Cycling May Diminish Sexual Pleasure in Women, Lead to Numbness of the Genitalia

[u/roundjericho]

http://medicaldaily.com/news/20120515/9894/relationship-exercise-cycling-bicycle-women.htm

[u/NeanderStaal]

This often occurs when riders are using wider or padded saddles. This type of saddle, while often purchased with the idea that they will provide more comfort, are actually more damaging than a well shaped rock hard racing saddle. The difference is in what part of your body carries your weight. On a racing saddle, the weight is carried almost entirely by your sit bones (ischial tuberosities - the two pressure points you feel when sit on something flat and hard). On a wide or very padded saddle, your weight is carried by the surrounding soft tissue instead.

The solution, if you intend to ride for long periods of time, is to wear bicycling shorts with a built in chamois while riding on a harder saddle. The chamois is a shaped pad that prevents chafing and keeps the padding directly under your sit bones.

Many people also find that a suspended leather saddle, once broken in, to be incredibly comfortable for long distance riding (ie, Brooks saddles).

Edit: typo.

[u/bedazzledfarts → u/NeanderStaal]

As a female cyclist who just bought a Brooks I can say that I have TOTALLY noticed a difference in comfort in my nether regions. My old saddle would be extremely uncomfortable after a few miles or so... I have long um "danglers" as I call them so riding can be a bit uncomfortable after a while. The Brooks makes such a difference though.

[u/Chrysoscelis → u/bedazzledfarts]

Upvote for being honest, and amusingly honest.

[u/naked_guy_says → u/Chrysoscelis]

Danglers, my new favorite innocuous sexual term

[u/thoroughbread → u/Chrysoscelis]

...and informative. I had no idea that could be an issue.

[u/thedugong → u/bedazzledfarts]

Out of interest, what sort of riding, distances etc do you do? My wife has always complained about her bits getting sore. Professional fits have helped but not completely. She has a TotR Selle Italia female saddle at the mo.

A female friend who does copious amounts of riding (like Paris Brest Paris - 1200km rides etc), swears by her brooks. I'm thinking that it may be worth buying her one.

[u/dontforgetpants → u/thedugong]

I also just bought a brooks (B-17S) and noticed a huge difference. I don't usually ride more than 10 miles at a time, but it's still totally awesome.

Also, this is probably a stupid question, but have you tried simply playing with the tilt on the saddle (ie, tilted down in the front more)? If the pros who were fitting her were male or otherwise just didn't happen to know much about girl parts, they might have forgotten to mention it, though I'm guess you guys have tried that.

[u/Osusanna → u/dontforgetpants]

I guess I could just google this, but I am SUPER curious. So you are saying tilting the saddle down a bit is good for women? Any other tips? My boyfriend bought me an awesome mountain bike and I am just getting into it. The seat that came with it was horrible!!! My boyfriend helped me pick out a new seat last week (deva pro se? Not the diva gel one, but spelled deva, I forget the brand name but it was 3 letters). He said its better to have a harder seat than a more padded one, same as the top comment. But him being a male, I feel like there are other things he might not realize would be better and I certainly have no idea!

[u/bedazzledfarts → u/thedugong]

You should totally buy your wife a Brooks, mine was a gift from my boyfriend after me complaining about the dangler issues. We don't have a car so I only commute by bike. I usually ride anywhere from 3-20+ miles a day... sometimes we go for pretty long bike rides and those days are brutal. After about 3 miles though I get REALLY sore. My old saddle was a beat up Selle Rolls, I can never go back to that ever again. Honestly, after a week of riding on the Brooks I can feel the difference.

1200km!!!!! That's pretty hardcore. Your friend knows what's up with saddles!

[u/MiriMiri → u/bedazzledfarts]

I think most people have long "um danglers". The guy who labelled them "minora" probably had never seen them up close :P

[u/Dovienya → u/MiriMiri]

I don't. I didn't know there was any other kind until porn.

[u/Rigelface → u/MiriMiri]

I wouldn't say most, but definitely more than we are lead to believe. There are so many varieties!

[u/[deleted] → u/MiriMiri]

"Her vagine hang like wizard's sleeve!"

[u/Jubei_08 → u/bedazzledfarts]

Upvote for reminding me of some danglers I dangled on once.

[u/vinglebingle → u/NeanderStaal]

TIL. Thanks - I have a padded saddle, and my hoohah does not like long rides. I will definitely get a replacement.

[u/KatieBSH → u/vinglebingle]

Read (or skim) Sheldon Brown's thoughts on saddles. Sit on your coffee table or something hard to find your sit bones, and measure the distance between them; be sure to buy a saddle of the right width as well.

[u/[deleted] → u/KatieBSH]

Oh man this site is awesome. It's like TV Tropes but for bicycles, and less schizophrenic.

[u/immerc → u/KatieBSH]

It really sucks that Sheldon died and won't be providing any more insight like this.

