Sore balls on longish rides.

Chillin Biker

Hi,

I keep getting sore balls whilst going on rides that are about 30-40 miles. They start to get sore though around 15-20 miles and the the way i can fight through the pain is if i stand up for a little while or if i stop for a little while and spend a few mins off the bike.

Is they a type of saddle for us men to help with this or is it down to the type of boxers i'm wearing?

I appreciate any advice to help with this sore issue.

Rob

chazkayak

Sore balls could be your seat set up wrong. If you have the tip up too high that could cause soreness. the saddle should be horizontal for cross country. Experiment with different set up to get it comfy.

warpcow

I suspect you've answered your own question somewhere in there.

Mental Mickey

Grow a smaller pair!

Rankles

warpcow wrote:

I suspect you've answered your own question somewhere in there.

Ha yep.

Get yourself some proper shorts.

Is it an ache or a sting?

Chinley Churner

Chillin Biker wrote:

is it down to the type of boxers i'm wearing?

.... and there's your answer... you don't have to have them visible but padded cycling shorts were invented for a reason.

Long_Time_Lurker

Boxers!?!
You need something to keep them in place, not flapping about.
Either tighter liners if you are going commando, or tighty whities if not.
And if that doesn't work - look at the Specialized body geometry range of seats.

snotty badger

When I was quite a bit younger I went biking in loose fitting boxers and sat/squashed one of my knackers- and for that reason I only wear either tight fitting boxers or padded shorts.
And TBH I've not bothered with padded shorts for ages, since I got my Charge Spoon.

If the pain continues get yourself to the docs, not worth taking chances with your nuts.

Chillin Biker

Wow....i've just read my original. Can't you tell it was late at night and i was rather tired.

I suspect you've answered your own question somewhere in there.

Not helpful if i'm honest...

Sore balls could be your seat set up wrong. If you have the tip up too high that could cause soreness. the saddle should be horizontal for cross country. Experiment with different set up to get it comfy.

I have the seat practically horizontal, maybe with the tip only about 5 degrees higher. I feel if i have the tip any lower, i would start to slip forwards.

Get yourself some proper shorts.

Is it an ache or a sting?

Proper shorts like these Lycra shorts? http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=21287
Or like these compression shorts? http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=72073
If you meant neither of these, what type of shorts do you mean?

It's an ache but gets rather painful if i don't give myself a break.

.... and there's your answer... you don't have to have them visible but padded cycling shorts were invented for a reason.

Aren't padded cycling shorts only for people that want plenty of comfort and tend to have gel padded covers over their saddles? I heard padded gear ends up giving people chafing. I'm guessing you don't get this?

When I was quite a bit younger I went biking in loose fitting boxers and sat/squashed one of my knackers- and for that reason I only wear either tight fitting boxers or padded shorts.
And TBH I've not bothered with padded shorts for ages, since I got my Charge Spoon.

If the pain continues get yourself to the docs, not worth taking chances with your nuts.

I always wear tight fitted boxers, if i don't i tend to catch them all the time regardless of what i'm doing.

What is so good about the Charge Spoon? Looking at the specification for it i read "Most have some kind of ergonomic design to reduce pressure on nerves and allow unrestriced blood flow to your sensitive areas.", would i be correct in thinking that sensitive areas would be the boys?

mcnultycop

Chillin Biker wrote:

Aren't padded cycling shorts only for people that want plenty of comfort and tend to have gel padded covers over their saddles? I heard padded gear ends up giving people chafing. I'm guessing you don't get this?

Padded shorts are for people who don't want arse and ball pain; I don't think the Tour De France riders are all about the comfort but they all wear padded cycling shorts. I wear either the liner shorts that came as part of my baggies or bib shorts underneath my baggies and a jersey. I tried riding in normal underwear when I got back into MTBs a few years back and it wasn't pleasant.

felix.london

Am I the only one that is not the least bit interested in other men's balls?!

Get some liner shorts and play around with saddle position...next

Chillin Biker

felix.london wrote:

Am I the only one that is not the least bit interested in other men's balls?!

And yet you still read this topic.....

crash test dummie

Cheap liner from tesco made it worst. Good liner and check Height and angle of seat stops pain and eventual numbness

snotty badger

Chillin Biker wrote:

What is so good about the Charge Spoon? Looking at the specification for it i read "Most have some kind of ergonomic design to reduce pressure on nerves and allow unrestriced blood flow to your sensitive areas.", would i be correct in thinking that sensitive areas would be the boys?

The Spoon fits my arse a treat! A lot of people find it a comfy saddle too, maybe you should try and borrow some different saddles of mates to see if the pain stops?

Try and get use to having the saddle totally flat too, I use to have it nose high when I was a boy, knocked it level and found no plum pain ever since.

passout

I ride with the tip of my saddle pointing ever so slightly down - makes a big difference to me and my massive balls . I also find curved or shaped saddles, like the WTB ones, a lot more comfortable. You could look at Selle SMPs if the problem just doesn't go away - although that woukld be my last resort - WTBs are all round better saddles IMO.

