Originally Posted by
Pennman
Just bought a new bike (Marin Kentfield) for some exercise on a local rail trail. Have done quite a bit of road biking in the past but haven't ridden for about 5 years. I'm trying to set this new bike up and first thing I need to do is to change the seat due to bph and a pretty big prostrate. Sit bone measurement is 130mm which includes added 20mm. My choices are pretty much down to two; Brooks carved saddle and Selle Italia SLR Boost SuperFlow TDF Road (largest cutout offered by Selle Italia). Not too worried about comfort since I won't be doing any marathons but interested in protecting the vitals. (at 79 who isn't). Any suggestions to this controversial topic would be appreciated.
I have two ideas. One is to get an older Selle Anatomica and widen the slot near the widest part of the saddle, to reduce it pressing on the prostate. Another is to reduce the saddle height maybe 5 mm to increase your ability to lift your body above the saddle and reduce direct pressure. I'm not in this end of the mens' health swimming pool yet, beyond taking a very light dose of daily Flowmax. But I don't understand the idea to raise the saddle: if one has an enlarged prostate, why does one need a saddle height which is 20 mm higher than where it was before the enlargement occured? My assumption would be that if adjusting saddle height can reduce pain due to this issue, the goal would be to reduce the height to reduce the pressure on the prostate, or whatever is hurting in your pelvic basin. If you reduce the saddle height by maybe 2/10 of an inch, you have more knee bend and be able to lift your body above the saddle surface as you ride. I know that if my saddle is too high, I can get a lot of pain due to abrasion as my hips rock.
A used Brooks Imperial or Selle AnAtomica (an X model, a T model, or one with no "letter grade" would be softest and most compliant, even after you tension up the nose screw) could be the best canvas on which to experiment. "Used" because they can be softer, and if you want to trim the slot edges to widen it, you don't have to worry about making an expensive new one worthless. If you trim the slot edges to widen it that might physically reduce the contact against the prostate area. It could also result in accelerated stretching of the leather skin as it ages.
I throw this out as an attempt to be helpful. I'm not a doctor or even an experienced patient in this matter. Even though I thought of it, I don't think I would try it without talking to my doctor first. It's just that raising the saddle seems to be going in the wrong direction. I have widened the slot on one of mine and it does improve comfort a little. It makes the sides of the saddle act more like a pair of hammocks that support you along your sit bones, rather than pressing on the bits between them.