Apr. 29th, 2003 09:38 am
A cautionary tale for male cyclists
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vin_petrolFemales, you can read this and giggle at us...
A while ago I bought a new pedal cycle. Over the summer I got progressively more serious about riding it, trying to get out twice a weekend for long rides. This was generally down bridleways locally - I've not *quite* got round to driving somewhere and then riding ... yet.
Now, the bike I ride was an interesting compromise. I wanted something of reasonable quality, but not *too* expensive as I wasn't sure how much I would ride it. It *could* have ended up mouldering in the shed forever. It was going to do on-road and off-road. As it was, what the shop sold me was spot on:
http://www.dawescycles.com/Bikes/shuniah.htm
It has no suspension, but nice knobbly tires. I had actually ridden a 'traditional' racer for a couple of weeks before this: knobbly tires and a handlebar mounted gear shift are *huge* differences. I was curious to see what difference suspension made, so I convinced![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
resyk to lend me his bike (which has front suspension), on the simple basis that he wasn't riding it much at that time (though he rides it a lot more now).
I set of for a big ride around some tracks I knew, heading off for some bridleways I had never been down before. Turns out the bridleways I went to were a bit *too* high quality: actually smooth tarmac on most of them. Yuck! I did see a deer though, near one of the woods I rode through.
All in all I was out for about three hours, and covered about 32 miles.
One interesting factoid about my bike: it has a saddle with a groove down the centre. One interesting factoid about resyks's: it doesn't.
So I get back, and I'm in the bath and I think "interesting - my penis is partially numb".
After a few hours, it still hadn't recovered. It was still functional - I tested it [thanks, Trash:-)] However, sensation was significantly lacking. A google search showed this up as a known issue with riding bikes. There's a nerve between a blokes legs that can get crush trauma from badly designed saddles.
After a few *days* I was getting a little more worried, so thought a trip to the doctor's was in order. He told me it would take 3-5 more WEEKS to recover! This indeed turned out to be the case.
The next time I saw resyk I told him the story. We immediately went for a short ride to Cycle Heaven to buy him a new saddle. I don't think he sat on the saddle all the way there. He bought one with the biggest groove down the centre you can imagine, called something like "The Ergonomic Comfort Safety Saddle"...
A while ago I bought a new pedal cycle. Over the summer I got progressively more serious about riding it, trying to get out twice a weekend for long rides. This was generally down bridleways locally - I've not *quite* got round to driving somewhere and then riding ... yet.
Now, the bike I ride was an interesting compromise. I wanted something of reasonable quality, but not *too* expensive as I wasn't sure how much I would ride it. It *could* have ended up mouldering in the shed forever. It was going to do on-road and off-road. As it was, what the shop sold me was spot on:
http://www.dawescycles.com/Bikes/shuniah.htm
It has no suspension, but nice knobbly tires. I had actually ridden a 'traditional' racer for a couple of weeks before this: knobbly tires and a handlebar mounted gear shift are *huge* differences. I was curious to see what difference suspension made, so I convinced
resyk to lend me his bike (which has front suspension), on the simple basis that he wasn't riding it much at that time (though he rides it a lot more now).I set of for a big ride around some tracks I knew, heading off for some bridleways I had never been down before. Turns out the bridleways I went to were a bit *too* high quality: actually smooth tarmac on most of them. Yuck! I did see a deer though, near one of the woods I rode through.
All in all I was out for about three hours, and covered about 32 miles.
One interesting factoid about my bike: it has a saddle with a groove down the centre. One interesting factoid about resyks's: it doesn't.
So I get back, and I'm in the bath and I think "interesting - my penis is partially numb".
After a few hours, it still hadn't recovered. It was still functional - I tested it [thanks, Trash:-)] However, sensation was significantly lacking. A google search showed this up as a known issue with riding bikes. There's a nerve between a blokes legs that can get crush trauma from badly designed saddles.
After a few *days* I was getting a little more worried, so thought a trip to the doctor's was in order. He told me it would take 3-5 more WEEKS to recover! This indeed turned out to be the case.
The next time I saw resyk I told him the story. We immediately went for a short ride to Cycle Heaven to buy him a new saddle. I don't think he sat on the saddle all the way there. He bought one with the biggest groove down the centre you can imagine, called something like "The Ergonomic Comfort Safety Saddle"...
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no subject
This is one of those cases where you don't skimp. The groove on my saddle is like the trench on the Death Star.
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(grin) I've had this from an exercise bike. It's kind of like the "leg's gone to sleep" feeling - except without the comical staggering about when you try to walk. I spent the next few days grabbing my crotch like an italian waiter just to check everything was still attached. Disconcerting more than interesting I would say.
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I understood it as "I am sexually interested, please provide more information about your genitalia."
And they say men don't pick up on signals.
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A couple of points on the above..
Hang on numbnuts..
I actually ride my bike a lot, and always have. The only time it has been off the road for a while was when I nearly bought a new one due to a flat tyre (which numbnuts fixed for me), and when a dog attacked me and I mangled the bike a bit and myself a lot.
I would also point out that - to my knowledge - I had suffered no nob numbness at all from using my saddle.
Having been along for many bike rides with numbnuts loach, I have noticed that we ride differently. When going over any kind of bump, true to my BMX roots, I stand on the peddles - whereas he seems content to remain with his box firmly atop the bouncing machine. On offroad bits I am standing almost all of the time. I'm sure this is what has saved me.
Obviously though, this has been a lesson - learnt by someone else on my behalf. So yes, I now have a groovy seat.
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Ah, yes, thinking about it the above story is a modified version of an email I sent shortly after the event. At that time I really do think you weren't riding the bike that much, 'cos I easily borrowed it off you and you didn't miss it. Since then you have certainly ridden it more. I shall edit the entry forthwith.
The only time it has been off the road for a while was when I nearly bought a new one due to a flat tyre (which numbnuts fixed for me)
Hmmm. Yes. Thinking about it was it that the bike was off the road due to a puncture, and I fixed the puncture so that I could borrow it?
When going over any kind of bump, true to my BMX roots, I stand on the peddles - whereas he seems content to remain with his box firmly atop the bouncing machine. On offroad bits I am standing almost all of the time. I'm sure this is what has saved me.
Entirely true. I always sit in the saddle and make my leg muscles do all the work. This is entirely deliberate. I want those legs to work, and standing up always seems like 'cheating' to me, if you see what I mean.
no subject
Hmmm. Yes. Thinking about it was it that the bike was off the road due to a puncture, and I fixed the puncture so that I could borrow it?
Indeed. In return for you fixing my bike, and hence saving me buying a new one, I kindly inflicted crush trauma on your nad nerves causing todger damage.
A fair exchange I think you'll agree.
I have some old jeans that need patching. You could borrow them in return for a bit of sewing. They are a zipper fly.