First thing to do is to check saddle height (perhps lower it a tad) and wear padded lycra shorts next to your skin. You really do want to sort this out - it can lead to problems if you don't.

jehosophat

The attitude towards cycling shorts really does astonish me these days!

When I got into mountain biking in the 90's, everyone who rode any sort of bike at all regularly seemed to wear padded cycling shorts, and most had worked out you were not supposed to wear anything underneath them. When I got back into mountain biking as my main hobby about 5 years ago it seemed a lot of people had turned their back on "proper" cycling shorts and I have no idea why.

Surely most of us do most of our longer rides when we are specifically "going for a ride" - i.e. riding from home/car on a route, then back, into the shower, and into normal clothes? Who gives a toss about what you might look like in that time, if you were magically off the bike an in a social situation for some reason? On the bike, cycling shorts look right. So use them.

I bought a pair of "proper" liners and short baggies and even they are a total ballache (so to speak). They are a lot less comfortable than decent cycling shorts (especially bib shorts) and the material flapping about on the thighs just detracts from the whole thing.

So here's an idea. Unless riding the bike a short distance to a nightclub to lock it outside and go in and pull birds/guys (each to their own) - wear cycling shorts while cycling, find some articles on saddle position, and off you go!

2wheelsonit

Chillin Biker wrote:

Hi,

I keep getting sore balls whilst going on rides that are about 30-40 miles. They start to get sore though around 15-20 miles and the the way i can fight through the pain is if i stand up for a little while or if i stop for a little while and spend a few mins off the bike.

Is they a type of saddle for us men to help with this or is it down to the type of boxers i'm wearing?

I appreciate any advice to help with this sore issue.

Rob

There are lots of different saddles you can get and even the cheapest of them will help as oppose to sitting on a bare seat tube dam you could have really done some damage there get one fitted pronto !!

Ian43

I wear padded shorts while riding and would not go out without them, just got some Endura coolmax padded boxer shorts from CRC as well for a £10 and they are good, also taken off my WTB Devo Ti saddle at the weekend and fitted a Madison Flux @£20, the difference in comfort is amazing, slight softer than the Charge spoon and slightly less weight but I fitted it for longer all day endurance rides now the nicer weather is here.

Recommend padded shorts though under your baggies for all day excursions.

passout

jehosophat wrote:

The attitude towards cycling shorts really does astonish me these days!

When I got into mountain biking in the 90's, everyone who rode any sort of bike at all regularly seemed to wear padded cycling shorts, and most had worked out you were not supposed to wear anything underneath them. When I got back into mountain biking as my main hobby about 5 years ago it seemed a lot of people had turned their back on "proper" cycling shorts and I have no idea why.

I agree. I now just wear my full lycra roadie gear on my MTB as it is really comfortable & practical. As an XC rider I don't really bother with padding & it all works out well. Baggies & cycling are bad combo in my opinion - I did try them but even with full padded shorts underneath they are not quite as good. as you can tell, fashion is not a concern of mine!

Re post above - I WTB Devo is the most comfortable saddle I've used! I guess that's the problem with saddle advice - very subjective.

McWulf

Wondering if it's your riding position relative to the saddle. I mean, is like there's one on each side? That should be OK. I find that sometimes on a bump, though, a sharp lateral movement and ... ouch!

On a longer ride (not really MTB here) it seems like an ache starts from the perenium and spreads, which implicates the saddle as others have said. Padded lycra helps for sure.

Chinley Churner

passout wrote:

I agree. I now just wear my full lycra roadie gear on my MTB as it is really comfortable & practical. As an XC rider I don't really bother with padding & it all works out well. Baggies & cycling are bad combo in my opinion - I did try them but even with full padded shorts underneath they are not quite as good. as you can tell, fashion is not a concern of mine!

Totally agree, don't get the point of baggies, more of a fashion statement/tribal ("I'm a mountain biker") thing than the most functional/practical clothing for the job. Flapping round your legs when your trying to climb hard and than catching the wind on descents, would drive me mad.

Long_Time_Lurker

Chinley Churner wrote:

Totally agree, don't get the point of baggies, more of a fashion statement/tribal ("I'm a mountain biker") thing than the most functional/practical clothing for the job. Flapping round your legs when your trying to climb hard and than catching the wind on descents, would drive me mad.

I wear them because I normally finish my long weekend rides in a local pub - I then spend 2 or 3 hours drinking.
I would feel like a bit of a pillock in lycra, and I'm sure the local twats would have a lot more to say too.

McWulf

Long Time Lurker wrote:

Chinley Churner wrote:

Totally agree, don't get the point of baggies, more of a fashion statement/tribal ("I'm a mountain biker") thing than the most functional/practical clothing for the job. Flapping round your legs when your trying to climb hard and than catching the wind on descents, would drive me mad.

