Cycling and ED – any experiences?

I thought about posting this under a new account, but figured it’s kind of important to talk about and those that know me will have a good laugh about my willy anyway.

I’ve been having a bit of trouble getting it up for about a year now. I think the cause is twenty five years of riding bikes exacerbated by using a saddle for the last three years that was comfortable but, it turned out, put all my weight through my perenium. Things improved when I switched to a Selle Italia Superflow saddle that puts no weight on my undercarriage, but then it’s got bad again. I’ve now bought the same saddle for my mountain bikes in the hope that will help.

I ride about 8 hours/90 miles a week, pretty much every week.

Has anyone been through this? Did things ever work properly again? What steps did you have to take? Did you have to make any adjustments to your riding or bike?

Obviously, I’m going to speak to a doctor about it but I’d like to know what happens in the long term once a solution has been found.

You’re right and i think it’ an issue which is really not talked about enough. From my experience cycling causes a number of issues with prostate/cock’n’balls and i’m amazed there isn’t more research done on the matter.

I’m not sure what else to tell you, but… you’re not alone in cycling doing funny things.

I’ve nothing to contribute other than congratulate you for speaking up on this.

What he said^^ +1.

Back in the day we all wanted our saddles to be flat, and that’s how I had mine. But now we’ve realised that your weight needs to be on your sit bones and this requires your saddle to be nosed down slightly, at least on a road/gravel/XC type bike. It maybe different on a modern trail bike I don’t know. But basically, sit on sit bones.

Also avoid too much padding because that can bunch up and restrict blood flow in vital areas too. Lastly, Zwift is a bastard for this.

not directly linked, but when I went through prostate cancer surgery 8 years ago I did quite a lot of saddle research around fellow sufferers. I ended up swopping to an ISM saddle just before surgery, in prep for rehab and now have them on all my bikes. When setup correctly (there are loads of setup guides on their website) they can relieve pretty much all numbness..

Putting weight thru your perineum damages both blood flow and the nerves. the weight should be on your sit bones. The angle your seat needs to be at is individual. for me its nose up otherwise I slide forward and put the weight on my perineum. Probably due to short hamstrings

You can get seats with no nose at all. Raising bars also helps ( hmmm – not according to that harvard article but IMO / IME). Gel seats with a fair bit of padding are recommended

Its a well known issue.

Also now you get into performance anxiety ie ” I wonder if I can get a decent stiffy?” which automatically means you will not so you may need some psycho-sexual counseling as well to get rid of the performance anxiety

The physical issues should be temporary ie remove the constant pressure and the nerves and bloodflow will recover

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/can-cycling-cause-erectile-dysfunction

I so want to see you with one of these on your bike

Oh – and welcome to being middleaged

No personal experience but have you been to the doctor to get checks for anything else that may be there?

Hopefully just a bad saddle interaction and nothing more serious. Just asking as a couple of friends have had similar and got checked and found it was more than just the wrong saddle.

Saying that, I hope the issue does resolve with the new saddle.

I read something a few years ago in a medical journal (can’t remember which exactly) somewhere that the believed consensus was that the risk from long term sitting on a saddle was usually outweighed by the improvement in circulation/blood flow and fitness/health benefits of riding bikes. But that there hasn’t really been any reliable research carried out in the area yet.

I don’t get the article that says “wear padded shorts”. We’re supposed to sit on our sit bones – and if you do that on a hard saddle then your perineum is free and clear.

If you sit on a saddle that you sink into, or wear padded shorts then you’ve extra material pressuring you.

For me – hard saddle, no chamoix – never had problems unless I’ve had my saddle at the wrong angle/too far back.

Not my experience. I ride on a well padded and wide ( for an enthusiast saddle) nose up and have zero pressure on my perineum. I could cut the front 2/3 off the saddle and it would make no difference at all

I have a bontrager SSR saddle that is concave both front to back and side to side

Edit

and if you do that on a hard saddle then your perineum is free and clear.

I see the logic but for me the pressure on the two points would then be unbearable as all my weight would be on two 5p sized bits. the gel and padding spreads it out to be two circles and inch or more across

Google “soma correct”

And I’ve messaged you

I think molgrips and Ian are on the right track with saddle type and position,you have raced for a long part of that 25 years so it may be down to your seat setup/type.You could also try searching(or posting) on the Audaxuk site,they have a wealth of knowledge and do far more miles than us mere mortals. Also,look at what has changed in the last couple of years with what bikes and type of riding you are doing.I have only ever had it happen once after a 24 road ride,it was a strange (and worrying) feeling,but did all sort itself out after a few days. Good luck

Have you tried rubbing Ginger’s baws on it?

Obvious question but have you tried Viagra (or similar)? And if so, did it have the desired effect?

And how old are you?

You may just be suffering from middle age and the “usual” ED rather than something like nerve damage.

Lastly, Zwift is a bastard for this.

As I am currently discovering… 😭 No ED, yet, but numbing of my gentleman’s sausage is concerning and somewhat uncomfortable as the feeling returns.

After a read of this article I’ve spent more money on a saddle than I thought possible in the hope of relieving nether-region numbness.

