# Bicycle saddles and impotence. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 26, 2004, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-saddles-and-impotence/261562 "2004-08-26T05:19:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nonpolar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3da27b/32.png) [@nonpolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonpolar)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-saddles-and-impotence/261562/1 "2004-08-26T05:19:12Z")
I have this rather intimate problem and would like to get your input on this. I used to have almost every night involuntary erection( nothing bad about it right?)during sleep,and otherwise everything was ok with relationships and so on. Then past 2-3 months I started bicycling on my m.bike quite intensivly every day for at least couple hours and I have noticed that those frequent erections went away,plus I lost interest in sex stuff. So my question is ,could I have done some damage to that area from sitting on small and not very comfortable bicycle saddle?Or maybe I’m just getting old? ☹ ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-saddles-and-impotence/261562/2 "2004-08-26T05:27:49Z")
**nopolar’s** penis strikes again! Is this a theme? ---
**Author:** ![nonpolar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3da27b/32.png) [@nonpolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonpolar)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-saddles-and-impotence/261562/3 "2004-08-26T06:17:40Z")
I know my posts deal predominantly with sex ,reason for that is as you know I’m single looser who has hard time finding any (chicks to bang) oh! sorry for that , I mean hard time finding any meaningfull relationship. Years go by, my body once example of human perfection begins to fall apart (Diseases ,afflictions you name it) so I’m worried. But there is light at the end of a tunnel ,because since subsribing to the SDMB somehow I have mentally improved , and although I have no job (there is always hope to be moderator) I feel right at home with you people. So,back to OP ,any bad experience with bike saddles guys? ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-saddles-and-impotence/261562/4 "2004-08-26T06:27:16Z")
> [@nonpolar](#): > > since subsribing to the SDMB somehow I have mentally improved Good heavens. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-saddles-and-impotence/261562/5 "2004-08-26T06:33:37Z")
This word, I do not think it means what you think it means. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-saddles-and-impotence/261562/6 "2004-08-26T11:08:18Z")
Nonpolar, if a European woman who is probably a bit too old for you may offer some advice, 6 months ago, I, too was a "looser who has hard time finding any[one] to love or have sex with, although more the former than the latter. That situation has changed dramatically since then, and one reason it did is because I _didn’t_ constantly talk about my abysmal social life. Also, please decide whether you want someone to bang or someone to have a meaningful relationship with. There are some women who are more interested in the first; there are some who are more interested in the second. Going after either one when you’re interested in the other one is very likely to lead to grief. As for what passes for the OP, while I’ve also read that some bicycle seats can lead to impotence for men, and I’ve read there are some which are designed to minimize that problem, you might also want to consider that worrying to much about impotence is also a likely cause of impotence. Honestly, lad, if you want some woman to bang you until you can’t think, move, or do anything but moan in ecstasy, and I assure you there _are_ women who are capable of that out there, and I’m one of them, constantly talking about and worrying your penis isn’t the way to find them. I’m afraid it’s not that interesting to anyone but you. People on this message board have gotten laid by other Dopers; people on this message board have married other Dopers, sometimes travelling great distances to do so. If you want to have a chance of falling into either category, please, on behalf of available females throughout this message board, find another topic to talk about. Trust me, I’ve seen and read about my share of penises, and yours ain’t that fascinating. :rolleyes: CJ ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-saddles-and-impotence/261562/7 "2004-08-26T11:53:14Z")
By the way, please allow me to give you one other bit of practical advice. It’s been my experience that the ease with which a gentleman gets and sustains an erection is not related to his quality and skill as a lover. Indeed, the gentleman who had the most difficulty with such things is the most technically proficient and skilled lover I’ve had and he assures me I’ve given him as much pleasure as he’s given me. Imagination and the desire to give as well as receive pleasure is far more important when determining one’s skill as a lover than one’s ability to pop up like a jack-in-the-box. Respectfully, CJ ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-saddles-and-impotence/261562/8 "2004-08-26T11:58:03Z")
Lance Armstrong has three kids, just one testicle, and he rides bikes 20 hours a day. I think you ought to be OK, **nonpolar**. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-saddles-and-impotence/261562/9 "2004-08-26T12:34:31Z")
Get on your bike, and ride it around the block. If your weight meets the saddle at your buttcheeks, you’re fine. If your weight is on your dangly bits, have the seat moved around until your butt is carrying the load. Anything else is hypochondria. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-saddles-and-impotence/261562/10 "2004-08-26T15:00:55Z")
On the chance that the OP is on the level, are you noticing numbness after riding? If so, the biking might be contributing and you could try adjusting the seat or getting a new more anatomically accommodating seat. If, as you say, your seat is small and not too comfortable, then not replacing it seems rather silly. If no numbness, then I suspect your problem may be unrelated and tied to depression, medication, or just some seasonal waning of hormones. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bicycle-saddles-and-impotence/261562/11 "2004-08-26T15:09:56Z")
Assuming that **nonpolar** really wants an answer and not just a discussion about his penis: [http://www.howtobefit.com/mtb3.htm](http://www.howtobefit.com/mtb3.htm) > [@](#): > > Study: Mountain Biking Threatens Male Fertility > by Ed Susman - United Press International [http://www.vh.org/adult/patient/urology/faq/maleinfertility.html](http://www.vh.org/adult/patient/urology/faq/maleinfertility.html) > [@](#): > > I’ve read that bike-riders have to be careful what kind of seat they use as to not damage the testicles. True? > The best evidence regarding bicycle seats pertains to erection, not fertility. Any seat that causes numbness could potentially damage a man’s erection. However, there has not been any evidence to show that fertility is affected. [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Link&db=PubMed&dbFrom=PubMed&from\_uid=11010052](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Link&db=PubMed&dbFrom=PubMed&from_uid=11010052) has a whole host of medical studies related to biking and male sexual funtion. Googling “male fertility” +bicycle +bike will get you a ton of information.