pins+needles in crown jewels

johpat
johpat Posts: 39
edited April 2008 in Health, fitness & training
hi

i have got back to riding after a 10 yr break. my old giant ATX850 is still in good nick so that's my ride for now. even after a 5 mile ride my problem is pins and needles in the crown jewels. do these fancy saddles with cut out down the middle actually work?

cheers

Comments

  • Andy B
    Andy B Posts: 8,115
    Before you go & buy some new bits have you tried adjusting the saddle you have, or padded shorts (they make a difference & can be hidden under normal shorts)

    If you've tried both the above try some of your mates saddles out before you buy.

    Everyone's butt is different, so one persons comfy saddle is another's arse burning hell of a saddle!

    Saying that my fave saddle is the WTB Rocket V.
    2385861000_d125abe796_m.jpg
  • Belv
    Belv Posts: 866
    First of all follow Andy-B's advice - make sure the bike is set up for you now, not the you of ten years ago.

    Secondly, yes the cut-away saddles do work. My comfy saddle of several years broke and it took my about 3 months (and 4/5 saddles) before i tried a cut-out one. Instant relief!

    I haven't tried one myself, but i believe the Specialized Body Geometry (BG) range is particularly good.
  • KonaMike
    KonaMike Posts: 805
    Try dipping the nose of the saddle a bit and see what that does ! I have to have mine dipped to be comfortable,also get padded shorts.
  • Pippen33
    Pippen33 Posts: 235
    Apparently there are 2 kinds of cyclist, "those who are impotent, and those that will be".

    According to this website http://www.impotence-guide.com/cycling-impotence.html anyways. Not many people know that there could be a link between cycling and impotence.
    spammer
  • Pippen33
    Pippen33 Posts: 235
    Sorry for posting that website I googled. Looks like a spam site.
    spammer
  • scale20
    scale20 Posts: 1,300
    KonaMike wrote:
    Try dipping the nose of the saddle a bit and see what that does ! I have to have mine dipped to be comfortable,also get padded shorts.

    I also get that problem, Like konaMike I've dippped the nose of the saddle, and thats sorted it a little, when my saddle dies a death I think I will try a cut away saddle.
    Niner Air 9 Rigid
    Whyte 129S 29er.
  • Beginner
    Beginner Posts: 1
    Hi guys, sorry to hi-jack this thread...

    I've also just got a bike for the first time since I was a little kid as I need to get back into shape after moving too far away from any gyms, over a year ago.

    I too am having a wicked pain in the testicles after short rides (~3 miles).. like I've just been flicked really hard, usually after lifting myself off the saddle (to relieve pressure from my groin).

    I check my guys regularly and they are lump free, so that's not a worry at the moment.

    I did have a problem when I went to the gym about being selective of the machines I used due to ample thighs clashing with ample err... baggage (rowing machine, inner/outer thigh machines, etc.) and I found the gym bikes to be uncomfortable, but put it down to my loose jogging bottoms. So this may be related?

    My other problem is I know nothing about cycling other than you point the handles in the direction you want to go then you push down on the peddles. My bike is a cheapo £87 mountain bike.

    Is there a correct hight to have your handle bars at in relation to your seat? (I'm about 5'8-5'9, with a stout build and weigh about 13st4lb - 13st6lb)?
    What angle should I tip my seat down to ( I didn't even realise saddles could tilt until I read this thread! So thanks, already, guys) ?
    What's a good saddle to use? ... but also a cheap one...as a £100 saddle on a £90 bike seems excessive.

    Any advice is welcome as I'm really enjoying my first cycling in ages but the pain is not worth it at the moment and I'm looking to have kids in the next 5 years and fear cycling may have adverse effects if I don't use the right kit/settings.

    Thanks
  • xcracer
    xcracer Posts: 298
    http://sheldonbrown.com/beginners/index.html
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Also here

    If padded shorts and tilting the saddle forwards doesn't help, then i'd go for the most popular comfy saddles, charge spoon, fizik gobi, SDG bell air etc, over one with a cut out.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • Steve P
    Steve P Posts: 15
    All of the advice above is good. I used to get numbness followed by pins & needles 'down there' riding my old bike. A change in saddle (SDG Bel Air) helped. A change to a decent full suss bike eliminated it alltogether. Something else to try might be looking at your tyre pressures. If you're riding on rough ground with high pressures that won't help. What's right for you and the riding you do you'll have to play around with and decide. Too low and you'll get 'pinch flat' punctures or damaged rims. I've found that off road I use pressures in the range 35 - 45 psi most of the time on 26" wheels with tyres between 2 and 2'3" wide.

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