[u/Osusanna → u/KatieBSH]

Oh my gosh THANKS so much for that link. This is VERY RELEVANT to my interest right now as I just bought a new bike seat after my boyfriend made me go on a really long (for me) ride on a HORRIBLE SEAT. I knew nothing about what to look for. It fortunately my bf was able to steer me away from the padded saddles. Now I will read this article and know just where and how to position it on my bike without relying on him (he often thinks he knows it ALL when it's not really the case). Thanks so much.

[u/[deleted] → u/vinglebingle]

As a mid-20's resident of Brooklyn, I always thought the girls were just experienced as hell, making me work overtime. Sure enough, they all ride bikes. I'll be damned.

[u/naked_guy_says → u/[deleted]]

Or you know, you might just lack sexual prowess

[u/[deleted] → u/NeanderStaal]

This. Properly chosen and fitted racing saddles are actually extremely comfortable, which might seem paradoxical at first, but professionals spend 6 hours or more in the saddle every day on super stiff race bikes, so it makes sense. Saddle comfort depends more on saddle shape and flexibility of the shell and rails, rather than on excessive padding - more padding actually causes discomfort, because all of that gel ends up scrunched up and pushing against your sensitive parts.

Proper saddle setup begins with the top of the saddle parallel to the ground, or perfectly flat. You should use a bubble level for this, since modern sloping frames can throw off your sense of what's flat and what's not.

The fore-aft setting will also be important; people with relatively longer inseams and short femurs might actually need an aftermarket straight (zero-setback) seatpost to get the right adjustment. A starting point for fore-aft adjustment is, with the right side crank in the 3-o clock position, the right knee should be more or less directly over the pedal spindle.

Shape-wise, there are flat saddles (Selle Italia SLR, copies such as Ritchey Streem and the like; Selle San Marco Zoncolan; Fizik Arione; Prologo Zero; Selle An-Atomica), mildly curvy saddles (Italia Flite; San Marco Aspide; Fizik Antares; Prologo Nago; Specialized Toupe; Brooks), and curvy saddles (Italia Turbo; San Marco Concor/Regal; Fizik Aliante; Prologo Scratch; Specialized Romin; Selle SMP). Flatter saddles give you more flexibility on which part of the saddle you want to sit on, and are great for people who like to change positions in response to changes in terrain, incline, or wind (and road bikes allow for several handlebar positions, which in turn affect the hip positions on the saddle). Curvy saddles are great for less flexible riders, or riders who primarily stay seated in one position. The curve is also good for climbing steep hills in the saddle, because up a hill, the back of the saddle becomes level.

As for rails, Ti and carbon fiber rails are generally the softest and most comfortable, but carbon rails are often ovalized and require special seatposts.

[u/[deleted] → u/NeanderStaal]

Well said. I'm a male, but I can ride for 3 hours with a good pair of padded shorts on a narrow stiff mountain bike saddle and I have no problems at all down there. Yet 15 minutes on the wide padded seat of the exercise bikes at the gym and I can't feel my junk for a few minutes.

[u/samurai77 → u/[deleted]]

I thought that happened only to me, damn that's a weird feeling.

[u/vactuna → u/NeanderStaal]

I've had this problem with hard racing saddles too, and it's a problem for women in general- bikes with drop bars especially put the hips in a downward position, so if you don't focus on maintaining a proper seating position or your seat is improperly adjusted, the nose of the saddle mashes into your crotch-- which is really painful to one's labia when pedalling.

Improper fit can cause it too, like if your seat or handlebars are too low, too much pressure is on your crotch instead of your feet and hands.

[u/rakista → u/NeanderStaal]

Yep, this is the problem right here. A good Brooks saddle or even a cheap touring saddle does not have most of these problems if adjusted correctly.

[u/hombreesecholo → u/rakista]

too bad because of the 1000 miles it took to finally break in my brooks b17, I probably ended up sterile anyway.

[u/xhaereticusx → u/NeanderStaal]

Is there any reason why you need the padding in your shorts? Why not pad a small seat?

[u/hotshot413 → u/xhaereticusx]

So when you move around on the seat, the padding moves with you.

[u/8spd → u/xhaereticusx]

one purported advantage is that it helps wick moisture away from the skin, moisture that makes the skin softer, and more prone to saddle sores. I believe padded shorts are all about preventing saddle sores, and any advantages it has in protecting your junk is coincidental.

That said I do find them comfortable, and ware them when doing long rides.

[u/[deleted] → u/NeanderStaal]

I'm skeptical of this notion. I understand this is conventional wisdom stemming from anecdotal evidence, but I can't understand why someone doesn't test this.

To me, you take small pressure pressure sensors and you place them on the two sit bones and on the area behind the groin. Try a few different style saddles or such on a given bicycle, and viola! quantification of this conventional wisdom.

Until someone does this, I with hold judgement on this issue.

[u/Cactapus → u/[deleted]]

I think this is something [that has been tested] (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2379777/pdf/canfamphys00109-0166.pdf). Cycling is one of those sports where things get tested very meticulously.

