Road Cycling - A serious question about numbness in 'the' region...

Hey all,

Although it may be a strange subject and maybe even a bit inappropriate, I just wanted to get some outside opinions on the phenomenon, as we shall call it, that has been occuring after my races for the past few months.

I train about 15 hours a week, and it's only after a race that I experience numbness pretty much all around the groin (including the 'baby maker') that lasts anywhere from a day to two or three days. I've come to the conclusion that this happens is because of the time I spend in the drops, maybe in a position that puts pressure on the nerves in the area. Today my race was only about 2 hours and I got the problem, whereas a 4 and a half hour training ride will do no such thing.

I just wanted to know if this is something normal that some of you guys get, and if when I get these stints of numbess if I am doing any permanent damage that I should be worried about. I'm not quite sure of the severity or the implications that this may have, but I figured that someone out there who has had something similar may have some answers.

Thanks in advance guys, I appreciate it.

Edit: Accidentally posted in the training forum instead of the road forum, sorry about that.

Dude, do you have suspension on your bike? You might need a different seat, too...that sounds REALLY bad..also, is your seat flat, pointing upwards or pointing downwards?

No suspension on the bike, I ride the road. The saddle is pointing downwards and is a Selle Italia Flite, by the way.

Have you tried lowering the saddle a few millimeters?
Are you sitting too far forward (on a nerve or your ...) when you're racing?
Have you tried a different saddle?

I have the Selle Italia Gel Flow with the center cutout and never have numbness problems. Maybe something like that will help.

try a bunch of different saddles. genital numbness can be a big problem, and if you don't solve it, it could become a long-term problem. if you have't had your bike professionally fitted, have it done.

No suspension on the bike, I ride the road. The saddle is pointing downwards and is a Selle Italia Flite, by the way.
try riding with the saddle leveled off... i used to ride witht he saddle pointed down a bit and boy oh boy was it a pain. its now level and not a problem...

Hey all,

Although it may be a strange subject and maybe even a bit inappropriate, I just wanted to get some outside opinions on the phenomenon, as we shall call it, that has been occuring after my races for the past few months.

I train about 15 hours a week, and it's only after a race that I experience numbness pretty much all around the groin (including the 'baby maker') that lasts anywhere from a day to two or three days. I've come to the conclusion that this happens is because of the time I spend in the drops, maybe in a position that puts pressure on the nerves in the area. Today my race was only about 2 hours and I got the problem, whereas a 4 and a half hour training ride will do no such thing.


Level the saddle and be sure the saddle height is correct. I use this same saddle on both road bikes and have had none of this.

Try on of the selle italia Trans AM series , these seem to solve most peoples problems but will not help if the saddle is too high on not level .

I just bought this seat. If you look at it you can see the cut out is very large and there is a lot of padding. Also when mounted on the bike the front end is angled down. It seams to work pretty well so far. ;)

I just bought this seat. If you look at it you can see the cut out is very large and there is a lot of padding. Also when mounted on the bike the front end is angled down. It seams to work pretty well so far. ;)
DGUT, I had one of those saddles when I started riding in 1999. I ditched it after I realized it was the stitching that was rubbing (took a while to figure out) and there was too much padding.
After migrating through several other saddles I eventually upgraded to a Terry Fly. Rode it for about 2 years.
Got the SI saddle last October.

numbness can occur in two ways: pressure on a blood vessel where you prevent the blood from reaching the "area", and pressure on a nerve.
In case of blood circulation issues you will feel pain in the "organs" and the longer you sit, the more it will hurt. However if you get off the seat, the sensation should be back in a few minutes, and no hard done..

in case of pressure on a nerve, you lose sensation but feel no pain. the surprise is when you go to take a pee and you cant find your "baby maker" cause it is all numb. This can scare the $hit out of you, and it take a day or two for the sensation to return. But more importantly, you can cause permanent damage. Every time you experience this numbness, you could lose a bit of the sensitivity of that nerve, and over time create a problem...

as some suggested, try other saddles, but what I find more effective is to find a seat angle that works for you. For me I had to tilt the seat a bit down (nose lower), but it may be different from rider to rider and saddle to saddle...

Better shorts.

I use the Selle San Marco Azoto Triathlon saddle and so far seems to have helped a lot. Check out this link for a description of the saddle www.bikesportmichigan.com/reviews/azoto.shtml

As others have said, I'd change seats in a hurry.

I have read somewhere that the hold in the middle doesn't do much. There were a few articles but I cannon find them.

