Originally Posted by
garethzbarker
OK, first of all, there's nothing in that article about cycling having a negative effect on female fertility.
Secondly, the article says:
The study, published in the May edition of the Journal of Sexual Medicine, analyzed 48 women who qualified because they routinely ride at least 10 miles per week.
The participants were asked to ride their own bike, mounted on a stand so it did not move. They were then asked if they experienced “soreness, tingling and other sensations” in their nether regions.
Where to begin ... ?
a) 10 miles per week is nothing.
b) one wonders what sort of bicycle a person who rides 10 miles a week rides, and whether or not that bicycle is set up correctly, and whether or not any thought at all has been given to getting a decent saddle, or wearing cycling clothing or anything like that. There's no discussion about what size these women are, or their age, or fitness levels. The article omits so much information it's hard not to burst out laughing at it.
c) while riding a trainer is easier than cycling outside in general, it is harder on the "nether regions". One test of a really good saddle is if you can manage an half an hour on the trainer without any numbness etc..
Putting women with next to no cycling experience (and goodness only knows what sort of setup, saddle, clothing, etc.) onto a trainer is
asking for “soreness, tingling and other sensations”.
Of course they're going to experience “soreness, tingling and other sensations”. It would be a miracle if they didn't. But the “soreness, tingling and other sensations” will go away a few minutes after they get off the bicycle.
And if these same women rode outside for the same length of time they were on the trainer, most likely they would not experience any “soreness, tingling and other sensations” at all ... or very little.
It almost sounds like a set-up ... like whoever did the so-called "research" set the study up in his/her favour to prove his/her hypothesis.
d) the article doesn't say how long these 48 women rode their bicycles on the trainer.
e) the article doesn't mention any conclusions. It says they asked 48 women "
if they experienced “soreness, tingling and other sensations” in their nether regions", but it doesn't say anything like 12 of the 48 women experienced “soreness, tingling and other sensations” after 30 minutes of riding, or whatever.
The article is completely inconclusive.
As I've mentioned, I've done
a lot of cycling outside and I rarely experience any “soreness, tingling and other sensations”. However, put me onto a trainer, even with my broken in beautifully comfortable B17s, and I experience “soreness, tingling and other sensations”.
One of the reasons for that is because when I ride outside I move around on the saddle, I shift my position periodically. I also stand up and stretch now and then. Whereas, on a trainer, I tend to remain in basically the same position for a longer period of time. Another reason is because the bicycle on a trainer might not be the same levelness as it is on the road. The back wheel is up on the trainer, and you've got to do something with the front wheel to try to make it level. There are wheel holders, but I'm not convinced they're quite the right height.
If your wife is not experiencing any discomfort when she rides ... I wouldn't worry about it. If she is experiencing some discomfort, then work through some of the suggestions here.