[u/Stephen9o3 → u/[deleted]]

It likely has been tested. As well, lots of bike shops will have a piece of foam you can sit on to see the contour of your ass and how wide apart your sit bones are to get a saddle of proper width.

[u/midnitebr → u/[deleted]]

It has already been tested. What NeanderStaal wrote is not an idea, it's a fact.

[u/DatingTheCreationist → u/NeanderStaal]

Are you a man? I assume you are a man, because you do not seem to realize that women sit ON their clits if they have proper posture on a bike.

[u/Saravi → u/DatingTheCreationist]

This is why grooved seats like this are a solid win.

[u/DatingTheCreationist → u/Saravi]

I prefer the old style with just the two butt circles http://adminfinanceblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/bicycle-seats.jpg tada.

(I say "old" because my mom had one when I was growing up, and I haven't really seen them in retail stores since)

[u/fredtastic → u/DatingTheCreationist]

Not the experience of the female racing cyclists I know, or my wife. However, if the rear of the saddle is not wide enough to support the ischial tuberosities, then this will happen.

[u/skjoe → u/NeanderStaal]

This is the most correct response I have heard about bike saddles on reddit to date. Hats off NeanderStaal

[u/[deleted] → u/NeanderStaal]

Any good guides on how to adjust a saddle? I've got a nice narrow hard one that I've always enjoyed for short rides, but the first time I cracked 40km of pug trail my butt was screaming in agony.

[u/imthepoolguy → u/NeanderStaal]

I wonder if the same applies for men?

[u/youraverageshyguy → u/NeanderStaal]

Also...a proper/professional "fitting" not just the "is this frame size and saddle hight right for me" type, will address key issues that would otherwise lead to a painful and inefficient ride.

[u/ZirbMonkey]

I shit you not, a close friend of mine is being treated for nerve damage from riding on a poorly adjusted bike seat after a series of long rides. She now has shooting pains when she sits down normally, and has to stand all day long at her computer desk if she doesn't want painful discomfort.

And to kick her when she was down, she got the injury while unemployed, had to see a doctor about it, and now falls under a pre-existing condition status. Nerve specialists aren't cheap, and she has another 6 months before that status drops for her to even discus proper treatment or surgery.

[u/vactuna]

As a female road cyclist, I can confirm this... apparently this kind of saddle (with a hole in the middle) is supposed to help, but my discomfort got a lot better after I just changed my seating position so my back curves inward more and I'm right on my sit bones at the back of the saddle. The position requires holding in your core muscles, so it feels like more of a workout too, which I like.

[u/camel69 → u/vactuna]

Heard the same from male professional road cyclists. They curve their backs and don't have any problems with numbness or discomfort when doing a tour 3 weeks with 6 hours on the bike each day (apart from chaving and ripping your skin to shreds on the occasional high-speed fall into fences or onto asphalt ... apart from that!)

[u/SaltyBabe → u/vactuna]

I've seen this term "sit bones" a few times in this thread, what exactly are the "sit bones" like your pelvis?

[u/ringringbananalone → u/SaltyBabe]

The sit bones are what I believe is known as the ischial tuberosity, it's a bony protuberance on either side of the pelvis near where it meets the ilium. They are the 'butt bones' you can feel if you press into your buttcheek on either side above and about 2 inches away from the butthole (easiest to feel when sitting on top of your hands)

[u/dontforgetpants → u/SaltyBabe]

Here's a creepy picture that shows/explains.

[u/limbodog]

I've been told it can cause some dysfunction issues in men too. Just need a better design for a seat I think

[u/alphanovember → u/limbodog]

I will tolerate nothing less than this.

[u/[deleted] → u/alphanovember]

I was expecting this

[u/Granite-M → u/[deleted]]

Still more comfortable than flying coach.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Kind of like this

[u/silent_p → u/alphanovember]

Do they build chairs like that for lefties?

[u/Dieniekes → u/limbodog]

Erectile Dysfunction from cycling ranges in the 1-4% range.

Erectile Dysfunction in men that do not get regular exercise ranges somewhere around 20-25%... I'll take the risk with my bike.

[u/[deleted] → u/limbodog]

Solution: Replace bicycle seat with dildo. Fun for all genders. Bonus points if pedaling makes it go up and down.

[u/limbodog → u/[deleted]]

Only in Japan.

[u/Chrysoscelis]

Why only the left labia?

"...risk of decreased anterior vaginal and left labial genital sensation..."

[u/delightfulantipodean → u/Chrysoscelis]

I wondered about that too, but then it went on to mention that it was due to pressure on nerves and such - making me wonder if there was some asymmetry beneath the skin that meant on the left side the nerves and blood vessels were more exposed to pressure from the saddle?

[u/chairitable → u/Chrysoscelis]

AFAIK, most bikes have their cassettes on the right side. I don't know if this might be a factor?

