That claim was made by Dr Irwin Goldstein, a prominent urologist, in "Bicycling Magazine" a few years ago.

The jury's still out on the subject of whether bicycle riding causes cycling impotence, largely because there has been no qualified or scientifically acceptable studies carried out on the link between impotence and bicycling. Sure, there is plenty of anecdotal and clinical evidence to confirm that long-term or endurance cycling causes numbness and discomfort in the genital region, but does that equate to long-term cycling impotence?

A survey conducted on participants in a Norwegian endurance bike race found that 20% of the competitors reported penile numbness lasting from a few minutes to a day or more following the event and that 13% of competitors reported temporary impotence.

Part of the problem lies in the fact that the saddle on the narrow and hard bicycle seats favored by long distance and endurance cyclists pushes into the perineum (the area between the penis and anus) and compresses the nerves and major blood vessels that supply the penis. Manufacturers are now experimenting and producing radical new saddles, designed to relieve the pressure and give more support to the perineum.

www.impotence-guide.com