can bike riding make you infertile?

a guy i was talking to when i told him in thinking about getting into biking said that if you ride a lot it will make you infertile because of the seat pushing up in a glad and thats why excersise bikes have a cut out in that spot, is there any truth in this?

thanks

 

A lot of men that cycle a lot have children...

If you are concerned, then get a saddle for your bike that has a cutout or otherwise eases pressure on your tender parts.

If you don't feel pain or numbness, then you are doing fine.

 

so is this something that is true or is it a myth?

 

It is a myth to the extent that it is very very rare (I don't know of any documented case). Like what was said.... If you aren't feeling pain or numbness you are fine. If you are... try a new saddle... or adjust the saddle tilt... or get your bike fit properly to your physique.

There are hundreds of thousands of guys cycling around the world at present. The pros are training 4-6 hours a day. Do you think they would be doing it if infertility were a problem or risk?

 

But I've read in enough places that the pressure from the bike seat can cause nerve irritation, or even damage, that can interfere with the ability to get an erection. That, of course, wouldn't be infertility. You'd still have the bullets - you'd just lack a delivery system.

 

This all comes from an article published in 1997, which the author himself has since repudiated. His 'core group' of testees were all ultra-marathon-type cyclists, and the instance of dysfunction was 4%, as opposed to 2% for the population as a whole.

If you feel numbness/discomfort, shift your perch, stand, or buy a new saddle. FWIW, I'm nearing 50, and 'junior' still watches me brush my teeth most mornings. I'm car-free, and ride EVERY day.

 

Is this "guy" and expert on infertility in cycling? or is it just his general opinion?

There are plenty of guys who cycle and have no problems with fertility.

 

I wish I had known that cycling regularly would make me infertile before I had my two children...

 

Not riding my bike causes nerve irritation, but to be honest in reference to question, I haven't explored the theory. As long as my gun fires I really don't care if I am using blanks or live ammo.

 

LOL. Excellent.

 

Spending too much on bike stuff can cause your wife to make you infertile.

 

It's true to the extent that anyone silly enough to swallow the marketing hype is probably also too silly to get laid.

 

How would it make you infertile?

 

Maybe he if referring to ED . If you fall off your bike and skin your knee it will make you "limp".

 

Maybe I misunderstood what y'all meant by "sweet spot" training. Does that involve a bike?

 

Isn't it more so involuntary celibacy?

 

No, I'm talking actual infertility. Wives often have access to large, sharp knives.

 

If we're talking anecdotal evidence... I read somewhere (shortly after the "cycling makes you impotent" fiasco) that the Pro Peleton have a higher than average number of children. Personally... cycling increases my sex drive. I've cycled all my life and never had any "problems"

 

But if you just count children they have with their spouses... the numbers are comparable...

 

OUCH!