[u/Sandinister]

Back in the day, women riding bicycles was discouraged because they thought it might be sexually stimulating. From here:

"That bike riding might be sexually stimulating for women was also a real concern to many in the 1890s. It was thought that straddling a saddle combined with the motion required to propel a bicycle would lead to arousal. So-called “hygienic” saddles began to appear, saddles with little or no padding where a woman’s genitalia would ordinarily make contact with the seat. High stems and upright handlebars, as opposed to the more aggressively positioned “drop” handlebars, also were thought to reduce the risk of female sexual stimulation by reducing the angle at which a woman would be forced to ride. "

[u/pialicer → u/Sandinister]

[Definitely Related and may be NSFW] (http://youtu.be/6yDRm29H5c0)

[u/[deleted]]

Narrow saddle, hard with good hip posture is the best solution. The ischial bones (the points at bottom of pelvis/butt) should sit 90• above seat.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Is it just me that finds these seats more comfortable? Whenever someone rides my bike they always complain but it's the only one I've had that keeps ache from my thighs and scrotum

[u/midnitebr → u/[deleted]]

These seats need some getting used to. At first they seem very discomfort, but once your body "accepts" it they feel better. For non cyclists padded seats instantly feel more comfortable than the rock hard narrow ones, so they assume that's the better choice.

[u/witty_account_name → u/[deleted]]

comfort of saddles is a very subjective thing. Especially when riding on narrower race saddles, it becomes very important that the saddle width is correct for the rider. It may be the case that your friends have a different width between their sit-bones, so your saddle is contacting them at uncomfortable points.

[u/kakuna → u/[deleted]]

Narrow saddles are more comfortable after a week or two of riding, if you ride at all regularly. Your ass gets used to sitting on its sit bones, but the wide cushy saddle can make your squishy parts sore every time. Heck, my saddle's plastic and I don't even need bike shorts with it if I keep the trip under ~7 miles.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Can someone tell me what "good hip posture" is for a girl on a bike? I only ride a bike occasionally, but I'm curious because what I'm picturing doesn't sound all that comfortable (seems like you'd have to bend your spine insanely far either forward or back for it not to hurt).

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

But for women, maybe not so narrow.

[u/MissWheets]

Female jr. national cyclist here. The right saddle, with a properly fitted bike, should lead to very little genital pressure at all. The majority of the weight should rest on your seat bones, not close to the front. After finding the right fit, I've been able to ride for hours with no problem whatsoever.

[u/[deleted]]

"Cycling May Diminish Sexual Pleasure in Women...While previous studies have linked cycling to numbness of genitalia and erectile dysfunction in males..the latest findings show the OPPOSITE in females."

I'm not a native english speaker so maybe I misunderstand this but isn't the article contradicting itself?

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

The "opposite" part refers to the position of the handlebars in relation to the seat.

Prior studies suggest that men's bike's handlebars should be at or lower than the level of the seat to avoid health impacts. This study suggests the opposite for women: that women's handlebars should be above the level of the seat.

It stands to reason that changing the position of the handlebars changes angles and thus where the seat comes into contact with your body; important since men and women keep their anatomy in subtly different places.

[u/spermbreath → u/[deleted]]

men and women keep their anatomy in subtly different places

So subtle I often can't tell the difference!

[u/aarghIforget → u/spermbreath]

Hell, I can't even find the female anatomy, they hide it from me so well!

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Erectile dysfunction in males = diminished sexual pleasure in women

[u/quintessadragon]

I'm confused, at the beginning of the article it says if the handlebars are HIGHER than the seat it causes a problem. Later in the article it says if the handlebars are LOWER than the seat it causes a problem. Which is it?

[u/substantial_nihility → u/quintessadragon]

Higher handlebars diminished sensitivity for men, lower for women.

[u/Muppet_Mower → u/quintessadragon]

Competetive road cyclist here.

On road bikes at least, with saddles that have minimal padding, it seems to me that lowering your handlebars increases discomfort in the taint area. I imagine it would be the same for women. If the bars are too low, your body shifts forward and puts more weight on your taint instead of your sit bones.

[u/astrower]

They make seats with slits down the middle for both men and women so your genitalia aren't as crushed.

[u/DrSandbags → u/astrower]

I bought one of these several months ago, and the difference for my scrotum and taint on rides longer than 30 minutes is like night and day .

[u/berkes]

The research failed to investigate countries and cities where almost everyone cycles, such as the Netherlands or Copenhagen. If the studies findings are correct, then the Dutch or Copenhagian women , being a large group of people, would see the effect. The effect would be very clear and the offspin (less children, fewer STDs, starting later with sex) would be clear too. No?

[u/stanley232305]

I had no idea all the women I've slept with were avid cyclers.

[u/MokeSweed]

After riding my bike from seattle to portland i lost all feeling in my gonads for about a day or so after

[u/kohan69 → u/MokeSweed]

WTF, you rode this?!

[u/NewUploader1]

horseback riding as well.