I had similar, went to docs to rule everything else out, all tests negative so the only thing left was psychological. The fear of being unable to perform meant I was unable to perform plus thinking it was something serious medically was making me worry am that worry meant I was unable to perform. Once anything medical was ruled out things improved dramatically.
Having a very understanding partner was ace.
Go and talk to a professional and rule everything else out and go from there

Talking of Viagra, have a look at Tadalafil. 5mg daily dose works wonders, no more having to predict when that special cuddle will occur. On-line pharmacies such as Simple Online Pharmacy spares those blushes….
Allegedly.

What rocketdog says is performance anxiety. If there was a physical cause and its now not an issue performance anxiety could still be getting in the way

I don’t think you are a boozer but thats no help

Get everything else checked by the doc, get a bike fit, and if there’s nothing physically causing it then performance anxiety could be an issue.

I can still get it up, I just can’t remember why.

Are you taking any other meds that could cause issues as a side effect?

Thanks for replying everyone – it’s good to know it’s not just me.

Here’s some answers to the questions that have been asked-

– I’m 34, so doubt it’s middle age related regardless of what TJ says
– I am not a big drinker, single figure units a month
– I’ve had a bike fit done, but I have had to raise the saddle higher than recommended to prevent a knee issue.
– I’m on no meds
– I don’t Zwift, I like riding my bike
– I do ride my gravel bike a hell of a lot more than I used to, but have been doing since 2018 and the problem only cropped up in 2021.
– I’ve never felt any numbness
– Ginger is a touch far away but I’d be willing to try it.

It’s interesting that performance anxiety can be such a big impact on the problem. I’ve not taken any meds yet, and don’t intend to until I’ve seen a doctor.

Are there any pertinent points I should raise with the doctor? Or is it as simple as “I’m a cyclist and I’ve murdered my wilkins”?

I’m told if you still get morning wood it’s more likely mental than physical, but I dare not Google to verify this!

Don’t answer on here, please, but do you have the same issue when perusing the murkier elements of the Internet?

“I’m a cyclist and I’ve murdered my wilkins”?

That would be a good start, but give him/her an idea of how many hours per week over however many years you’ve been riding!

I presume you’re not just an occasional cyclist and it’s not a hobby you want to unduly curtail… otherwise his/her solution may just be “give up cycling” 😉

I’m told if you still get morning wood it’s more likely mental than physical, but I dare not Google to verify this!

The above makes sense to me. I had the same problem when I was in my early twenties and properly fit. Didn’t think it could be cycling. After some googling I quit coffee and I was better soon after. (NB this could of course all have been psychological! but it seemed to be the coffee)

I’ve had a bike fit done, but I have had to raise the saddle higher than recommended to prevent a knee issue.

This is immediately worrying. Knee pain is very very rarely linked to a saddle being too low and the number one reason for saddle discomfort is exaggerated asymmetry caused by a saddle that’s too high (and often self medicated by a saddle with a huge cutout).

Was your bike fit on a jig with saddle pressure mapping? If not, go get another bike fit.

Oh, and seeing as we are all being open minded here, does your partner still turn you on?
Or if you’re single, is this problem better or worse with certain partners? i.e. maybe you’re not attracted to your partner as you used to be…

Reading your first bit and I was thinking it all sounded familiar until you mentioned your age. My experiences though…aged 48 lol

For the last few years I have done more running than cycling, but a couple of years back I was probably running 20 ish miles per week and riding 150 miles ish per month. My saddle was a very nice 2000’s Flite Titanium (very comfy but no padding)

After runs I started getting odd pains in my groin, especially if sitting in a car, or on the toilet. I could ride approx 30 miles but any more and I would start hovering on the seat to avoid contact on my perineum.

In Dec 21 it all came to a head. I went out for a bike ride and only managed about 10 miles before I couldnt sit on the saddle. The next day I went for a run when I got back I couldnt move for hours and was in huge pain in my groin. Turns out I had caused a Labrum tear in my Hip.

This followed by 2 days of not going to the toilet and loosing sensation down my right leg. (This got the docs slightly worried… and me) and I had an urgent MRI which showed nothing spectacular. Basically inflation and muscle tightness was squashing nerves. Erectile function wasnt really top of my thoughts at that point due to the pain, but it was an issue after. However after a few months it came back.

Having spoken with some friends since who are surgeons/docs, I had various stuff going on. Inflammation from a hip on its way out, using a saddle that clearly was inappropriate for me (even though it might have been fine in the past, and then an acute injury.) Causing me perineum problems which I had clearly been ignoring.

I now have the same saddles as you on all bikes, and I am on the slippery slope to needing a new hip. However, I am out riding again, and now query any pain downstairs rather than just ignoring it.

Don’t answer on here, please, but do you have the same issue when perusing the murkier elements of the Internet?

I was pondering this yesterday, and the problem is the same. I’ve been married for a decade but my wife still gets me going.

RE the bike fit – the saddle raising above the recommended height actually came from a physio. I’d had a ride where my saddle had slipped down and trashed my knee over the course of that one ride. So the fit is good, but I’ve had to make adjustments for other reasons.

