Cycling (bicycle) & early failure

[Stewy78]

Unfortunately I had an early failure of my titan otr (tube leak) a couple of weeks ago.

I am an avid cyclist and I fear that cycling long distances may be one of the reasons (I ride 200/250 miles per week).
I use a saddle with a big cutout in the middle (slr superflow) and I always use tight bike shorts that keeps my "stuff" up. In fact I have no discomfort while riding, I don't feel any pressure on the pump or tubes.

I will have a revision soon and I hope this early failure is just a bad luck.
Doctors said cycling should not be an issue using a saddle with a cutout or a split saddle.

I would like to hear your opinions, especially from other cyclists, but every comment is welcome.

P.S. I had two ams implants before also with early failure but that was related to defective pumps affected by a recall, so nothing to do with cycling.

[Jage64]

Sorry to hear this, what a tough run of luck for you.

I had read about the AMS recalls and bad pumps and asked my doc specifically if all those had been pulled from circulation. I certainly didn't want an old one pulled off the shelf and put inside me!

I'm not nearly as avid a rider as you are, I only do about 50-60 miles a week and like you, have no discomfort whatsoever on my split saddle. I sure hope there's nothing going on down there that's affecting the life of the appliance.

[SWorks17]

Unfortunately I had an early failure of my titan otr (tube leak) a couple of weeks ago.

I am an avid cyclist and I fear that cycling long distances may be one of the reasons (I ride 200/250 miles per week).
I use a saddle with a big cutout in the middle (slr superflow) and I always use tight bike shorts that keeps my "stuff" up. In fact I have no discomfort while riding, I don't feel any pressure on the pump or tubes.

I will have a revision soon and I hope this early failure is just a bad luck.
Doctors said cycling should not be an issue using a saddle with a cutout or a split saddle.

I would like to hear your opinions, especially from other cyclists, but every comment is welcome.

P.S. I had two ams implants before also with early failure but that was related to defective pumps affected by a recall, so nothing to do with cycling.

Stewy, I'm sorry that you had another failure, It's just hard to believe that this has happened to you again.

I cycle between 100 to 200 miles per week, and I use an ISM PL 1.1 saddle on my new bike which has an opening to reduce pressure on the perineum. I just use regular size cycling bibs that fit me but nothing super tight, I also use Jockey Sport Bikini's to keep the boys in place.

Stewy, I have the AMS 700 LGX for 2 years now and I haven't had any problems. I don't even notice the implant when I'm riding even though I think the pump pushes up into the top of my scrotum. When I get in and out of the saddle I don't feel any rubbing of the tubes or the pump.

I got my implant November 5th 2021 at a military hospital her in San Antonio, Texas, I think they did a great job for not being a high volume for implants. I hadn't heard of any recalls on the pump when I got mine, I'm thankful that it has worked perfect.

I hope that you do get it fixed and the next one works for a long, long time.

S-Works

[Stewy78]

Unfortunately I had an early failure of my titan otr (tube leak) a couple of weeks ago.

I am an avid cyclist and I fear that cycling long distances may be one of the reasons (I ride 200/250 miles per week).
I use a saddle with a big cutout in the middle (slr superflow) and I always use tight bike shorts that keeps my "stuff" up. In fact I have no discomfort while riding, I don't feel any pressure on the pump or tubes.

I will have a revision soon and I hope this early failure is just a bad luck.
Doctors said cycling should not be an issue using a saddle with a cutout or a split saddle.

I would like to hear your opinions, especially from other cyclists, but every comment is welcome.

P.S. I had two ams implants before also with early failure but that was related to defective pumps affected by a recall, so nothing to do with cycling.

Stewy, I'm sorry that you had another failure, It's just hard to believe that this has happened to you again.

I cycle between 100 to 200 miles per week, and I use an ISM PL 1.1 saddle on my new bike which has an opening to reduce pressure on the perineum. I just use regular size cycling bibs that fit me but nothing super tight, I also use Jockey Sport Bikini's to keep the boys in place.

Stewy, I have the AMS 700 LGX for 2 years now and I haven't had any problems. I don't even notice the implant when I'm riding even though I think the pump pushes up into the top of my scrotum. When I get in and out of the saddle I don't feel any rubbing of the tubes or the pump.

I got my implant November 5th 2021 at a military hospital her in San Antonio, Texas, I think they did a great job for not being a high volume for implants. I hadn't heard of any recalls on the pump when I got mine, I'm thankful that it has worked perfect.

I hope that you do get it fixed and the next one works for a long, long time.

S-Works

Thanks S-Works.. It seems like bad luck won't leave me alone.
I have to say that during bike rides, I've never had any discomfort, and I must say, I don't even think about the pump.

For the future, I'll do like you and wear a jockstrap under my bike shorts. I also have a saddle similar to yours (ISM PM 2.0) in the garage, and I'll try using that. Currently, I use an SLR superflow saddle that has a large hole in the center.
Additionally, my current pump is positioned quite far back between my testicles, making it barely noticeable, which is a good thing.

However, when I'm on the bike, I place it in the front, and my bike shorts support it. I wouldn't want this to put pressure on the tubes. While you're riding, do you have the pump down, partially in contact with the saddle? Or do you wear it 'upwards' with the jockstrap, as I do?