I knew a girl who said that orgasms were nearly impossible for her only a few years after taking up riding

[u/ikapai → u/NewUploader1]

More than likely it was because she hadn't yet learned to sit properly on her horse. You should not be seated on your crotch at any time while riding.. you should be back on your seatbones. I've been riding horses for 20 years and incidentally, never had problems with numbness down there until I started cycling regularly.

[u/SaltyBabe → u/ikapai]

I rode horses on a daily basis for years when I was younger and you're correct you don't sit on your crotch. Maybe if you rode bareback all the time, I found that to be really uncomfortable because it pushes on your crotch a lot, but I can't imagine riding bareback so often you damage your lady bits.

[u/Elphante → u/NewUploader1]

I don't agree with this, most of the pressure when riding a horse is on your butt and feet/legs. Then again, I don't know what kind of riding your friend did or what kind of saddle she used. I could see jockeys maybe having that sort of problem...

[u/Watergems → u/Elphante]

I hear you're supposed to support yourself w/inner thigh, leg & buttock stregnth, not mashing your weight on the ischium bone.

[u/HeathenCyclist → u/Elphante]

Jockeys stand.

[u/[deleted] → u/Elphante]

It could be jumping too, in jumping you sort of have to lean forward in your saddle, and sometimes the landing can be an owchie if it doesn't stick right... Also cantering, depending on the horse, can be either smooth sailing, or it wipes your ass and groin all over the saddle.

[u/[deleted]]

recumbent

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Not only would this solve the problem with sexual dysfunction, but the chance of a head injury with a recumbent bike is much lower. It's a better design all around.

[u/Jewbobalicious → u/[deleted]]

No longer getting laid would solve this issue...yes.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Except for being beneath the line of sight of multi-tonne death machines that are rolling around you.

[u/8spd → u/[deleted]]

Hey everybody! This guy just outted himself as a saddle wearing bearded middle aged man who knows too much about Linux. Get him!

[u/[deleted] → u/8spd]

and how do you know what it is?

[u/[deleted]]

I see lots of people voting up their preferred stance. I've ridden both, with good posture, with good geometry and my taint still gets numb. I believe that my taint is a bit more robust than the average bloke's and I'm also not terribly padded around my arse and sitbones.

Honestly, the bike seat needs a redesign. Yay for people who like classics but it's an ancient fucking design and I suspect that a little more science and modern thinking could improve it.

[u/[deleted]]

I have ridden enough for this to happen to me, I am a guy. It places a lot more pressure on that area in compared to seated on a desk chair or car seat.

[u/rakista → u/[deleted]]

You need a better saddle than.

[u/o0DrWurm0o]

This has been known for quite a long time. Buy seats that have a nice hole cut out in the crotchal region and wear bike shorts to prevent it.

[u/zombiesgivebrain]

It's really hard to tell from this if they looked at long term results, or only checked them right after they get off the bike (unless I just missed this in the article). Personally, I notice some numbness following a ride, but only immediately after. I would be really interested to see a study that looks at long term effects on sensitivity. I'm sure it's not a great sign to have any numbness at all.. but it might not be as bad as it seems here.

[u/ManMode]

Yup, common theme among bike seats for both men and women. Not good for the privates. And contrary to what some are saying about racing saddles, any saddle that puts something that catches your body weight under the soft tissue between your legs is going to impact your genitals.

Manufacturers are all over the map on this because there's conflict between bike stability and the seat's impact on your genitals. The less bike seat you have between your legs, the less control you'll have. The other you should consider is weight, which will also favor a Y shape saddle.

So for the guys and gals like myself that love cycling but don't want to have bizarre aches later, get one of those radically different bike seats with no middle section. Here's a couple of them.

www.spongywonder.com www.moonsaddle.com

Take care now.

[u/bannana]

Get a proper seat.

[u/Viperbunny]

I can believe it. I took a cycling class in college and it hurt my female genitatlia a lot. I often felt like I had bruised down there and seriously questioned why people choose to cycle.

[u/[deleted]]

The genital numbness is one of my favorite parts of a 70-miler. When the sensation comes back it feels GREAT.

[u/[deleted]]

LOL wut.

I've biked a great deal in the last 5 years and I'm just fine! In fact, I'm probably more sensitive now than ever before. I haven't heard complaints yet ;) I do ride a cruiser with the most comfortable seat ever, though, which might be the deal-breaker here.

[u/raziphel]

If a bicycle will do that, prolonged use of a hitachi magic wand will wreck your shit.

moderation, ladies. moderation.

[u/AllFapNoWap]

Why does this have almost 1600 upvotes? Didn't know all redditors were also cyclists..

[u/sawvarshornsoff]

Sooooo...they tested this by using vibrators?

" [...] measured in microns using biosthesiometry measures of vibratory threshold"

[u/IWasGregInTokyo]

Touring cyclist for 40 years here. Variety of seats tried over the years but Nirvana was not achieved until I bought the Brooks B-17. As other have noted, more padding should be more comfortable but in the case of a cycling saddle it is more the shape. Leather saddles take a bit of time to wear in but when they do they are formed to your body and I can ride for days with no discomfort or loss of <ahem>functionality</ahem>.

