Conference noted::bicycle

     I would suggest that these are isolated "specific to individual"
    cases. As long as cycling has been around and as popular as it's
    become over the past 10 years, this would have been heavily pub-
    licized. Many of the world's top riders (or their wives) would have
    had difficulty with family establishment.
    
     By no means am I knocking the Milwaukee Sentinel. I just think that
    "studies" are often not worth the paper they shared on (even as
    cheap as news paper is).
    
     I guess erections are where you find them. The other thing that
    baffles me is that 209 kil.'s isn't all that demanding as long as
    you're fitted properly to the equipment. Hey, maybe a bicycle with
    a rumble seat or running board??? :-)

    
    I echo Chip's sentiment.  Especially since even a 209km *one* day
    race wouldn't be out of the ordinary for lots of "potent" cyclists.
    This really sounds like a special case.
    
    -john

    It's hard to reconcile this item with the article in Bicycling magazine
    a couple months back....

    I have never had a problem riding my own bike, but have had the
    feeling of an electrical current going through my manhood for up
    to an hour after riding the Lifecycle. I think a lot of this has
    to do with the type of seat on the Lifecycle which is much wider
    than the normal racing style of seat!
    
    Goodbye and thanks for all the Fish !
    
    Gerry O
     

    	If the article were valid, it might be another reason to push for
    recumbents...  But, as mentioned, it's specific to individuals, and
    possibly only to those with mis-adjusted seats.
    	- riding in comfort, Chris

    
>>>    the explanation offered is that the position of the body
>>>    on the hard bicycle seat for a long period of time compressed the
>>>    penis , diminishing the blood flow to the nerves and causing a loss
>>>    of function.
    
    I guess the lesson here is to never sit on a penis while riding a
    bicycle (at least not for "long periods of time").
    
    -RW
    

    Re; .6 response: I love it! I wouldn't want to sit on mine or anyone's
                     on or off a bike, for that matter!! :-)
    
                     Critical lesson...
    
                 The random Chip

    Good one Chipper!
    
    If the guy was sitting on his penis, one might ask if there was
    something wrong BEFORE the race.  For all we know, his girlfriend
    may be a Dairy-Queen.  There's the reason for everything!
    
    I've learned a hard lessen here was well!....
    
    enjoying rides (on AND off the bike),
    Jim

    
    It is definitely the saddle. I have had some numbness (didnt matter
    how many miles) and it is definitely the saddle. Looks like a case
    of a newspaper/reporter not doing the homework.
    
    Harry

All jokes aside, I think this does happen although not to the extent mentioned
in .0. During my one and only century ride of the year last year I had some
numbness in the aforementioned area. No I wasn't sitting on my unit. I noticed
when I had a call of nature. It answered my sitting vs standing on the hills
question. Sitting in the same position for a long period of time will shut off 
feeling and or blood supply to your leg, butt or crotch. Even if your sitting on
your favorite easy chair you'll find yourself changing your position every once
and a while. I first heard about a story similar to .0 in a motorcycling mag.
It was the guys butt that lost feeling for months from a cross country ride on
his motorcycle. I'm sure a recumbent rider will have to admit that his behind
will get sore/numb after a couple of hours straight in the saddle. 

Tom

    re. last  'recumbent riders...'   NOT SO!!  I have a tender tail -
    that's why I ride a recumbent. I have never had a sore tail for any
    ride up to centuries. (Exception: when the webbing in the seat sagged
    and I was partially supported by the 'top tube' which runs under the
    seat - that did get sore, real quick.)  There is enough flex in the
    buttocks due to pedaling motion, and enough support by the seat, so
    that a proper recumbent seat (I've seen some with hard plastic seats:
    No Thanks!) can be sat in for 8 or 9 hours without tail soreness. Your
    legs will be wiped out with fatigue, but your tail will be OK. - Chris

    I never had a century or longer [or shorter] ride cause the problem
    cited.  There must be something more to it than length of the time in
    the saddle.
    
    Perhaps after 600 or so consecutive miles I didn't care whether or not
    things were functioning, but they were ok.
    
    ed

    
    	Hey, your right ed, there is something more to it then length
    of the time in the saddle... 
    
    Let's just leave it to the imagination.  8#)
    
    Mike