Guy Issues 'down there'

[PscyclePath]

Most of the readily available info on men vs. bike saddles deals with inflation of a slightly different nature... the stuff that that super-obnoxious commercial for "Enzyte" that OLN used to run incessantly during the Tour de France broadcasts deals with.

But pounding from the bike seat can cause inflammation of the urethra (traumatic urethritis) in both guys and gals, as well as prostatic hypertrophy, or an enlarged prostate in guys. The symptoms sound a lot like what your friend is complaining of; he may have a little of both problems. Finding a saddle that's comfortable while relieving as much pressure as possible on the perineum is a big part of the solution, as is a good pair of cycling shorts with a chamois. During long rides, take a couple of breaks off the bike, or at least stretch and get up out of the saddle when on the road to provide a little break down there on the point of contact...

I haven't experienced any of those problems, despite riding a lot and using a fairly hard saddle without cut-outs. Maybe I've been lucky so far.

[Mr. Bloom]

Tom raises a good point:

For long rides, I wear shorts that cost $1/mile. So, for super long rides, I'm wearing my most expensive shorts