Did my first proper long road ride a couple of weeks ago (ride to the sun) and immediately after the ride it really hurt to wee. A couple of day later I had full on fever and ended up on antibiotics for urine infection. Went out yesterday and did another long road ride, (5 hours in the saddle) and post ride wee was painful again.

Saddle I am using has come over from a mountain bike so one I am very comfortable with, although on a mountain bike I guess I move around and off the saddle a lot more.

I was well hydrated, going through 4 bottles during the ride.

Any ideas?

battered sausage perineum syndrome innit

new saddle for you before little frank goes all shy 😀

WHat angle is your saddle set to ?

Has the original infection properly cleared up? They can be hard to treat effectively.

I had one a few years ago and got sent for a follow up check with consultant – even though I felt OK, he wasn’t convinced it was fully clear and wanted me on antibiotics for a further month.

For unrelated reasons I use Adamo saddles (mostly for mtb) – they take a short period of breaking (you) in, but certainly avoid sitting on certain areas…. You can try a demo saddle from the very helpful guys at Pedal Pedal. http://www.pedal-pedal.co.uk/bicycle-saddles/ism-adamo-breakaway-saddle-black-demo.html

You say ‘post ride wee’ did you pee on the ride at all? Leaving urine in your bladder for a long time can easily cause infection.

I had an infection a while back….not very nice. Cleared up OK, but I read that they can return.

You say ‘post ride wee’ did you pee on the ride at all? Leaving urine in your bladder for a long time can easily cause infection

Nope, roadside stop 10 minutes into the ride then nothing until finished ride, despite drinking 4 bottles. wasn’t conciously holding it in, just didn’t need to go.

I’ve only had a piss infection once, and that was less than a week after a longs (73 miles) offroad day ride towards the end of summer. Im assuming it partly down to dehydration.
Wasnt very nice until they got me on the antibiotics.

All the old school roadies in my club preach that saddles should be set dead level.
I have always followed this advice,even on my mtbs*.
It works for me.
I also found the Selle Italia saddles best.

*but I am all about XC

A UTI is one of the most painful things I’ve ever experienced. That hole is not meant to pass solids.

Some thoughts:
– MTB saddles & road saddles are designed to work with very different positions. You’re far less upright on the road bike and in the same position for a long time. Not so big a deal on shorter rides but can be important on longer rides.

– How is your, er, hygiene down there? UTIs can be caused by your bum germs going where they shouldn’t. Not washing your shorts after every ride (even a short one) might be a factor here. Probably also worth treating yourself to a good baby-wipe/washlet clean around that area after using the loo.

Some good advice here, thanks.

The first time this happened I just put it down to being one of those things, perhaps associated with riding in wet shorts for hours (but then done this many times, in much worse conditions on mtb)

The ride at the weekend was in perfect, hygienic conditions! Shower in the morning, washed and dried cycling gear, dry conditions etc.

I’m inclined to agree with the suggestion that this is about saddle and pressure points, although not quite sure what connection there is then with infection, rather than just swelling / pain.

I’m looking at one of these as a possible, good value new saddle

Selle SMP TRK Saddle

All the old school roadies in my club preach that saddles should be set dead level.

While riding a lot (several hours a day, six days a week) I went from setting dead level to dipping the nose slightly to take pressure away from the ‘tween pipes. I also used WTB or SDG saddles. Admittedly this was riding offroad with plenty of stops, so quite different to bashing out 100+ miles on the road.

I saw something a while back on that ch4 doctor programme,where someones pee pipe was bunged up,& he had to have surgery to open it up again,as his flow was restricted,he had damaged it,in a crash or something,not saying that’s your issue,just saying,it may just not be an infection, & get a second opinion @ the Quacks.

After all,you’ve gotta keep little frank working avnt ya !!,hope it clears up fella. 😉

While riding a lot (several hours a day, six days a week) I went from setting dead level to dipping the nose slightly to take pressure away from the ‘tween pipes

I do the same.

