Numb Nuts!!!

Wacky Racer

Anyone else get this problem? I cycle a minimum of 25 miles these days during the weeknights, and up to 60 at weekends, and the regime is going really well considering 3 months ago I was doing 12 miles in the week and 20 at weekends. BUT - and it's a big but, my testicles (especially left one) are getting literally numb, to the point I worry.

My bike is a Battaglin carbon C11, the seat is a Selle Italia Q-bik (came with the bike) and I am riding in Sportful padded bib-shorts which are immensely comfortable and not the cause because I was getting the problem before I switched to these shorts. I believe my set up is spot-on, I get no other discomfort at all and I've had one or two experienced buddies check my riding position (not my nuts I hasten to add).

Sorry for the graphic detail, can't say I normally discuss my nuts with strangers, but can anyone offer any advice please, it would bring alot more joy to my cycling having nuts that don't feel like they died about 10 miles into every ride.

Thanks.

desweller

I found that tilting the saddle forward helped a lot, but then you end up putting a lot of weight on your hands.

I'm trying a Specialized Toupe at the moment (has a cut out) to see if it helps; so far, cautiously positive, but Life has not allowed me to do any longer rides so I don't have a conclusive report to give.

Slow Downcp

This is one thread where pics are definitely NOT needed!!!

It could just be that the saddle doesn't fit you properly - it may be worth trying a couple more out. I know Selle Italia used to offer a try before you buy service, and specialized. Some LBS keep a box of saddles you can loan out, or see if any of your mates can lend you one for a few rides.

The other thing to consider is saddle tilt - even a 2 degree change in nose tilt can make a big difference

shouldbeinbed

tweak the saddle., consider a different one if still no joy

I guess you could try raising the bars to try and make yourself sit up a tad more, tilt your pelvis back and reduce the pressure on the perineum so your weight presses down more on your sit bones and through slightly more fleshier flesh

thescouselander

Could be the saddle or it could still be riding position. I find sitting up more and getting more weight on the sit bones stops this problem. My old bike was really bad for this (despite tryng several saddles) and I put it down to the large difference in height between the saddle and handlebars. My new bike has a more upright position and its a lot more comfortable, shall we say.

Wacky Racer

The seat height is approximately the same height as the bar, it is dead level beause I don't want to push weight onto my hands otherwise my little finger on my left hand suffers. If I drop the seat my leg stays too bent on the downstroke, and to be fair I am very happy with my ride position and the bike set-up, it's just this one thing that is a problem, everything else seems good. Personally I think a change of seat may benefit, but it strikes me from looking at the number available that finding the right one is not an easy task. What I would really like is a seat with satin covered "nut trays". I guess I really wondered whether this is a common problem, or unique to me.

desweller

You don't have to lower the seat post to tilt the saddle forwards, there should be an angle adjustment on the saddle clamp.

Also, if your position is correct, having your bars below your saddle does not necessarily mean that you will place additional load on your hands.

phy2sll2

Sorry to drag this thread up from the dead, but I'm experiencing this same problem. I only experience it on the "nice" bike (which is currently spending it's life on the trainer). It's clearly caused by excess pressure on the perenium as if I get out of the saddle for a minute, or make an effort to shift back a bit, the feeling returns.

Would saddle tilt help? There's actually no way to adjust this on the seatpost I have. On the wet weather bike, there's an adjustment on the clamp at the top.

The other option is to move the saddle closer to the bars. Is that a bad idea? My seatpost has 20mm of layback but I have quite short arms so think this is probably unnecessary.

Can anyone recommend a cheap and light, adjustable seatpost with no layback? At least then I could start to experiment a bit!

Muffintop

Would saddle tilt help? There's actually no way to adjust this on the seatpost I have. On the wet weather bike, there's an adjustment on the clamp at the top.

The other option is to move the saddle closer to the bars. Is that a bad idea? My seatpost has 20mm of layback but I have quite short arms so think this is probably unnecessary.

If you can move the saddle closer to the bars you should be able to tilt it. The section for doing so just may not be visable. Is your saddle a cut out? If so try looking straight through the spaces. On my best bike there's a nut directly under the seat that's only accessable through the cut out sections of the seat (that I can see). You could also try pushing the saddle back a bit so you're perched more on the front of it. If it's soft tissue that's hurting creating a larger area of pressure (by pushing your seat forward) won't help. Also consider going without padded shorts - again they create a larger area of pressure by spreading the load.

phy2sll2

Muffintop wrote:

Would saddle tilt help? There's actually no way to adjust this on the seatpost I have. On the wet weather bike, there's an adjustment on the clamp at the top.

