How much numbness is too much numbness?

Basically, after cycling to work I experience a tingling sensation in my groin. There is no loss of sensation or discomfort, just a very gentle tingle (akin to cold fingers warming up or similar) which persists for quite a while.

I'm trying to check a few things to make sure they're not related, being both the obvious (varying my saddles and fiddling with their angles) and the less obvious (moving away from Mint Source shower gel and it's mildly anaesthetic effects). I guess my question is: Is this a doctor problem or a HTFU problem?

And let the piss taking commence.

Also, any saddle advice (or even better, offers of loans of different shaped saddles) much appreciated.

That mint/tea tree Original Source stuff would be high on my list of suspects...

Too much pressure in the soft middle bit of your undercarriage.

Try: tilting the seat back, forwards, angle the front slight to one side, moving it fore/aft, slotted saddles, etc. In that order basically.

The pressure should be on the sit bones (the boney bits in your arse) not on the soft perineum between sack and sphincter.

Also, stand up every now and then to relieve the pressure. What saddle are you using? Is your bike fit good/are you generally comfy?

Original Source Mint + sweat = Oowww!

Used to get that burn in the armpit, fookin stings.

i preferred when Hippy was chasing lol rep points

i had this problem, and im unashamed to say ! numbness as hippy said becasue "too much pressure in the soft middle bit of your undercarriage".
I got a cheap slotted seat (aka seat with a love groove) and the problem went away.

there are also saddles with the bit cut away in the middle eg specialized toupe

i preferred when Hippy was chasing lol rep points

See it's people like you who think I'm nothing but someone to laugh at or tell jokes well I'll have you know sonny jim that i'm full of usefu

Knock Knock

Bike fit is generally good, the saddles are the stock Filmore one and a Flite Alpes. I'm sitting on my sit bones (can't remember the correct term for them. The coccyx is connected to the something...) and there is little or no pressure on my "taint" - I guess it's a question of whether "very little" is still "too much".

I've had cock pain from cycling before and this is different, so I'm going to leave the Mint Source out of my life for a few weeks and see what change this makes (if any). The sweating comment makes sense.

there are also saddles with the bit cut away in the middle eg specialized toupe

Yeah, dem ones.. but generally the issue can be resolved without resorting to new saddles. It's usually poor positioning that causes the issue in the first place. A slotted saddle might fix it but it's addressing the symptoms not the cause.

SLR ftw! :)

I had this problem a couple of months ago. I have always been on the bicycles but I recently started to commute to work(20kms eachway) everyday on a new bike. It took me a couple of weeks of a fiddling with the saddle and I also think it took my body a while to get used to it. I also have problems with my veins down there so I got some tight undies/riding shorts to stop my junky flying around when bouncing around the rough streets.

You should rub in some Deep Heat 'down below' before each ride, it works wonders ;-)

SLR ftw! :)

ha

doesn't pointing ur saddle upwards crush ur balls a bit/a lot?
ive never tried it, just looks like it would hurt?

No.. you angle it VERY VERY slightly up. It depends on the shape of your arse and your position on the bike but for some people it can help rock their hips back and relieve some pressure from the front of their undercarriage.
I used to do this with Flite saddles but with SLRs and a bit lower bar position (I'm more flexible now) I have the saddle angled down at the front EVER so slightly.
I also have the saddle rotated slight to the right or left (I can never remember). This can make all the difference if you are chaffing an inner thigh.
Saddle height is important too - too high and your undercarriage constantly rocks back and forth over the saddle. Too low and your kneecaps explode out the side and kill innocent pedestrians. :)

boned down, stripped SLR ftw! :)

:)

I'd try a different saddle - i don't think you should get any numbness with the right set up - maybe a little bit sore after a seriously long ride but not after a commute.

(I know everyone goes on about brooks) but i've gotta say that I can spend a whole day on my b17 with no real discomfort...

Try a different saddle AFTER altering your position on the current one.
Spend spend spend.. that's all the kids do these days.. sheesh!

Try a different saddle AFTER altering your position on the current one.
Spend spend spend.. that's all the kids do these days.. sheesh!

credit crunch and that. keep consumer confidence up...

No.. you angle it VERY VERY slightly up. It depends on the shape of your arse and your position on the bike but for some people it can help rock their hips back and relieve some pressure from the front of their undercarriage.

My saddle is flat horizontal and I get mild left hip pain after any ride of considerable length recently, i will try angling it backward to see if this reduces the pain i'm getting. Cheers!

My saddle is flat horizontal and I get mild left hip pain after any ride of considerable length recently, i will try angling it backward to see if this reduces the pain i'm getting. Cheers!

If you are getting hip pain I'd lower it slightly as you are probably rolling your hips a little.

If you are getting hip pain I'd lower it slightly as you are probably rolling your hips a little.

you were right, i've lowered it a fraction along with the angling and my hip now doesn't ache after rides.

so I'm going to leave the Mint Source out of my life for a few weeks and see what change this makes (if any). The sweating comment makes sense.

Gutted.... No lamb roasts then?

Put the saddle back on!

try to stand up every know and then