Personally, I’m more inclined to think it’s the lack of peeing, and your bladder being full of urine for that long.

Speaking as someone who has had a lot of UTIs.

Had something similar about 20 years ago.
Couldn’t pee in the afternoon, following a birthday drinks session down the pub.
Spent a very uncomfortable 4 hours in A&E and eventually managed to go, just before I was called through to see the doctor.
To cut a long story short, I had scar tissue in the urethra which when pressed upon by a very full bladder, cut the flow off.
Talking to the doctor at some point during the process, the conversation went something like this…

“Have you been knocked off a motorbike recently?”
“Err – never ridden a motorbike in my life but, now you ask, I was knocked off my bicycle about 5 months ago”
“That would do it, classic injury, caused by bouncing around violently on a saddle”

A visit to hospital (although it felt like dyno-rod had been subcontracted) and all was sorted.

Personally, I’m more inclined to think it’s the lack of peeing, and your bladder being full of urine for that long.

how long are you in bed every night ?

OP, those TRK saddles are way bigger than you want unless yo’ ass is biiiig !

(the other ded expensive versions are good IMO/IME but that one is huge)

We call this a ‘fire piss’.

Basically I think it’s things being pressed for too long on the saddle.

Get off the bike where possible around 2 hours in and knock one out. (A piss that is.)

(None of this accounts for the infection.)

Get off the bike where possible around 2 hours in and knock one out

Pehaps I need to limit my rides to 2 hours then head home for a supportive massage….

how long are you in bed at night?

How much water are you using up being asleep compared to on the bike? Hardly any.

Concentrated urine is bad for your bladder.

I can confidently say this as I’ve been in and out of doctors and surgeons in the past few months.

So what does a UTI feel like? I’ve got a bit of pain downstairs at the moment, had put it down to a groin strain but it doesn’t seem to be improving after 5 weeks. Closest I can describe is it feels like a dull throb like being kicked in the nuts, inside the connective “pipes” epididymis or something like that. Yes I know go to the doctor….but if it is a strain like I thought I’d be wasting his time.

OP, go get it checked by GP. Probably something simple but not an area where problems should be ignored – lots to go wrong in that section of piping

Having suffered from urine infections a lot over the last 20 years I have learnt prevention is the best cure. Basically for an infection to take hold you need to allow the bacteria in your bladder to firstly multiple and secondly attached to the bladder wall in order for an infection to start. The best way to avoid this is to pee regularly, I was advised by my urologist to go no longer than 3 hours no matter if I wanted to or not. To resist the bacteria attaching the bladder wall I take a suppliment called D-Manosse which coats the bladder lining. Keep hydrated, this is key for me and I drink as regularly as I can during the day.

My issues are not caused by cycling and I’ve never had a link between time in saddle and infection starting but this is the basis of how an infection takes hold.

^^as above.

I’ve had at least one UTI caused by cycling, because I had a long ride, didn’t drink and then drank booze afterwards.

Resulting accumulation of bacteria in my urine sat in my bladder caused the UTI.

Doctor gave me a right bollocking.

I’ve had at least one UTI caused by cycling, because I had a long ride, didn’t drink and then drank booze afterwards.
Resulting accumulation of bacteria in my urine sat in my bladder caused the UTI.

Where did the bacteria come from?

Seriously, unless you have a predisposition to UTI, the idea that a single episode of not pissing for a few hours causing one is pretty far fetched and I’d guess that urethral trauma from a poorly fitted saddle is way more likely as a cause of colonisation —> infection

I’m interested in all this talk of bacteria multiplying in the bladder. I thought urine was sterile (ie no bacteria) and that’s why in a pinch (miles from anywhere without anything better) you can piss on a wound to clean it out. Is this just another old wives tale then?

Also, I used to get a numb groin after a long ride, so switched to a SQLab saddle. Takes a bit of getting used to perched up on your sit bones, but never get numb meat & two veg anymore!

