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For some men, mounting a bicycle seat is no more enjoyable than a swift kick in the crotch. And worse, perching on a traditional seat for long periods of time is a proven cause of penile numbness and erectile dysfunction.
Want to keep your sex life and your bike? Consider buying a noseless seat, experts say.
A study published in this month's issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine found men who switched from traditional bike seats to noseless saddle seats reported improved penile sensation and a reduction in erectile dysfunction.
The study traced bicycling police officers in five metro areas in the United States who traded their traditional seats for the noseless kind, which cradles the buttocks and provides freedom out front. The design reduces saddle contact pressure in the perineal region.
Men who switched from traditional bike seats to noseless saddle seats reported a reduction in erectile dysfunction. (Cara Seekell)
Out of the 90 officers who spent six months riding on the noseless saddle seats, the number of men who indicated they had not experienced penile numbness rose from 27 per cent to 82 per cent.
Officers who reported erectile dysfunction before switching saddles saw an improvement in the longevity of their bedroom encounters.
"Certainly for a long time there has been this thing 'Oh it doesn't happen, bicyclists don't have this problem,' " said lead study author Steven Schrader of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Cincinnati, Ohio. And many men are shy to talk about the numbness or impotence, even the police officers in the study, he said. While Dr. Schrader said it took officers a little while to get used to the seats, which force them to reposition themselves and put more pressure on the handlebars as they lean forward, 97 per cent of the participants continued to use them after the study.
"It looks different and when you first get on the bike you have to balance differently, but it's not a difficult adjustment," he said. "[Noseless saddles] take the pressure off the groin area, they're much more comfortable to use."
While their health benefits may be plenty, the seats are still hard to find on store shelves and are mostly available online.
Martin Clermont, manager at Russ Hay's bicycle shop in Victoria, says his store carries the noseless seats, but he finds they're only requested by a handful of customers - mostly those with existing prostrate problems.
"It's a solution but it isn't the solution," he said. Nosed-seat technology is constantly improving, and newer, better-designed versions already alleviate penile discomfort, he says.
