Saddle up... cycling does not harm a man’s love life

IT is good news for middle-aged men in lycra who may worry that too much cycling will harm their love life.

A study has found that time in the saddle has no effect on performance in the bedroom.

It has been suggested that riding a bike can cause erectile dysfunction, as pressure on blood vessels between the saddle and pubic bone could restrict blood flow.

But a study of almost 5,500 people cyclists’ sexual function is no worse than that of swimmers or runners. They also had no more urinary tract infections or prostate symptoms than the other athletes, although – not surprisingly – they suffered saddle sores.

The study’s co-author, Dr Benjamin Breyer from the department of urology at the University of California– San Francisco, said: ‘This is the largest comparative study to date.

‘We believe the results will be encouraging for cyclists ... the health benefits enjoyed by cyclists who ride safely will far out weight health risks.’

The study, published in the Journal of Urology, backs up a similar one by University College London in 2014, that found no link between cycling time and infertility.