Can Saddles Restrict Blood Flow To Leg Muscles?



S

Steve Sr.

Guest
Hello,

The first thing I want to say is that the saddle position and fit is
not causing and numbness issues even on 60 mile rides. However, I
think that it may be reducing the blood flow to my leg muscles.

The symptoms are a dull ache mostly on the muscles on the insides of
my legs. The ache seems to get worse with increased pedal effort. The
thing that seems to corroborate this theory is that the dull ache will
subside after standing for 10-15 seconds.

Am I imagening this effect or does my saddle have too much padding or
the wrong shape?

Thanks,


Steve
 
"Steve Sr." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hello,
>
> The first thing I want to say is that the saddle position and fit is
> not causing and numbness issues even on 60 mile rides. However, I
> think that it may be reducing the blood flow to my leg muscles.
>
> The symptoms are a dull ache mostly on the muscles on the insides of
> my legs. The ache seems to get worse with increased pedal effort. The
> thing that seems to corroborate this theory is that the dull ache will
> subside after standing for 10-15 seconds.
>
> Am I imagening this effect or does my saddle have too much padding or
> the wrong shape?
>
Could be a lot of things. Saddle too wide. Rider too far back on the saddle.
Pedals too far apart or too close together. Inadequate muscle conditioning
(it can't hurt to start an off-bike exercise program to strengthen those
muscles).

If your saddle has much padding at all, it's probably too much.

RichC
 
On Sun, 11 Jun 2006 22:08:41 -0400, Steve Sr. <[email protected]> wrote:

>Hello,
>
>The first thing I want to say is that the saddle position and fit is
>not causing and numbness issues even on 60 mile rides. However, I
>think that it may be reducing the blood flow to my leg muscles.
>
>The symptoms are a dull ache mostly on the muscles on the insides of
>my legs. The ache seems to get worse with increased pedal effort. The
>thing that seems to corroborate this theory is that the dull ache will
>subside after standing for 10-15 seconds.
>
>Am I imagening this effect or does my saddle have too much padding or
>the wrong shape?


Among other things mentioned, don't rule out nerve issues in the back or neck.

Ron
 
> The symptoms are a dull ache mostly on the muscles on the insides of
> my legs. The ache seems to get worse with increased pedal effort. The
> thing that seems to corroborate this theory is that the dull ache will
> subside after standing for 10-15 seconds.

Does this occur on hilly rides as well, or mostly flat rides? It could
simply be that you need to not stay in one position on the bike for such a
long time (which is alleviated by standing once in a while, as you noticed).

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA

"Steve Sr." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hello,
>
> The first thing I want to say is that the saddle position and fit is
> not causing and numbness issues even on 60 mile rides. However, I
> think that it may be reducing the blood flow to my leg muscles.
>
> The symptoms are a dull ache mostly on the muscles on the insides of
> my legs. The ache seems to get worse with increased pedal effort. The
> thing that seems to corroborate this theory is that the dull ache will
> subside after standing for 10-15 seconds.
>
> Am I imagening this effect or does my saddle have too much padding or
> the wrong shape?
>
> Thanks,
>
>
> Steve
 
On Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:44:42 GMT, "Mike Jacoubowsky"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>> The symptoms are a dull ache mostly on the muscles on the insides of
>> my legs. The ache seems to get worse with increased pedal effort. The
>> thing that seems to corroborate this theory is that the dull ache will
>> subside after standing for 10-15 seconds.
>
>Does this occur on hilly rides as well, or mostly flat rides? It could
>simply be that you need to not stay in one position on the bike for such a
>long time (which is alleviated by standing once in a while, as you noticed).
>

Yes, this is on mostly flat rides and i tend not to stand very much as
my knees don't seem to like the added stress. I am wondering where the
main arteries and veins that supply the leg muscles are located and if
certain saddle shapes/designs/padding can cause or contribute to this
phenomenon.

Steve
 
Steve Sr. wrote:
> On Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:44:42 GMT, "Mike Jacoubowsky"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>>>The symptoms are a dull ache mostly on the muscles on the insides of
>>>my legs. The ache seems to get worse with increased pedal effort. The
>>>thing that seems to corroborate this theory is that the dull ache will
>>>subside after standing for 10-15 seconds.
>>
>>Does this occur on hilly rides as well, or mostly flat rides? It could
>>simply be that you need to not stay in one position on the bike for such a
>>long time (which is alleviated by standing once in a while, as you noticed).
>>
>
>
> Yes, this is on mostly flat rides and i tend not to stand very much as
> my knees don't seem to like the added stress. I am wondering where the
> main arteries and veins that supply the leg muscles are located and if
> certain saddle shapes/designs/padding can cause or contribute to this
> phenomenon.
>
> Steve
>
Yea, the saddle shape that causes this is,,,, *the one that upright
bikes all use*. Upright bikes are uncomfortable to ride, all of them.
Doesn't matter if you spend $200 or $2000 on them, they're all the same.
Butt pain, neck pain, hand numbness.