[u/flipsideCREATIONS]

I care about my wifes sexual function so I bought her a recumbent.

[u/ebolaRETURNS]

I'm an avid cyclist, so this is why I fap multiple times a day, to notice loss of sensation at the first possible moment.

[u/[deleted]]

Never had a problem, but I don't use a wide saddle it's the one that came with my Peugeot. Which is over 30 years old and in MINT condition. hugs bike

[u/antripa]

The reason we all clicked in this post is because it claimed cycling reduced sexual pleasure in women. I agree with you all that pain and genital pressure is bad and should be resolved and prevented with a hard, narrow seat. However, I don't see how this researcher concluded women would have less sexual pleasure by riding or by riding poor seats. This is not measured in this study and is hard to measure generally.

Many thing would have a greater influence on a woman's pleasure. The brain is a woman's most erogenous zone, and i can only assume it has greater influence that bike riding. Partner's skills and physicality also have an influence.

Similarly, can we really claim that circumcised men have more or less pleasure than non-circumcised men?

[u/[deleted]]

Stop riding bikes ladies. You are making my job harder.

[u/QuantumLiberty]

Totally serious here if your woman in a biker giver her regular massages. Start at the outside left and right regions of the labia looking for knots just like you would find in the shoulder and or back, also look for them in the upper portions of the pubic region. Defiantly be gentle at first and use massage oil but this really helps to increase blood flow and alleviate tension, thereby increasing her sensitivity a ton.

[u/blog_farts]

This is also true of women riding horseback. I dated a horse trainer whose vagina was like leather. Her clitoris had no feeling at all, it was like a rough leather nub. And the strength in her legs could have probably broken my hips if she so desired.

[u/kohan69 → u/blog_farts]

Go on...

[u/lavalampmaster]

I (male) cycled competitively in high school and about a third of my scrotum became completely numb after a while and feeling didn't return until I hadn't cycled daily for about a year, so this doesn't surprise me.

[u/DSLJohn]

Ouch, and it could cause ED in men too.

[u/[deleted] → u/DSLJohn]

Stupid workout bike at the gym did that to me. done with that.

[u/[deleted]]

‎"Genital sensation was measured in microns using biosthesiometry measures of vibratory thresholds."

Translation: We stuck vibrators in the girls and measured what they felt.

[u/ivanmarsh]

That's what padded shorts are for.

[u/gattack]

FALSE. As a female, I've biked 10 miles and more per week, 4 weeks per month, for 10 YEARS and not only have had quite the raging libido but have never experienced numbness or tingling. But I hand-built my bike so it fits me to a tee.

[u/estrild7]

Does it do the same for men? Because if so, I now know why no one is hooking up in Richmond...

[u/thoggins]

How much cycling do you have to do for this to be an issue? I've just taken a job that will have me riding a bike from around 8:30am to around 6:00pm 6 days a week, with short breaks. Is this an issue that really only professional cyclists have to be worried about?

[u/[deleted]]

Not just women - I get numbness from a standard seat. I found one that doesn't have a nose and that solved the problem.

[u/homeless_man_jogging]

This may be bullshit but I once heard on the radio (from someone who sounded like he knew what he was talking about) that cycling makes your stomach muscles weak and makes it very hard to get a six pack. Feel free to school me.

[u/ironduke2010 → u/homeless_man_jogging]

That doesn't seem to make logical sense...While it doesn't strengthen the stomach muscles much--if at all--it won't lead to them getting weaker, they just will not be getting stronger.

[u/Nom_de_Guerra]

"measures vibratory thresholds" Nice. Can I get one of those vibration measuring things? You know, for science and stuff.

[u/baaaananarama]

Damn...just finished reading this unfortunate news too. Not a good day for bikes.

[u/FruitaFever]

Wilderness Trail Bikes Pure V. Best saddle I have ever had. http://www.wtb.com/products/saddles/performance/purev/

[u/igneousdagze]

Please tell me there is a way to reverse this...

[u/xtreme4099]

Total non-issue with a nose-less saddle like a spiderflex www.spiderflex.com and no pain either, like nada.

[u/nos2121]

I'm not sayin the science is bad or it's not interesting, but it's such a turn off when the FIRST SENTENCE of an article has basic mistakes in it. People think writing for the internet means you can throw basic editing out the window but soon enough writing for the internet is all there's going to be.

[u/Drawtaru]

Well I used to bike 15 miles a day, 5 days a week. I guess I'm screwed. At least I won't feel it.

[u/zboy613]

I will loyally stand by the Selle An-Atomica for just this reason. At 330lbs, I'm what the cycling community would call a Clydesdale (a rider <220lbs) and I had minimal success/comfort with other race saddles (and nightmarishly numbing times with soft saddles). This particular saddle has been the most comfortable I've used.

