and over an hour to 4 hours a day, it was never a problem.

If I ever consider a bent, I'll give away manly bits!:roflmao2:

OK, all you manly men might try to be fooling some, but I know you all are going to be asking your parnter "that" question tonight!

Mr Beanz, you are too much!

Jerry

OK, all you manly men might try to be fooling some, but I know you all are going to be asking your parnter "that" question tonight!

Mr Beanz, you are too much!

Jerry

Hehehe! Well I ride a Terry Fly with the cutout. Still, on 50 or 60 mile rides, I'll get some numbies, but I stand to relieve pressure. That goes for any discomfort, not jus tthe numbies! On long rides, I think it's just natural to feel something. Do my best to prevent with good shorts and a good saddle. Never had manly problems though, other than numbies for a few seconds on a long ride. I adjust the boys as needed. If I sit wrong, I will feel discomfort and pinched nerves, but that's when I adjust!

Actually, no noticeable manly bit problems. I know they work cause I ride with my wife alot. That might have something to do with keeping them in shape and tested regularly for problems!:D

I have ridden long distances, but I am usually off of the bike after every hour or 20 miles or something like that. I have never had numbness of any kind, and I have never had a problem with ED. I know that used to be a problem 15 - 25 years ago, but seat technology was poor at best.

HI,
AS we grow older we stop making as much of that nitric oxide stuff this can lead to ED, High BP and BP meds ,can cause ED,
ANother common cause is pre-diabetic hyper glycemia, its the number one cause of ED.
And then there's the stenosis due to re-occuring injury, many people have it and don't know it.
But they tend to have problems with their legs and lower back pain.
So some people as they age need a little help with that nitric oxide. (thats all the blue pill does).
You may need to ask your dr to be sure its safe to take, some meds don't pLay well together.
Its a fact of life about 50% of the men have some form of ED as they age. DOn't worry see your DR its normal.
Doug

http://www.viagra.com/content/causes-of-erectile-dysfunction.jsp?setShowOn=../content/about-erectile-dysfunction.jsp&setShowHighlightOn=../content/causes-of-erectile-dysfunction.jsp

Its a fact of life about 50% of the men have some form of ED as they age. DOn't worry see your DR its normal.
Doug

http://www.viagra.com/content/causes-of-erectile-dysfunction.jsp?setShowOn=../content/about-erectile-dysfunction.jsp&setShowHighlightOn=../content/causes-of-erectile-dysfunction.jsp

+1 I'm not a kid anymore but with 100mg of Viagra I can bang away like an escaped lunatic. Highly recommended.

I still get that numbness though.

I've read where a noseless saddle is great for that. I think I'm going to get one and try it out. According to a study at a PD, almost all the LEOs choose the noseless saddle over the regular one.

Jerry

A saddle causes numbness because it is putting pressure on blood vessels in "that" area, this can be resolved a couple of ways, you can either change the saddle fit, moving the saddle forward or back, raising the bars will reduce the body angle, and that can take off some pressure, I suspect those folks with the bars 30cm below the saddle have the most problems, having the bars even with the saddle or even slightly higher may also help. Probably the best solution is to get a professional bike fit done, tell the fitter your having numbness issues, and they can deal with it. You can try a different saddle, you need to make sure your saddle is the right width, too narrow you get numbness, too wide you get chaffing. A fitter should deal with this as well.

The noseless saddle affects balance, in that you can't then use your thighs to assist in keeping the bike upright, realise that the thighs contain some of the largest bones and muscles in the human body, and if you get into a speed wobble, you can't clamp the saddle with your thighs, and will more likely crash. Even if you ride for 4 hours, doesn't mean you need to peddle for 4 hours, some riders find it best to get off the bike and walk around once in a while, this restores circulation, and will prevent problems.

One of the problems with studies, is often they fall into one of four categories:

1) They only deal with those that have problems....
2) They have a biased sample.
3) Have too small a sample size to be accurate
4) Have a result already intended at set out to prove it.

Let me explain what I mean by a biased sample. All the riders in the TdF would be a biased sample, because they are mostly long distance racers, with aggressive bike setups, you would expect them to have a disproportionate number of riders with this issue. An unbiased sample would be to telephone people, asking them if they are male and ride a bicycle, and then if they are and do, asking if they have this problem, until you have, say 500 riders.

It's like doing a political poll and only including those coming out of a particular parties campaign office.

First suggestion, if you have this issue, is to get a fit done, second try a different conventional saddle, if that doesn't work, switch to a bent.

+1 I'm not a kid anymore but with 100mg of Viagra I can bang away like an escaped lunatic. Highly recommended.

:roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2:

STRONG LIKE BULL!

Rode all last year and never a problem. This year about mid May on 2-3 rides, all of the sudden the boys went numb. I don't mean "itchy numb", I mean, "where the hell did they go numb?" :eek:

I adjusted the nose of the seat down about 1/4 inch and it all got better. Have not had a problem since.

Also, I think guys who are knocking out 20-30 mile rides a couple times are week have a better blood flow then the lazy pig that only golfs and therefore could by the nature of that action be better off in that arena.

Just my .02

Jay

Ugh, I'd rather not ride than ride a hammock.

I'm not sating I "can't", but I'm starting to wonder about it. Enough to consider a bent!

Jerry

Come to the dark side...I'm about to do so, and it feels sooooo gooooood.
http://www.volaerecumbents.com/2007/images/md_07century.jpg

I'm not sating I "can't", but I'm starting to wonder about it. Enough to consider a bent!

Jerry

Thanks for sharing. :)

Seriously, if your bike is fitted properly, there's little danger. The infamous study by that bike-hating doctor has serious problems.

BTW, the mere act of sitting in an office chair can reduce blood flow to the male organ nearly as much as if you sat on a bike saddle. I don't see anyone screaming about workstations causing ED.

I think the people who experience these problems due to cycling buy thick padded gel saddles. This puts pressure on the peritoneum instead of the sit bones cutting off circulation. If you a riding a proper saddle that is level it should put your weight on your sit bones and you should not have a problem.

I think the people who experience these problems due to cycling buy thick padded gel saddles. This puts pressure on the peritoneum instead of the sit bones cutting off circulation. If you a riding a proper saddle that is level it should put your weight on your sit bones and you should not have a problem.

If your saddle is putting pressure on your peritoneum, you're doing it really wrong. :lol:

Perenium would be the area you're referring to. (I hope.) The peritoneum is the mesenteric lining of your abdominal cavity.

At age 75 and over a quarter million miles of cycling, have never had any numbness.
Yup, everything works quite well!

Thanks for sharing. :)
I don't see anyone screaming about workstations causing ED.

"My workstation is causing ED!! I need to work from home on my couch!!" Someone somewhere will say that in the near future, especially in the culture we live in today.

Im fortunate as an overweight guy to have excellent BP, resting HR, Cholesteral, and blood sugar, Ive never had an ED issue, (other than one night with WAYYY to much wine LOL), but I was worried because I know I am putting a lot of weight on that area. I dont ride daily (Im between 3-5 days a week), and I stad up a lot because I know Im getting uncomfortable. I had planned on raising my handlebars anyway, now Im just going to do it sooner.

Hmm... I have been riding Selle Italia Turbo saddles (Old school baby) for decades and somehow manged to have eight children. Some of those years were racing and high mileage so no, I'm not worried.