The other option is to move the saddle closer to the bars. Is that a bad idea? My seatpost has 20mm of layback but I have quite short arms so think this is probably unnecessary.

If you can move the saddle closer to the bars you should be able to tilt it. The section for doing so just may not be visable. Is your saddle a cut out? If so try looking straight through the spaces. On my best bike there's a nut directly under the seat that's only accessable through the cut out sections of the seat (that I can see). You could also try pushing the saddle back a bit so you're perched more on the front of it. If it's soft tissue that's hurting creating a larger area of pressure (by pushing your seat forward) won't help. Also consider going without padded shorts - again they create a larger area of pressure by spreading the load.

Right, I'll have a look tonight.

Simontheintrepid

I won't go into detail, suffice to say that the Selle Italia saddle that came with my bike was less than gentle. I didn't notice until it was too late. For about three weeks I felt like I was shaking hands with a dead man - it all came back fortunately :shock:

I changed to a Specialized one which although was harder, had the cut out down the middle - it solved everything immediately and is much more comfortable. Only notice it sometimes if I'm doing a real long ride like 80+ miles.

Actually just Googled your saddle and it does have a cut out, in that case I'd reiterate that you need to make sure the sit bones are properly supported - i.e. the saddle is the right size. Your LBS should have a squashy thing you can sit on and work it out from.

Headhuunter

I find this happens to me when I'm tired on a ride and I'm no longer pushing hard enough on the pedals to take some of the weight off the seat....

jehannum5

aaaah...saddles.... I have been riding for 17 years and it took me nearly that long to find the right saddle. Only advice I have is it would appear that you have your pelvis tilted forward so that your scrotum is compressed between saddle and pelvis. This could be from tight back/hamstring (very common) or poor positioning or both.
Solution: working on flexibility and finding the right saddle. The saddles that will help IMHO and experience are those with a dip in the middle (saddle shaped...no pun intended) or completely flat so that all your weight is on your ischia(sit bones).
Saddles with a dip come in two shapes, those with a flat rear section (with a pronounced transition to the curve) an example of this is selle italia C2 and ritchey marathon (cheap comfortable but not robust saddle) or with a gradual curved transition (fizik aliante or prologo nack). The advantage of the former is that the 'boys' hang freely in thedip as the ischia sit on the flat aspect of the saddle; the advantage of the latter is that the ischia and parineum take up the weight of the body over a greater surface area and the scrotum also suspends somewhat in the curve. The advantage of a mainly flat and hard sadle is the ischia take up all the weight.
In my experience of several shapes I find the flat saddle excrutiating over 1 hour (selle italia slr a case in point) as the ischia take the entire weight. I find the prologo/aliante shape to be perfect, the prologo being the most comfortable saddle I have ever tried.
I am inflexible with tight back and hamstrings and sit 'upright' in the saddle on my road bike, I came to the realisation that a curved saddle was best for my body type after trying an aliante and reading the fizik website. Finally settled on the prologo which is a similar shape. INterestingly the prologo is sparsely padded on the rear!
Anyway hope this helps, if you have a tight back and hammies this may be your solution.

jehannum5

addit: prologo scratch saddle is the one I mean. P.s. have a look at the fizik website for info on flexibility and saddle shape. The concept is counterintuitive: if your pelvis tilts forward getting a position that uses more surface area helps. BTW cutout saddles are not meant to suspend the testicles in the cutout, merely to provide more flex in the saddle hull.

kieranb

I got the rido saddle on all my four bikes - no problems since (a few years and thousands of miles commuting, racing, off-road etc), the original ones were very cheap and not to everyones taste but a new slicker one is due out any moment. Just google rido saddles.

y33stu

I was in the same uncomfortable boat for ages, although I would get numb after just 10 miles. After a 60 mile ride I'd stay numb for a few hours - even more worrying I can tell you! I got myself a Selle Italia seat, with a cut out, but the cut out alone didnt make a difference. I now tilt the seat slightly forward, and I no longer suffer from numbness - no matter how long the ride. I think its just finding the right saddle, and the right position for you. Dont be afraid to make the slightest adjustments. It can make all the difference.