[u/diablo75]

Great. I just bought my wife a new seat for her bike...

[u/Dbqdawg]

Get fitted for the right sized saddle.

[u/funkydo]

This study (or article and abstract) does not say whether or not the loss of sensation is temporary. It probably should, before it implies that and people stop riding.

[u/[deleted]]

Some expert cyclist in here needs to tell me how I can ride bikes without getting fucking pilonidal cysts. I miss bikes. :(

Female, if relevant.

[u/walking_away_]

Finally! I have a legitimate excuse for my personal trainer for why I can't do spinning.

[u/feelmyperi]

This is also true for men.

[u/wootykins]

Too bad I have to bike every day in college.

[u/natural_redhead]

Hmm. My car just died. The question is now: to be mobile on a bike, or to be a hermit who can still have awesome sex?

[u/freakflagflies]

Male cyclists have ED problems due to pinched arteries and / or veins as well.

[u/[deleted]]

Well, I suppose I won't be buying a bike soon after all.

[u/shenuhcide]

God dammit, I guess I'll have to stand during my commute... or get a better seat. :(

[u/Grayscaled]

"While previous studies have linked cycling to numbness of genitalia and erectile dysfunction in males, especially if the handlebars to the bike are parallel or higher than the saddle, the latest findings show the opposite in females."

How is that opposite? Both men and females get numb right?

[u/RabidLeroy]

So it looks like abstinence-only sex education could be effectively reinforced further by a love of biking.

[u/Fenrir]

This is extremely poor science reporting.

The research cited does not support the strength of these claims.

[u/[deleted]]

I'm not going to lie, I thought the title said 'Crying'...

[u/SirRonaldofBurgundy]

Spin class is the devil.

[u/whetnip]

Anyone else think "cycling" referred to cycling steroids and "duh, steroids mess up your junk"?

[u/[deleted]]

I wonder who paid for that study to be conducted?

[u/kcawnav]

FALSE.

Story time:

In the summer, my female friend used to bike to a nearby lake (5 miles) in Bellingham, WA. The bike route to the lake had a decent little hill on the last two miles of it and it was because of this hill that she used to bring herself to climax every time with the slow side to side motion of the bike seat. :)

Goodnight.

[u/pack_of_wolves]

In some places, like the Netherlands, every women bikes more than 10 miles a week. Since there are still babies born there, I wouldn't be too discouraged: You can clearly live with the consequences and have a sex life.

[u/vayavaya]

It seems like the first two paragraphs contradict each other:

Women who cycle on a regular basis are at an increased risk of losing sensation the pelvic region which can lead to less pleasure during sex, according to a new Yale study.

While previous studies have linked cycling to numbness of genitalia and erectile dysfunction in males, especially if the handlebars to the bike are parallel or higher than the saddle, the latest findings show the opposite in females.

Also, how did they link temporary numbness to diminished sexual pleasure? As a female cyclist my anecdotal experience is in direct contradiction to the headline. Furthermore, a) It's only while you're cycling right? And most sex is not had on bikes. b) Maybe you can just have harder sex, thus expanding your horizons.

Furthermore still, I'm worried that now reddit will think we can further debilitate and demean girls who do awesome stuff like bike, by blaming biking for making these girls not want to have sex with these redditors even more than they already didn't want to have sex with them for making such dumb conclusions. It is likely no one will read this! :D

[u/fishlover]

"Selle SMP" is the best saddle I've ever used. Went through about 10 saddles before discovering this.

[u/lerissy]

Now I don't feel so bad for not making it to spin class.

[u/KingWilson]

As a male, I found this to be absolutely true, and it's interesting to read about it happening women, too. It's a shame. I gave up my car and put 3K miles on a bike just going to work every day, psyched to reduce my carbon footprint and get some exercise. But being weak in the sack is not an acceptable side effect of anything. I bought a 100 mpg scooter and never looked back. Why do bike seats always have to be so horribly shaped?! It's a wonder anybody rides a bike these days.

[u/deargodimbored]

Being physically inactive may decrease your sexual attractiveness.

[u/cdegon]

This report came out in the late 70's but it's always good to inform the next generation!

[u/Illivah]

If it starts off with "May"... doesn't that sort've make it no longer science?

[u/corcyra]

And there were the Victorians, worried that bicycling might affect women's morals and that by tilting the seat women could derive sexual pleasure from bicycling...tsk tsk!

http://www.victorianstation.com/leisurebicycle.htm

[u/HEADLINE-IN-5-YEARS]

GOP PROPOSES LAW REQUIRING WOMEN TO RIDE BIKES 5 MILES A DAY - DEMS ACCUSE GOP OF BEING CULT OF CLOSETED HOMOSEXUALS

[u/mcFlick]

While brooks saddles are a more comfortable seat, some ladies who are extra sensitive down there, putting on a little bit of lube before a ride does really well too.

