[Nardog]

I bought a Look KG461 and began riding road bikes in April.
I've worked my way up to riding a 22 mile loop 3-5 days a week and have recently began experiencing numbness "Down Under" in a place that a guy doesn't want to experience any numbness, if you know what I mean.
I also get numbness in my left hand (3 outer fingers) but found that I can minimize this by changing positions on the bars and have been doing a lot more riding while dropped down in the loops of the bars. I think that this position has changed my weight distribution in the saddle taking weight off my "sit bones" and re-distributing it to the soft tissue region.
The numbness gradually subsides but will last for as long as 3 days if I don't ride and it never really goes away if I ride continuous days.
I'm 46 years old 6'-1" tall and weigh 195 pounds (started at 220 pounds)
My saddle is a Sella San Marco Concor Light, and I like the saddle otherwise.
But I was thinking that my problem could be eliminated with a saddle that has a cut-out and gel padding, so I ordered a Sella Italia Signo Gel Flow saddle on the internet last night.
Do any of you have experience with the Sella Italia Signo Gel Flow saddle?
Do any of you have any advice or recomendations to eliminate the numbness?
I can live with numb fingers, but I will have to limit my riding if I can't eliminate the downstairs numbness.:blush2:

 

[Abn1SG50S]

A couple of things...

The first thing that you may want to check is the angle of your saddle. Two or three degrees can make all the difference in the world.
Personally I have had great results with the Serfas Terrazo Select saddle. It has the cut-out and even after 20 miles or more I barely notice that I'm sitting on it. I consider that the sign of a good saddle.

 

[Legend911]

Yeah i used to have an original Fuji saddle on the Fuji Team Issue that had no cut outs. I get numbness within 5 miles of riding. After changing the seat position by a professional the time of numbness went to 10-15 miles. I went and bought a Rav-X seat with a huge cut out in the middle and nice firm padding. Now I don't get numbness and I have ridden over 50+ on it. I couldn't be happier.

I am 6'7" and 195lbs

 

[Argentius]

Position is really important, and the Concour is pretty famous for being a tough saddle to make work. I like mine okay, but it needed a lot of fiddling to get the position right.

I have an SLR on my other bike, and it's much more friendly to different positions.

Riding more does "toughen one up," but numbness is another thing. If you're having numbness for THREE DAYS after a ride, I don't know, that sounds really excessive, as in talk-to-your-doctor, but I'm not a medical professional, and don't know.

 

[bepe]

Great results with Sella Strike Pro

I was having similar problems on even short (10-15 mile) rides on a Fizik Arione saddle. As someone mentioned, this is not an area that I want to take any risks. I got the Sella Strike Pro (huge cut out and nose that points down). It was pretty expensive (about $250) but was worth every penny. Have not had any issues since, including on a century and weekly rides of 50+ miles. I'm 6' tall, 165 lbs.

 

[Nardog]

Riding more does "toughen one up," but numbness is another thing. If you're having numbness for THREE DAYS after a ride, I don't know, that sounds really excessive, as in talk-to-your-doctor, but I'm not a medical professional, and don't know.

The numbness for three days is probably best described as a loss of sensation, although it is a slight numbness. As far as the toughening up part, I definitely went through that with my sit bones and I don't get the "Butt Burn" anymore, and I think the recent numbness is a combination of spending more time dropped in the bars, thus putting more weight on the soft tissue area that sits on the nose of the saddle.
I probably would have tried tilting the nose of the saddle down a little before buying a new saddle, but after reading the replies from people regarding similar experiences and their success using a saddle with a cut-out, I'm encouraged and looking forward to my new saddle arriving.
The numbness wouldn't be that bad elsewhere, but I was concerned about causing permanent damage if I were to just continue riding as is and try to tough it out.
My wife has been 100% supportive in me spending another $100 on a saddle after I've just spent $3,000 on a new bike, pedals, shoes, helmet, tools, clothing.
All I had to do was print an article off the internet that linked Impotence with road bike saddle pressure.

 

[SkiRacer55]

Riding more does "toughen one up," but numbness is another thing. If you're having numbness for THREE DAYS after a ride, I don't know, that sounds really excessive, as in talk-to-your-doctor, but I'm not a medical professional, and don't know.

The numbness for three days is probably best described as a loss of sensation, although it is a slight numbness. As far as the toughening up part, I definitely went through that with my sit bones and I don't get the "Butt Burn" anymore, and I think the recent numbness is a combination of spending more time dropped in the bars, thus putting more weight on the soft tissue area that sits on the nose of the saddle.
I probably would have tried tilting the nose of the saddle down a little before buying a new saddle, but after reading the replies from people regarding similar experiences and their success using a saddle with a cut-out, I'm encouraged and looking forward to my new saddle arriving.
The numbness wouldn't be that bad elsewhere, but I was concerned about causing permanent damage if I were to just continue riding as is and try to tough it out.
My wife has been 100% supportive in me spending another $100 on a saddle after I've just spent $3,000 on a new bike, pedals, shoes, helmet, tools, clothing.
All I had to do was print an article off the internet that linked Impotence with road bike saddle pressure.

You are a prime candidate for a Koobi AU Enduro Gel or similar. Go to www.koobi.com and they'll fix you right up...

 

[Spintogrin]

I'll second the Koobi, I also like my Stelle San Marco – Aspide Arrowhead, Gel.
Also, as counterintuitive as it might be, try tilting the saddle nose UP, yes UP a degree at a time. I was very skeptical and didn't think it would work either but after reading a number of replies to similar questions I thought what do I have to loose? It made a big difference.