ISM saddles look a bit funny – we know. That’s something that stands against them in the cycling industry, with its ‘Velominati rules’ about style and saddles matching handlebars and blah.

The good news is that if you get on with one, you’ll spend most of your time with your bum perched on it, so that shouldn’t really be a barrier.

The way they work is very simple. Traditional saddles, based according to Schindler on the designs for saddles used on horses, force the rider to put some pressure on soft tissue. This can cause numbness, pain, and has been linked to erectile dysfunction in men. In women, over long term abuse, it’s linked to a loss of feeling and sensitivity.

Some saddles feature a cut out or channel to reduce this, and these are pretty popular. However, in the case of the ISM, the saddle supports the pubic bones, eliminating all pressure on the soft tissue. There is no weight placed on anything that does not have a bone structure supporting it.

ISM have carried out studies on the effect of cycling with one of their saddles – and they say that their saddles can allow over 200% blood flow to soft tissue.We were a bit stumped here. 200%? That sounds worryingly close to – well…

Shindler explains how the tests work: “Sensors are attached to the head of the penis or labia [he looks a bit pink in the face here as I nod along scribbling in my notebook].”

“When a person is just standing, comfortably, we call that 100% blood flow – that’s the baseline level.”

“In the case of most saddles, when you start pedaling, blood flow goes down. After around 10-16 minutes, it can drop right down to 10%. This is the opposite of what should happen – when people exercise, blood capillaries open, increasing blood flow. If the blood flow is not restricted it will go over 100%, in our case over 200%, because blood flow is increased due to exercise.”

So – we can see that the science seems to support the idea.

Of course, what works for every individual is personal – for example, some people sit more ‘forward’ on the saddle, meaning they’re susceptible to soft tissue discomfort which the ISM tackles, whilst others sit ‘back’ and have different problems. It’s impossible to say if an ISM is right for you, without giving one a go.

Prices start at about £70, for the cheapest models. So can you try one without splashing out?