down below

Im fairly new to cycling, but i do have a problem. When I go ridding my johnson goes numb. I have lowered the point of the seat and try not to lean forrward as hard. Wouuld a cup help, can someone help.

Most problems like this are caused by having adjusted the seat height using a formula. This sets it way too high for most people. When the saddle is too high, you also end up sitting more forward on the bike, and when you pedal, your leg has to drop down to the pedals straighter down. All this puts too much pressure where you don't want it.

Try setting your saddle up using the old rule of thumbs: leg straight when heel is on pedal and pedal is at 6 o'clock (and make sure you aren't dropping your hip to get it there). Then set the setback using the classic KOPS method (knee-over-pedal). Never mind all the "debunking" you can read about on the internet. When you change either height or setback, you may have to fine tune the other afterwards, because they work together.

If you follow my suggestion, you will end up sitting lower and farther back a bit, and more on your sit bones. Furthermore, if you do it right, your sit bones themselves should end up more on the rear wider part of the saddle, where they should be. Otherwise, you are bound to put pressure on the blood supply to where you are going numb.

Oh, and sitting lower and further back will also help take pressure off your hands. It should also allow you to sit further back when you are riding on the tops, or maybe climbing with hands on the hoods, and you can scoot forward a bit when riding in the drops.

Sometimes, as you get fitter and more stretched, you may be able to raise your saddle another half to a full cm, but you should do that gradually. Don't try to ride as a Tour de France racer if you aren't one. Those guys give up their lives to it, but most of us just ride our bikes.

Sensible suggestion about lowering the saddle. If that fails to cure the problem then think about trying different saddles - many shops will allow you to try before you buy. We're all different shapes "down there" and one person's sofa will be another's instrument of torture. I use a Specialized Toupe which is veeeery minimalist but very comfy - for me!

Try lowering your seat a little. If that fails to help, invest in a new seat. A good quality seat is quite expensive, but they last for years.

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Steve
CyclingForums.com

allright guys tghanks for the help, I cant get out for a couple days, but after that I'll let you know if lowering helped or not. Thanks