Fifty Plus (50+) - Prostate and saddle choice

Having some trouble with an enlarged prostate and my once comfortable saddle now is not. Has anyone had this problem and found changing saddles helped or is it just something you suffer with. I was thinking a Specialized saddle with the split in the middle?

A relief in the saddle or that which you suggested. The past few years, the designs seem to favor a flatter, wider profile to accomodate the sit-bones. These designs also rely upon platform flexibility rather than only padding like years ago.
Specialized is a sensible choice; they're highly rec. by many. Spec. makes good stuff and the dealers, the Local Bike Shops that sell 'em, have 'em IN STOCK. The very best way. Some places have meas. devices as well. LBSs often allow exchanges.
Toupe comes to mind as I've read here, other choices too, I'm sure.

I ride with a Specialized Alias. It's similar to the Toupe, but with a little padding. It works really well for me on the road bike. My touring bike has a Selle Anatomica and it works well with the more upright position of that bike; however, the Anatomica takes some work to get all of the adjustments right. Give the Specialized saddles a try.

For me, a Specialized Alias saddle was the worst one I ever road on.

I would try different saddles to see if any others help, but I sort of doubt it will.

Regardless, let us know what works (for the day when we walk in your shoes).

Believe it or not, but foods can contribute to this problem. Giving up asparagus and wheat really helped me. When I mentioned this to my Doctor, he said diet sodas gave him plenty of prostate problems. Try eliminating one thing at a time for 3 weeks. See if there is an improvement. Start with things you may have added recently, then try things that may give you other problems. Like a little heartburn or gas. bk

Cycling and prostatitis are two things that seem to come up now and then on this forum. Most of the saddle recommendations are by folks who haven't ever had it and who do not know what it feel like.

I've been afflicted with it. It isn't fun when you can't pee and your kidneys HURT because of it and riding/walking/sitting/standing/resting irritates it worse.

For me, I switched to a Specialized Phenom for my road bike and stayed off my mtn bike for 2 months. Once I healed and my prostate went back down I restarted mtn biking. The key was to stop aggravating the problem as much as possible and take the drugs that the Doc recommended. Then don't repeat whatever it was that started the problem.

I suspect that if you rest, take the meds and switch saddles you'll be fine. Finding a saddle, however, isn't exactly something you do out of a catalog. You need to know how wide, what shape, and what padding you require and the only way to get that info is to saddle shop and ride different ones until you find "the one" for you.

I hated the only cut-out saddle I've ever tried, and ride comfortably with a Brooks B17 (actually three of them, on three bikes). But I came across this the other day; might be an answer:
http://www.rivbike.com/products/list/saddles_and_seat_posts?a=1&page=all#product=11-074

No prostate so no problem- but saddle choice with a prostate problem is difficult.

After the Radical Prostactomy to remove the Prostate- I had a problem. My old Flite Ti. saddle was no longer comfortable. 8 years ago and saddle with the cutaway were just coming in and I got one. Won't expand it more but 6 years and lots of saddles later- the pain went away. I got a road bike as a change from the MTB's and the new narrow saddle and the different riding position worked.

The saddles I now have are similar in shape to my original Flite Ti but have the cutaway.

Setting the saddle up is very important- as I have found a couple of times when the saddle no longer worked. You have to sit on the sit bones and adjust the saddle angle so that most of your weight is being taken on the sit bones. Wide saddles- and "Comfy" saddles do not work. The two I Use now are a Flite Max Gel-and a San Marco "Aero". Both narrow- both with cutouts and both with minimal padding .

But setting up the saddle correctly is the important part of relieving pain.

pedalhard,
If anyone ever comes up with an answer to this post it will be worth a lot. I never had any problems until I went through radiation treatments for prostate cancer 10 months ago. Now none of my saddles are comfortable. I have bought two new ones this year and they are no better. Still searching.
Good luck.

Well after boo coo problems ,PC- bracky - then got a stricture-turp, Got another one could not get comfortable- another turp all within a 2 year period, Bought a trike and to my suprise I love it. Try it you may like it.

pedalhard,
If anyone ever comes up with an answer to this post it will be worth a lot. I never had any problems until I went through radiation treatments for prostate cancer 10 months ago. Now none of my saddles are comfortable. I have bought two new ones this year and they are no better. Still searching.
Good luck.

I had RP and you had Radiaition. Both of us had problems afterwards so perhaps the change in the prostate - or rather in the tissue surrounding it- Is what is causing the problem. And I do not want to alarm you but it took 5 years before I found a saddle that I was comfortable with.

Thanks for all the replys, I did not want to waste money on a new saddle if the problem was the prostate and not the saddle. I will try some time off the bike and I got this stuff called prosteas, it's a natural product to reduce the size, hope it works? This is the only part of getting older I find a drag.