Woolly Mammoth

What should I do in regards to my junk falling asleep while riding? I guess I need to adjust the saddle? While I am on the topic of parts falling asleep, my hands frequently go numb as well. Thanks for any advice.

ThermionicScott 

I'm surprised that people are willing to put up with numb genitals for any period of time. Are you sliding forward on the saddle? If the nose is tilted down, the tendency is to slide forward, forcing the rider to push back with the hands to stay in place.

fietsbob

get off and walk the bike for a while, or at least stand on the pedals . get your Butt off the saddle .

back stiff and bending forward hips and all can be part of your issue , hold hips upright and bent
in your spine above your hips .

and there is no need to have your Bars Low.. change the bike setup .
Breeding is overrated in an overpopulated planet anyhow ..

chaadster

I'm one who put up with numb genitals for such a long period of time that it would probably blow Thermionic's mind. I'm talking well north of 20 years.

Why? Well, I suppose that between thinking it was unavoidable after some period of time in the saddle and that it was something I could ameliorate if I changed something (nicer shorts, different saddle, lose weight, ride more), I became inured to it.

I did try a host of saddles, eventually settling on the original Selle Italia Flite as a favorite, despite the problem persisting. I played with saddle tilt, and stopped buying cheapo Nashbar brand shorts in favor of pricier Pearl Izumi sh*t. Nothing prevented it, so I used the Fietsbob method and just got accustomed to getting out of the saddle often as a way to prevent the discomfort.

It was only last year that I discovered Selle SMP saddles, the Dynamic model in particular. It's remarkable, and the only saddle that completely eliminated SJS for me (aka 'sleepy junk syndrome'). Aside from the facts that the steel railed Dynamic weighs a portly 265gm and the carbon railed version of same costs a hefty $400, I love the saddle with it's swoopy chassis, long rails, and huge central cutout.

I don't know if the SMP Dynamic (or other SMP model) will eliminate SJS for everyone, but they sure seem like they ought to.

Carbonfiberboy 

Never put up with it. There's a saddle out there somewhere that will be perfect, no SJS, no sores, no real discomfort. You just have to find it. Performance has a great return policy. When I was looking, I'd buy 3 at a time and send them back. If a saddle feels fine at first, good, but you can't really tell until after the third hour. Specialized saddles are only sold through LBS, but they usually have a good return policy, too. Many folks like the Romin a lot.

Wash and dry the saddle and put it back in the original packaging with new zip ties.

SurlyLaika

Be very careful riding long distances with numbed genitalia. I thought I could just power through some discomfort, but the numbing fooled me. I damaged my perineum badly and have been off the bike for about the last 2 months now. Seriously, get that fixed. Don't hurt yourself.

tzolandz

OK, rather than start a new thread, i figured i could ask in this one....

i bought my bike (KHS Vitamin B) in June and rode it all summer with no issues making minor tweaks along the way. In the past few weeks I put it up on a trainer - cycleops fluid 2, with cycleops block and the lowest height. Now when i ride i am getting sleepy junk. brought the sadddle up almost inch, no help. Moved it forward (thinking i was too far forward on it) - made it a bunch worse.

should i just put everything back where i started? any other thoughts?

chaadster

I would suspect that in your case, i.e. having no problem on the road, and numbness only on the trainer, that it's due to the unusually long and invariable seating position when on the trainer.

In my experience, making an effort to lift off the saddle periodically BEFORE the tingling sets in and to continue moving around (with particular focus on lifting off the saddle) throughout the period on the trainer will allow you to manage the effect.

Another option would be to change your positioning on the bike while on the trainer, perhaps rotating back on the sitz bones in a more upright position. Of course, the inconvenience of changing things around is clear, especially if the bike comes on and off the trainer regularly.

It may be possible to replace the saddle while the bike is on the trainer with one that works better for the application; for example, I had an Oval 700 (or something) that caused genital numbing on long road rides, which I switched out recently for a SMP Dynamic, solving that issue and introducing me to the most comfortable seat I've ever had. A WTB, perhaps the Lazer model, was fitted to the stationary bike I ride, and was wicked. I played around with positioning for quite awhile, but couldn't do 40mins without genital numbing no matter what. In desperation, I tried the Oval on the stationary, and while it's not ideal from a total comfort perspective, it did alleviate the numbing completely.

In short, look at changing the way you sit on the saddle while on the stationary trainer, and above all, don't be stationary while using it!

rumrunn6

what makes you think "it's" asleep? what are you expecting of it?

JerrySTL

With both junk and hands going numb, sounds like you could use a professional fitting or at least let someone with plenty of experience look at you on the bike.

Other than that, get out of the seat often. If you live in a hilly area, climb out of the saddle when the opportunity arises. I live in a flat area of Illinois and have to remind myself to get out of the saddle every so often. Often I'll take a drink out of the water bottle; put it back into the holder; then get out of the saddle for a while.

Carbonfiberboy 

Being able to bring the saddle up almost an inch and still be able to pedal is a bad sign, i.e. a sign that your fit is not even close. With one foot clipped in and the heel of your cycling shoe on the other pedal, rotate that pedal so that the crank is aligned with the seat tube. Your knee should be completely locked out with no pressure on the pedal, and without rocking your pelvis. Some people prefer a small gap between the heel of their shoe and that pedal, up to ~4mm.

Yes, look for a saddle that won't make you numb on the trainer and use the same saddle on the road. Standing every 10-15 minutes is a good idea, but you should be able to sit for an hour without going numb. Don't put up with it.

jyl

I get numbness after 6 hours in the saddle, not 1. What you're experiencing is not right, check fit then try different saddles and saddle angles.

You want a saddle that supports your weight via the bones of your pelvis resting on the rear of the saddle, not the soft center of your crotch pressing on the center or nose of the saddle. Start with saddle flat, then try tilting it back (nose high) a tiny bit. Counter intuitive, but that can cause your weight to shift back to the bones/rear and away from the soft/center.

BikeFitPro

Go see a bike shop that has a SwitchIt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4w0OU36RfWY
Also consider a good bike fit.
Best of luck

tzolandz

thanks everyone. followed Carbonfiber's tip and seem to have gotten the height dialed in. no more sleepiness for me. still fiddling front to back a little but no discomfort.