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Toupe Gel $155
Lithia $73
Avatar Gel $80
You lavish affection on your bike, and what does it do for you? It deflates your fun in the bedroom.
TOC sexpert Debby Herbenick says “lots of [long-distance] cycling is associated with erectile problems among men and poorer genital sensation among women.” For both men and women, the culprit is decreased blood flow that results from some seats cutting off circulation.
So how can your junk get up close and personal with your bike seat without causing intimacy issues? Nate Newton, the go-to guru on protecting your naughty bits at Kozy’s (various locations throughout the city, kozy.com), is sold on saddles from Specialized, which has partnered with the University of Cologne to study how much blood is constricted down there when you’re riding on certain seats. In order to ensure at least 50 percent of your blood flows normally, guys should look for a seat with a slit cut out down the middle—blood flows best when your bits have room to breathe (and sag). “[This special seat] shifts pressure off of your arteries and places it all on your hip bones,” Newton says.
The Specialized Avatar Gel seat ($80) is Kozy’s best-seller for men, allowing for 60 percent of your normal blood flow, while Specialized’s Toupe Gel ($155) has been shown to allow 80 percent blood flow (the increase is due to less padding so your “sit” bones are absorbing more of the pressure). Specialized’s Lithia ($73) should provide a comfy ride for ladies’ bums and improve their rolls in the hay since the seat alleviates pressure and increases blood flow. And just as there’s quite a difference between men and women, the sex’s saddles are made differently: The slit is moved forward and the cutout is wider for the ladies. Ah, vive la différence.