[SWorks17]

Stwey, I don’t really worry about where the pumps sits when I get on the bike. It think that the pump gets pushed up to the top of my scrotum but I don’t position it there with my hand. It just naturally goes where it wants to. I don’t wear a jock strap per se, I use a Sports Bikini brief under my cycling bibs, I guess it does act as a jock strap but they are way more comfortable. They are made by Jockey, I’ll see if I can attach a web link to see if you can get them in Italy.
For me it just gives me more support and doesn’t allow the boys to slip down on either side of the saddle.
On my old 2015 SL5 S-Works Tarmac I had the bike shop take the new saddle from my 2023 Tarmac Expert and put it on my S-Works. It is a 143cm Specialized Power Saddle and when I’ve rode my old bike, the saddle is very comfortable and doesn’t bother the boys or the pump. In my opinion, I don’t think the saddle caused the failure for you, I think it just happened. I’ve attached the link to the bikini briefs that I wear, I really like them. They change the colors every few months. I hope this helps.
Hang in there Stewy!

https://www.jockey.com/catalog/product/ ... color=6266

S-Works

[iride111]

Sorry to hear about this.I am in a similar situation: implanted by dr Eid with a tubing break in just under 3 years. I ride a mountain bike about 40 miles a week but also do HIIT on a stationary recumbent bike twice a week, 25 minutes abdominal work and leg press machine also twice a week. I have the cutout seat on my bike but I dont think this factored into my failure based on where I felt the fluid leak from, which was the pubic area where the upper leg meets the torso on the right side; exactly where the tubing from the reservoir to the pump runs. If exercise played a role, I think it was the repetitive leg movements involved. Coloplast is well known for tubing breaks; they outsource their manufacture and dont seem to have any intention of changing this. The tubing issue along with the stiff flacid is making me consider an AMS replacement. When Dr. Eid was out sick I had a consult with a doctor he recommended who no longer uses coloplast, citing failure rates. Im almost a year without a working implant and an insurance changed has screwed me over. Best of luck with your revision. I'm curious if you know where the tubing break was?

[Stewy78]

Sorry to hear about this.I am in a similar situation: implanted by dr Eid with a tubing break in just under 3 years. I ride a mountain bike about 40 miles a week but also do HIIT on a stationary recumbent bike twice a week, 25 minutes abdominal work and leg press machine also twice a week. I have the cutout seat on my bike but I dont think this factored into my failure based on where I felt the fluid leak from, which was the pubic area where the upper leg meets the torso on the right side; exactly where the tubing from the reservoir to the pump runs. If exercise played a role, I think it was the repetitive leg movements involved. Coloplast is well known for tubing breaks; they outsource their manufacture and dont seem to have any intention of changing this. The tubing issue along with the stiff flacid is making me consider an AMS replacement. When Dr. Eid was out sick I had a consult with a doctor he recommended who no longer uses coloplast, citing failure rates. Im almost a year without a working implant and an insurance changed has screwed me over. Best of luck with your revision. I'm curious if you know where the tubing break was?

Hello iride111, I'm sorry to hear that your implant has also broken prematurely.
I don't want to discourage you, but I've had two AMS implants before this one, and both broke within six months due to a pump defect. I don't think I'll go back to AMS.

Have you discussed your physical activity with the surgeons you consulted with? If so, what did they say about it? Do they think it could be a factor?

I'm trying to schedule a revision surgery (unfortunately, I'm not sure if I'll be able to do it by Eid due to the high costs, I live in Italy and don't have insurance that covers me like many Americans do), but I can't get a clear answer about it.

Unfortunately, I'm 35 years old, and this will already be my third revision. How old are you? I'm not sure exactly where my tube broke, but as soon as I press the bulb, I hear a sound of water/air, and it immediately goes flat. Initially, I could give a few pumps, but then fewer and fewer, and now the fluid must have completely leaked out.

[Time2Change]

I don't dare to ride a bike.

My ED is from damaging my pudendal nerve.

That damage is from a 5-week, 2000 mile bike tour.

I don't ever intend to get on a bike again.

[Tangled]

I'm a nudist, and I love riding my bicycle along the tracks and trails at my usual nude retreat. I can certainly feel the cylinder tips through my perineum and I sometimes wonder if I'm damaging them. AMS700 was implanted 8 months ago.

[iride111]

Im 61 years old. I've had 1 virtual and 3 in person consults after the breakage and did not mention anything about my physical activities; I didnt even think to bring it up. I just wanted to know if it needed to be replaced immediately and if a repair was an option as opposed to a replacement. I dont blame you at all for being off put by the AMS device after your experience, they also have a higher cylinder failure rate than the titan. I really did not like the titan flacid for over a year. now that the cylinders have softened up a bit and there is no fluid it doesnt bother me much. Pros for getting another titan: reservoir can be retained and reused, no cost for the implant due to warranty and its a known quantity - ams might be a letdown in terms of girth/rigidity.
Are you sure that the tubing was the issue and not the pump? Dr Eid told me he would use the legacy pump in a revision since I had good dexterity, and a lot of touch pump failures were being seen. I hope you can work things out with Dr Eid but I think if you find surgeon closer who does a lot of revisions and is meticulous about infection control, you should be ok. Dr Eid has already done all the work fitting you with the largest implant possible. You might want to go with the legacy pump also, if that turns out to be the issue.
Can I ask if you saw any difference in girth with the titan as opposed to the AMS and were you bothered by the change in stiffness when soft with the titan?