I have declared war!
I’m sick and tired of having frequent “calls of nature” on my morning rides, and in particular, competitive centuries. I have stopped drinking coffee. That seems to have helped. I have eliminated citrus from my energy gel recipe, and I have begun making my own electrolyte drink with less sodium, and citrus.
But, and this is a big but, these changes have made little difference on longer rides. I completed a 3 1/2 hour ride Sunday, and needed to stop several times. Throughout the day, and during the night, I have noticed a big change. Fewer “calls of nature”. So, what is the difference when I take a longer ride. Well, it could be the bike fit, and in particular, my saddle.
So, I made another change. I’m in “A sea of change”, as bike for all seasons refers to my current dilemma. I changed to a more prostate-friendly saddle on Lou, the Garneau. This is not a new saddle. I have had it for several years but it has been on other bikes, mostly recently on my son’s commuter. I’m reluctant to purchase another saddle at this point. I’ll try the Selle Italia Neckkar Flow for a month to see if the cutout and recessed area make any difference on longer rides. They are intended to reduce pressure on the perineum which can cause inflammation of the prostate – a potential cause for the frequent “calls of nature”. I rode for 2 hours yesterday, and didn’t have to stop 😊 And, again today.
That’s a good first step.
There are a number of more prostate-friendly saddles on the market. I also have a Fabric Scoop on one of the bikes. This saddle does not have a cutout but does have a large recessed area at the back. I was fitted for this saddle 2 years ago, and must admit it is a comfortable ride but I don’t use it on the road bikes. I have 2 Fi’z:k Arione saddles on the road bikes, and thought I liked them. I do. But they are narrower, have less padding, do not have a cutout, or recessed area.
The Fi’z:k saddles may be contributing to the problem.
Another saddle I am considering is the Specialized Romin Evo Comp Gel. It comes highly recommended by one of the local road cycling shops. It has a wider, longer cutout, and may warrant a try.
This is a war I am not prepared to lose 🎖
Do you know of a more suitable saddle for male cyclists complaining about frequent “calls of nature” 🚽?
PedalWORKS 
Thanks for your saddle research,really helpful.
I also currently use the fizik arione on all my 3 bikes,I tried one borrowed from a friend and liked it at first so bought another 2 @£60 each.
But on my last few rides I’ve been having quite a bit of pain in my sit bones after an hour or so in the saddle,so much so that I now spend a fair bit of time riding out of the saddle.
I’m not sure if the saddles to blame or my past hip replacements are causing the problem,it’s a possibility.
The main problem trying different saddles is it can get expensive keep trying different ones,only to find they don’t help and then having to try and sell them on,
Not sure what to do really.
Glad to hear the caffeine free regime is helping,you have to experiment to see what works for you.
Yes, it can be expensive. I learned this week one of my local bike shops actually give you 7 days to try a saddle out, and if you find it is a bad fit, you can return it for a full refund. You might want to ask at your local shops if they have a similar plan. Also, there is bike fit technology available that puts a cover over your saddle equipped with electrodes that measure contact points while you pedal. It can tell you if the saddle is right for you. This way you can try as many saddles as necessary to find the right one for you. You might want to find a fitter near you that has this capability.
Thanks for that very helpful advice Geoff .
I’ll ask my LBS where I’ve spent a fair bit over the years if they would be willing to do try and return,but I’d be surprised if they’ll do it.
Had some bad news yesterday that a friend of mine has broken 3 vertebrae in his back when he ploughed into the back of a van whilst doing 25mph . He’s Expected to make a good recovery but wether he ever gets back on his bike is another thing..His £3k bike is a write off but at least he’s insured.
It seems he might have been going for a KOM on a downhill segment and didn’t have time to brake when the van stopped suddenly.
I’ve recently stopped using strava..it can be a positive,but can also make you take a few to many risks..be interesting to hear other folks views.
Keep us updated on the saddles and thanks again.
Did a 30ml ride today,after weeks of a strong easterly the wind has at last died down and temps are at 20c what a difference it makes.
Your saddle talk is interesting. My problems only occur when I am trying too hard or pedalling into strong winds and i assume that this is because I am rocking on the saddle, a cardinal sin.
I use a Brookes Cambium which I find great. I recently got a new bike with a so called comfortable saddle but couldn’t get on with it. I’m back to my old saddle again. I have found that very small adjustments in saddle height and angle make a huge difference. I don’t tend to drink much on the move up to 40 miles or so at this time of year, so that helps too.
I have a Cambium on one of the bikes, and like you, like it a lot. I train on this bike but don’t use it on century rides. Maybe I should.