I wear them because I normally finish my long weekend rides in a local pub - I then spend 2 or 3 hours drinking.
I would feel like a bit of a pillock in lycra, and I'm sure the local twats would have a lot more to say too.

Yup. Ditto when going to A&E

Chinley Churner

Long Time Lurker wrote:

I wear them because I normally finish my long weekend rides in a local pub - I then spend 2 or 3 hours drinking.
I would feel like a bit of a pillock in lycra, and I'm sure the local twats would have a lot more to say too.

You need to find a new pub....

Ian43

Chinley Churner wrote:

passout wrote:

I agree. I now just wear my full lycra roadie gear on my MTB as it is really comfortable & practical. As an XC rider I don't really bother with padding & it all works out well. Baggies & cycling are bad combo in my opinion - I did try them but even with full padded shorts underneath they are not quite as good. as you can tell, fashion is not a concern of mine!

Totally agree, don't get the point of baggies, more of a fashion statement/tribal ("I'm a mountain biker") thing than the most functional/practical clothing for the job. Flapping round your legs when your trying to climb hard and than catching the wind on descents, would drive me mad.

What nonsense that is, that statement makes it look like those of us who wear shorts over our padded shorts purely wear them to say " I am a mountain biker " or for fashion, no we wear them beacause A. They have pockets, air vents ect and are practical for all day riding and are not in the least baggy or catch the wind.

I would agree that some Troy Lee designs type downhill baggies are an afront to the eyes and probably would catch the wind a little but I myself wear Endura singletrack shorts which are very svelte in fit and slimline so much so I forget I am wearing them.

If it was all about fashion then some mountain bikers and I use that term loosely wearing just lycra really need to look in the mirror before they leave the house so if you want to start pigeon holeing people by what they wear look again as it has nothing to do with fashion, lycra's probably best left to the racers ect but for all day mountain bike rides shorts are the way to go, + you do not look like a bell end

timpop

You sound like a bunch of girls talking about fashion...
It seems you'd benefit from a good pair of padded lycra shorts. Keep your gonads in place and enjoy the ride. Then as some have already mentioned, try a different saddle and trial some different positions. I second the motion to lower the nose angle on your saddle to a flat position. Maybe even bring it forward slightly. Well, try it out anyway.

Chillin Biker

Cheers guys.

So it looks like some form of padded shorts will be on order shortly.

I'm i correct in thinking that the cutout in the middle of saddles don't do anything for the man bags?

passout

Chillin Biker wrote:

Cheers guys.

So it looks like some form of padded shorts will be on order shortly.

I'm i correct in thinking that the cutout in the middle of saddles don't do anything for the man bags?

They help me avoid numbess - I always go for a cut out. However we are all different, whatever suits.

Mojo_666

Chinley Churner wrote:

passout wrote:

I agree. I now just wear my full lycra roadie gear on my MTB as it is really comfortable & practical. As an XC rider I don't really bother with padding & it all works out well. Baggies & cycling are bad combo in my opinion - I did try them but even with full padded shorts underneath they are not quite as good. as you can tell, fashion is not a concern of mine!

Totally agree, don't get the point of baggies, more of a fashion statement/tribal ("I'm a mountain biker") thing than the most functional/practical clothing for the job. Flapping round your legs when your trying to climb hard and than catching the wind on descents, would drive me mad.

Not everyone wears the same regular clothes or likes the same style so why should it be any different on a bike? Not to mention pockets, 2 layers are warmer than one, provides some modesty if one layer gets shredded, not everyone looks good in tight fitting clothes and not everyone wants to wear them.

And finally nothing screams ("I' ride a bike") more than Lycra and racing tops so maybe its you who like to ponce around wearing your external identity?

passout

Not everyone wears the same regular clothes or likes the same style so why should it be any different on a bike? Not to mention pockets, 2 layers are warmer than one, provides some modesty if one layer gets shredded, not everyone looks good in tight fitting clothes and not everyone wants to wear them.

And finally nothing screams ("I' ride a bike") more than Lycra and racing tops so maybe its you who like to ponce around wearing your external identity?[/quote]


You're right - I will now wear my internal identity on longer rides - lets hope it doesn't chafe.

I have to say that I don't buy your reasons personally but at the same time I really don't mind, it's a personal preference at the end of the day.

YeehaaMcgee

Chinley Churner wrote:

Long Time Lurker wrote:

I wear them because I normally finish my long weekend rides in a local pub - I then spend 2 or 3 hours drinking.
I would feel like a bit of a pillock in lycra, and I'm sure the local twats would have a lot more to say too.

You need to find a new pub....

Aaaand... there you are, looking a bit of a pillock.

I've never seen the need for lycra, unless you're actually racing and trying to shave those few hundredths of a second off your time. Different strokes for different folks, you know.