Erectile dysfunction in bicyclists is as much about riding position as it is about the saddle, say two urologists who have studied the problem.
Many male cyclists who have suffered this numbing sensation down below may already have come to this conclusion. But now we have proof from two researchers at Boston University who used digital three-dimensional modeling.
A report in UroToday says the two, J. M. Gemery and S. K. Reid, concluded that cyclists who lean far forward eliminate most of the benefits of using a bicycle saddle with a groove down the middle.
The urologists tested standard and grooved bicycle saddles against three different riding styles — upright, leaning partly forward and leaning full forward. They checked to see which saddles and riding positions compressed the pudendal arteries against the pelvis.
Their analysis showed that in an upright rider does not appear to compress the pudendal arteries between the pelvis and saddle.
By leaning partly forward with arms extended, the report states, the space is reduced to 73 mm2 on a narrow racing saddle and 259 mm2 on a grooved saddle. Leaning fully forward, the space is eliminated on narrow saddle and reduced to 51 mm2 on the grooved saddle.
“This is a small improvement over the standard seat but it shows that rider position can nearly eliminate the improvements that the grooved seat provides.”
To me, this research reinforces the importance of proper bike fit and smart saddle choice.
Former Bicycling mag editor Jim Langely offers a guide to bike saddles at his website, and bike guru Sheldon Brown writes that male impotence from cycling and how to correct it through proper bike fit, positioning and saddle type and adjustment.
See also “Don't fret over bike saddle; it may only make things worse”
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