Anyway, try the Fizik (http://www.roadbikereview.com/Saddles/Fizik,Aliante/PRD_131548_2509crx.aspx).

It happened to me many times before.No big deal, just give a couple of good shakes to your whole "pack" with your hand and the numbness will pass.
A wider saddle can also help.

I have read somewhere that the hold in the middle doesn't do much.

jbaskin- My sympathies. Last year I was experiencing the same kind of numbness you described... not fun at all. I would have to agree with CRSO's statement. The hole in the middle is by no means a cure-all. The worst numbing I was having was with a Selle Italia Octavia Trans Am which has a cut-out. IMHO, whether a saddle has a cut-out or not is not what's important, it's the shape of the saddle and how that matches your rear in supporting your sit bones. You're logging some substantial saddle time if you're training 15 hours a week and then racing on top of that. Because of the number of hours you put in and the racing, I would suggest steering away from a saddle with too much padding. That will probably make it worse. Your saddle needs to support your weight at the sit bones and keep pressure off your soft tissue. The more padding you have the more your weight will be spread to your soft tissue.

What solved my numbness was a switch to a Brooks Swift (all leather on a titanium frame), set perfectly level. Initial fit was not bad, certainly no numbing. After 200-300mi. break-in, the leather has molded perfectly to my sit bones, and is very comfortable.

Good luck finding the right saddle and postition!

- Ralph

i'm always numb and my saddle is a hard as butt 10 year old selle italia turbo matic. that's why this is the next thing i aim to buy http://www.serfas.com/racing_saddles/racing_saddles_03.html or http://www.serfas.com/rx_saddles/rx_saddles_02.html

i can't decide

those cutoout only make it worse IMO

Works for some,others it dont just like different saddles.

jbaskin - the problem is location. Canoga Park will do that to you. Believe me I know - I'm from Chatsworth. :)

Try adjusting your package to the other side prior to riding. And move to West Hills.

55/Rad

I mans good saddle is another mans bad nightmare!

That's a long time to feel that.....I've felt it while riding and shortly after but I usually get off the bike for a few minutes and it goes away (quickly)...kinda hard to do during a race.

I have read somewhere that the hold in the middle doesn't do much. There were a few articles but I cannon find them.

Anyway, try the Fizik (http://www.roadbikereview.com/Saddles/Fizik,Aliante/PRD_131548_2509crx.aspx).


The hole in the middle does quite a bit as long as it's under the periteneum. If that part of the body isn't directly pushing down on something, nothing will be affected. I'm on a WTB Rocket right now, but am intrigued by the Serfas race saddle linked to above. The longer I've been riding, the thinner the saddle my butt likes. My Terry Liberator was excellent with the cutout, but was too wide after a couple years of riding.

I did 40 miles this morning with some slower riders, 7am-9am, and I've had this OCR 2 for 5 days now. I did a 65 mile ride Thursday and I had no problems but today.. I've been numb for the past 13 hours now. If it helps to let you know, I only ride the drops. 17 male, 6"1', 145lbs. When I first got the bike I noticed the seat was uncomfortable but after 10 miles it would go away. I wear a pair of IP Attack shorts.

If you're getting numb for days see a doctor. You could be getting some serious nerve damage.

As far as seats you may want to try sliding yours forward and tilting it up a little. You really want to have your weight supported on the "sit bones" and not the crotch. By tilting the seat up and moving it forward you'll tend to slide back onto your sit bones. A good leather seat will conform to your anatomy over time and distribute the pressure on the sitbones evenly without putting weight on the muscles or nerves. Ironically, the softer the seat the more pressure gets put on the nerves.

You may be able to find a plastic seat that fits well enough. After many years and many seats I've found that a hard leather seat works the best for me.

I've been riding on an Avocet O2 for years. I would get a little numbness if I was seated for awhile, but nothing serious.

I recently bought a WTB Rocket V saddle and the numbness went away :D :D http://www.wtb.com/rocket_v_stealth.html
http://www.wtb.com/images/images_big/rocket_v_stealth.jpg

BTW, I got the stealth model for $54 from Nasbar (a little stocking error on their part ;) )

-murray

As suggested above if you are getting numb for that length of time see a Dr.

Perineum is the area between the anus and gentials,
Peritoneum is the outer lining of the stomach.

Phinney, Davis?

Marty

I mans good saddle is another mans bad nightmare!

Except for Brooks, in most cases. But they're so heavy I only use one on rides of 80 miles or more.