If you want to ride without pain, get a recumbent. I'd suggest a LWB
with lower-BB. You won't need padded shorts and padded gloves anymore,
and your neck won't ever hurt again.
~
 
DougC wrote:
> Steve Sr. wrote:
> > On Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:44:42 GMT, "Mike Jacoubowsky"
> > <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >
> >>>The symptoms are a dull ache mostly on the muscles on the insides of
> >>>my legs. The ache seems to get worse with increased pedal effort. The
> >>>thing that seems to corroborate this theory is that the dull ache will
> >>>subside after standing for 10-15 seconds.
> >>
> >>Does this occur on hilly rides as well, or mostly flat rides? It could
> >>simply be that you need to not stay in one position on the bike for such a
> >>long time (which is alleviated by standing once in a while, as you noticed).
> >>
> >
> >
> > Yes, this is on mostly flat rides and i tend not to stand very much as
> > my knees don't seem to like the added stress. I am wondering where the
> > main arteries and veins that supply the leg muscles are located and if
> > certain saddle shapes/designs/padding can cause or contribute to this
> > phenomenon.
> >
> > Steve
> >
> Yea, the saddle shape that causes this is,,,, *the one that upright
> bikes all use*. Upright bikes are uncomfortable to ride, all of them.
> Doesn't matter if you spend $200 or $2000 on them, they're all the same.
> Butt pain, neck pain, hand numbness.
>
> If you want to ride without pain, get a recumbent. I'd suggest a LWB
> with lower-BB. You won't need padded shorts and padded gloves anymore,
> and your neck won't ever hurt again.
> ~

.... or get properly fitted for a road bike.

-bdbafh
 
DougC wrote:

> Yea, the saddle shape that causes this is,,,, *the one that upright
> bikes all use*. Upright bikes are uncomfortable to ride, all of them.
> Doesn't matter if you spend $200 or $2000 on them, they're all the
> same. Butt pain, neck pain, hand numbness.
>
> If you want to ride without pain, get a recumbent. I'd suggest a LWB
> with lower-BB. You won't need padded shorts and padded gloves anymore,
> and your neck won't ever hurt again.

Trollamundo. (Not bad.)
 
[email protected] wrote:
> DougC wrote:
.......
>>
>>Yea, the saddle shape that causes this is,,,, *the one that upright
>>bikes all use*. Upright bikes are uncomfortable to ride, all of them.
>>Doesn't matter if you spend $200 or $2000 on them, they're all the same.
>>Butt pain, neck pain, hand numbness.
>>
>>If you want to ride without pain, get a recumbent. I'd suggest a LWB
>>with lower-BB. You won't need padded shorts and padded gloves anymore,
>>and your neck won't ever hurt again.
>>~
>
>
> ... or get properly fitted for a road bike.
>
> -bdbafh
>

Well no, not really. A degree or two of difference in frame geometry
won't really do much at all, nor will a fancy seat or special
handlebars. And we all kjnow that, don't we? It might "minimize" the
riding pain, but a recumbent will very-nearly "eliminate" it (we might
not all know that). Do the chairs in your home and car look like an
upright saddle, or more like a recumbent-bike seat? Yes well then, why
is that?

Ride whatever floats your boat--but if you want maximum comfort, you
simply won't find it on any upright bike. Who are you riding for?
~
 
On Mon, 19 Jun 2006 22:35:58 -0500, DougC <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Butt pain, neck pain, hand numbness.

Hmmm, I don't get neck pain or hand numbness. Or at least I don't to
any degree more than other activities in life -- like maybe once a
year or so. My butt goes numb when sitting in an easy chair once a
year too. My feet get tired from walking a few times a year. Biking
is no worse than those activities for me in terms of pain in hands and
neck.

JT

****************************
Remove "remove" to reply
Visit http://www.jt10000.com
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Steve Sr. wrote:
> Hello,
>
> The first thing I want to say is that the saddle position and fit is
> not causing and numbness issues even on 60 mile rides. However, I
> think that it may be reducing the blood flow to my leg muscles.
>
> The symptoms are a dull ache mostly on the muscles on the insides of
> my legs. The ache seems to get worse with increased pedal effort. The
> thing that seems to corroborate this theory is that the dull ache will
> subside after standing for 10-15 seconds.
>
> Am I imagening this effect or does my saddle have too much padding or
> the wrong shape?

Recumbents are the only kind of bike known to cause this.
 
In article <[email protected]>,
DougC <[email protected]> writes:

> not all know that). Do the chairs in your home and car look like an
> upright saddle, or more like a recumbent-bike seat?

The seats in my friend's RX-7 are more recumbent-like, and they're
a PITA to get in & out of, and are not terribly comfortable.

