Which brand of unicycle saddle is the easiest on the perineum and puts the least pressure on it?
Studies have shown that bicycle seats block blood flow in the perineum. However, the bicycle still has some advantages compared to the unicycle where the pressure on the perineum is concerned. In the bicycle, one’s weight is distributed on 5 different points (2 feet, 2 hands and bottom), whereas in the unicycle one’s weight is distributed only on 3 different points (2 feet and bottom, even though sometimes the hands are also used), with the bottom taking most of the weight. In the bicycle there are also measures you can take in order to ease the pressure on the perineum. You can tilt the saddle downward. You can increase the pressure on your hands and ride out of the saddle.
I wonder if there are any unicycle seats that have addressed this problem and taken measures to decrease the pressure on the perineum? Is that even possible?
Which seats are the best? The seat I have gives me discomfort and even slight pain after only 5 minutes of riding. It also causes me to put more weight than would be ideal (for correct riding) on the pedals. It is the stock saddle that comes with the Club 24" UDC. I’ve been researching unicycle seats and found the Qu-ax Air (http://www.einradladen.net/shop/show_product.php/cPath/8/products_id/813) which has a cutout like some bicycle seats to decrease pressure on the perineum. It also lets one tilt the saddle. I also saw the Kris Holm Fusion Freeride - 2010 saddle (http://www.einradladen.net/shop/show_product.php/cPath/8/products_id/791). This one seems to be designed to put the pressure on your sit bones and so perhaps would be much more comfortable to ride. It also is the least u-shaped which I would suppose would make for less pressure on the perineum and hence less discomfort. But I don’t know whether it would fit my unicycle’s seat post, since in the photo it seems to have no place where a seat post might fit!
I realize that most of my weight having to be put on the saddle in a vertical position, it would be unavoidable to put far more pressure on the perineum in unicycling than in bicycling. However, I would like to know if the seats make a lot of difference, if the seats I referred to (the Qu Ax and the KH) would in fact offer significantly more comfort than the seat that comes with my Club UDC. If anyone has experience with the difference between these seats and can share it, I would be grateful. If any of these seats are significantly more comfortable and put less pressure on the perineum, I will gladly buy them. By the way, if I buy a new unicycle like the Qu Ax Cross 29" (http://www.einradladen.net/shop/show_product.php/cPath/1/products_id/646), does it come with a good saddle, or do I still need to buy a separate saddle?
The newest KH saddles and Wallis saddles have a lot of padding and deep grooves in them to relieve pressure there. You’ll still have to try them to know.
You could also put on aero bars and set them up so you can lean on them a bit. The forward bend would also change where the pressure is a bit and shifting your riding position occationally as you ride could help.
I love the KH Fusion Freeride. You could also take off the cover and cut the groove deeper.
I am also a fan of the KH Fusion Freeride saddle. An adjustable seatpost also helps a lot. You can tilt the front of the saddle up so that more of your weight is on your sit bones towards the back of the saddle.
From what I understand, fitting for saddles is all pretty standard for unicycles. There are a few exceptions, though.
If you can’t find it on the website, you can always just call UDC and ask.
Perineum “pain” can be a bunch of things. If you’re getting numbness or tingling in the perineal region… It’s usually due to pressure on the sensitive nerves there. How long have you been riding?
It seems like he’s more concerned with pressure on the perineal nerve, frankly. Friction doesn’t seem to be the problem here. Friction isn’t about to cause long-term damage; however, if you’re consistently pressuring the perineal nerve, it can lead to long standing pain and even impotence, in males.
If you’re looking to take pressure off the perineal, look for a saddle with a center cutout and decent padding. The KH Fusion Freeride is an excellent saddle with an effective center cutaway and supportive padding, as others have said.
The Scott Wallis Road relief is a great design, and loving it on my 36er! Depending on your riding style, aggressive Off Road, Distance, or a combination of the two, this is a REAL nice high end option!
For MUni & 29XC, I use a Nimbus Airsaddle with KH base for the cushy ride. Perineum pressure is a non-issue with air, but I’ve heard too squishy side to side for some, not me.
+1 on the air saddle. It’s the only saddle I’ve know so far in my short uni career and I’m very happy with it after changing out to a smaller 12" tube for a lower ride. My rides are not any longer than an hour right now but I’ve had no numbnutss at all so far.
This is an old thread, but the topic is still relevant. I rode unicycle avidly when I was younger and switched to bicycle for quite some time. I was experiencing severe numbness of private parts until I switched to this seat for bicycling:
The link may not work forever, so let me just describe the seat - it’s basically two separate pads that land right under each of your “sitting bones” and applies NO PRESSURE at all to the Perineum area. I can go for 10 hour bike rides without issue now. Is there a similar seat for unicycle riding? It’s a long drive to the bike trail, but there are trails local that I could ride unicycle on but I don’t want to try it until I minimize risk of perineum pressure. If you have ever had numb private parts, you would understand. It’s quite a scary experience.
That seat looks far scarier on a unicycle than the, to most male unicyclists, familiar numbness. Without a seat sitting between your legs I fear that it would be difficult to keep the seat from falling out back or to one of the sides. perhaps it could work if a handle was installed?
That said, in 2014 KH released the newer low curvature seat. It works wonders for me when it comes to numbness. Since it is has fairly firm padding and it’s firmly flat I now have the weight fully on my sit-bones rather than on that soft nerve-filled area. I haven’t had a problem with numbness since I changed seats. Though it seems that it takes some getting used to for some people.
There is a thread about the seat further down on the front page here.
This sounds so counter-intuitive - Too much pressure up front? Point the front up higher! But it actually works a treat. I guess this is because it puts the rear of the saddle closer to the seatpost, and so forces you to sit further back, thus avoiding pressing your squishy bits on the nose of the saddle. Absolutely recommend this for anyone who rides for more than 10 minutes at a time!
Just get yourself an adjustable seatpost, just like the KH adjustable Seatpost and tilt the nose up. Is you still have problems, try to flatten the seat …
I have never had a big problem with numbness and what little I occasionally experienced on long rides has not been evident since I have been wearing padded cycle shorts.
I have Polaris Gels and Descente Stratas.
The Descente have a wider seam free area around the crotch and more padding at the front so I prefer them. I wouldn’t buy the Polaris again because of the location of these seams.
I wear them under lightweight cotton shorts which afford protection to the thin fabric of the padded shorts in case of extreme upds.
For me , the so-called “relief channel” in KH saddles is way too shallow and narrow to offer much relief to these senstive areas. Carefully remove cover, carefully mark, and carefully cut the foam (electric carving knife works well for the main cuts) to make a much deeper, wider channel. But don’t make it any wider in teh back than where your sit bones make contact. I’ve done this to three seats with excellent results.