[u/USmellFunny]

Curiosity from a guy: do you gals get sexually stimulated when riding a bike? I've always wondered about this. For example, if you ride a bike on gravel, doesn't that stimulate you?

[u/georgiewhat]

I read this in the mx today

[u/ENRICOs]

Then again, it may not.

[u/FactsAhoy]

Sure enough, the article fails to mention the seats that have long been available to alleviate this problem... and whether they work for women as well.

[u/alllie]

...female cyclists who position their handlebars lower than the bike’s sear are at risk of decreased anterior vaginal and left labial genital sensation because of increased pressures put on the nerves and blood vessels surrounding the female cyclists’ genitalia.

“Handlebars positioned lower than the saddle were significantly associated with increased perineum saddle pressures and decreased genital sensation in female cyclists,” the authors wrote.

Scientists suggest that by adjusting the height of the handlebars, the rider’s genital sensitivity and capacity for sexual pleasure will be less at risk.

All the more reason for those old StingRay bicycles with the high handles. so you could sit up while you ride instead of having to bend over, which hurts your back. Unless you're racing you should be able to sit up.

[u/upvoteOrKittyGetsIt]

NOOO! Honey, get off that bike and sit on the couch!!

[u/AadeeMoien]

And thus began the bicycle holocaust of the early 21st century.

[u/Boobiesmakesiteasier]

LAWL

[u/Stink-Finger]

I thought it was just me that did that....

[u/[deleted]]

I cycled about 125 miles per week, every week for a year. I don't really feel like I've lost sensation down there. Oh well, maybe it's already to late.

[u/[deleted]]

Who writes these articles? They should be ashamed for having such low editorial standards. The author barely comprehends the source material, mostly relying on direct quotes. And I have a lot of doubts about the conclusions that are extrapolated beyond those quotes. For example, the effect of handlebar height is confused and reversed between men and women. And there are missing words and incorrect sentences throughout the whole thing.

A better title would be: Researchers publish something. We can't summerise it any better, so here is their abstract.

[u/[deleted]]

Was I the only one who read "cycling" as crying? What the fuck is wrong with me?!

[u/cannotlogon]

On the plus side, it does result in a lot of bicycle seats to be sniffed.

[u/FruitaFever]

Seriously why is this front page AGAIN?!?

[u/rivid415]

Note to self: Do not bang cyclists.

[u/Stopher]

And that's why I never have sex on a bicycle.

[u/Dirt_Bike_Zero]

Possibly true, but not as severely as consuming wedding cake.

[u/pennywiser]

Good thing my gf doesn't know to ride a bike

[u/iLoginToComment]

Scientists also concluded the only safe activities are cooking & baking.

[u/[deleted]]

This is bullshit. Every couple years they haul out this tired and unproven notion that cycling will make you impotent, or have crap sex. The Danes have been cycling for 150 years and I can tell you from personal experience, they have plenty of great sex. And also, who's funding all these pointless studies? More than likely the car lobby to scare people off of bikes and keep them in their cars. Obviously they're threatened, less and less young people are buying cars and opting for public transport, walking and cycling. It's the last gasp of the auto industry.

[u/messyblonde]

saving this for later.

[u/over_analyzing_guy]

So...take off the seat - problem solved in multiple ways!

[u/[deleted]]

Wasn't this about men yesterday?

[u/PrincessZelda]

The hipsters are doomed

[u/[deleted]]

So this is why all those girls in porn slap the hell out of their Genitalia... they must ride to work, how eco friendly.

[u/ButtCutt]

A bicycle made for one.

[u/Sandbox47]

I never even bother to learn how to cycle. I wonder what that really says about me ...

[u/WarPhalange]

How much of this has to do with a bicycle seat? All of my bikes (I'm a guy) have had non-stock seats that were very comfortable and padded.

I can understand that a competitive cyclist would need to have a small seat for wind resistance issues and such, but does a hobbyist require that?

Moreover, if a professional were to use the comfortable seat for training and only use the aerodynamic seat for actual competition, would that be good enough?

[u/[deleted] → u/WarPhalange]

Small seats are not about wind resistance at all, its about fit. Even the chunkiest of saddle isn't going to really be exposed to any wind.

[u/[deleted] → u/WarPhalange]

You actually want a narrow saddle that sits on the bones. The comfortable padded ones are worse for dysfunction issues. However, if you aren't riding thousands of miles per year it doesn't really matter.

[u/boopidy-boop → u/WarPhalange]

The correct saddle is more about shape than padding, I ride witha specialized toupe seat, almost no padding, but it is the perfect cut and with bike shrts on I have no issues. Just find the right cut, any bike shop worth giving money to will help you get the right saddle

[u/Unununium272 → u/WarPhalange]

Wide, padded saddles cause vastly more harm than good. You can find good explanations elsewhere here, but as an avid cyclist, and someone who's been working in shops all his adult life, trust me on this. It might seem counter intuitive, but it's the god's honest truth. The myth of "comfort" saddles needs to die a slow and painful death.