Body Geometry products are scientifically developed ... - Specialized

MEN
Through our studies, we now have a clear picture of the health and
physiological impacts of bicycle saddles on male cyclists, specifically
as it relates to the compression of the pudendal arteries. Because we
can now accurately measure blood flow in male cyclists, we can
accurately compare different saddle designs, and utilize this data to
improve and optimize each BG saddle for its intended use.
MEN'S BLOOD FLOW TESTING
In January 2004, Drs. Sommer and Minkow presented their blood
flow laboratory protocol to journalists from the USA and Europe. This
presentation compared general types of saddles including soft, thickly
padded traditional saddles, conventional race-type saddles, and socalled
“anatomic” saddles designs. In comparing these general types
of saddles, the journalists noted some surprising overall results that
remained consistent regardless of the brands of saddles tested:
• Soft, padded saddles restrict blood flow more than any other type.
In general, the more padding, the more restriction.
• Thinly padded racing saddles, while clearly less comfortable for
most cyclists, performed better than soft “comfort” saddles in
terms of blood flow.
• Overall, anatomic saddle designs (with grooves, cut-outs, or
relieved areas), offered the best performance (restricted blood
flow the least).
BG | 5
PRESSURE RELIEF NEEDS ARE DIFFERENT
FOR MEN AND WOMEN
Women's perineal pressure is related to the anatomy of the perineum (area between the clitoris and anus).
The cutout on the women's saddle is hour glass shaped as opposed to the V cut in the men's saddles. This
specific difference in cutout shape is responsible to decrease in direct pressure for women. Because their sit
bone width is wider than men's, only women with small sit bone width who ride predominantly in the aero
position will require the narrowest saddle.
Comfort saddles for women, ie. The Dolce, are deliberately wider because of the sit bone width increase in
women. This saddle is also wider because it is presumed that women on this type of saddle will ride in a
more upright position. Because the pelvic bones are widest in the rear or when the rider is upright, the
saddle needs to be wider than a higher performance saddle which assumes a more forward leaning position.
Blood flow for men is restricted in two places on the bicycle saddle, in the rear 1/3 of the saddles where the
internal pudendal arteries are compressed in the vicinity of Alcock's canal, and under the symphysis pubis
(front connection of the pelvic bones). The placement of the V cut takes into account the rear constriction
and the window in the front alleviates the compression under the symphysis.
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Editors from various magazines then requested comparison tests
between different saddles available in the marketplace (samples were
provided by the editors). Dr. Sommer outlined the complexity of
doing comparison tests in the following way:
1. Each rider has a different baseline blood flow. Some riders have
inherently higher blood flow (probably because of anatomical
differences).
2. Temperature affects rider's blood flow so that on different days
the same rider may have different results.
3. Different riders have more sensitivity to arterial constriction, so
that in some cases a rider will sit on a saddle and the arteries
immediately constrict, then expand to give a baseline blood flow
that is stable after several minutes.
• Other riders will have less immediate drop and stabilize faster.
• In almost all cases, blood flow stabilizes between the 5 and 7
minute mark.
4 Anatomical differences exist so that a particular saddle may
provide one rider with more blood flow than a different-sized rider.
Dr. Sommer emphasized that while more blood flow is obviously
better, any value of more that 50% is reasonable to consider safe for
most cyclists.