Prostate friendly saddles

eggymerckx

I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in December. Thankfully it was early stage and had not spread. I had Brachytherapy on March 9th at Clatterbridge and, even though I felt fine a few days later, I was advised not to cycle for a month. That month is almost up now and I'm looking forward to getting back on the bike. Does anyone know the best saddle for looking after the prostate?

crankycrank

Congratulations on your successful treatment and I hope you stay cancer free. I think it will be almost impossible for anyone to recommend the best saddle for you. You just have to try some out and I would think you could get a basic feel right away as to whether a saddle is likely to cause you pain. Some prefer the "cutout" style with the hole in the center of the saddle or often just a well padded nose section will work. As far as prostate health and cycling there seems to be quite a bit of controversy as too whether pressure on the prostate can cause long term damage or not and I'm in no postition to know what the truth is on that.

Harp

What about this one ........

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Selle ... 360029528/


BTW , congratulations.

Coach H

You could try a Rido saddle that have many reccomendations from people in just your position http://www.rido-cyclesaddles.com/c.do?category=100035
Or sometimes cheaper here http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/src/froogle/ ... -13047.htm
Must be worth a go for £20

They look a bit odd, but if they do the job for you.

I tried one a couple of years ago (not for any specific problem but just to see if they were comfortable) and couldn't get on with it at all. Gave it to my father-in-law who loved it so much he put one on all 3 of his bikes. It looks plain wrong on his high end Colnago but he's unrepentent due to the comfort.

Idi Merckx

My experience:

used FIZIK ARIONE WINGFLEX saddle for 2 years - very comfortable on the bum, but basically you are sitting on your perineum on a raised strip down the centre of the saddle while your hips and thighs float around on the flexing wings.

then started suffering terrible groin pains - diagnosed with non-bacterial prostatitis - ie prostate inflamed for mechanical reasons.

tried saddles with cutouts and pain instantly stopped. I experimented with going back to the ARIONE but the pain came back again.

I now use SPECIALIZED TOUPE GEL which is a perfect fit.

I tried SELLE ITALIA GEL FLOW, cut out works well but my sit bones didnt fit right.

I now have specialized saddles with cut outs on all my bikes.

keef66

I thought the prostate was just under the bladder, and as such you're unlikely to be sitting on it. Doctors routinely check it out by inserting a gloved and hopefully lubricated finger into the anus and having a rummage around :shock: Correct me if I'm wrong.

On the basis of multiple recommendations on this forum, and the ridiculously low price, I just fitted a Charge Spoon on my bike cos I can't get on with the Filante it came with (any offers for it?)

Only put it on last night, so can't report back yet, but it looks like the kind of thing I normally get on with.

Idi Merckx

keef66 wrote:

I thought the prostate was just under the bladder, and as such you're unlikely to be sitting on it. Doctors routinely check it out by inserting a gloved and hopefully lubricated finger into the anus and having a rummage around :shock: Correct me if I'm wrong.

You are not wrong.

But I never said anyone was sitting on their prostate. I said that on a Fizik Arione i was effectively sitting on my perineum (or if you really want to be pedantic: sitting in such a way as to put pressure on my perineum).

The doctor I saw told me that this can affect the prostrate. I am not sure how it works anatomically, but I believed him and his advice (to use a cut-out saddle) worked.

I am sure somebody will be along soon who knows what they're talking about.

keef66

I was just wondering how the saddle affects the prostate; I don't doubt that in your case it clearly did, and it's possible I'm going the same way, hence the interest. My Filante has a cut out, but it's clearly not working for me; I think the saddle is a tad too narrow so I still end up putting too much pressure on my perineal area. For a while I had the thing slightly nose-down which must've been causing me to slide forwards and made matters considerably worse; clearly all that stuff on the Specialized website about cutting off nerves and blood supplies to the old dangly bits is no exaggeration.

On here the question of saddles often comes up. Recommendations for the Arione and the Toupe are pretty even, but your description of life on the Arione is iexactly what I feared it might do to me looking at it's shape. Was considering the Toupe, or possibly one of the cheaper body geometry saddles, but first I'd want to have my behind measured to make sure I got the correct width.

Until I get round to that, I'm giving the old Spoon a go.

eggymerckx

Thanks for all the advice. Maybe wearing two pairs of shorts would help?

mrushton

Selle Anatomica Titanio (www.mcmwin.com) as it acts more like a hammock (leather over a frame) or a Pro-Link or SLC from Selle Italia

dag_on_a_bike

Diagnosed with, and had surgery for BPH about 18 months ago now.

Have ridden Specialized Toupe Gel and Fizik Arione Wingflex.

Really not much between them, once I had the set up just right. Did a week in the foothills of the Pyrenees, at about 5-6 hours a day, last September on the Toupe without any problems.

You really do need to try out to see what suits you.

andrewjoseph

Brooks saddles suit me, but I don't have a prostrate problem. maybe the 'imperial'
would suit better.

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... ddle-33234

keef66

Been fending off a respiratory virus, so haven't been able to test out the Spoon properly, but did a leisurely 20 miles in the afternoon sun yesterday and found it to be much more comfortable than the Filante. I suspect with a bit of fine tuning I'll be able to get all day comfort from it.

Got it from Wiggle in a £50 order, so it cost me less than £18. Just wish I'd done it sooner!