It is erroneous to compare an upright bicycle's saddle
to a chair. They're different kinds of perches. Of
course using a bicycle saddle as a chair will result
in pain, but that's not how they're meant to be used.
To get the best functionality from a saddle, the whole
bike has to fit. When it does, there's no problem, as
long as the rider maintains good posture. Fortunately
a well-fitting bicycle is conducive to good riding posture.


cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca
 
Peter Cole wrote:
>
>
> Recumbents are the only kind of bike known to cause this.

Recumbents don't have saddles, you're being a mister sillypants.
We are amused.

There's a number of conditions that riding a bike saddle can cause--and
surprisingly, most of them aren't good.

Stop staring at your front tire! Unless you're getting paid, riding is
supposed to be fun. The land of the "comfortable upright bicycle" is the
barren province of liars and fools. It doesn't exist, and all your money
won't build it--but a $500 recumbent can deliver you from it. 8|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Tom Keats wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> DougC <[email protected]> writes:
>
>
>>not all know that). Do the chairs in your home and car look like an
>>upright saddle, or more like a recumbent-bike seat?
>
>
> The seats in my friend's RX-7 are more recumbent-like, and they're
> a PITA to get in & out of, and are not terribly comfortable.
>
> It is erroneous to compare an upright bicycle's saddle
> to a chair. They're different kinds of perches. Of
> course using a bicycle saddle as a chair will result
> in pain, but that's not how they're meant to be used.
>
> ....
>
> cheers,
> Tom
>

Yea but if the RX-7 came with posts with bicycle-style saddles, I would
bet your friend would have never bought the car in the first place--as
the pain would be truly unbearable. What cars come with bicycle-style
saddles, any we'd recognize?
~~~~~~~
 
DougC wrote:
> Peter Cole wrote:
>>
>>
>> Recumbents are the only kind of bike known to cause this.
>
> Recumbents don't have saddles,

That's the problem!
 
In rec.bicycles.tech DougC <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Yea but if the RX-7 came with posts with bicycle-style saddles, I would
> bet your friend would have never bought the car in the first place--as
> the pain would be truly unbearable. What cars come with bicycle-style
> saddles, any we'd recognize?

Which is why I can't drive my car for more than half an hour without my
fundament hurting, but I can ride my bike for hours without issue. Err
wait, that's the complete opposite of what you are claiming. Keep going
with your proof by assertion, I'm sure you'll convince someone...
somewhere.

--
Dane Buson - [email protected]
Real Time, adj.:
Here and now, as opposed to fake time, which only occurs there and then.
 
In article <[email protected]>,
DougC <[email protected]> writes:

>> It is erroneous to compare an upright bicycle's saddle
>> to a chair. They're different kinds of perches. Of
>> course using a bicycle saddle as a chair will result
>> in pain, but that's not how they're meant to be used.

> Yea but if the RX-7 came with posts with bicycle-style saddles, I would
> bet your friend would have never bought the car in the first place--as
> the pain would be truly unbearable. What cars come with bicycle-style
> saddles, any we'd recognize?
> ~~~~~~~

You're still talking about using bicycle saddles as chairs.


cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca
 
Tom Keats wrote:
>
>
> You're still talking about using bicycle saddles as chairs.
>
>
> cheers,
> Tom
>
Yes, because both of them are for sitting on. Jeez, what else you use a
bike seat for?

If the point of a bicycle seat is not to be comfortable, then why not
just get rid of it entirely and save another half-pound of weight?
~~~~~~~~~~
 
In article <Ni%[email protected]>,
DougC <[email protected]> writes:
> Tom Keats wrote:
>>
>>
>> You're still talking about using bicycle saddles as chairs.
>>
>>
>> cheers,
>> Tom
>>
> Yes, because both of them are for sitting on.

Bicycle saddles are /not/ meant for sitting and plunking
one's weight on, as if they were chairs. Here's a hint:
suspension seatposts are totally unnecessary.

> Jeez, what else you use a
> bike seat for?

Steering, for one thing (as anyone who can ride no-hands knows.)
Fore-&-aft balance (distributing and applying varying weight on
the wheels,) for another. Steadying the bike against the rider's
pedalling for yet another (as anyone who can stand & pedal knows.)
And it's not a "seat", it's a saddle.

> If the point of a bicycle seat is not to be comfortable, then why not
> just get rid of it entirely and save another half-pound of weight?

It's a pity you never truly learned to /ride/ an upright bicycle (as
opposed to just making a bicycle "go") before dismissing them as
instruments of torture which inflict a bunch of butt, back and
neck pain.

The point is not for bicycle saddles to be comfortable, it's for
/bicycles/ to be comfortable. A well-fitting bicycle is more worn
like a suit, than sat upon like a chair.


cheers,
Tom

--
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Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca
 
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