Timely thread. I’m just waiting to get mine checked out following a couple of UTIs and was wondering if cycling might be a factor. I’ve had numbness in the past but not so much since getting a set-up done.

Google ‘cycling induced prostatitis’

I saw something a while back on that ch4 doctor programme,where someones pee pipe was bunged up,& he had to have surgery to open it up again,as his flow was restricted,he had damaged it,in a crash or something

Had exactly this issue several years after a top tube/tackle interface. After a few UTIs I started ignoring them to a degree which was not a great idea as the infection basically starts travelling and once it hits your kidneys you really do know about it.

Urologist explained that it’s not about how often you pee but whether you actually empty the bladder – any restriction on the way out will generally prevent this from happening.

Surgery for me – not a nice experience from cameras to the op itself but I’m so glad it got sorted. The before & after pictures were quite scary 😯

Consultant said the proportion of his patients that were cyclists had become so high that he was in the process of writing a paper on the problem. His advice re saddles was invaluable following his research.

Go to your GP & ask for a flow test – it’s quick, easy & painless (other than having to completely fill your bladder.

Reassuring to know there’s a number of people with the same problem. Not something that is generally talked about so well done OP for raising it. So to speak…..;-)

No problem with raising it (in either sense of the word)!

I have suffered many such infections over the years. Once you develop one then antibiotics are needed. One thing that keeps them from arising in the first place is drinking D-mannose powder. This is essentially the sugar of the cranberry extracted and powdered. It binds to the ecoli in the bladder (the principle cause of UTI)and then you urinate it out. I guess the ecoli is always hanging around but certain conditions cause it to get out of control. Dmannose powder keeps it in check. It really works as a preventative measure, it can also stop a UTI in the early stages, but not if its left too long, then you need antibiotics IME. Quite pricey but better than taking antibiotics. I buy the NOW foods version.

Currently suffering something similar. Not one for going to the Docs unless it’s bad, i let my UTI fester for a long time. It wasn’t until i started having blood and chunks of flesh in my urine and blood in my semen (and supersore testicles) that i went. Docs were very good but seemed more concerned it was cancer of some sort so i had a lot of test done for that and not much in the way of antibiotics/treatment for my concern – the aching plums. Had the cockcam inserted last week to check my bladder (not much fun at the best of times, but less fun when your peepipe had constricted due to infection) and had a Renal CT scan yesterday. Went to the docs again today and got some very potent antibiotics (dr descrided them as the domestos of the AB world 😀 ) which will hopefully get rid of the sore nuts. Really miss riding my bike and shagging – in that order.

I wish i’d went to get checked when it first happened, so if anyone is in any doubt, don’t be stupid like me, go to the Doctor.

Enjoy your lunch – hope it’s not soup 😀

@theendisnigh – did you create that login purely for this thread? 😉

no I’ve had a login for years, why do you ask? You’ve not been snooping around my recent activity like sad, stalking freak have you? 🙂

I also had the cockcam, the guide to prise the bellend open was really sore, especially as it kept popping out. By the 3rd time it was inserted I had sweat running down my forehead. Told the nurse that if it popped out again it wasn’t going back in. She asked me if I was pushing it out on purpose! I can’t fire fkn ping pong balls out of it my dear! I felt thoroughly violated by the end of it.

I hadn’t even contemplated the whole cockcam thing. Suddently everything feels much better and I do not need any further medical intervention!

I think the best solution is to stay off the road bike and stick to mountain biking, was never a problem riding off road

I have a docs appointment on Fri because of this thread I am dreading it….

As for where the bacteria comes from, my urologist told me it’s always in the urine so it’s not sterile. Leaving your bladder to fill allows the bacteria to multiply and start the infection once attached to the bladder wall. This is where the aforementioned DMannose helps. Btw, I also use the NOW foods version but capsule based and no I don’t work for a supplier, lol