[hardwarz]

I went on a 4 mile trail/loop today. About 3/4 the way through, my left leg started going numb. I took a break and walked around for a while. The numbness went away. I went back on the trail and about 1/2 through the ride, my left leg went numb again. What gives? What could be causing this?

I drop my seat and I'm in the attack position for as much as I can stand. I'm not strong cardio wise, so I sit for a while. I try to get out of the saddle as much as I can.

Any suggestions?

Hardwarz

 

[CrimsonFox]

Have you been riding in that position for a while? Maybe you could adjust your seat tilt? Sounds like you might be sitting in an odd position which is cutting off circulation to your leg?

 

[zebrahum]

What do you mean by "drop my seat"? Check out this link on saddle height and make sure you're following those guidelines in the Adjustment section:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/saddles.html

Though if you want to get close to the proper length quickly, I find that if you put your heel on the pedal at the bottom of the pedal stroke you want a small bend in your knee. That should get you close.

It sounds to me that you're either crushing the soft tissue of your rear on the saddle by having it too low or that you're on a very inappropriate saddle design.

 

[anavrinIV]

I sit the majority of my rides and I've never had a leg go numb...yesterday I even did 23 miles (not my first time doing it) without any such issues. it sounds like you're putting pressure on a major artery which is a very bad thing. I suggest you take your bike to your lbs and have them work with you on your saddle and positioning before you ride again. What kind of saddle do you have? this could very well be part (or all) of the problem.

 

[hardwarz]

What do you mean by "drop my seat"? Check out this link on saddle height and make sure you're following those guidelines in the Adjustment section:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/saddles.html

Though if you want to get close to the proper length quickly, I find that if you put your heel on the pedal at the bottom of the pedal stroke you want a small bend in your knee. That should get you close.

It sounds to me that you're either crushing the soft tissue of your rear on the saddle by having it too low or that you're on a very inappropriate saddle design.

You may have a point... Everything I've been reading has said to drop the saddle and get it out of the way. I only do this on my FS trail bike, my 700c and my hardtail 29er XC bike are setup differently and I don't have this problem.

 

[Shark]

Everything I've been reading has said to drop the saddle and get it out of the way. I only do this on my FS trail bike, my 700c and my hardtail 29er XC bike are setup differently and I don't have this problem.

Not sure where you're reading that, no reason to be dropping the seat just because it's a FS, unless you're riding steep DH stuff & you actually need it out of the way all the time.

 

[hardwarz]

Not sure where you're reading that, no reason to be dropping the seat just because it's a FS, unless you're riding steep DH stuff & you actually need it out of the way all the time.

I thought I remember reading it in "Mastering Mountain Bike Skills", don't have to book here at work to quote it.

I went to this website:
http://www.leelikesbikes.com/adjust-your-seatpost-on-the-fly.html
"In technical sections and tight turns, a high seat gets in your way."

 

[AZ]

Drop the seat for steep downhills , otherwise leave it in your optimum seating position . As you are finding out , seat position can cause numbness , knee pain back pain , not to mention you give away a lot of power not being in the correct position . The Sheldon Brown link is an excellent resource . Good luck .

 

[Gasp4Air]

In addition to trying different seat heights and angles, perhaps you could try different saddles. Everyone's anatomy is a bit different. Your saddle might just be pressing in on the wrong spot. Experiment with different shapes. Hope you get it figured out.

 

[hardwarz]

I've ridden my trail bike on the streets, saddle proper height and no issues. Only since I've lowered for trail riding have I had issues.

 

[hardwarz]

Dupe

 

[itchmesir]

numbness in the legs is due to problems in the L1 & L2 disks... there may be swelling which is causing the disks to bulge/swell and put pressure on your lumbar nerves... which go all the way down through your legs are buttocks..

I had a right numb thigh for awhile from... well.. we won't go into details.. but the riding i was doing didn't involve a bike and after doing some research and talking with a chiropractor.. that was my understanding... after a couple months it went away... just make sure you''re stretching your lower back before you go on long rides...