If I had a problem with numbness and wanted relief I'd start with a Brooks. If you are male and your hips are small go with a B-17N or Colt or Swallow. If you are female or have wider hips go with a standard B-17 or Professional.

You knew someone had to mention Brooks saddles eventually in this thread!

i still can't understand why they have those rounded top saddles. why arent they flat? why should th highest part of the saddle be right in my noodle?

... it's the shape of the saddle and how that matches your rear in supporting your sit bones....I would suggest steering away from a saddle with too much padding. That will probably make it worse. Your saddle needs to support your weight at the sit bones and keep pressure off your soft tissue. The more padding you have the more your weight will be spread to your soft tissue.....

- Ralph

Spoke to my LBS this week about this exact issue. The above info from rjtokyo was exactly the recommendation that I heard.
Something else of interest...One of the owners just returned from a seminar put on by Specialized regarding their Body Geometry saddles. Apparently Specialized has taken a huge interest in this topic (probably because it's been a hot topic among cyclist). Specialized has been working with a doctor (name escapes me, but it's plastered all over their web site) to try to alleviate this issue for affected riders. Apparently, they are coming out with a "fit system" for saddles that should start showing up in shops within the next week or so. From what I was told, you will sit on this 'device'. This device will help to decide the exact location of your sit bones. From this, they will recommend a more specific size saddle. Apparently, there will be a new range of BG saddles in different lengths and widths. From the sample saddle I saw, they don't look much like the current BG saddle, they look much more like racing saddles with cut-outs. Minimal padding and a bit more flexible (similar to the way Fizik is advertising their saddles). The only thing I really didn't like was the embroidered 'BG' on the flanks of the saddle. I tend to stay away from any kind of embroidery on the saddle as it has a habit of abrading my nice bibs. Either way, sounds interesting. I'll have to stop back when they're set up to "fit saddle".

No advertisement for Specialized expressed or implied…Your mileage may vary…all standard disclaimers apply. ;)

those cutoout only make it worse IMO


No they don´t , but they can´t compensate for a poor installation and that´s normally more the problem . Too soft can be a problem as can using one of the latest pro style minimalist saddles - just ´cause the pros can use them don´t mean you can - remember that you take a lot of your weight on your legs , as you tire then more weight goes on the saddle : that´s why a saddle that fitted last season is a pain after the winter break .

re fitkits ; read K Bontrager´s thoughts on this subject at Sheldon Brown´s web site .

My LBS has this article on "numbness":
http://www.chainreaction.com/saddles.htm

I have one of those Serfas saddles...love it.

I think it's more of wherer the cutout is in relation to your ....hardware, than it is jsut having a cutout...and the serfas has a "one cut fits all" design to it, or as some nono-cyclists have called it, a "butt-vent"

I'm having some serious problems now. I have been numb but being sponsored I can't stop riding or training, or going to my friends house ;) But when I can't get an errection, thats very bad. It's not like I'm at an age where that is normal either. I'm only freaking 17. I'm riding, or no longer riding.. a Selle Royal Viper. I seriously don't like seeing doctors, please help.

On a serious note, anyone tried this?
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=114&subcategory=1082&brand=&sku=6295&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=

And on another note...
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/real-man.html

I found the solution while eating dinner tonight. Just thought I'd share it with you guys! I am going to check with the doctor though. What is the worst she could do? Stick a finger in my butt? :eek: Yeah that is pretty nasty.. Thank God I found this out when I did! See Attatched..

The best seat that I found that work was a very firm dense foam seat that had a 7 inch width at the rear and made out of leather. It is made by Viscount for REI bikes, this is the best seat that I have ever had. All four of my bikes have this saddle. Before this saddle I must have gone through 10 saddles, all causing numbness. My advice try every seat you can get your hand on, even the less expensive ones.

Funny thing happened today at the doctors office. She asked me to pull down my pants and so I stood up and dropped them and held up my shirt and she poked around and when she was finishing up she looked up and me and said, "You're handsome". I pulled my pants back up and she kept saying it's going to be fine... It's fine, it's fine.

I think we should all just put the big old schwin sparkly banana seats on our rides

How tall are you, weight?

Saddles are like shoes, and not as universal as bike dealers imply. Your saddle may be too narrow for you, putting pressure on nerves, so listening about different saddles from others is pointless. You want the weight to rest on the pelvis and NOT the area between the pelvic bones. Shorts will not change this, you may need a wider seat. I found that the Speciallized V-saddle works best for me, I had the same problem, but i'm 6'4", 200lbs.