Interesting about your probllem FunkyDunc – I have actually noticed my legs getting slimmer in the last few years but I wonder if muscle mass somewhere has changed in addition to other problems.

I’ll make it clear I take riding a bike more seriously than I should when I see the doctor too – thanks for that advice.

I’d advise speaking to the Docs – I had issues after a botched snp, then resultant corrective surgery messed up my testosterone levels. Been on replacement therapy for 9 years, snip was 10 years ago. My main issue was I was getting tired quickly, and 6 months after the second op, my commutes were hard work – easily traced by my Garmin times – you could see the drop in performance. Got bloods done, and hey ho…,I was 42 at the time.

Worth a full bloods to see if anything going on.

Seeing as you said no numbness –

1) Get your testosterone levels checked, use Thriva or another private service
2) Are things still ‘lacklustre’ if you have a week off the bike?
3) Do a heavy squat machine session in the gym, that will explode your quads. say 15-20 reps at 70/80kg, 5 seconds down, 5 seconds up. Then do lower leg raises on the leg extension machine to completely finish your quads off. See what happens in the gentleman zone the next day.
4) Supplements – Assuming your diet is good – Ginseng, Fenugreek, Horny Goatweed, L-Argenine are the things to explore and measure the effects of assuming they are safe for you.
5) Are you vegetarian or vegan? (Can feed into point 1 above)
6) Is it worth getting a coronary screening? Sudden lack of morning wood can be indicative of issues starting elsewhere that are good to catch early on.

Well done for speaking up. ~10 years ago I was having issues (early 30’s). Not the same as you describe but other things in the same area. There was a lot of tests and I was getting increasingly stressed.. I eventually ended up in front of a specialist who was the first person to actually ask me “okay – exactly how much do you cycle?”. And at the time the answer was 20hours+ / week.

The long and short of it was that a lot of cycling, not enough weight lifting and not enough stretching meant I was getting all sorts of nerve issues through the hips / groin area due to muscle imbalances.. Different saddles, stretching and some focused strength training all helped.

I think if, as you age, all you do is cardio you’re going to loose muscle mass. Actual resistance training becomes more and more important for both muscle mass and other issues like bone density.

My family have a road background going back to the 70s. Ran a bike shop etc. They have all talked about ED and cycling since I was a kid. Mid 90s I first heard them talking about it. These were 40 year olds at the time. Just seen it crop up every few years in the media and a few papers here and there. They were meticulous with saddle fitment and that seemed to be the best prevention if you ride seated a lot. My dad did have a doctor in the 90s tell him to stop riding his bike as they were convinced it was from being seated for that once a week 100km ride. He stopped riding and never had issues. He stopped cycling entirely and took up spearfishing instead.

I do find that a big ride with a lot of climbing just kills hardness/feeling for a few days (5/10). If I go Jib all day our push up I am not nearly so off and things are totally different (10/10 and good feedback).

Only solution for me. Heavy weights and Freeride.

I’m a bit of an sqLab fanboy (not sure I can legimately but fanman feels wrong) .. I digress, but they have some great resources and what looks like pukka research particularly around saddles, grip, bars and pain.

Might be worth a wander, I’ve got their 611 active saddle on my proper bike and Zwift ratbike.

Another thing to get checked and i’ve mentioned it on here before, i weirdly got diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes following second bout of COVID, initial symptoms were eyesight becoming blurry, dizzy when going to stand-up and ED, thankfully i have managed to control it with diet and increased exercise and i am in remission and all symptoms have resolved bar wanting to urinate a lot more than I used, but another thing to get checked as it is one of the more common causes, and you don’t have to be a “fat sweet eater” as the news/ comedians would have every T2 labelled.

I’m gonna echo the others in admiring your manliness in standing up and talking about this.
One of my mates has had this and when he started talking about it a lot of reactions were piss taking or the insecure ones saying “I’ve never had an issue wih it, solid 3 x times a day”. It was quite alientating for him and he stopped hanging out for a while as he had been belittled in a way.

If you don’t get morning boners then it’s probably unrelated to performance anxiety, and more something physical

Usual suspects would be low testosterone, nerve damage, or early stage atherosclerosis which at an early stage can gunk up the blood flow in your boabie long before it causes heart issues. That said if you have normal cholesterol at your age that’s unlikely

2 years ago I was doing a lot of turbo work and after one 2.5 hr ride I reached down and had lost all sensation in my todger that didn’t come back for an hr or so. Caused me all kinds of issues for about a month afterwards

I’ve done an e consultation with the doctor – I was going to get an in person appointment but my wife pointed out that our GP does e consultations and they lost erectile dysfunction as one of the things they can discuss like this.

The questions were thorough, and did mention dizzin when standing which I’ve had for years, to the point of occasionally fainting when I wee (which was checked out and everything was normal, albeit my blood pressure on the low end of normal).

I am curious if it’s low testosterone. I have very little sex drive.

I’ll update once I hear back. If it is cycling related I might document the journey on here for other sufferer’s interest and everyone else’s knob related amusement.